Thrive Photography


Why Should I Hire a Professional Wedding Photographer??


OK. You are looking at your budget and looking for ways to trim up some costs. Why not forgo getting a professional photographer and get your friend to do it? Your friend has a camera and takes good photos.... You have seen them on Instagram or Facebook, and they look awesome. Why not indeed?

I am not going to argue with that. Believe it or not, some of the finest photographers in the world are amateur / enthusiasts.

So what's the big difference? The difference is that a professional photographer can consistently produce good images regardless of the circumstances and conditions in a timely manner when under time constraints and pressure. As opposed to amateurs who tend to only produce great images when the photographic conditions are favourable. Honestly.... this is pretty much the heart of it. There is a laundry list (listed below) of other things like pro equipment, backup pro equipment, post wedding backup procedures, insurance that are also critical. However, being able to create great photos anywhere is the big tone.

Let me elaborate on this a bit.

Here is one example from a million variables. You have your wedding day planned for an outdoor ceremony. Then it rains. This is Queensland when it rains it pours. So you go to your backup plan and get undercover. You might end up under the verandah next to the pro shop at the gold club which is not ideal. The photographer needs to be able to shoot the ceremony in dim conditions with strobes and produce good images. This has happened to me more than once.

Personally I think that the photography is the most important consideration for a wedding when deciding on budgets for the flowers, open bar, entertainment etc. I am not being biased when I say that. I got married way before I became a Sunshine Coast Wedding Photographer. We treasure the photos we got from that day.

Think about it for a moment. When the wedding is done, the drinks have been drunk and the food has been eaten what do you have to show for it all? Memories of course which is wonderful. Good stories to tell which is fun when everyone gets together. But really, the only tangible things you will have left is the rings, the dress and of course the photographs.

I have been married for over 20 years and please believe me when I say this... your photos will get more valuable as the years tick by. I will sound old when I say this... you look back and think how young you look and how happy you were on that day.

So please, even if you do not hire me, find a professional photographer who can document your day and produce beautiful images that you will cherish for the rest of your life.

Here is a list of things that a professional wedding photographer should have that an amateur probably will not.


  • Genuinely professional camera equipment. More info here: What Is Pro Camera Equipment?
  • Insurance - I cover this thrilling topic in the link below Choosing a Photographer.
  • Someone you do not have to worry about. More info here: Choosing a Photographer
  • Backup Camera Equipment - In case a camera, lens or flash fails or gets damaged.
  • Robust data/photo backup procedures - So your photos are not lost.
  • Good at dealing with all sorts of people from eccentric aunts to drunken guests (there is always one :) )
  • Capable of photographing the entire day and can make lemonade from lemons if things do not got to plan.




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