Photography Credit: James Melia (full wedding here)
You’ve probably seen similar discussions to this on other wedding blogs, however today I wanted to share with you this cautionary tale from a bride who had personal experience of taking the cheaper option and was unhappy with the results. Now, I know spending £2000 on a wedding photographer isn’t possible for everyone, however the point of this post is not to bully you into paying for someone you can’t afford. No, I wanted to share this story with you so that you make your decision with your eyes wide open. I just want to be open and honest with you and to let you know that, as with most things in life, you really do get what you pay for…and if something sounds too good to be true then it probably is.
If wedding photography isn’t that big a deal to you, the great – who am I to tell you that’s wrong? However it breaks my heart when I hear from newlyweds that say ‘I wish we’d thought more about our photography. We spent more on the cake/my dress/the flowers and now we have no good photos to remember our day’.
OK, Over to you Mrs X…
♥ ♥ ♥
I have asked for this post to be anonymous so that people reading this don’t think it’s a shameless marketing ploy. I may now be a professional wedding photographer myself, but I didn’t want to write this article to promote myself. No, I really just wanted to share this cautionary tale with those of you who might not understand the importance of having great wedding photographs.
It’s been a few years since I got married but when I think back to it I get a sick feeling. It wasn’t the family argument that happened (don’t get me started on that!), nor was it the fact that we funded it with a loan which we are still paying off. Nope, the sick feeling is purely centred around my foolishness and the pretty terrible images we now have to look back on for the rest of our lives.
Here I am a few years later, now a ‘pro’ photographer myself (who knew that would happen!!) and I now have a new found understanding of the skills required to shoot a wedding. I find myself wishing I knew then what I know now. You may have read articles from photographers before staying how important it is that your wedding photographer has experience, knows how to handle lighting and uses the right equipment etc, and while I am here to reiterate these points, I’m not here to say these things to pimp my own services. I figured this article could be a little cathartic for me and I really hope I can help you think a little bit more about your decision – whether that be to spend money on your wedding photography, or to go for the cheaper option of hiring someone with no experience – maybe a friend with a nice camera who has offered to do it for free. Please note that a ‘nice camera’ does not a good wedding photographer make!
We got married in December and I now appreciate that winter weddings, where you come out of the ceremony to the cold and dark, are bloody hard work and really difficult to photograph. I understand that romantic candle lit receptions might look gorgeous in ‘real life’ but require a certain level of skill to capture on camera, and above all I now know that all of the money I spent making the venue look beautiful and cosy was pretty much wasted. OK so our guests will always remember how beautiful the venue looked, but for me the day flew by so fast and I don’t remember much of it myself! Every time I mention my wedding my Mum says ‘But it looked so beautiful’ and whilst I’m sure that’s not just her being kind (it’s really not her style) it has made me hate my own wedding because I don’t look back at my photos and see a beautiful wedding, I look at them and see horribly dark and blurry photos.
You see, not realising the true impact of what I was doing, I asked my friend to shoot my big day. He had a DSLR and could take amazing pictures of cars so he must be able to shoot my winter wedding right? Wrong!
It wasn’t his fault really, I should have learnt more, understood a bit about light (or lack of it) and made things easier. But here’s the worst part, I wasn’t on a £1000 budget, I spent quite a lot more. I prioritised wrongly. I spent more on bridesmaids dresses than I did on my photographer, more on pretty decorations than pretty images…simply put, I was a fool!
Don’t get me wrong, I know not everyone has the budget to pay much for their wedding photographer and this is not an article to make you feel bad. I say use whoever you want – a professional, a friend, whoever…it’s your wedding after all. But I urge you to do your research first and go into it knowing that the results of the cheap option just won’t be the same as someone with experience shooting weddings.
If you aren’t using a professional then you need to take some responsibility and help them out a bit, consider it a creative project. Here’s the things I wish I had done…
♥ Took them to the ceremony venue at a date and time with similar light (light is so important, I can’t stress that enough) and took sample images to get the right camera settings.
♥ Showed them the way I intended to light the reception and had fun taking practise images with them to get a feel for the correct look.
♥ Checked their kit included at least one low light lens (2.8f or lower…it’s the number that’s important) and if not budgeted to hire them one for the day (try www.lensesforhire.co.uk)
♥ Showed more interest in their work and ensured they had practiced shooting in similar lighting situations – shooting static cars in the middle of the day is nothing like shooting a wedding, with loads going on, when its dark!
