I understand the temptation: Photographer A – starts at $2000.00, he has a great website, a great personality, and in a perfect world you really want the package that cost $6000.00 but you can barely fit the $2000.00 in the budget. Then there’s photographer B- His website is okayyyyyyyy, but hey: he starts at $500.00 and he seems to be a nice guy also. His pictures aren’t that bad, plus- he’ll give you the high resolution files for no extra charge.
I understand this because I was Photographer B at one point in my career (we all had to start off some where right). But it was different when I was a $500.00 wedding photographer. I was shooting film and the clients I managed to get were pretty well aware that I was just starting out and building my portfolio as well as my reputation. Besides, I could still pose and I could make people look pretty good. But the digital age is different: cameras are more user friendly than they have ever been- you’re able to save bad photos using Photoshop on the computer, you can also greatly enhance sub par work by using the computer and because some many couples want a photo-journalism style of photography- a lot of these newbies haven’t had experience in posing (which you still need) and composition. A lot of this leads consumers to believe that they can get Photographer A quality from Photographer B. NOT!
What all this means is this: when you hire a Photographer A – you are usually getting great customer service, a unique product, professionalism, presentation, and experience. Is it worth the money? Hell yeah is it. Now Photographer B is going to shoot the lights out! Literally. He’ll shoot everything he can as much as he can and hope he has some good stuff in the end.
This is not the way you want your wedding covered. Remember: photography is one of (if not) thee most important element to the day. You’ve paid a lot for the dress, cake, flowers, banquet hall, tuxedos, hair, make-up, jewelry and limo. You’ve driven yourself crazy for 10 months dealing with vendors, prissy bride’s maids, nonchalant groomsmen and a pushy wedding coordinator. All this stress, all this hassle and the element that will capture all your hard work: you want to go cheap on? I don’t get it.
Lets be real, the dress gets put up, the cake gets eaten, the DJ goes home, and the flowers die. So other than the videographer, the only memories you have of this labor of love is the photographer (and even the video gets put up). Now the wedding album will make its rounds – parents, family, coworkers, and eventually end up on the coffee table or the mantel where it will sit for 40 years of marriage until it is passed down to children and grandchildren.
Now with the importance of this: are these moments, emotions and details that were captured and retold through an album worth $2000.00 to $5000.000? Or would you rather roll the dice on a newbie with an expensive camera who only wants $500.00 to $1000.00?
Think about it.
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