Within this digital time and advancement of technology on our phones and devices, it’s so easy to think that you don’t need to hire a professional photographer for your milestone events to save money. Why not take them yourself or better still ask a friend or family member with a nice camera to take the photos for you? These devices are great for everyday photos but for major family events it’s definitely worth the investment to hire a professional photographer.
With the advent of digital photography anyone can call themselves a photographer these days but there’s a lot more that goes into producing fine art portraiture than just owning great gear. Professional photographers spend years of hard work and training to hone their skills not only in the technical side of photography but also how to relate to people to bring out their best in front of the camera.
Understanding of light, composition, correct exposure, light and shadow, Photoshop and Lightroom are just some of the things that professional photographers are required to have a deep understanding of. You wouldn't go and purchase a great pair of scissors to cut your child's hair and expect the same result a hairdresser could do?
You hire a professional photographer for their ability to make you and your family look awesome, using their artistic and technical talent. You hire them for their expertise in being able to bring to life your vision for your photos of your family. The time they spend working and getting to know you to really bring out your individual personalities and to capture memories in time.
Not only should you be in the photos with your family but you'll find that most children are more likely to be cooperative with a professional photographer than you directing them. Photographers have learnt through experience how to get children to give those natural smiles.
The actual photo shoot is only a small portion of what the photographer actually does. After the shoot the photos have to be culled and edited individually to give them their own unique look that fits with the Photographer's style. This is where the main work happens.
When you pay for a professional photographer you are investing money into pieces of artwork, high quality images that will be displayed on your walls and not left on your computer hard drive or in boxes packed away. They have the knowledge of quality printing for your photos and have their own specialist printers that they use. A high quality photo deserves to be printed on beautiful art paper that will withstand the years.
When you pay a professional photographer to shoot for you, you are generally paying for the following things:
-The photographer will work closely with you in choosing your outfits, ideal location and time of day to get the most beautiful lighting, etc. All of these minor details can make a huge difference in your final photographs.
- Time and talent
- Knowledge of cameras, lenses and purchasing of equipment in order to achieve high quality images for you. Professional photographers have a great depth of knowledge about what types of equipment and what camera settings you need to produce a certain image. That beautiful bokeh (blurry background) and halo lighting cannot be reproduced in 'Auto' mode.
- Post production creating and editing each individual photo. This is a lengthy process where your photos are worked on individually to give them a polished, artistic and professional look.
- Professional printing
- Insurance
- Lots of consistently good photographs, not one or two
It is so worth the investment capturing amazing memories and beautiful photographs to enjoy for a lifetime.