♥ Had my wedding earlier in the day…to give them a fighting chance.
♥ Turned the lights up a bit for important things like the first dance and the speeches.
♥ Most controversial of all, perhaps I should have held my wedding when the light was better and not in the winter.
Sadly I only realised how important my wedding pictures were after the big day. I waited for months for images that I am now too embarrassed to show people!
My parting words are these. If you can afford a professional wedding photographer then please please please spend as much as you can to get the best! These images mark the start of your family album and they can’t be easily redone. If you use a non ‘pro’, be sure to put some work in yourself, show an interest and consider the previous tips. Oh and finally, if your shooter is using a DSLR (and they have enough memory…RAW files average 28MB each) ask them to shoot and provide RAW images as well as JPEG (they can set their camera to do this automatically). RAW files are much easier to correct in Photoshop afterwards if you do have problems with the images, plus you could always pay someone to edit the RAW files in the future when you have the budget for it. Just remember you’re still not going to get the same results as with photos that were shot by a skilled professional (you can’t polish a turd after all!) but the images may be able to be improved with some clever edits in Photoshop.
My final words of advice are this, please be careful when choosing a friend or family member to shoot your wedding. If they do a bad job it could even ruin your relationship. It kind of did ours, and that makes me even more sad.
If my words don’t convince you then take a look at my wedding photos! If you do recognise me…ssssshhhhh Mum’s the word!
It’s actually hard to put in to words how upsetting it is to look at these but mostly because I know it’s a problem of my own causing!
Tags: photography, wedding photographer
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Such an amazing post, very brave to share and be so flipping honest. I think there are two things that seem to keep coming up in the replies (and sadly, it is all too common that people have gone through this!!)
There is definitely a line to be drawn around good meaning friends/relatives etc, lets be honest, no one is going to do a shit job deliberately, but also lots of people seem dissapointed about style of the photographers they have chosen.
Honestly, it is sooooooo important to get to know your photographer and vice versa, you have to have some chemistry there (sounds naff but it is so important you are both on the same wavelength!!)
Never choose a tog based on price/award winning/ location. Choose them because you love their style, and that you understand how they work. They really should feel like a friend who will put you at ease and appreciate your personalities.I know I want to be proud of every single image I give my couples, and also that I could go for a pint with them at the end of the day.
Wedding photography is complex, it is almost like every kind of shoot you could do rolled into one…. fashion/still life/portrait/editorial/reportage/live music. It is hard work and does take experience.
Your photographs at the end of the day are an *investment* and should be with you for a lifetime. The kind of pictures that make you smile everytime you look at them, not make your heart sink.
Again, Mrs X, so brave to be so honest but an AMAZING thing to share with everyone
xxx
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Not just weddings. It’s now almost impossible to get paid for taking photos of the sort of simple jobs where I used to get £250 for a half day – for unions, local councils, big and small organisations. Now they are happy it seems to send out Nigel with his phone. Just because Nigel can bring back a few wobbly jpegs, or even maybe a couple of OK ones, doesn’t mean he could be guaranteed to do so. Let alone the questions of how to work with people, when to stop taking pics, how to stay safe in a crowd etc.
There’s simply no excuse with a digital camera that gives instant feedback, to produce such a truly crap set of images – you see what you’ve done, sort it, and reshoot. There are even some with the shadow from a lens hood – you only do that once. Rubbish composition, no control of lighting, flash on camera horrors, camera shake, these could all have been seen on the viewfinder. Appalling. I hope you didn’t pay him.
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This is so sad for the couple on their big day. What is more annoying is that the photographer could not see how bad their work is!
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Hear Hear!!!! As a dressmaker who spends hours of loving attention and sewing creating the dress and then for the bride to afterwards say “I wish i had better pictures of my dress” er yes me too!!!! lol
I was at a clients wedding at the weekend a 4pm in janauary wedding with a fabulous ( if i say so myself..) victorian dress complete with bustle etc etc and the photographer was unable to get any decent pics- he said??? as it was too dark. Hmmnnnn that happens you know in january at 4-5pm had he never noticed??????
