6 Reasons to Book a Professional Photographer Instead of DIY

When you’re celebrating an especially important or special event such as a wedding, first birthday, or even just an incredible vacation, you want to remember it. While video cameras can certainly record the events live, you can’t hang those videos on the wall to show to others. Photography has become a revered and enjoyed method of capturing small moments in life to treasure forever. However, since so many smartphones now come with cameras, everyone seems to think they’re an amateur photographer. When you want to capture those special moments, you may feel compelled to just have one of your friends take the photos with their phone or simple camera. When the photo doesn’t quite come out looking how you wanted, you really only have yourself to blame. There’s a reason that professional photographers exist. To make sure you don’t miss out capturing life’s special moments, here are six reasons why you should book a professional photographer instead of relying on someone untrained.

1. Equipment

From the get-go, a professional photographer already has the equipment on hand that will blow any smartphone or non-professional camera out of the water. They have high-tech cameras that can make magic out of seemingly nothing. More than that, they usually have lights, backgrounds, and other devices that make a photo stand out from one that is taken by an amateur. The lighting, especially, is something that you or your friend likely won’t have access to when it comes to photo time. Since lighting plays a heavy role in capturing sharp images, you’ll benefit greatly from its presence.

2. Software

Photographers also have access to different software to later edit those photos. Sure your friend can likely pull up a few editing programs on their phone, but it isn’t going to have the same eye for detail that a photographer is going to have. Not to mention, a free photo editing app on the phone is most assuredly not going to have all of the tools that a photographer is going to have. They can take out any blemishes, increase or decrease the contrast, and if you want something written or stamped on the photo, then they can do so without it looking tacky or second-rate.

3. The Eye

You can usually spot a good photographer from a bad one. The thing all professional photographers share is an ability to see something before them and capture it in such a way that tells the story. They’re able to record emotion that’s been frozen in time. Amateur photographers will basically take a bunch of photos as people pose. They don’t necessarily think about angles or how an image might look if they moved their camera this way or that way. Professional photographers are always looking for that angle that can bring a fresh narrative to the image that’s being presented.

4. Integrity

It’s the job of a friend to tell you that the picture looks great. They may crumble a few times and laugh if the image is spectacularly poor or funny, but by and large, they’re going to take photos and deem them all pretty well taken. A professional photographer holds themselves to a higher standard. They’re not satisfied with a shoot until they’re sure they’ve captured quality images that they know you’ll be pleased with. So, instead of trusting your friend to take a few shots that may be decent, and instead end up tossing them all out, you can rely on a professional photographer to press and press until quality has been secured.

5. Security

Whether you’re relying on your friend, a stranger, or just a simple one-hour photo service, those images are little glimpses into your life. You don’t want to trust them to just anyone. In addition, you want to make sure those images are safe and won’t be lost. An accident on your friend’s phone could lose those images forever. A professional keeps a few copies and an archive.

6. Experience

Quality photos come from experience, not just mindlessly snapping pictures. A professional can offer you their experience from which you can benefit.