Smartphones have turned the British public into budding photographers. With the likes of Snapchat and Instagram offering a platform to immediately edit your photos thanks to their abundance of filters, we have the opportunity to totally transform our images.
However, while society has increased its smartphone camera usage, wedding photography is one area that remains rooted in tradition. Hiring the right professional photographer to capture the happiest day of your life is high on most engaged couples’ wedding planning to-do list – and rightly so. Here, we will look at how wedding photography is still so important.
Attention to detail
Realistically, your photos will be the only lasting memories you have of your special day — do you want to potentially ruin those keepsakes by not hiring a professional? Some decide to risk it all by letting their guests loose to capture their big day, but is it worth it?
With a professional, you know they’ll have the right equipment and the noose to make sure everything runs smoothly. From simply setting the camera’s date and time to allow for chronological editing, to using camera tripods to maximise sharpness in those all-important portrait shots, their attention to detail goes above and beyond.
While you may be able to save money by getting a friend with a good camera to help, will they really know the in-depth details such as when to use a flash and how to incorporate the background into a shot? For example, if a background isn’t going to add anything to the photo, it might be worth setting the exposure down to -2 stops to darken it and help your subjects (more than likely the bride and groom) stand out more. You would raise the shutter speed to do this.
It is an art form after all, so it’s best leaving it to the professionals.
Perfect keepsakes
Of course, every guest now likes a ‘souvenir’ from the day and there has been a rise in the popularity of photobooths. Whereas they used to be a staple in shops and department stores, the photobooth is now the ‘must-have’ when organising a wedding.
While it may not be seen as a traditional prop, it does keep in with the idea of printed photos being essential to the wedding experience. Photobooths are a great form of entertainment for your guests during the ‘down time’ of the wedding. And this photo opportunity has taken over from the concept of having disposable cameras on each table to provide the silly shots. So, let your guests don the moustache and 70s-style sunglasses to give you all a good chuckle for years to come.
Of course, like it is with everything else in life, technology is having a massive effect on the wedding photography industry. While the traditions of hiring a photographer are still rife, the way in which we receive our photos is changing. In years gone by you’d wait to see a selection of prints from your photographer, whereas these days, thanks to the Cloud, it’s possible to share images digitally. This allows photographers to create online portals for couples to easily view and share their photos.
By sharing the experience in this format, wedding photographers can even put a montage of the images together with the first dance tune providing the background music to add a great personal touch.
So, while we continue to plan our wedding days, it’s noticeable that how we capture our big day isn’t set for drastic changes just yet. Make sure you steer away from ‘bridezilla’ and let the professionals use the traditional traits of wedding photography to play a huge part in making your big day one you’ll remember for all the right reasons.
Sources
http://www.boho-weddings.com/2013/10/30/why-hiring-a-professional-wedding-photographer-is-so-important/
https://digital-photography-school.com/wedding-photography-tips-to-get-you-started/
http://www.inspiredbride.net/photo-booth-props/
https://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/3-smart-ways-to-deliver-work-to-your-photography-clients–cms-24681