His answer was just pop your dress on in a couple of weeks and i will do an outside shoot. Is he going to pay for her eleboarate authentic victorian hair do again, her nails, make up and bring all the guests??? -
Photographs are going to be a priority for our wedding, but the sad truth is we are on a budget (like most people) and we won’t be able to afford to splash out on an expensive photographer.
I know every photographer will charge varying amounts because of a multitude of different factors but a blog post about general photography costs would be very helpful
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Sarah there have been a couple of posts on here about this. Search for ‘how much is this wedding going to cost us’
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Fantastic article – thanks Mrs X and Kat for this much needed article. It could not have come at a better time. CeCe (thelovelylens.com) has pretty much summed up what I wanted to add. The more clients become ‘educated’ about wedding photography and wedding photographers styles, skills and experience, the better it will be for the entire industry. If not, the industry is headed for a shameful downward spiral. Professional photographers spend years sculpting and nurturing their craft, to have a style finally evolve. Hearing a story like Mrs X’s, cheapens an industry I once felt really proud to be in.
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Great piece and I feel exactly the same when I think about my wedding. But I spent £2000+ on an ‘amazing’ professional photographer with a stunning portfolio and brilliant recommendations. My photos are horrible I’m rarely in them and if I am I have my eyes shut. Only now am I able to look at a few of them without crying. It’s overshadowed the whole day for me. I would say be wary of the cult of perfection around weddings it can only lead to heartbreak and dispair.
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This is such an interesting article, as are the comments.
If couples truly value wedding photography they should spend the time researching and asking questions…
Portfolios are great but be careful as so many “pro” photographers use images from wedding portfolio days… In essence these days are when a more qualified photographer will pose a model couple the best light… they will also tell you what settings to have your camera in… anyway i digress, but these images appear on so many websites and give couples the wrong impression.
A real wedding in December in the UK, with the ceremony at 4pm takes skill to photograph, simple as that. There is no natural light. So you have three options use the available light which will mean grainy images, blast everything with flash (creates a black hole effect with nasty lighting on the subject) or balance the available light with flash to show the ambience… This takes skill…
Wedding photography is an art…
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Interesting piece. I agree it’s important to thankfully decline offerings from keen amateurs within the family, but that doesn’t mean you have to blow the budget. We were on a serious budget for our wedding/s (Ireland and Aus) and used two emerging photographers as a means of saving some money. The deal was two fold, we got a discount and they got to fill out their portfolios. But, that said, I did the right things – checked their portfolios, met with them beforehand and talked through the ceremony and locations with them then checking locations in their own time, and specified the ‘must have’ shots ahead of time. Fortunately for us it worked out and we have awesome photos to remember our days, and both of our photographers have gone on to bigger and better things too!
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A very brave post that highlights how often the choice of photographer is made purely based on price rather than placing a priority on the pictures.
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Very sad for the bride, you’d be pretty disappointed.It’s also really hard for the guest/friend taking on this role as they are probably completely out of their depth and don’t always appreciate the enormity of the role they’ve volunteered for! Can I also add this applies to wedding video/film too…probably even more, as this is often ranked as secondary to the photos, so even more likely to get a relative of friend having a go!
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The same goes for video. Having a friend shoot your wedding with their “smartphone” is an exercise if futility from both the video quality and sound quality. We typically have wireless mics on the Officiant and the Groom as well as a feed from the sound system at the venue. Often we will also use a small digital recorder hidden in flowers right next to where the vows are being said. That plus shooting with two and sometimes three cameras to mix with is way above what “friends” usually will do or can do. I also agree with the winter wedding comments as well as the lighting comments. Still photographers have the benefit of nice strobes,,, we video people mostly either have to use available light or run around with auxiliary lights blaring and being a very big distraction. It is just not as easy as it looks.
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What an amazing post. Controversial and brave especially to share your images but thank
You! You have summed up in a post what I try all the time to tell people, friends, and enquirer who have been offered a deal for a ‘friend’ to do it. It is not about whether a bride uses me or not I just hate all the stories I hear from dissapointed brides who did not put enough thought in to their photographs and pay the price later x -
Amen. Amen. Amen.
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I wasn’t going to comment on this post because the advice seemed good until I read one thing.
