Why should we hire a photographer a question often asked or maybe not asked enough.
The trouble I found years ago that just about every man and his dog has a camera. Either that or a Smartphone and therefore just about everybody believes that they take great photographs. I have stated before in this blog before that, “if you enjoy doing what you do, then keep doing it.” I am not saying that people should settle for a level of competence and just stay there. I am saying enjoy what you do but don’t stop asking questions that way it may just get easier to enjoy what you are doing. I am still asking and learning after fifty-seven years, I must be a slow leaner.
There are dozens of good great photography courses online as well as full and part-time educational courses to take part in. That said I have never been on one but maybe it is time to do it. I was lucky enough to be inspired by not one but two professional photographers both of whom worked at one time or another for my local paper and now both sadly past away. Charlie Beresford taught me about exposure, depth of field, contract, how to develop and print my own work and many, many more things. Brian Ollier a truly talented and outstanding photographer and who in fact took my wedding photographs, never taught me a single technique not one but he did smile when I asked him to.
However; Brian did give me a single piece of advice, “Ian if you really want to want to learn to be a better photographer go to college but if you want to be a great photographer become a professional.” His reasoning being, that everybody thinks they can take good photographs but professionals have to take great photographs otherwise, they starve.
There is a huge difference between looking at life from a tiny sensor on the latest iPhone and the latest Canon or Nikon or for that matter any quality DSLR. It isn’t just a case of buying a top of the line DSLR that will not help you take better photographs if you use it to take a shot of a family member with a tree growing out of their head.
If you really need a great shot for something hugely important then get some professional advice. Or better still hire a professional photographer as the advert said “You know it makes sense.”
In this digital age most people own Smartphones and the latest ones can have 50mp cameras some with huge zoom lenses for phones anyway which is great I am not knocking it. That said do they also come with years of experience, training and making images they are you can be proud of? What are your memories worth to you? That is the question that need to be asked as well as how many times have you taken photographs at a Wedding, Christening or some other family event? Not as many times as the experienced Wedding Photographer I am sure.
I was once appointed to photograph the opening of a magnificent new office building for an electrical company. On the day of the shoot they rang me to inform that the shoot was cancelled. The reason was “Tom from the warehouse was doing it, he was good a member of the Camera Club as well.”
A month later and the shoot was on again as poor Tom’s work wasn’t “up to scratch” and the Chairman was none to pleased. I was happy to tell them they should of hired a photographer the first time.