The worth of a truly "professional" photographer

I have heard a lot of discussion recently on the merits (or rather the lack thereof) of professional portraiture for weddings. On the wedding newsgroup I read, photographers are often referred to as "greedy", and I often see "flame wars" where post after post criticizes photographers in a "can you top this" fashion. I even recently heard a famous wedding professional, in effect, describe professional photography was a distasteful trend. While I have heard my share of "evil, selfish photographer" stories, I am still surprised at the energy with which professional photographers are currently bashed, and I wish to offer couples another opinion on the subject.

In person and in print, I counsel brides about the worth of quality professional portraiture. In "A Bride's Touch", I put it this way:
"Except for her spouse, the photographer is arguably the most important wedding decision a bride will make. The flowers may be fabulous, the setting may be romantic, the men may be handsome, the women may be beautiful, and the entire gathering may be moved to tears by the proceedings--but your own and your families' memories of the whole celebration will begin to fade even before the flowers do. If you do not have good photographs, those memories and a few souvenirs will be all you have left of the day.

For the average couple and their families, the pressures of last minute preparations, guests and emotion have a way of blurring the ceremony and reception. The portrait viewing may be the first chance you have to really see the results of all your planning. The color scheme and details you worked to coordinate, the location that had just the right ambiance, and the family and friends who brought their love and best wishes to share--all of these elements combine to make a spectacle that is hard to appreciate until you can view it as the photographer does.

Copyright 1997 "A Bride's Touch: A Handbook of Wedding Personality and Inspiration"


These statements are not meant as an advertisement or blanket endorsement of all photographers. It is based on my own personal wedding experiences, and on those of couples I have interviewed over the years. Over 93 % of the brides who commented on photography in my surveys have emphasized the importance of finding (and not skimping on the budget for) a good photographer. It is interesting to me that brides who had positive photography experiences, and brides who had negative experiences, both advised other brides to invest in professional photography.

The negative responses I received about photography were primarily on subjects such as photo session timing and the numbers of formal and candid shots taken. These are both important concerns, and subjects which you should definitely have an understanding about with whoever takes your wedding photographs. But I certainly would not discourage couples hiring a professional portrait photographer based on those concerns.

I have been fortunate to have worked with the same extremely fine photographer, Joel Bogeberg for over ten years. He took our wedding portraits, and he has photographed the weddings of nearly every local couple we've known since then. This man is not the cheapest nor the most expensive photographer in the area. He has plenty of experience, and a good reputation. I don't necessarily like every change he has made in his company policies over the years; and we have agreed to disagree about whether a couple's portraits are best taken before the ceremony, after the ceremony, or both. But the reason that this photographer's work is priceless to me-- and why I recommend him without reservation-- is that he is what I consider a true professional.

He is ethical, enthusiastic, hard-working, and creative. He arrives on time, appropriately dressed, and gets right to work. He listens to his clients' priorities and tries to focus on capturing the kind of images they envision. He cares about each and every job. He knows how to capture personality, sentiment, humor, beauty and romance on film. He sees his clients' potential. He is open to suggestion; if a client says that pose isn't "me", he is happy to have them offer an alternative which is. He is detail oriented. He considers his portraits to be "art"-- and through his pride and professionalism, they are.

I know a few people who feel that they were over-charged for their portraiture. I know one couple whose family and friends took nicer photos than the professional they hired. I know plenty of couples and their families who did not particularly enjoy the time it took to get portraits taken. But I have met far more who regret not having professional portraits taken, or regret not looking into their photographer's reputation and referrals more carefully. Professional portraiture is NOT appropriate for every couple's budget, circumstances, and priorities-- but it CAN be a truly wonderful, priceless service when handled by a true professional!!

If you choose to have only amateur photography, or none at all, I hope that you are happy with this decision. In closing, let me pass on an appropriate message I found recently in a fortune cookie.

Associate with those who have both know-how and integrity.

I think this applies to all of your wedding services, not just photography. Best wishes to you!

By Sara L. Ambarian
Visit her website here
http://www.frazmtn.com/~ambarian/