wedding photography

Everyone’s a Photographer?

We live in a time where photography has become another means to communicate, rather than an art form. Cameras are everywhere, in your cellphone, your laptop, your pocket – and chances are they double as video cameras too. Technical skills of amateur photographers are rising past some who label themselves professionals, and the social web brings shorter learning curves through consistent comment & critique. With the rise of the amateur photographer, is there room for the professional? I believe there is, now more than ever – here’s why.

Digital Photography: Total Game Changer

The environment is ripe for those looking to advance their photography knowledge. Mature photographers experienced the evolution of photography from an manual, slow and costly process – to digital – dominated by affordable, sophisticated cameras that provide instant feedback. The advent of digital offers a portable medium for budding photographers to share their work with each other via community websites like Flickr, often gaining valuable critique within hours of a shoot. A digital photographer will shoot more frames in 3 months, than a professional did in her first 5 years. And practice makes perfect, a young photographer doesn’t necessarily equate with a new photographer anymore.

What Defines a Professional Photographer?

My clients come to me with three expectations: personality, portfolio, and price. They understand that portrait and wedding photography is all about people, and the ability to “gel” with your photographer results in great photos. “People” skills are something you develop from many areas in life, and you either have it or you don’t. I can’t imagine spending 12 hours with a wedding photographer who had excellent technical skills, but drove you to tears under the pressures of your big day – its important to interview multiple photographers and ensure you share similar views.

A professional’s portfolio portrays a wide variety of situations and clients. This should be your first clue regarding the diversity of skill your photographer possesses. See a bunch of macro shots of flowers, or panoramic mountain vistas? Move on. Landscape photographers have the luxury of spending hours setting up a single shot, and flowers don’t change plans midstream.

It may be tempting to hire a weekend warrior photographer based on price, but think for a moment exactly what type of bargain you’ll be getting. Does the amateur have relationships in place for multiple vendors? You’ll want to explore print and album options thoroughly, and professionals will have a body of work you can review physically. Often the amateur photographer will offer a “shoot & burn” service for your wedding or event, a disc of the final images are handed over after the shoot – with little or no post processing. Professionals will shoot their images in a format that allows for a maximum range of development after the shot, and will know how to work those images into the ones you see on websites like The Knot, or Wedding Bells. “Shoot & Burn” images lend themselves to snapshot quality, probably not what you had envisioned at the outset. Professionals are there for you before and AFTER the shoot, ensuring your images are the best they can be.

I define a professional a little differently than my clients. I believe there are still three factors that define us, and they are personality, performance, and passion. We’ve already covered the personality part, and I believe the majority of amateurs share an equal amount of passion for their images, however the is a dividing line here. What sacrifices do professionals make to ensure your images are consistent, quality shots? Professionals will allocate time and budget to consistently improving their skills. Wether that means attending classes with other professionals, or learning about new techniques and products available at trade shows. A professional will combine experience with technique to ensure your photos are they best they can be “in camera”, keeping photoshop as a tool to enhance already great photos vs. trying to cover-up some lower grade camera work. Everyone can take a great photo, professionals make great photos, and do so consistently.

A professional will know how to light, beyond sticking a flash on their camera and blasting it all over the ceilings and walls during your ceremony or event. Lighting skills further separate the professional crowd, from those who use the crutch of fast lenses and available light – to those who understand portable, location-based lighting, and use those skills to define a mood or style to your images. Hiring a professional photographer will ensure a better range of final photos to choose from (having consistently had a higher “hit rate” in the photos, the resulting pool will be wider), and any post work required will enhance an already great image, rather than attempt to save it. Making the investment in those who’ve invested in your success is a sound decision.