What's a professional for?

I recently saw a survey that talked about bridal couples who regretted not spending more (A LOT MORE) on their wedding photography/ photographer.

Okay, so clearly we’ve got a vested interest in talking about something like this, but there’s good reasons to mention it.

Most couples recognise the need for wedding photography but, because they’ve probably never before had need of a professional photographer, it usually comes as a shock to see the prices (and the price differentiation for that matter).

Good professional photography is not cheap. It’s concentrated on small volume and very high quality. It’s done by genuinely passionate people who devote many, many hard hours and days (sometimes weeks) to each and every wedding they shoot.

That costs.

So some couples see the dollar signs and, despite loving the photography and the photographer of their first choice, will sometimes ill-advisedly settle for a cheaper alternative or a friend or family member.

The issue is that the photos just produce a “meh” or “blah” response. It can be a real big shock to get back from the honeymoon and see little better (and often worse) images than any of the combined guests might have taken. Then the couple wishes they’d spent more.

We’ve heard the stories before on many occasions.

What do you want from your wedding photography? You might have been expecting to cry but for the right reasons!

Remember, these photographs are not just for the here-and-now. They’re for your children, grandchildren and the history that is to come.

Fall in love with the photography of a professional and be prepared to spend for a professional.

So what’s this got to do with the photos below? That first shot, I deliberately took (at Lauren and Leighton’s wedding) in the rooms that Lauren was getting ready in. Essentially the room was that dark but because our eyes are so good we just think there’s plenty of light in there (as seen in the bottom shot). There really was a tiny amount of light with an unusual colour-balance too.

Now that’s no ones fault. The room has been designed that way so we have to make it work.

The professional makes the choice to be discreet. To not use on-camera flash. To not blow out the scene with harsh light. To sit back and be the quiet witness. And to be prepared for the unforeseen, the unthinkable, and the randomness of good and bad.