Why hire a pro photographer?

This is the BIG question that many people are asking… “Why hire a professional when I can take my own photographs?”  Every handheld device has the capability to take pictures.  And everyone knows a friend or family member who’s invested in a nice camera.  So why not save the money?  Here is a little guide to help you decide WHEN it’s ideal to hire a pro.

Your WEDDING DAY – Hire a pro!
I have heard countless horror stories from clients who decided to trust a family friend to document their wedding day OR decided to hire the cheapest professional they could find.  Whether the images were overexposed, underexposed, blurry, lopsided, never taken, never shown or the photographer was having a bad day… everyone has a HORRIBLE PHOTOGRAPHER story to tell.  If your wedding day is really important to you and you want beautiful images to reflect on your day, then find a professional, schedule a consultation, communicate your vision and be willing to expand your budget, knowing you’ll be forever grateful you did.

Welcoming your FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH CHILD – Hire a pro!
The first year of a child’s life is simply AMAZING.  What a miracle to watch as this little bundle of joy transitions into a walking, babbling little being!  Yes, I can take some decent looking images on my smart phone and apply a neat filter that makes it look cool to share it quickly on social media sites.  However, when I go back in a year from now and pull up those smart phone images to use in a slideshow or make a print for his one year birthday… how disappointed I am in the actual QUALITY of the images!  If you want sharp, high quality images to cherish, hire a pro for your child’s first year of growth.

Birthdays, Milestones, Yearly Family Portraits – Hire a pro!
I understand it may not be in everyone’s budget to hire a professional several times a year.  After the first year of life, yearly portrait sessions are a great way to capture a collection of memories that you can use to decorate your home, give as gifts and add to memory books.  You can switch it up from year to year and schedule your session during different seasons!  In ten years from now, you can reflect on those vibrant, high quality images and actually SEE the little details… how her eyes changed from blue to green or how he grew a few inches and lost his chubby, baby thighs!

Senior Portraits – Hire a pro!
The younger generation is certainly high tech and perhaps even a bit more advanced then my 34 year old self!  However, it wasn’t too long ago that I was teaching a yearbook summer class to some high school kids who knew nothing about aperture, depth of field, color balancing, layers, adjustments, RAW, etc.  Because everything is handheld and instantaneous, I think the majority of our youth might be overlooking the fine art aspect of portraiture.  It truly is in the little details, the fine tuning that you can create beautiful images through the lens of a camera.

Day to day, you are making memories.  Handheld devices are great for casual picture taking to share instantly with family and friends.  Knowing someone who can take decent photos is perfect for the family picnic or BBQ.  For those once in a lifetime moments and important milestones… hire a professional.  You will be thankful you decided to invest in some beautifully captured images that will last a lifetime!