A professional bridal preparations shot (courtesy of easyweddingphoto.com, a wirral based wedding photography company covering Liverpool, Manchester, Cheshire & North Wales)
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A professional shot of the couple leaving the church
This is the final post on this subject, and predictably, it is covering the last (and most popular) option, which is to pay a professional to take your wedding photographs. Wedding photographers come in a wide variety of styles, types and prices, but for this post I will concentrate on the factors which all professional wedding photographers should have in common.
The first and most important thing that a professional wedding photographer has is experience. It is this experience which enables them to consistently get great photographs time after time.
For example, a professional photographer will know where to stand for the best shot, when to take a photo (and more importantly when not to), how to set up group shots etc. and where best to do them and how to do all this in a friendly and efficient manner.
Most importantly, a professional will know which shots you are most likely to want, and which ones you would be really upset about if they didn't get taken (or if they turned out wrong).
A professional photographer will also carry all the kit that they need to do the job. This should include a good quality professional DSLR, flash and lens (possibly several lenses) plus a spare camera & lens just incase there is a problem. Professional lenses start at around £700 and can cost up to £1300 each. These lenses are much better than the 'kit' lenses that you get bundled with cheap consumer DSLRs and they enable the photographer to get a clearer picture and often to avoid the need for flash (in a church for example).
A professional flash is much more powerful than a built in flash, producing a smoother, more consistent light, and avoiding red eye. There are very few amateurs who could justify the type of kit which a professional would consider the bare minimum.
Another thing to consider is that a professional photographer will usually be able to offer you a range of albums and print products which are not available to the amateur.
Of course, there are some limitations. It doesn't matter how good the photographer is, are limited to photographing what is there on the day. A 3* hotel in Bognor is never going to look like the Ritz, for example, whichever direction it is photographed from.
Pros:
- You will get the photographs you asked for
- The quality of the photographs should be good (well exposed and with good composition)
- They should be able to enhance the photographs in post production before they are printed for you
- Range of albums and prints available
Cons:
- Cost more than the other options (of course)!
- Prints are likely to cost more than if you were able to print the photographs yourself
- Copyright issues (make sure you know what you are agreeing to before booking your photographer)
In summary, this is without doubt the best way to ensure you get the photographs you want and that they are of high quality. Communicating exactly what you want and choosing the right pro for the job are essential, but that's another topic in its own right.
