4 Reasons to Hire a Professional Wedding Photographer

While reading a wedding blog I follow I ran across an article titled, “The Importance of Hiring a Professional Wedding Photographer”.  In the article the author described why you would want to hire a professional on your wedding day.  While reading I began making a list of all the reasons a bride should hire a professional photographer.  Here are my top 4…

1. Lighting.  Starting from the very beginning of your wedding photography experience your photographer will be thinking about lighting.  This is a crucial element of great photography and your photographer has been trained to find the best light.  Lighting can be especially difficult for LDS brides who often exit the temple between 11 am & 1 pm.  Arguably the worst time of day to take pictures.  However, a skilled photographer can make amazing pictures in any light.

2. Editing.  There is a lot that editing encompasses.  It’s not just fixing skin or slimming people down like the magazines do.  Editing includes culling images, cropping, fixing exposures and white balance, in short creating a look.  Photographers are human and they aren’t perfect.  However, they do want your pictures to be as perfect as they can be, this requires the employ of Photoshop or other editing software.  Think of editing like processing film.  It is a process and creates a style that the photographer likes.  (Side note: You should like the images you see from any potential photographer in their entirety not bits and pieces of an image.  This is there style and it is hard to stray from it.)

3. Anticipation.  Wedding photographers shoot many different locations, couples, and types of weddings.  Because of this they are able to anticipate what is going to happen.  They know the basic ebb and flow of a wedding day and are able to anticipate the key photographic opportunities.  They see things that most will miss and that you may not even remember about your wedding day.  This is a blessing to you.  Your photographer just wants things to run smoothly and for you to be as stress-free as possible.  Let us worry about getting the perfect shot that will capture your day.

4. Peace of Mind.  Finally, when you hire a professional wedding photographer you are purchasing peace of mind.  Yes, it may cost you a bit more but, isn’t it worth it to have the confidence that you are going to love your pictures and be proud to show them off?  In this digital age wedding pictures are seen by not only your friends and family but by the old acquaintance from high school or college.  When hiring a professional you can have the peace of mind that you will look your best and your day will be captured to reflect you.

Wedding photography is one place it’s okay to splurge a little.  After the cake has been eaten, the flowers wilted, and the dress packed away you have your pictures.  It’s important to love them, maybe not as much as you love your spouse but you should love them.