Should you hire a professional photographer for your wedding?

During your big day, you want a photo of you, your new spouse, and the rest of your loved ones to look its very best. When it comes to wedding pictures most people opt for expensive professional photographer but is it really necessary? In this article we will examine the pros and cons of having a family or friend take your photos vs hiring a professional photographer.

Option 1 – Have a friend or relative take your pictures.

Pros: Your friend or a family member can take pictures during your big day, and it costs nothing. You also don’t have to endure the trials of searching for the right photographer or waiting for the photos to come in. Additionally, in many cases you will not have to purchase a camera as you can simply ask your friends or relatives if they have a good camera that they can let you borrow. If not you can use a phone camera as many of the new cellphones come with cameras that produce very high quality pictures.

Cons: With this option you are taking a risk with your pictures as your family or friend typically will not be an expert at taking pictures. They can take pictures and they may turn out great or they may take pictures and they may turn out very bad. If they turn out bad your friend or family member will not be able to edit them and improve the pictures like a professional photographer could so if you are not happy with the pictures your options will be limited.

Option 2 Professional Photographer

Pros : A professional photographer can make a huge difference because most professional photographers will know exactly where to take the pictures and what type of background will look great for your pictures. They will also know how to get people to focus and gather your guests to take pictures as a group. Finally, a professional photographer will be able to enhance your pictures after the event is over to fix any blemishes that might normally ruin a perfectly good photo. One example of this is sometimes the photo will come out with some people having red eyes, a professional photographer can use Photoshop to fix the eyes and have them look normal.

Cons: They are extremely expensive. The average cost for a professional photagropher is $275 to $400 per hour so hiring a professional photographer for your wedding costs approximately $1500-$2000. Also, it can take a long time to find the right one if you are looking to get best quality for the best price.