Why use a professional wedding photographer?

Some couples find themselves having to make a decision between using a professional wedding photographer and a friend of the family. This may be due to a tight budget and is understandable, however this might not be such a good idea. Here I provide a list of reasons why you should really use a professional if at all possible.

1. Experience
Professional wedding photographers will often cover up to 40 weddings a year. This gives them a lot of experience with different locations, lighting situations, types of wedding and so on. The family friend may be quite good at taking pictures but can they cope in a wide range of situations when under pressure? They might take good pictures on holiday but how does that relate to a wedding?

2. Skills
There is so much more to wedding photography than having a decent camera. A professional will usually have a greater knowledge of the camera's abilities and of photographic techniques. Not to mention their ability to work with people and to provide additional services such as album design, web display and so on.

3. Backup Equipment
Good professional photographers will always have backup equipment with them in case of breakdowns or accidents. The friend of the family may have one good camera but what if that fails?

4. Equipment Quality
Professionals will have invested a significant amount of money in their equipment. Not just the cameras but also the flash, batteries, tripods etc. Their aim is to get excellent quality results with reliable equipment.

5. Insurance
Professionals need to be insured for their photography business. Most will carry public liability and professional indemnity. This means that in the event of an accident or a failure to provide an adequate service you have some comeback. If a friend of the family caused a problem would you even be willing to take action against them and if so could they afford it?

6. Reputation
A professional photographer's reputation is at risk every time they cover a wedding. They have a strong incentive to do a good job, especially in the age of the internet where clients can quickly write bad reviews if they didn't get a good service. The photographer's reputation and therefore his/her livelihood is at stake. An amateur usually has their day job to fall back on.

7. Independence
With a photographer that is not related to you there is a more professional relationship. The photographer should be friendly and helpful but not too familiar. I have heard of photographers drinking and socializing with guests at a wedding but they should be there to do a job and be focused on that. If the photographer is a guest will they stay sober and be able to provide decent pictures later in the day?

8. Post Processing
A professional is likely to have more experience and skill with the post processing of the images as well as with taking them. This includes retouching skills as well as album design and print presentation.

9. Service
As the photographer is relying on your business for their living it is in their interest to provide good service before, during and after the wedding. This includes providing you with things like prints, CD's and albums in a reasonable period of time and helping you with decisions such as the type of album to get.

10. Album Design
One of the most important aspects of wedding photography today is the album design. This is a skill in its own right. Even if your family friend can take good pictures can they put them together into a creative and stylish album design? Will they be prepared to spend the time doing this work for you?

Thank you for taking a look at this list. I hope it has helped you decide whether to use a professional or not.