We can’t really count the number of wedding photographers in my area. Every day, new photographers emerge, while some fall into obscurity. There will be a wide range of rates, as with any professional service you employ for your wedding. Some will be so low that they appear too good to be true, while others will be so high that you will laugh.
One of the most significant “services” of your wedding day is wedding photography. Nobody will remember the custom printed napkins or the thousands of dollars you spent on flowers when the wedding is done. Your gown will be placed in a box. Your additional invitations will be tucked away in a drawer. Your images, on the other hand, will be visible for the rest of your life, no matter where you hang them. Pictures, unlike the screens we spend the most of our time staring at, are always “on.” They never stop showing off what is printed on their paper.
Phones now have great cameras, and the cost of actual digital cameras has dropped dramatically. Let’s face it: taking images doesn’t require a college degree. You don’t even need a licence. Anyone with a camera can snap a photograph, but not everyone can use photographs to convey a story.
While it may be tempting to save a few hundred dollars by choosing a cheap wedding photographer, there are a few factors you may not have considered.
Fancy Weddings
1. Chances are, if you discover a cheap photographer, they have a cheap camera. A professional camera is essential equipment! The quality of your photographs will be poor if your photographer utilises a low-end digital camera, especially in low-light conditions like the reception. What if their camera malfunctions during the ceremony? Will a low-cost wedding photographer have a backup camera, or maybe three?
2. Low-cost photographers frequently operate “under the table.” Uncle Sam is completely unaware of the situation. If these photographers aren’t charging and paying the necessary taxes, you could be held liable after an audit. (Can you imagine getting that phone call?)
3. Low-cost photographers utilise low-cost lenses. The lens is the most critical component of any photographer’s kit. Notice how soft and hazy the background is in the following image? This is an indication of a GREAT lens. The quality of the backdrop blur is referred to as “bokeh.” There is no bokeh with a low-cost lens. In other words, there will be no hazy background.
4. Most low-cost photographers do not own any lighting equipment. Even if you’ve never taken a photograph, you’re probably aware that light is the most critical component of every photograph! Why don’t low-cost photographers have lighting equipment? Because it is both costly and difficult to use. It is necessary to obtain some education.
5. Low-cost photographers have no training in posing. What is the significance of posing? Unless you are a professional model, you probably don’t know how to pose yourself in a shot such that you appear your best. This is something that an experienced photographer can assist you with.
6. Photography software is costly. There are some free apps for your phone and iPad, but actual software for your computer is costly. A nice computer and monitor are not only pricey, but so is the software. But hold on, there’s more. A photographer must calibrate the colour of the monitor using software and monitor calibration tools to ensure colour accuracy. And, you guessed it, it’s pricey.
7. Uninsured photographers are common. That’s right…they don’t have any liability insurance or equipment insurance. What if their equipment is taken the night before your wedding? What if your grandmother trips over a low-cost photographer’s camera bag?
8. What if your low-cost photographer becomes ill on the day of your wedding? Is he or she connected to a network of expert photographers on whom they can call in an emergency?
9. How much wedding photography experience does a low-cost wedding photographer have? Would you trust your wedding photos to someone who has only photographed one wedding? Two weddings in a row? Three?
10. Capturing candid moments at just the right moment is a skill that takes years to master. A novice photographer would never see the subtle details that matter the most. Your wedding day will be packed with these fleeting moments that will pass you by.
You get what you paid for at your wedding, just like everything else. Please avoid inexpensive wedding photographers if you want beautiful images from the most important day of your life. I hope this has given you a better understanding of what you get for your money when you hire a great wedding photographer.
