I’ll tell you – being a wedding photographer is a LOT harder than people think.  It’s not all glamour and travel and nerdy Instagram parties.  It’s not all Pintrest and flowing fields and apple orchards.

There’s much more to it.  I’m sorry to say, but the actual “act” of shooting a wedding is only 5% of what we do.  It’s the other 95% that makes a great wedding photographer and leads to impecable images – full of life – and delighted clients.  And it’s the other 95% that sadly is missing from a growing number of photographers, and perhaps what clients don’t realize until it’s too late.  There is that group of amazing photographers that absolutely hate shooting weddings because of the craziness of them, the stress, and dealing with crazy brides and families.  It’s probably something they figured out right in middle of their first wedding And I love those photographers because not only do they see how difficult wedding really are, but because I’m a horrible nature and animal photographer and I have no idea how they get THEIR great photographs!

There’s a lot of  things that make a great wedding photographer.  A plethora – for all you fancy word people.  As for the photos themselves, you not only have to create unique, one of a kind, amazing photographs, but you have to do it right then, right there, in any lighting situation, and with every couple.  It’s about being experienced, knowing how to harness the light, knowing how to pose couples of all shapes and sizes, and the tricks for making that uncomfortable or self-conscious bride feel and look AMAZING in her photos.  And that’s just that first 5% of what makes a great wedding photographer.  The other 95% is everything else we do to get to those amazing shots.  We need to know the flow of weddings, know what needs to happen, and how to make it happen.  We need to be able to work with all sorts of families and personalities, and be able to create natural and fun family photos in middle of one of the most stressful days of some parents and clients lives.  Personality is a huge part of selecting your wedding photographer!  You’re literally spending all day with them on your wedding day, and if you don’t feel comfortable the pictures will show it.

And beyond that are all of the things that any professional photographer should have or do: (By the way these make GREAT questions to ask before hiring a photographer) – WEDDING experience and knowledge, a professional back-up camera and lenses in case one drops or dies, professional image/file back up equipment and procedures both hard copy and online (I’ve heard of photographers loosing images – would be my worst nightmare ever), insurance for YOUR protection and ease of mind (what if I plugged in a charger at a reception and blew a circuit or sparked a fire… if I don’t have insurance guess who they’re going after…), a business license, and pay taxes (if they  get shut down, do you know for sure that you’ll get your images or ever see them again?  You can look up business registrations online for free), a reliable car (don’t want it breaking down on the way to the ceremony!), and check their Google reviews!  The list goes on, but these are things that I’m sure many brides and grooms don’t think about.  And it’s this other 95% that costs us, the professional photographer, money.  And the reason why a $1,000 photographer is so cheap – because you’re only getting 5% of what you SHOULD be geting.

So when you’re looking for your next photographer, not only do you need to like their photos and feel comfortable around them, but also confident that they’re prepared to handle anything that comes along.

As for us, we LOVE what we do, we LOVE our brides and grooms, we LOVE the craziness of the wedding day, and we LOVE to know we’re not only capturing your amazing wedding, but HELPING it happen.  And it really really makes us grateful for our clients when they notice the hard work that we LOVE doing…

utah wedding photographers | dezember photography