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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
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