Certain occasions rarely recur. Most of these moments define us and should, therefore, be documented. Photography offers an avenue of preserving cherished memories- moments we always want to relive.
I am sure that your family album has photos taken in the 60s, which still look fresh, which makes photographs timeless. We will, therefore, take a look at some of the special moments that need to be documented and why it is crucial.
We will also delve deeper into wedding photography and how you can make this special day memorable. Lastly, we will recommend one of the best wedding photographers in Hamilton and its environs. Let’s get started!
Why is it important to capture special moments in life?
- Preserving cherished memories- Most of the special moments we witness in life happen only once. Capturing such memories, therefore, helps in preservation. Photographs speak.
Looking at your eighteenth birthday pictures ten years from now will help you to relive the feel of freedom once more
- We can never be sure of what the next day holds, especially in a world where everything seems to be happening so fast. The special moments in our lives should, therefore, be documented to serve as a reminder that brighter days await.
- Special moments are timeless- The happiness your wedding or birthday party brought to your life can never wane away. It is not uncommon to smile once in a while when you come across your past photos.
Capturing special , therefore, helps us appreciate the good times in our lives., which is vital for our mental health.
- Capturing special moments in our lives helps us keep track of our milestones and the far we have come. Graduation parties are held to celebrate academic prowess. Taking pictures on such an occasion enables you to celebrate and acknowledge all the struggles and sacrifices involved.
Different occasions where you need to hire a professional photographer.
There are certain occasions that do not happen regularly. The best way to preserve such memories is by engaging the camera lens. Here are some of those occasions:
- Graduations- Graduations are special occasions where people celebrate academic milestones. Graduations bring together family members and friends, and should therefore, be documented.
Having a professional photographer at your graduation party is therefore important.
- Birthdays- People celebrate their birthdays once a year. Birthdays therefore signify growth and development and are usually frequented by friends and families who create memories that should forever be cherished.
A professional photographer at a wedding party will cover special events during the birthday such as the cutting of the cake, battling in the dancefloor and the wishes.
- Weddings- It goes without saying that weddings are special moments that must be cherished everyday. A wedding is an anticipated event in many communities. It also signifies marriage, which is one of the rites of passage in a number of societies.
Weddings also bring together different people, ranging from workmates to close friends and family. An event that brings such a multitude together should therefore be prioritized.
Wedding photographers capture every moments of the wedding procession, from the arrival of guests to the signing of the requisite documents. There is no better feeling than looking at your wedding images twenty years from now and marveling at how happy you were.
- Baby showers- Babies bring joy in households. Baby showers therefore bring together different people, ranging from workmates to aunties and close family. Bringing a new life to the world is not an easy task, and therefore, the celebration that comes after needs to be documented.
Your baby will feel proud and happy seeing such pictures later, which is everything a parent wants for their kids.
- End-year parties- End year parties are usually organized by corporates to celebrate yearly achievements. Such parties bring together people in different corporate ladders and should, therefore, be documented.
Incorporating photo sessions in an end of year party is therefore a good way to foster interactions and capture the moments that bring employees close.
- Music shows- Music shows are special occasions that bring together celebrities. Seeing your idol live on stage is a special occurrence that needs to be photographed. An artist should also hire the services of a professional photographer to capture him or her live on stage. There is no better way of showing love than mingling freely with your fans and supporters.
- When expecting a newborn- You must have come across beautiful pictures of pregnant ladies on the internet. Organizing a photo session as an expectant couple, therefore, serves as a good way of documenting your bay’s life right from the onset.
Such photo sessions also unites couples together, especially, if it is their first baby.
Why is photography important for your engagement day?
Engagement is the first step to marriage, which makes it a special event even though most people don’t give it the same treatment they give weddings. Here re some of the reasons why you need a photographer for your engagement day:
- Engagement photography helps you work on your photography flaws- Engagement photo shoots are usually not as hectic as wedding shoots. They are therefore a good way of working on your posing, nervousness and photography reception before your big day.
Nervous people can, therefore, build some confidence before the special day.
- Engagement photography helps you ascertain the skill set of your photographer- Most people invite their engagement photographers to cover their weddings, which has its fair share of advantages.
Photography requires results, and therefore, you should work with somebody you have seen in action. Choosing your wedding photographer early also saves you the stress of last-minute rush.
- Since most engagement photographers cover weddings, an engagement photoshoot offers the couples a chance to get used to their photographer. Meeting your wedding photographer on the day of the wedding can be quite scary, and therefore, the sooner, the better.
Why do you need a phenomenal wedding photographer?
