Why Should I use a Professional to Photograph my Wedding?

When it comes to your wedding photographs you really should use a professional wedding photographer.

You may feel that asking a friend or family member to photograph your wedding day could save you a heap of money, but this could really be the worst decision you make. It could be argued that your wedding photographer is the most important of all your wedding vendors. You only get one shot at capturing these timeless moments and your photographs are the one single material thing that will remain with you in years to come. Cutting corners and opting to try and save time and money could well be disastrous.

It doesn’t matter how well planned your wedding day is, things don’t always go as you want. That’s not to say that it will all go wrong - far from it, but timings can change very easily. All that lovely time you may have put aside for your photographs can suddenly turn into just a little 10 minute slot because you hit traffic on the way to the reception venue. Then what?

A photographer without the necessary experience might crumble under the pressure, and your once in a lifetime opportunity to record those beautiful memories is gone. It’s a big ask, putting all that responsibility on the shoulders of a friend or family member, and heavens forbid, what would you do if they got it totally wrong? How would that affect your relationship? Just because someone knows how to take great photographs does not mean that they know how to run a wedding and work under pressure with challenging lighting conditions and the occasional bit of equipment failure - not to mention how to sweet talk a vicar or registrar into not confining you to the back of the church or ceremony room!

You may also find that a family member or friend will know more people on one side of the family than the other. The natural tendency for an inexperienced photographer is to shoot more of the people that they know, rather than having an unbiased approach. So at the end of the day, you may find that there are far more photographs of the bride’s family than of the groom’s and not that many photographs of the friends either.

An experienced and professional photographer on the other hand, will be able to deliver a consistent level of work in a wide variety of situations, be able to improvise and adapt to ever changing situations and make the most of what little time may be available. They will (or should) also have full professional indemnity and public liability insurance and should also give you a contract. Without these, there’s not much of a comeback.

A professional photographer will also have invested in cameras and lenses of superior quality - equipment which will be able to handle low lighting conditions and more likely to withstand knocks and temperature variations. Not only this, but the experience of a professional should allow them to work easily with a variety of people, coaxing the best out of you and your guests.

When planning your wedding, it may seem like there are several good reasons for taking shortcuts with your wedding photography. Hopefully this article will help to identify exactly why a professional photographer makes so much sense.

Article by Surrey Wedding Photographer Matt Pereira

Image Courtesy Surrey Wedding Photographer Matt Pereira Photography

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