There’s an understandable rumor floating around that an expensive camera makes you a professional photographer. After all, the more buttons and options mean there’s more control. Even accidentally shooting the ground looks better on a professional camera than on a point-and-shoot.

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With this simple error in thought, people begin planning their wedding and decide to take the offer from their friend or Uncle Bob with the big camera. Not only does this friend have the gear, but their Facebook albums are filled with awesome pictures of flowers, landscapes, and the occasional senior portrait. Consider, though, that having the best grill doesn’t make you Bobby Flay.

While Uncle Bob and your friends are great people, that doesn’t make them professional wedding photographers. A professional has put time and effort into learning, molding, and experimenting with their craft. It is up to them to show the charm in the chaos of a wedding day, from silent moments to shouts of rejoicing.

So, why should you hire a professional wedding photographer over a friend? The reasons are many but here are just a few to consider:

Carries Extra Equipment

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A professional photographer will have invested several thousand dollars into equipment such as cameras, flashes, additional lighting, and professional lenses. A friend may have a professional camera but may not understand it well enough to know how to operate under varying conditions. Often they merely stick with what came in the box.

Knows Current Trends

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Uncle Bob knows what was fashionable in 1975 and was very hip, but this is 2012 and the times have changed. A professional photographer will know current trends in photography. Along with this, a professional can switch seamlessly between shooting portraits, fine art shots, journalistic photos, and many more styles. This involves knowing a professional grade camera like the back of your hand and changing settings…well…like a pro. A professional also understands concepts such as ambient light, bounced flash, fill flash, off-camera lighting, bokeh, metering, and other specific camera knowledge that Uncle Bob probably doesn’t know.

Carries Insurance

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A professional photographer will carry business insurance to cover any accidents. Some venues won’t even allow the photographer in without business insurance. Uncle Bob, on the other hand, only has term life. Remember, if your photographer isn’t covered, you may be held liable for any accidental damages incurred to people or the venue.

Includes a Backup Plan

A professional will carry a full back up kit in case of any type of camera failure, complete with extra lenses, batteries, and flashes. Your friend may have a camera phone.

Has a Contract

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Remember, when you hire a professional photographer, you are also purchasing a contract that keeps you and them safe. The photographer has a reputation to keep and they rely on their photography to bring income. If Uncle Bob does a poor job, oh well.

Now, since your wedding can’t be recreated, you’ll forever be stuck with images you don’t want to hang on the wall. A contract also keeps you safe from dealing with flaky friends deciding they can’t show up at the last minute. In fact, a professional is very likely to be the one to bail you out of that tough spot.

Worth the Fee

Lastly, it is not worth risking the memories of your most special day captured poorly simply to save hurting a friend or a relative’s feelings. It is worth spending a little extra to feel confident that you will have your memories done by a professional photographer who has dedicated their lives to capturing the beauty of weddings.

What if Uncle Bob or your friend messes up the wedding shoot? Do you want to live with the disappointment? While you might laugh about the bad photos in a decade or two, that’s a long time to live with the frustration.

Conclusion

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Using a modern, perfectly logical approach to this issue:

When you forgo a professional photographer and hire Uncle Bob, you get cheap wedding photos. When you get cheap wedding photos, you get utter disappointment. When you get utter disappointment, you have to beat somebody down. When you beat somebody down, you get thrown into jail and miss your honeymoon. Don’t get thrown in jail and miss your honeymoon. Hire a professional photographer for your wedding.

About the Author: Tara Hornor

Tara Hornor spends her days writing about advertising, branding, marketing, and web and graphic design. She enjoys writing for Creative Content Experts as Senior Editor and providing readers with inspiration for design or expertise on content marketing, link building, and other marketing advice. Connect with @TaraHornor on Twitter to receive daily advice.