Today, while looking at the wedding announcement section of a popular local magazine I found examples of both types of photography.  It was very apparent which of the couples had invested in a professional photographer and which of them used a “weekend warrior”.  The reason I feel compelled to post today is because I was appalled by one of the photos one of these alleged pros actually submitted.  I just felt badly and wondered why this couple chose to use this photographer.

I could go on and on about these snapshot pros and their mentality of “if I buy an expensive camera I can make some extra cash” – but I won’t.  As with all types of businesses, there is a market for every level of service and product quality.  I understand that budgets are sometimes the determining factor when it comes to hiring a photographer – but it shouldn’t be the only one.  When I was a teenager my mom said, “I would rather buy one really great sweater and wear it for years than three cheap sweaters I can wear once”.  I never understood this statement until recently.  I have a dozen inexpensive sweaters and they’re okay.  But every time I want to look special – you better believe I put on the one really great sweater I purchased in one of those rare moments when I listened to my mom.  I believe that this is how you should think when hiring a photographer to shoot your wedding – or graduation, baby’s first year or business portrait.  Take your own snapshots – take thousands of them!  They are important in marking your family history.  But when it comes to those events that are once in a lifetime important – please hire an established professional photographer.  I have never heard a bride say she wished she had skimped on the photography.  But I have heard the regrets of many that wished they hadn’t.

I hesitate to post the photos below because never wanted to show the before and after (side by side) to any bridal couple.  Let me just say that every single bride I have ever photographed that wears a strapless gown will look like the one below in some of their photos.  It’s just the way it works when you have that much going on with the dress and what it takes underneath to hold up the dress.  This is a sample of what a professional photographer does.  The photograph on the right is how every bride should look back on her wedding day.