I had a bride come to my studio almost in tears. She got married 3 months ago and had a “friend” who had a DSLR Camera shoot her wedding. The wedding was in an old church with high ceilings and amazing woodwork. The reception was in a beautiful restaurant. This friend captured all of this but guess what…. he didn’t know anything about lighting. He had a Flash on his camera but that was it. The result …all the pictures came out very dark.
Now I have this bride that wants me to “fix” the pictures. Her friend doesn’t know what to do. Her beautiful wedding day memories are ruined and now she comes to a professional photographer.
I can only shake my head. What are engaged couples thinking? If someone has a DSLR Camera, IT DOES NOT MAKE THEM A PHOTOGRAPHER. It only makes them a person with a DSLR Camera.
Capturing memories is not as easy as most people think. Professional photographers, those that went to a photography school and actually graduated, have spent hours and money perfecting their skill. A professional photographer does not shoot in auto for an entire event. They shoot in manual; they bring a professional grade camera, a back-up professional grade camera, lights, reflectors, meters, transmitters, receivers, and much more. They have been trained in lighting techniques, ISO, F-Stop, exposure, shutter speed, and posing.
There are some basic questions that you should ask your photographer when you have a consultation with them. Here are just a few…
Where did you go to school to be a professional photographer? (Online-courses do not count.)
Do you do this full-time?
What type of equipment do you own? Do you have a back up camera?
Does your camera have an external flash?
What type of lighting are you bringing with you?
How many weddings have you done? Do you have pictures I can see from those weddings?
How many weeks after my reception will it take to get the proofs?
How many proofs will I get?
If the person you are thinking of hiring can’t answer these questions then you should go to someone else. Another red flag should be the price … Anyone that says they can photograph your 8 hour wedding and give you an album for under $1000 should send you running. No professional, educated photographer can do a wedding for anything less than $1000. An average wedding photographer gets $2500 or more. Why….??? because after the wedding is over, a professional photographer spends the next 40 hours editing and retouching your photographs so you get a quality product. Their job does not end when the reception is over. In total a professional photographer probably spends about 80 hours in consultation, preparation, traveling, photographing, editing, designing and presenting for one wedding.
So when someone asks me…why do professional photographers get so much for weddings ? I tell them because your friend and relatives are not experienced, do not have the equipment, do not have the knowledge and don’t know how to “fix” your pictures when they don’t come out right. I do. In addition, I paid over $30,000 for my equipment so that I can shoot your wedding and produce a quality product.
So to the brides who come to my studio to make their dark pictures look good, I can only say you got what you paid for. You didn’t pay for a professional, experienced, educated photographer. I am sorry that all the memories of your special day are gone. I am sorry that I cannot fix them. I am not a miracle worker. Please ….engaged couples, check the credentials of your photographer the next time you want your special memories preserved.