You should not allow just any other photographer to document your wedding. Weddings are rare occasions that happen only once in a couple’s life. Here are some of the reasons why you need to invest in a phenomenal wedding photographer:
- A wedding is a personal event- Weddings signify marriage, which is the core reason why couples come together. Your wedding is therefore a personal affair that needs to be documented well.
There are lots of cherished moments that you can hold on to years after the wedding. It is a time where family members come from far and wide to celebrate your union. These are moments that you should not miss.
- Phenomenal wedding photographers know how to blend in with the guests- a good wedding photographer knows how to get the guests in the right mood and state for photographs.
Wedding photos need perfection, something that requires more than any other Tom, Dick and Harry. A phenomenal wedding photographer knows how to ease the guest’s nervousness, prepping them for photo sessions.
Those with experience know better than to bombard people with camera lights all over. An outstanding wedding photographer knows that you can still cover the event without being too obvious.
- You need an outstanding wedding photographer if you want quality photos. Weddings are not simple occasions that anybody with a point and shoot camera can cover. Documenting a wedding, therefore, requires skill and tact.
There is no better way to create quality photos than having a skilled photographer at your wedding. The gist of the work begins after the main session. In as much as shooting involves finding the right poses and meddling with the lighting, editing is the real deal.
A phenomenal wedding photographer knows all the angles that can be exhausted while shooting to bring the best out of your occasion. Most of them use powerful zoom lenses that make them less obvious.
- To get the best out of the event- You need a good wedding photographer if you want your event to look good in pictures. Wedding photographers are different from pet or portrait photographers since they shoot a wide range of subjects.
A good wedding photographer knows how to set up the lighting to give your wedding a powerful glow. Everything in the wedding needs to be captured, ranging from the arrangements, food and the drinks to the flowers and grass.
- To bring out your natural state- Now, things like nervousness register in photos. Most people make forced smiles when they are uneasy, ruining their photos. A good wedding photographer knows how to prep the crowd and take pictures in the least expected way. You will agree with me that even your most uneasy guests will be comfortable in the sessions to follow.
Value of a photographer
Now, the value of a photographer is bestowed in two things; their reputation and quality of images. A photographer who has built a legacy and a clean reputation is always valued higher than an upcoming photographer.
Experience also counts in reputation. Professional photographers who have served the market for long often posses’ useful skills that make them indispensable. This is the reason why you won’t meet an armature photographer shooting for Nat Geo Wild or war documentaries. Value and experience go hand in hand.
The quality of work a photographer can produce also counts in valuation. Only those who can produce outstanding pictures and beat competition become the most valuable.
What is the power of a photographer in the wedding?
Most people do not know that the right wedding photographer can redefine your wedding. Here are the powers of a wedding photographer:
- A wedding photographer captures all the moments that you won’t witness- As the bride or groom, you can expect that you will miss ninety percent of the wedding procession. Most wedding planners prefer that the bridal groom arrive last to the party.
Wedding photographers are usually timely and you can be sure that they will be at the venue before anybody else. He or she will capture precious moments such as your guests having the time of their life on the dancefloor, which you will probably miss.
- Wedding photographers help you look good in your photos- Weddings are cherished moments that need to be held dear. You need therefore to look good in your photos, which is where wedding photographers come in.
These photographers, therefore, help conceal flaws that might ruin the memories of your most cherished moments. Problems such as creases and make up flaws are common. However, constantly seeing such flaws on your wedding pictures might be disturbing. All these can be corrected by proper editing, leaving you looking good and flawless.
- A wedding photographer can cure nervousness. You heard that right. Weddings are pretty big occasions, and therefore, being nervous is nothing out of the ordinary. Wedding photographers deal with a lot of people and are therefore perfectly aware of this fact.
Most of them have charming and winning personalities that are akin to making their subjects feel comfortable. A number of people also fear camera lights and constant flashing might make them uneasy.
A wedding photographer will therefore capture your gusts in their natural states.
- Wedding photographers are schedule enforcers- Your wedding planner will work closer with your photographer to ensure that everything moves smoothly. Time dedicated for photo sessions shouldn’t eat into the main procession.
How much does professional photography cost?
Professional photographers attach a high price tag to their services. Remember, this is a field that requires a lot of skill and tact, and therefore, for something outstanding, you must be prepared to spend. Most photographers charge on an hourly basis.
Depending on the agreement, you will either pay for every edited photograph or the entire session. Booking a photographer for an hour, costs $100 to $250. In case you are paying for every edited photograph, you are likely to part with $25 to $100.
