To be or not to be 'that' is the question...

I have mentioned once or twice about wedding photography, how I especially love to capture the day, I have also mentioned the reasonings behind hiring a wedding photographer for your special day and how important that is for you as a client to have that 'rapport' with your photographer.

I came across another wedding photographer's blog on a Q&A about what it means to be a wedding photographer, namely one that actually went on about the fact that your hired photographer should infact be solely working just as a photographer (and not a part-time hobbiest with a full-time job) and that if any photographer who does have a full-time job and do weekend weddings can't therefore be any good, or invest time in producing good work. I have to disagree slightly with that, in many ways I can agree with what the blog post was trying to convey, but at the same time, I feel that I have seen full-time photographers whose style I would say isn't very good, or their level of committment or work ethic is terrible and yet they are full-time photographers! And yet I have seen full-time workers, fathers/mothers, who are part-time photographers who show a high level of ability and expertise to be able to photograph weddings etc. And so they should.

I have to point out at this stage that I am a prime example. I do work near enough full-time at a desk job during the weekday, but I also do portrait and wedding photography during the week and at weekends, due to times and availability I am therefore restricted to doing photography part-time at this present time. I, at some point would love to give up work to invest in being a full-time photographer, but time and constraints, plus family does not allow me at present.

It is a struggle to become a fully fledged photographer in this day and age, namely because the availability of Digital SLRs available to every Joe Public that anyone who buys one thinks they are David Bailey, and that can be of a nuisance to say the least for the wedding photographers out there who are trying to make a decent living, but having to be side-swiped by novice photographers who think they can get a few good photos out of thousands that they have taken and that should be good enough - but it ISN'T! Disappointing to say the least, but that is what it is.

I can certainly sympathise with this, in my view the small amount of experience that I have had in wanting to learn the art and craft of photography is the one thing I haven't taken to lightly in the least. I learn, research, practice, practice some more and then some, I have loved photography since I can remember. My father was a photographer (actually more of a hobbiest - he had a full-time job working in a factory doing shift work might I add back in the 70s/80s), he worked for a newspaper as a photo journalist during his weekends, covering sport and concert events at the Milton Keynes Bowl, and also loved it as a personal hobby; documenting family and holidays. I vividly remember his Canon cameras, numerous lenses, projector screen, and also the film processing being produced in the 'dark room' is what I have remembered and learnt (and admired) from.

I also think that you have to have some sort of natural ability, a 'good eye' as some people might say, ok anyone can pick up a camera (point and shoot etc) and produce a good enough photo with good colour/clarity, but to sustain that consistency with a wedding or any portrait work is another matter. I have learnt aspects of photography; ISO, aperture, shutter speed, off-camera lighting etc, you name it I'm studying it! And still learning something new everyday, like finding my own style.

My point of my post is that don't underestimate the full-time worker/part-time photographer scenario, as that old saying goes 'we all have to start somewhere'. I love photographing full-stop, I enjoy documenting weddings (my style is what I call photojournalistic) capturing still moments and all the other bits inbetween! So just because I don't photograph full-time doesn't entirely mean that you are short-shrifted, I photograph weddings on a weekend, post-process the day and evenings thereafter, take utmost pride and commitment to each of my clients, and thoroughly enjoy the whole process which is the most important thing.

I just believe that at the end of the day, whether you are a full-time or part-time photographer, the client should appreciate that they have chosen the photographer on the merits of their work/style, skills, recommendations, the ability to get on well with their chosen wedding photographer, and that above all is truly what matters.

On a final note however, please do your research, vet all photographers, ask lots of questions, it isn't worth the photographers reputation to be untruthful, and just love the photographers work, surely that's what should have caught your eye in the first place...