I have always stood by the statement; "Good Photography isn't cheap, and cheap Photography isn't good". This reigns true with many things; mechanics, auto body techs, tattoo artists, nail techs... If you want to save money that is one thing but when you are willing to sacrifice professionalism to save a quick buck you are only hurting yourself. Sure to some, professional photographs may not be a priority. Perhaps they do not even notice how horrible cheap fauxtographers images truly are. If you asked me 10 years ago long before I did this professionally and was only a hobbyist, I still would have told you that true custom portraiture is worth every penny, it is an investment worth putting your money into.
You need to decide a few things when looking for a Photographer; do they have the knowledge they need to create incredible images that will not only show true emotion but will continue to have you reliving those moments they captured long after the day is over? Did they put the time and effort into learning and perfecting their craft? I know that I have spent countless hours and dollars on learning something new every single day. I still learn something new EVERY SINGLE DAY 5 1/2 years into my business. I have always told my friends and family this; "When you stop learning something new with every single client and session, you no longer have the heart or the passion you need to create something beautiful". You have to push yourself to discover what others haven't. Be someone that wants to stand out. Do not follow the grain and copy someone else's work, ideas, and images. Be yourself and hold true to the business that you have built.
It takes far more than a nice camera and a room full of props to become a Photographer. This is a business that takes blood, sweat, and tears to build. The first few years every single penny you make should be going back into your business. You need to be licensed and insured. Do not start charging friends, family or clientele a dime until your photos could truly be hung in a gallery somewhere. Take the time to learn the business side of owning a company. Learn lighting, exposure, ISO, aperture, shutter speeds and how to pose clients properly so that they look the very best that they can. Learn how to capture true emotion. Not every incredible image is posed, in fact some of my very best work is completely candid. Those moments that no one was expecting but brought tears to your eyes and the biggest smile to your face all while warming your heart. Be driven enough to never give up. Sure there are a million Photographers and Fauxtographers on every street corner, but if you are a real artist and you are a professional that is good at what you do than those people should never be competition or be a reason for you to give up. If you really take the time to do this business for the right reasons, you will grow, you will stand out and your name will be passed to others time and time again.
So remember, it isn't the camera, it is the professional that took the time to teach that camera everything she knows!
To anyone out there looking for the right Photographer, don't spend $50 and expect professional images. Chances are the person you just hired and paid probably is in this for the money, and real Photographers know the money isn't everything. It is not even a quarter of what this art is. They also know the money goes right back into creating a legacy. Those out there buying a low grade "nice" camera more than likely cannot capture crisp, clear, color corrected images, and they probably shoot in Auto. No app or program can fix bad photography.
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