choose a professional photographer
Your photographer knows their camera intimately.
Their camera and other equipment are of professional quality and they have spent years learning their craft and improving their technique.
Their photographs are not ’snaps’ or ‘lucky accidents’.
They know how to adjust their camera settings and work with existing light or add light to create an image.
They have a backup camera, spare battery, extra lighting.
They have access to a number of professional photographers who can step up if they have a sudden illness or accident the day before your wedding.
Everyone has a friend or many friends with a great little camera, or even an entry level DSLR.
But do they really know how to drive it? Automatic settings don’t always deliver the photo you hoped for.
Are you willing to take the chance that they have remembered to charge the battery and bring extra memory cards?
Do they have a backup plan if the camera fails?
How reliable is their file transfer process?
Will they still be able to find your precious photos when you want an enlargement for your anniversary?