There's an old saying;
"You don't measure your life by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away."
Weddings are a day full of breathless moments. Many of them simply occur naturally, and it's the job of a good, talented wedding photographer to be in the right place at the right time to capture them. That's not always easy to do, because you have to really know weddings, and you have to anticipate the moments.
This is one factor that separates a true professional wedding photographer from all the others out there. The amateurs, the uncles or friends with a camera simply don't have the experience to be able to capture these on a consistent basis.
Even when they are captured, some occur in such a way as to make wonderful photographs, but many don't. They're still important memories, but they aren't the kind you'd hang on your wall.
So another aspect of wedding photography is being able to CREATE these moments, so they WILL translate into wonderful artistic photographs from your wedding.
This also takes a great deal of experience. Because these works of art require knowledge and a talent for:
- lighting - knowing how to find it, how to use it or how to create it.
- settings and backgrounds -Being able to quickly find and know how to properly use settings to set the tone and mood of a particular photograph, and knowing how use them.
- The concept behind the photograph - how to create a work of art that will beautifully represent the style and personality of the couple.
- posing - Knowing how to create something that will look both natural and photographically wonderful at the same time, flattering to those in the photograph.
- how the three will interact to create something wonderful.
In today's world, it easy to create a properly exposed and focused image. The cameras do a lot of that for us. But just as owning a scalpel doesn't make one a surgeon, owning a camera doesn't make one an artist. It's the skill in using the tool that makes the difference.
It takes an experienced, dedicated professional wedding photographer to bring all these elements together into something that you'll love. An amateur with a good camera simply can't do it. And because there are no requirements to call yourself a "wedding photographer" there are many people using the word "professional" who really are simply amateurs with a fancy camera.
An experienced professional wedding artist will be able to bring all these elements together into images that will please the eye and touch the heart forever.
Remember, however, capturing the image is only the first part. Much of the artistic work in todays wedding photography is done after we have the file. And this can take what appears to be an ordinary image and turn it into the work of art it becomes.
It takes an experienced professional to be able to visualize the end result when looking at and working with the elements above. Even if a faux professional or amateur were lucky enough to capture a good basic image, it usually ends there.
Take a look at these before and after images. The difference can be pretty striking. And that's part of what you're paying for when you hire a true wedding artist.
So, if you don't want a collection of "befores", then it's important that you select an experienced, talented professional who can see, capture, and then create the "what it can be" type images.
Not to mention, do all this in a manner that creates a wonderful experience for you at your wedding, no matter what crazy things might happen, and how bad the schedule might get messed up - because this happens!
These example images will be online shortly.