The cost of professional photography also differs depending on the specific field. A professional wedding photographer definitely has a hire quotation than a portrait photographer.
How much does wedding photography cost?
Now, coming back to our subject of discussion, wedding photography is actually expensive. Remember, this type of photography goes on for the entire day and may involve different settings and venues; factors that the photographer must take into account.
The thing is, professional wedding photographers work with a four digits quotation. The cheapest wedding photographer will charge you $1000. Some charge as high as $5000. Depending on the photographer or firm you pick, you will spend $1000 to $5000. It is a big investment.
What affects the cost of professional photography?
Photographers charge differently for various reasons. Some reasons are purely personal, while others are dependent on the business environment. Let us start with the personal reasons;
- The value of the brand- The value of a brand depends on customer perception. If you approach a photographer who has built a name for him or herself in the market, you will definitely spend more.
Established professional photographers with a considerable clientele base charge more. What does this mean? The amount you are likely to use on hiring your local wedding photographer cannot be similar to the cost of hiring the photographer who covered the Royal Wedding.
- Experience- It goes without say that experienced professionals charge more for their services. You will spend more if you approach a professional photographer with a legacy.
Experience is also a selling factor. Most established brands are always on the lookout for experienced photographers, which also raises their perceived value. In short, the rate card of a decade year old professional photographer cannot match that of an amateur.
- Cost of equipment- Photographers use diverse equipment while in action. The rate card of a $10000 worth of equipment cannot be similar to that of a $1000 equipment. What does this mean?
You will spend more if you need a additional equipment such as lighting stands during your photoshoot. The same also applies to the type of camera. Full-body cameras are usually costlier than the point and shoot or crop-censored cameras. A photographer using a full-body camera will, therefore, charge you more for his or her services.
Here are some other factors that influence the pricing of professional photography
- Transport costs- Photographers include additional costs such as transport in their quotation. Photographers travel from as far as Asia to some and handle projects, costs that must be reimbursed.
If your photographer has to travel coming to you, be sure that he or she will charge more.
- Market forces- The market influences the cost of professional photography by a large percentage. Certain market factors such as demand shapes pricing. You will notice that sports photographers hike their prices when the season is at its peak, which is also normal in other fields.
For starters, in an unbalanced market, when the demand is high, supply is often curtailed. As a result, rate cards of different photographers’ shift.
- The quality of work you want will also shape pricing. Detailed work attracts high costs. If you need the right lighting, background blur and relatively high picture standards, you will spend more.
However, if you only need normal photographs that can easily be hacked, you will receive a lesser quotation.
Since wedding photography was our main focus, let us look at some of the factors that affect pricing of wedding photography:
- Number of sessions- Most photographers charge per session. Modern trends have seen the addition of a bridal session before the wedding day, which allows couple take pictures in a stress-fee environment. You are therefore, going to spend more if your wedding package consist of a first-look sessions.
Such sessions are however important especially if the location of the shoot and the wedding venue are difference.
- If an assistant photographer is required- Weddings are usually big occasions that cannot at times be properly covered by one photographer. An assistant photographer might tag along to help with lighting set ups and transporting the gear.
Assistant photographers are mostly armatures looking for exposure and a few market tricks. If your wedding has a lot of events planned, your main photographer might suggest that you budget for his or her assistant.
Second shooters play an important role too in as much as most of them are learners. An assistant photographer, for instance will ensure that there are more angles of coverage of the wedding procession.
Assistant photographers also allow the main photographer to prep the bride or the groom easily without interrupting event coverage. In as much as they are not mandatory, we cannot overrule their role in events.
Assistant photographers need to be compensated for their time, which is the reason why the overall cost of photography will hike. They can also hack certain roles such as editing.
- Albums/ large prints- You will spend more hiring a wedding photographer if you need an album or large prints of the photos. Photographers make most profit from wedding products to help them stay in business.
For this reason, photographers factor in printing costs when billing a client, which raises the overall amount. The same also applies for album creation.
How to find and hire a professional wedding photographer
Photographers are everywhere. The only challenge is finding one who is reliable and offers quality work. Have in mind also that some photographers do not offer value equal to the money they request.
You could look up some established firms in the internet but booking a session with them might cost an arm and a leg. What then should you do? If you live around Hamilton, we have something for you.
Studio five Hamilton offers everything you need for your wedding coverage. It is a high-end photography company that specializes in a range of fields. With some of the top wedding photographers in Hamilton, this company comes second to none.
You should not have a hard time looking for professionals to film your wedding. Reach out to Studio Five Hamilton and experience greatness unfold.