9 Reasons You Need a Professional Wedding Photographer

Planning & Advice

Some of the top regrets brides have after their weddings don’t involve decor, food or dress. They’re all about remembering the day – by way of photography and videography. You need a professional wedding photographer, not an amateur, so you can have at least a few hundred great photos to enjoy for years to come. There are many cautionary stories online from brides who hired amateurs (and the photos they share are truly, truly terrible). If you’re still unsure about why you need a professional wedding photographer (and not a friend or a student) here are nine undisputable reasons.

Always prepared

Your professional photographer is always prepared. They’ve already thought about (or been through) every possible disaster, so you have nothing to worry about. Equipment failure, bad weather, travel problems – none of these will catch the pro by surprise. They come armed with extra equipment, batteries, umbrellas, some even bring their own sandwiches, and an assistant. They will likely also have a clause in their contract stating clearly what happens in case of absence (for example, due to illness) and a solution for it, as well as a refund policy. That’s major peace of mind for the couple.

need-a-professional-wedding-photographer

Photo from Niamh & Jason’s real wedding by Emma Russell Photography

Protecting their reputation

If an amateur photographer completely messes up your photos, gets cold feet just a few days before the wedding, or doesn’t show up at all, it’s no biggie for them. That’s because they have no reputation to ruin, and none to protect. What is the most important day of your life, to them is just a day they tried (and failed?) to do something fun and new with their camera. No amount of crying on the bride’s part could ever change that, and there’s nothing that can be done – nowhere to complain or even to leave a comment.

A professional is exactly the opposite. Your wedding day is their day of work. Your positive comments about their conduct and the photos are a huge help to their business. It’s very likely they may get future bookings from your guests. They’ll do their very best for you because they don’t want to put all that at risk.

Being unobtrusive

Professionals know the art of disappearing among the guests, because that’s how the best photos happen. As soon as people know the camera is pointing in their direction, they start to feel uncomfortable and uptight, and this really shows in photos. But when they’re relaxed, laughing and acting natural, the photos look completely different. A professional photographer knows how to achieve this by being discreet and wearing the right attire. We’ve been to a wedding where the amateur photographer was asked by the priest, in the middle of the ceremony, to give the couple some space. It was hugely embarassing and the only blip in an otherwise pefect ceremony.

Knowing the venue

Chances are, your pro photographer has already worked at the venue you’ve chosen, or at least has been there before. If not, you can ask them if they’ll visit before the wedding day, or if they’ll arrive early on the day to scout out good shooting locations. And especially if you want particular photos taken (like portraits in the garden), you won’t have to worry about the best locations – because your photographer already knows them.

need-a-professional-wedding-photographer

Photo from Maya & Manuel’s real wedding in Lake Como by The Italian Wedding Event

Efficient group photos

When badly organised, those family, bridal party and group photos are a real threat of running overtime and delaying the reception. Do you really want cold food and frustrated venue staff? A professional has done this many times before, and all they need is some help from one of your bridesmaids or groomsmen for locating the people who are due to be photographed next. You won’t be left disappointed there isn’t a single photo of you with your beloved grandma. Can you see this becoming a real mess in an amateur’s hands? You bet. You need a professional wedding photographer to avoid unnecessary chaos on the day.

Insurance – yours and theirs

Have you bought wedding insurance? You may want to check whether your policy covers non-professionals, or you’ll be in for a disappointment if a claim happens.

It’s pretty much guaranteed that an amateur won’t have their own insurance. Who knows what may happen during the hours they’re with you? They may break their camera, slip and fall, have their bag stolen… and they may expect you to pay for it. And that’s one thing you didn’t add to your budget, right? A professional photographer already has their own insurance policy. You can even ask them what it covers, if you want extra peace of mind.

The art of it

Do you know what makes a photo beautiful? It’s the perfect combination of technique and artistry, composition and light – something only an artist can see, capture and hold. It’s a skill that takes a long time to hone… and no amateur has ever spent that kind of time.

A professional photographer’s artistry (and their knowledge of editing) is what keeps backgrounds free from ugly EXIT signs, emergency doors, and drunken uncles. It’s what gives everyone that glow, because the photographer knows exactly where to stand and whether to use flash or not. It’s what keeps photos free from random arms, bald heads in the foreground, and the party looking like chaos.

Just have a look at our real weddings. No matter which one you pick, you won’t find a single bad photo. And if you’ve ever wondered why they all look so beautiful, it’s because they were taken by a professional photographer who’s also a true artist. Definitely NOT an amateur.

need-a-professional-wedding-photographer

Photo from Fiona & Seán’s real wedding by Emma Russell Photography

The final product

A professional photographer will offer you a choice of options for presenting your photos. If it’s framing, a keepsake album, or collages for the parents, you can be completely sure everything will be of the highest quality and produced by reputable craftsmen. A professional won’t put the fruits of their labour into inferior frames that look like they came from Dealz. And if you’re getting a CD of the best images on it, they’ll be already perfectly edited and ready for sharing and printing.

What can an amateur offer you? You may also get a CD, but there’s no knowing what’s on it. You may have to do all the editing work yourself. And (true story) one bride who went public with her terrible experience had only 15 images from the whole day, and they were mediocre at best. Not a single one was worth framing. Imagine showing that to everyone for years to come.

Still not convinced?

Let’s look at this topic in reverse – why SHOULDN’T you hire a friend who has a good camera and takes pictures you really like? The main reason is very simple: because your wedding is far too special to risk poor photos. No matter what life throws at you, you’ll never have this day again, so those memories will be lost. ‘But my friend takes really good photos!’, you may say. ‘I’ve seen hundreds!’ Ok, but are they photos of events and weddings? Did they take them with a phone? Have you ever only seen them on Instagram, after heavy editing and filtering?

Someone who photographs cars, landscapes or street scenes will struggle at a wedding, especially with just one piece of equipment, and no back-up plan. Don’t hire your friend – or any other person – if they’ve never done a wedding. The chances of being sorely disappointed are just too high. For your special day, you need a professional wedding photographer.

If you’re facing a situation where your friend won’t take no for an answer, or you’re on a super-tight budget, there are ways to work around it. Tell the friend they’re welcome to take photos alongside the professional photographer you’re going to hire anyway, as long as the friend promises not to get in the way of the pro. Tell the pro photographer about this too, so there are no surprises.

If it’s a budgeting issue, figure out which part of the day you absolutely must have documented. Then, hire the photographer for those few hours, and have your friend take the rest of the photos. If they turn out to be disappointing, then at least you’ll have professional photos from the most important part of the day.

need-a-professional-wedding-photographer

Photo from Miranda & Matthew’s real wedding by Daniel, DKPHOTO

Main photo from Denise & Andrew’s real wedding by Emma Russell Photography