Friend or Pro?
Reasons for and against hiring an amateur wedding photographer

by Ben Wyrick

For budget-limited couples, asking a friend or student to photograph their wedding is the best way to go. An amateur photographer helps you out by freeing up your budget, and you are helping him or her out by providing valuable experience. Most professionals--myself included--started this way. Amateur photographers usually deliver acceptable photographs at a fraction of the price the pros charge.

Sometimes couples on a medium budget will hire a friend or student photographer, and then spend the money that would have gone to a professional on other things. This is a bad idea. An experienced photographer creates images that help you remember the complex emotions, thoughtful details, and overall ambiance of your wedding day. Few rookies can capture these intangibles. Years from now, you’ll remember how good the food tasted and how beautiful the decorations were thanks to quality photography.

Some wedding photographers are primarily hobbyists. They “do weddings on the side” and offer discounted rates from full-time professionals. As with friend and student photographers, I would recommend hiring a hobbyist only to couples on a limited budget.

Everyone knows a professional photographer will deliver great images. But most couples don’t consider the following:

• A pro is fully insured. Some venues won’t allow photographers who aren’t.
• A pro has a reputation to maintain and will go the extra mile to provide excellent customer service.
• Friends and hobbyists may not offer the quickest turnaround since they have other jobs.
• An experienced professional can offer valuable advice during the planning stage and on the wedding day.
• A pro has backup cameras and equipment in case of failure. Most amateurs have only one camera. In general, pros have better gear.
• An experienced photographer knows what couples want and can suggest popular photography options because he or she continually works with couples just like you.

Here’s something else to consider: Wedding photography is the most demanding type of photography because it requires not only technical expertise, but also people skills. And you only get one chance to get it right.

I advise couples to book a photographer as soon as possible because studios have been known to raise their rates dramatically. By signing a contract, you are locking in the studio’s current price structure.

One final recommendation I will make to couples is to take a pro for a “test drive.” The wedding photography business is competitive and it can be hard to settle on a studio. Once you have narrowed your list, ask the photographer to take some location portraits of you and your fiancé. Working in a controlled studio environment is fairly easy, but going on location without fancy lights and backdrops will reveal a photographer’s creativity and experience level. This is a good simulation of a wedding environment and you can get a better sense of the photographer’s personality.

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