Getting married? Graduating? Engaged? Most people want to document these occasions and have either the digital copies or printed copies to look back on. Trying to save some money on a photographer by having a cousin or an uncle twice removed, but with a nice camera who is willing to be your photographer for the day, is quite the risk but what a steal right?!
Lets look at it from another angle: Weddings are EXPENSIVE.
I know, I got married once. It feels like everywhere you turn anything labled "wedding" prices are most likely higher. Just the basics like flowers, dress, cake etc will run a good chunk of your expenses. More and more people are opting out of the photographer because we are expensive. But often I'm called last minute for a botched bridal, or photoshop work on the priceless photos people are trying to save. Hiring a professional is worth it: the flowers will wilt, the dress will be vacuum sealed, the cake will be eaten and life moves on. But the pictures are the one thing that capture that day, and keep it just the way it was for decades.
My husband and I at our engagements, I love this because it's us exactly how we were 5 years ago (we were pretty goofy).
Andrew and I taken by my Brother in law Scott, who is also a photographer-we lucked out.
We edit your photos with knowledge and training.
In any given photo I will make up to 30 changes within a minute or two, often I will come back to it a day later and make more fine tuned changes. I often take twice as long to edit the photos as I do actually shooting. Shooting digital, and especially shooting RAW the image is muddy and swelled with information that needs to be tweaked. Even the photographers of old edited their photos. Ansel Adams himself was a master in the darkroom, creating his photos. Taking the picture doesn't mean it's done, there is still processing. I also color calibrate my computer screen, and printers, so if you get prints, they won't be weird colors.
Before edits straight out of camera.
After edits
We've done this before:
We know the timelines, we know how to make picture taking go quick. We get it done! There is so much going on at graduations, weddings, or engagements. We definitely know how to make the session go smoothly and quickly because days of big events everyone is tired and emotionally wiped out. In a good way of course!
Riley and his sister demonstrate great strength after a session.
I highly recommend hiring professional photographers for your life events. Reunions, weddings, etc. Also finding the right photographer will make all the difference, so look around! Find one you click with, style you dig, and personality you get along with, and you will get the photos you want and love.