Weddings can be expensive and the when you thinking of ways to cut costs some people will look at either hiring a friend or family member or choosing a photographer based on price. While photos may not feel like a priority or maybe you’re just not that comfortable being in front of the camera they may just be more important than you think. Photos of the special events in your life are important not only for you but others too. The people who couldn’t attend your wedding, or weren’t invited because of space constraints are able to share in your special day as well. Your kids and grandkids will be able to appreciate the stories of your special day even more if they can see those memories for themselves. The wedding photos are the tangible record of the wonderful experience you had, the fun, the laughs, the tears, the decorations, the friends and family, and so much more that encompasses a wedding.
Many of us have friends and family who enjoy photography and may take very good photos and of course asking one of them to take the photos may be the cheapest option. On the other hand, should you hire a professional wedding photographer to capture your wedding in Vina del Mar (Fotografos de Matrimonios Vina del Mar)? This can be a tough decision
In this article, we are going to discuss a few essential things that will definitely help clarify all your doubts.
Is Your Photographer Friend Experienced in Wedding Photography?
Before you choose a photographer friend of yours for the wedding day, you need to check his experience. You need to make sure he has experience in wedding photography. There is a big difference from landscape to Portrait to corporate to wedding photography. Most photographers will do a bit of everything but they will have the majority of their experience in one field which is their specialization. Even a professional landscape photographer who does incredible work may not do a very good job at his first wedding just because he does not have the necessary experience in that particular field. Weddings are dynamic, fast-paced and chaotic for a photographer, one needs that experience to take control of any situation that might arise and manage it so that the Bride and Groom don’t have to on their special day. If you find that your friend just does casual photography or shoots personal events and has no solid portfolio in wedding photography that you can look at, then it is better not to choose him only because he might offer free or cheap photography services.
Reasons why Experience matters
You may wonder why we are talking so much about the experience of the photographer. Is having the latest and most advanced camera gear enough to capture great wedding photographs? The answer is no. With no hands-on experience, most people with an expensive camera cannot do much more than capturing some average quality photographs. Many times at weddings during the party someone will take the camera from the photographer and try and take some photos of the photographer with a group of friends. I can tell you 9/10 times the photos are not even in focus even though these are the same settings that the photographer has been using all night.
There are a lot of things a photographer needs to take into consideration while capturing a photo. The light, the background, the expression on the faces, the focus, exposure of the photo and so much more. Most photographers can take a lovely photo in a controlled light situation where they choose the location the time and they have time to set up for the optimal shooting situation. In a wedding, the photographer has very little control and needs to adapt to the situation. For example, if the ceremony is outside the couple chooses the time and location and many times the sun is very strong or uneven in that spot at that particular time, you as the photographer cannot say to the whole wedding to move to a better place you need to make it work. The florist may have placed flowers near the bride and groom during the ceremony that are blocking some angles that the photographer might like, you cannot move the flowers as the bride and groom have paid for and most likely asked for those flowers to be there so you need to find a way to make it work. I could go on for ages with more examples but the final message is that it takes years of experience and lots of weddings to figure out how to handle most situations.
Friends taking the photos is one thing another is choosing the photographer based on the lowest price. While low price does not necessarily mean bad quality it is important to remember that apart from making a living from weddings the photographer needs to be constantly upgrading and replacing equipment so as to stay current as well as marketing and business cost like any other business. When paying a lower rate you may be getting someone with less experience, older equipment or worst of all no backup equipment. Backup equipment is exactly that, it is extra equipment in the event that a camera, lens, battery or card breaks. Growing up my mom always spoke sadly of her wedding photos as the photographer they chose did a terrible job of their photos and the only photo she liked was one portrait from the photo session. The rest were out of focus, had image shake or were over or underexposed.
If you haven’t already you should head over to the website of a professional photographer who has been providing services for capturing photographs of marriage in Vina del Mar (Fotografos de Matrimonios Vina del Mar) for a long time and at least get a quote.
How to find out where the Best Wedding Photographer is near your Location?
Here we have discussed a few important points that can help you find the best photographer fairly quickly –
- Online places like forums, social media, etc are the undoubtedly best places to find information about the local professional photographers. You should also search on your internet browser to find a list of photographers in your area quickly.
- Checking the portfolio properly is a crucial thing you must remember to do when hiring any photographers. The Portfolio is an example of how consistent the photographers are as well as their specific style. This should give you an idea of how your photos will turn out on the wedding day
- Also, go through all the additional details given on the website properly. Try and meet with the photographer as well to learn more about how they work.
About the author: Lore is Chilean and Matt in South African, they are a married wedding photographer couple who currently live in Santiago, Chile. Lore and Matt began their careers in 2010 working as photographers in the US, Europe, Carribean and parts of South America. In August 2015 they decide to settle down in Chile and started “Lore y Matt Fotografias” They Specialize in Wedding Photography and corporate / Product photography. You can visit their website to see their wedding photos (Fotografos de Matrimonios Vina del Mar) at www.lmfotografias.com
Lore y Matt Fotografias 