Uncle Bob? I wouldn't employ him!

Last year I wrote a piece about hobby photographers and their impact on Wedding Photography as a profession.

To my surprise, it was published in a national magazine and sparked months of debate on the letters pages.

As I couldn't think of much to say today, I thought I'd share it with you.

 

We all know Uncle Bob. Nice guy - owns a camera and will be happy to take your wedding photos. “You don’t need an expensive, so called professional – Uncle Bob has got a decent camera and that’s all you need.”

Every professional photographer has met, or lost business to, Uncle Bob.

In these digital days, everyone with a camera thinks they can do the job as well as a professional. Add in a recession and suddenly a few hundred pounds for a photographer at the most expensive day of your life is an unnecessary outlay. No-one says “I’ve got a garden, I’ll grow my own flowers” despite the cost of bouquets (and the short life), but they are more than happy to leave the photography to ‘some bloke with a camera’ based on price. 

Uncle Bob will usually offer to do the wedding shoot “just buy me a drink” he’ll say. Why on earth do people entrust what may be the most important images of their life to someone who does it for ‘fun’?

Couples spend thousands on the big day, but then try to cut costs on the person who will provide a record of that day. Uncle Bob might seem a bargain before the wedding, but we all know the final price. Poor quality images, disappointment and regret. Unfortunately, a wedding isn’t the same as a family portrait – you can’t come back and try again. Uncle Bob gets one go and that’s one too many...

I recently returned to photography as a profession after a long break. I took a great many pictures to ensure total confidence in my camera, I used everyone I could think of as guinea pigs and I offered free shoots to couples who couldn’t afford a photographer (does that make me Uncle Bob?) in order to put together a proper wedding package. I regarded it as a refresher programme after a break. 

My first paid wedding went very well. My clients were delighted with the quality of the images and also my relaxed style. And that is what makes us so much better than Uncle Bob. We do this for a living; we are confident enough to pose the couple when necessary, but we also work with them to create relaxed, natural images. We don’t ‘point and shoot’, nor do we march around giving orders. We do our best not to intrude in the day. We take the images they want, when they want. 

Our philosophy is different from Uncle Bob’s (or should be). We want our clients to regard our images as the perfect reminder of their day. We want them to show them off with pride. Uncle Bob wants to be known as the chap who took the photos, he doesn’t do this for a living and he doesn’t really care about the long term.

My advice to any couple booking a photographer is simple. Price is obviously a consideration – it’s no good booking a £1000 an hour photographer if your wedding budget is £2000 – but the most important thing to consider is their portfolio. Do you like their previous work? Is it a style you want for your own images? Do you feel comfortable with the photographer (after all, you’ll be working with them all day!)? Are they willing to listen to what you want or do they have a fixed idea? Most photographers will want you, the client, to get the images you want. If someone refuses to listen, I’d keep searching.

If their prices are a little too high, ask about other packages. They may offer lower prices on weekdays for instance. 

Uncle Bob is unlikely to offer a portfolio – if he was good enough to have a number of successful weddings under his belt he would be charging accordingly. Do you really want to entrust your day to someone who has no investment in ensuring you are more than happy with your images? I doubt it, but if you do I wish you good luck......