It seems like everyone is into photography these days, thanks to the rise of smartphones. From the casual selfie-snapper to the budding landscape photographer, all kinds of photography styles are being picked up by the Instagram crowd.
But there’s one area that has remained wholly untouched by the smartphone photography scene – wedding photography very much still demands a professional level of photography and has remained untouched by the casual photographer.
Details to remember
Photographs make up the majority of keepsakes from your wedding day, so hiring a professional photographer seems the obvious choice. Some decide to risk it all by letting their guests loose to capture their big day, but is it worth it?
Hiring a professional not only ensure the right equipment is being used, but that the person operating it has the experience and skill needed to get you your best photos. From simply setting the camera’s date and time to allow for chronological editing, to using the latest Sony camera to make sure those all-important portrait shots are perfect, their attention to detail goes above and beyond.
You can save money by asking a friend with a decent camera to take the role of wedding photographer, but they aren’t going to get a professional level of photograph or know the tricks of the trade. For example, if a background isn’t going to add anything to the photo, it might be worth setting the exposure down to -2 stops to darken it and help your subjects (more than likely the bride and groom) stand out more. You would raise the shutter speed to do this.
As an art form, it’s in your best interests to hire a professional.
Keepsakes for your guests
Guests love to have something to keep from the big day. Recently, there has been a rise in the popularity of photobooths. Whereas they used to be a staple in shops and department stores, the photobooth is now the ‘must-have’ when organising a wedding.
In traditional and untraditional ways then, photographs are clearly important at a wedding. Photobooths are a great form of entertainment for your guests during the ‘down time’ of the wedding. And this photo opportunity has taken over from the concept of having disposable cameras on each table to provide the silly shots. So, let your guests don the moustache and 70s-style sunglasses to give you all a good chuckle for years to come.
Technology has opened new doors for every sector, and wedding photos are no exception to this. While the traditions of hiring a photographer are still rife, the way in which we receive our photos is changing. In years gone by you’d wait to see a selection of prints from your photographer, whereas these days, thanks to the Cloud, it’s possible to share images digitally. This allows photographers to create online portals for couples to easily view and share their photos. Plus, by sharing the experience in this format, wedding photographers can even put a montage of the images together with the first dance tune providing the background music to add a great personal touch.
Weddings are steeped in tradition, so the need for a traditional wedding photographer isn’t likely to change. Make sure you steer away from ‘bridezilla’ and let the professionals use the traditional traits of wedding photography to play a huge part in making your big day one you’ll remember for all the right reasons.
*collaborative post
Great article, I agree that the times are changing and getting a professional photographer is so important.