There are so many decisions to make as you plan what will of course be the most fabulous wedding of all time. But even if your brother in law Bob, a very keen amateur photographer, has already told you he'd be happy to take care of official photography duties on the day, don't be too quick to say yes. Of course it would be nice to have a friendly face behind the camera rather than some stranger. And, after all, how difficult can it be, you think?
Minimising fuss
Well, it's actually a lot more tricky than you'd think, though like any kind of profession those at the top of their game certainly have a knack of making it look easy. The fact is that you have to be incredibly skilled to make a good job of wedding photography. First of all you have to be technically good, ie to know how to get the composition of the shot right (lighting and background etc). This in itself is no mean feat and photographers study for years to learn how to do this well. Another factor is that the chances are your brother in law won't be as well-equipped as a pro, in the nicest possible way, and this makes it impossible to compete. Will your sister's hubby think to bring spare batteries or an extra camera along, just in case? Professional wedding photographers must also have an innate ability to be in the right place at the right time to capture all the action, and/or be able to set up the action. They must know how to pose people correctly so that everyone looks their best - they have to spot when something like a double chin or poor posture or an awkward stance is going to ruin a photo. To make it even harder, when they have noticed that the pose is wrong for any of the reasons above, they have to be able to communicate quickly and tactfully to resolve it. Besides all this they have to be able to direct people, to manage people, to confidently walk that fine line between assertive and bossy, all the while getting the material they need.
Be my guest?
You might still think all this wouldn't be so difficult at a wedding, when people are generally happy and in good spirits. However, this actually adds to the photographer's problems. When you attend a wedding you want to have a good time, to chat, to drink and to explore the lovely surroundings - it's a nightmare for the photographer to get everyone together who should be in any one shot, without them disappearing to the toilet or the bar or to have a natter with some long lost relative.
One common reason given for not hiring a professional wedding photographer is not wanting too much fuss, not wanting a camera stuck in your face all day, and not wanting to waste loads of time getting photos taken when you could be enjoying yourselves instead. The thing is that the time spent on photos will be so much longer when it's your brother in law taking them. Because a professional has honed his/her skills they are able to get the job done quickly and painlessly - they are the ones who will minimise fuss for you. Whereas your poor brother in law (however confident he is in other facets of life) will be hesitant, wondering exactly what to do next and how he's going to be able to politely interrupt that aunty who hasn't stopped talking so that he can get this damn picture taken and finally get to the bar himself.
Still not sure? You don't need to take our word for it; try asking any amateurs you know who have performed photography duties at friends' weddings. This is a task that's stressful even for people who have been practising the art for 20 years, let alone for anyone else. So if you can possibly help it, don't put them through it.
Have you thought about...?
...Checking your photographer's credentials?
So
you've been to his/her studio and loved the pics. That's half the
battle, but you should also check if he/she is a member of any
professional organisations. Membership implies a certain level of
professionalism, so it pays to research this. With the MPA and BIPP it
also means that they are full-time, which is always a good sign. Each
organisation has different grades of photographer within their
membership, so find out where yours comes in to give you an idea of
their quality and experience. Note that just because a photographer
hasn't joined doesn't automatically make them a cowboy!
The MPA (Master Photographers Association)
www.thempa.co.uk
The BIPP (British Institute of Professional Photographers)
www.bipp.com
The WPJA (Wedding Photojournalist Association)
www.wpja.com
Still unsure about whether or not to hire a professional wedding photographer? Get help from other brides-to-be at the Scottish Wedding Directory Forum