Check their equipment and budget to hire them a lens. This is quite wrong. Not l only is it insulting to tell your photographer what equipment they should use it is also not necessary to use such a lens. Bodies are highly ISO capable and flash can be used. Not all wedding pros use fast (2.8 and below) lenses so telling your photographer to use one is unecessary. If the photographer does not know what equipment they need then you should not hire them anyway. -
£2000+ is actually really expensive… but, that doesn’t mean you can guarantee the quality of the “professional” photographer. How about to have a trial before the big day? That would really prevent any surprise..
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I.H – have you actually read the article?!? That advice is directed at people who are having a friend/non pro shoot their wedding NOT people hiring a professional.
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Great advice – such a difficult topic and one that so many get wrong! Thank you for being so brave in sharing your images, you did look gorgeous – maybe a trash the dress shoot is in order!
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I did for a while, consider using friends with ‘nice cameras’ because I thought that was all we could afford. However, thanks to Kat showcasing the fantastical http://elliegillardphotography.blogspot.com/
we are so glad we have booked her for our August wedding. It was one of my biggest worries and I’m so glad we now have Ellie!
Thanks Ellie and thanks Kat for introducing us
I still look at our engagement shoot photos with awe. Lisa.
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Great Advice. Thank you so much Mrs X for being brave enough to share your experience. A cautionary tale indeed! Also, I sincerely hope you have considered doing a ROCK THE FROCK shoot. Many photographers now offer this, and it would be a great opportunity for you at least to get some great pictures of you in your wedding dress (even with the hubby too). I know its not the same, but perhaps then you will have a different set of pictures to look at. All the best with your own photography career. x
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Oh I feel so bad – our ceremony ended at 6pm in December following a blizzard and our pro photographer was amazing – I have sung her praises on a rival blog (sorry Kat), although she has featured on here before. She produced an amazing set of photos but also had a personality that really gelled with ours which made the day.
I would definitely recommend prioritising a pro photographer over table favours, matching bridesmaids shoes, a ‘proper’ wedding cake, and a wedding car no-one really gets to see – all of which we cut from our day. We were on a budget but if you are on a really tight budget think about maybe not having the wedding album – as your first anniversary is paper then maybe you could get it then when money isn’t as tight.
Also, look for photographers just starting out – my friend had a great set from a new photographer who had done a few weddings, and was happy for a reduced rate in exchange for use of the images in her publicity. She did have a late summer wedding though, which is a lot easier to capture than a winter murk-fest…….
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A great article and a cautionary tale to all planning their wedding day.
Sadly over the years we have heard of a number couples who wished they had given their wedding photographs a higher priority – as others have said it should be borne in mind that long after the last wedding cake crumb has been eaten and your lovely wedding dress has been packed away a beautiful set of wedding photographs taken by a professional wedding photographer is something you will be proud of and will be able to share with family and friends and will last a life time.
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Photography is actually one of my biggest concerns for our wedding, we really will be getting married on a very small budget (the whole thing will be a few hundred pounds) but I would love to save and spend money on a photographer that we really like and trust and looking around those photographers cost around £1000 plus. This really isn’t an option for us, we have a young family and we couldn’t justify spending it.
I took the photos for a friends wedding and I did do a good job and they loved the results, but it was a big responsibility and I’m not sure I’d want to put that pressure on any of my friends, even though several are skilled at photography.
We still need to make a decision on this.
I can completely understand why you were so disappointed with your photos. I’m sure other people have suggested it but I hope you have arranged a follow up shoot with someone, you may not be able to capture the day or the venue but you could have some lovely pictures of you and your husband and you looking beautiful in your dress.
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Lol! I know who this is… but Mum’s the word. I particularly love the chicken shot!
Couldn’t echo these sentiments more strongly.
Julia xx
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Corinne-search ‘catwalk wedding free wedding photography’ on the blog. She’s doing a contest you might be interested in at the moment!
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This article is so sad, but so helpful and informative but now brides have something to think about before deciding to ask a friend, or agreeing to an over zealous friend who has offered to do it.Asking a friend to do it is a big ask anyway, because they probably won’t enjoy your wedding as all the rest of your friends, and if they do enjoy it then chances are they were busy enjoying themselves to think about all those things a pro thinks about. The pressure on photgraphers is enormous with a wedding ,as you only get one chance to get it right….I didnt have a proffessional do my uk ceremony, and that is one thing I do regret…if only I had got Rock and roll bride when i got married and I could have had the pick of some of the most amazing photographers on here. But as Delboy says “C’est Le rie Rodney ,Celery!”.
