WHY SHOULD I HIRE A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER?
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about those inquiries I’ve received where people ended up saying that they changed their mind, they have a family member that can take their wedding photos, and she’s doing it for free! I mean, who doesn’t like free things, right? I sure do, but not when it comes at the expense of some of my most important memories. Today I want to talk about why hiring a professional is something you should consider, whether it be for a huge event like your wedding, or even just your yearly family photos. Let’s dive in:
Expertise and Experience: Once I moved into the professional space, the main thing I saw from where I had come to where I am now was the little things that made my work overall better. They are the things you don’t think about when you aren’t a professional, but that make the differences that you can notice. For example, posing. When you look at inexperienced photographer, the poses just look not right, something is off. Whether it be people are standing awkwardly, the pose would never happen naturally, or the smiles are plastered on, barely able to hold because they’ve been smiling at the camera for an hour straight. With a professional, they know how to make you feel comfortable, to make the clients look natural and have fun during their shoot. Sometimes it really is the little things.
High-Quality Equipment: I know with every new iPhone the camera gets better. But while it can be fun to experiment with, in 2025 it is not going to be replacing my mirrorless Canon camera anytime soon. Professionals have professional gear, plain and simple. They also know how to use it. I know some photographers who jumped right in to buying the $4000 camera and don’t know how to edit or pose. So while the quality of the gear isn’t the only thing you want to look out for, I promise there is a difference between a professional camera and the Canon Rebel T5 that mom has kept in her cupboard after her “photographer era”. Additionally, do we really want to hire a wedding photographer for cheap only to have all your reception photos be dark because she didn’t own a flash, or didn’t know how to use it?
Professional Editing: One of the most important things. First, you’re going to want to find a photographer that you like their style. Professionals all have different ways they edit, so find who you like! But the best way to tell if they are a professional: do they have consistency in their editing? Is one shoot they post consistent with the next? They most likely have their style down. This is something that we as photographers put a lot of time into curating, and it doesn’t come easy. Hiring your friend who happens to have a camera for your graduation photos is great when you’re saving the money, but doesn’t pay off when the background is overexposed, your face isn’t fully in focus, and there is a guy walking in the background with a bright red shirt. Talk about distracting! Proper professionals put the time into consistency in style as well as editing each photo to be sharp, discernible, and in line with the work they have put out previously.
Stress Reduction: This is plain and simple. Do we really want to be worrying about our photographer showing up? Do you want to spend your entire wedding day worried they didn’t get the shot? Hire the seasoned professional who has put years into their client experience, who has previous galleries they can share, who has the reviews to back up what they are saying. This is a day you won’t get back, and it should be in the hands of a professional.
Long-Term Value: While I can’t dive into every detail that makes a professional different than that random friend that owns a camera, I promise you there is a difference. We live in a world where things come quick and cheap, but memories don’t work that way. Way down the line when our faces have wrinkled and our children have grown up, the memories are all that we have left. Your life is worth saving the moments, your story is worth framing on your wall. Some of us may only have a certain budget, but I implore you to think about what your memories are worth, and let that reflect in who you hire.
