FAQ for Clients: Why Hire a Pro?

I might be a little off my rocker for attempting this one, because it’s a FIERCELY debated topic on the wedding forums and among photographers within the field. What usually ends up happening is that there will be some talk of “what the heck do professional photographers DO that means I should be paying them the equivalent of $300-500 an hour for one day’s work?!” which then makes a group of photographers get all defensive and go on tangents on their blogs about all the expenses of running a studio and paying for gear and insurance and all that and all the experience they have and how they know what ISO is and how much time they spend editing photos and doing their bookkeeping and darn it, why can’t brides see the value in what we do and just write us a check without asking any questions? And during these debates, the more defensive both sides get, the uglier it gets, and ultimately no one is any more educated or motivated to see the other’s point of view.

I don’t want to go down that road. Believe you me. My opinion is that there are ALWAYS going to be cheaper photographers than me, and if a bride is shopping based on price alone, she’s probably not going to choose me, and that’s probably for the best. And you know what? More power to her, I say. Someone else out there will be able to meet her needs much better than I will. What I’ve found is that my clients tend to take price into consideration, but will ultimately hire me for who I am and for the type of photographs I take, and a lot of times they’ll be willing to pay a little more than they planned to and cut other things in their budget so that they can hire me. And I’m not saying that to toot my own horn (although I do adore my clients and am so honored that they love me back!). I’m saying it because the kind of clients I seek out and who tend to seek ME out are those who place high priority on their wedding photography and have very specific desires about the kind of person they want to hire.

So I would urge you, all you future brides and grooms, to take a lot of other things into account when hiring your photographer besides their price tag alone. I completely understand that times are tough for everyone, and the average couple doesn’t have an unlimited budget to run rampant with. But I have more than a few friends who totally regret going with the least expensive option, and I would hate for you to be one of them. Unfortunately, there are no do-overs when it comes to weddings, and the choice you make now is the one you’ll be stuck with for the rest of your life. I would recommend reading this post by a bride who “went the cheap photographer route,” and possibly reconsider your priorities [the comments section is also really interesting]. After all, the only thing you’re left with when it’s all said and done are the photos. A professional photographer is going to know how to meet your needs. It’s true that anyone can go out and buy a fancy-pants camera these days and call themselves a photographer and post an ad on Craigslist and ba-da-bing, they’re in business. But what separates the professionals is their experience. They know the flow of a wedding day and can help guide you and support you at all the right times. They anticipate important moments and know exactly what camera settings and lenses to use to capture them the best. They know how to pose you in your best light and angle, and how to manage the chaos of bridal and family portraits, and how to check for stray hairs and bobby pins. They know composition and editing and blogging and album design. They have a distinct viewpoint and style. They’re people you can trust, the kind of people you WANT to surround yourself with on one of the most important and happiest days of your life. They’re the kind of people you might just be friends with in real life, outside of a strictly professional relationship. And to me, all of these are excellent reasons to hire a pro. Don’t get me wrong… I’m not ordering you to hire ME. We may be completely wrong for each other! But there is a photographer out there who is a perfect match for you and your wedding, and I urge you to seek that person out and be willing to look for the value that separates them from any ole average Joe and makes them worth their price tag.

Finally, I came across this not long ago, and I thought it was pretty interesting and also appropriate in illustrating what a photographer is actually being paid to do, and whether or not this is something an amateur can provide. Here is the divide between the perception and the reality of how photographers spend their time:

Perception

Reality

[from an article entitled "The Secret Life of Wedding Photographers"]

Pretty big difference, huh? :)

I just want to end by saying that I once was a complete amateur (sometimes I still feel that way, even though I know I’m not). And God bless my friends who had enough faith in me and my potential to allow me to shoot their weddings and get my feet wet in the industry before completely diving in. Without their willingness to choose me over a professional, I wouldn’t be where I am today (even though I look back at all the things I did completely wrong now and am appalled at my oh-so-unprofessional former self). So again, it’s not about the price that you pay, necessarily. On one end, you might get a great deal on an up-and-coming photographer and get much more than you pay for… on the other, just because you choose the most expensive photographer out there doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get the best photos. In my opinion, it’s a lot more about the connection you feel with your photographer, and how much you trust them to document your day, and sometimes that might come at a premium price, and other times you might be lucky to find it for an out-and-out bargain. Either way, I simply want to urge you to be a little more open than you might be comfortable with in your search for the perfect person for the job. After all, you don’t want to be left six months from now with an album full of woulda-coulda-shouldas. That’s all I’m preachin’. :)