We made a gorgeous lavender gown last year and was so looking forward to seeing the photographs…most of which came back as Black and white/grainy, and not one single shot of the bride on her own, and that was from a pro.The main point is do as much research as you can. into not only your friends/pros work but into the venue/lighting etc beforehand. Forewarned is forearmed…
Great Article Kat and Mrs X
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Thanks Kat, I shall take a look x
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Very wise words
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Bad photos not only make you feel bad about your wedding, they make you feel bad about yourself too ….a bride last year sent me this message after her wedding
…..if you could just send me one (photograph) i would be very grateful,only the ones posted on here (facebook) are that bad its making me feel crap, just need a reminder of the day again, can’t believe its come and gone
…….It’s not just about having ‘some photos’ of the day, you want them to look like your memories of the day ( ie. beautiful ! )
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Thanks for being brave enough to share this Mrs X! This is so true especially in a climate where at pretty much every wedding every single guest has a DSLR camera! The difference and the value in using a pro wedding photographer lies in them getting the technical side right (lighting etc) as a basic starting point and then also adding their own creative eye and unique touch to the photos – ie. composition etc. Looking at these photos that uniqueness and creative approach unfortunately wasn’t there (in addition to the lack of technical knowledge mentioned), which is a shame as the venue, decor and YOU Mrs X, looked really lovely! In the end as many comments have pointed out, it does come down to education – on the part of the bride and groom and the photographer! If you are able to save up from the moment you get engaged (like we did) to be able to invest in a pro wedding photographer, you actually invest in peace of mind for your wedding day, knowing that you’re in good hands
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Corinne some photographers offer a gift vouchers for friends/family to purchase to help with the cost of photography/albums etc – maybe something worth considering.
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This is probably one of the most important blog posts I have seen in a long time, if it saves just one B&G their wedding memories it will have been worth it.
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I am so pleased someone has been brave enough to post about this. I too am now in a wedding profession and worry that even friends think my words are a sales tactic! I have seen and heard too many sad tales from couples who had a talented friend shoot their wedding and have been disappointed with the final shots. This is both in photo and video believe it or not! Simple things like not having any shots of the brides mother and asking if I can add more in my work to make up for that! Or the group shots not being great because they didn’t know how to control that sort of situation-trust me, I’ve even seen very talented photographers take a while to get the perfect shot at that point! I hope this post does what it set out to do and helps couples make the best decision for them xx
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Pingback from Booking a professional | Love Gets Sweeter on January 15, 2012 at 13:21
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ouch!
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S H A R E ! ! !
Fantastic read. -
Never a truer word said though unfortunately too late for your own wedding and very sad for you.
Having trained to become a wedding photographer it bothers me when I hear of a family member or friend doing the ‘snaps’ as they own a good camera. Before training I owned a good camera too and although I knew something it amazed me how little that turned out to be !! The photos are the one thing that the couple are left with after the big day but personally I don’t think many couples realise this and the importance of a good photographer no matter the budget.
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Brilliant post!!
Such an amazing thing to do, for other Brides! I really hope this never happens to any Bride or Groom!!
At the end of the day, after you take off the dress, the cake is all eaten, the flowers are all dead,, what do you have left!! your Photos
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Nicola, that is a wonderful idea, thank you!
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You poor poppet, I remember u telling us about this. I wish time could be turned and you could have someone as wonderful as you are taking your pictures. No, she didn’t pay me!! The bride up there was my photographer and I look at my photos everyday … One talented lady and with a very valid point
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It’s a very touching story. I was fortunate to have seen a lot of wedding photos before my big day and I knew I wanted a Pro. There were other areas where I cut costs or didn’t give much thought to and wasn’t so happy. It’s a good lesson to share with brides-to-be though and how brave of you to have shared yours. It’s not enough to just say don’t do this or don’t do that. It’s very important to share experience. Although, a wedding is still very much like having a baby, it’s a very individual experience.
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About The Girl
Hello and welcome to my little blog. My name is Kat Williams aka the Rock n Roll Bride and my aim is to provide a little haven of kick ass weddingness in a cookie cutter, pastel and often puke-worthy wedding world. If you’ve ever picked up a bridal magazine and felt queasy or trawled the internet and felt disheartened by what you didn’t find well, my friend, you are in the right place!
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