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Pros Vs. Joes: The Wedding Photography ChoiceYou always have the option of cutting out the pro photographer and letting a novice or advanced amateur shoot it. “My cousin/uncle/friend bought a digital SLR and they take pretty pictures so they will definitely be able to handle a wedding, right?” “Maybe not.” If you are not into photography in general then I’m guessing you don’t really want to invest the money in professional wedding photography, and that is ok. As long as there are limited expectations put on the amateur’s work, everything should fall into place. On the plus side, you will at least have some pictures of your wedding day and have saved a considerable amount of money. And what if your amateur turns out to be a natural talent, and ends up being sparked into greatness because of your wedding? There is always that possibility, but the odds are against it, and at the end of the day there can be NO complaints about your amateur photographer missing this shot or that shot. NO complaints about being handed a disk of images that are dark, out of focus and not properly sized. NO complaints about your “online print store” book that really didn’t come out that good. The adage “you get what you pay for” is usually spot on in this regard. However, if you love pictures and really appreciate the art of story-telling photography, you are going to want to consider investing in professional services. A dedicated wedding photographer will have the sense of purpose necessary for anticipating moments, posing portraits and maintaining a high level of creativity throughout the day. Not to mention the hours a professional will spend preparing your images for preview, print and album design. Consider the overall experience that you receive from a true professional and that is a large part of the investment. It is a matter of determining YOUR level of appreciation for photography. Every one places their own value on such a subjective experience; but in the wedding planning arena it is often viewed as just another commodity, that can be easily replicated by the inexperienced. So if you choose someone outside the industry please adjust your expectations to match their experience. If anyone has used a cousin/uncle/friend as their main source of wedding photography, we’d love to hear how it turned out, good or bad, and please post a link to the pictures. - 3 comments to Pros Vs. Joes: The Wedding Photography Choice |
Hi, we're Ash and Rich; we are Pizzuti Studios. Welcome to our blog, where you'll find a variety of images, some personal thoughts, and reflections from our lives as wedding and portrait photographers. 
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Great entry, Rich & Ashley! Obviously as photographers, we tend to be a little biased, but I really appreciate that you took the time to look at both sides of the situation. Wedding photography is certainly a big investment for people, but it’s definitely important for them to manage their expectations. Someone who is just starting out might charge a lot less and still give you good photos, but do they have back-up equipment? Do they have insurance? These are a couple of “invisible” costs that most people don’t factor in. I can’t wait to see what people send in for their photos! Thanks for putting this out there.
It really comes down to important factors such as personal preferences and how much one is willing to spend on that type of service. For our wedding, the photography was very important. We appreciate our friends and family’s photos, but we wanted to capture the moments that go often missed and unnoticed. We want something that we could look on years later and be able to accurately remember that scene because of how the photo itself is a story of that moment.
It also goes into how well one knows oneself. I use photos as physical memory notes. I don’t use photos just for merely showing others or as keepsakes. Photos for me are what helps connect me back to what was happening at that time. It’s an accurate snapshot of a time that I can only hope my brain will still remember the details to in 10 years. It’s important for me to have those kind of photos, they enable me to remember my past and help point to where I am going.
I always find it interesting the amount of money wedding couples will sink into cake and alcohol at weddings and how little they invest or put aside for photography.
After the cake is gone, after the hangovers have passed, what do they have for their money? Nothing. Nada. This is as big an investment in valuable memories as just setting a match to several thousand dollars. This is totally mind boggling to me.
I often see inexperienced friends and “photographers” post on boards having accepted to do their brother/sister/cousin/best-friend’s-thrice-removed-great-uncle’s wedding next week… and only then go rush out to every photography forum asking “what do I do?”.
It is no small truth to say that you *will* get what you paid for. If photography has a lower priority or value than cake or booze, well that is that is completely OK if this is what the bride and groom wish, however, if people who ask their inexperienced friends or relatives to shoot their wedding and *expect* at least *some* level of quality and final results of a good professional… they are severely fooling themselves.
It’s not really their fault, they expect their friend/relative to really be as good as an experienced quality professional… but the reality is, there is a lot more needed besides the tens of thousands of dollars worth of cameras, lenses, lighting and backup equipment… it takes years experience, uncounted hours of practice and a true talent to do a wedding properly. If you think that this is reality… ask this friend or relative to do an engagement session for you… compare it to what other photographers have done. Be ready for a big surprise.
In this economy, brides and grooms may be tempted to save a few dollars, but let’s be blunt… you are not going to look at your dried up piece of cake or an empty vodka bottle 10 years down the road and remember that day with fondness… but the tears of joy recalling and seeing that special day revived in your heart, as you look at your pictures… now that is the gift that lasts a lifetime.
Food for thought, for those that are in this situation.