As a side note, people often do cartwheels in the lobby. But that usually only happens on Thursday mornings at 10:00 a.m. so make sure you keep a clear eye out for that sort of thing happening (it might be happening right now! So that you don’t miss your wedding day (and to ensure your wedding photographer can find his/her way), it’s important to note that the address for the Mystic Marriott is 625 North Rd Route 117, Groton, Connecticut 06340.

wedding photographer making funny faces at Mystic Marriott

With that in mind, I’ve purchased two of Nikon’s flagship cameras for photojournalists–the Nikon D4. I’ve also purchased Nikon’s flagship camera for commercial photographers–the Nikon D800. As of this writing, one of the many things that the Nikon D4 offers is the best low light performance available—from any manufacturer. This kind of performance is particularly important when I’m photographing a wedding day in dark hotel rooms, churches, reception halls, or outside at night. I purchased two of the D4 bodies since I simultaneously carry two cameras at weddings, switching between each depending on the need of the moment. In addition to the two D4 bodies, I also bring my D800 . This third camera serves as a backup in the unlikely event both of my D4 bodies fail. The Nikon D800 also provides me with the largest file sizes available from any SLR manufacturer (36 megapixels). Those large file sizes are extremely important in my commercial product photography work and for certain kinds of wedding portraiture.

After this recent purchase, I realized that many clients probably don’t realize the quality and expense of the equipment that I bring to bear on their wedding day. As an example, for these three camera bodies alone, I could have purchased any one of the following new automobiles:

Although I admit that these cars aren’t luxury brands, they certainly represent a larger investment than you might expect to see from most wedding photographers. In addition to the expense of these camera bodies, there are also additional expenses related to lenses, flashes, memory cards, straps, and the wide range of other equipment that I’m carrying on a typical wedding day. And since I can’t stop there, beyond the wedding day, there’s also the expense of my 12-core water-cooled computer, dual 30” monitors, 20 terabytes of storage, and my extensive collection of Profoto lighting equipment. As Dr. Hammond of Jurassic Park fame famously said, I’ve “spared no expense” when it comes to the equipment I use to photograph and process weddings. I’d like to think that this investment translates into the best possible photographs for my clients. I hope you see that in my work.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this competition, judges base album scores on a combination of creativity, impact, storytelling, technical excellence, lighting, posing, expression, and composition. The score for my album entry this year was 90.4 which is described as “exhibiting exceptional skills in all areas.” For those folks who have been following my work for several years, you might remember that this is my third entry into WPPI competition; I also submitted two albums in the 2010 WPPI Awards of Excellence Album Competition (Non-Event Informal category) where one was awarded Second Place while the other received an Accolade of Excellence.

The photos in this album entry were captured at a real engagement session at Pasadena City Hall in Pasadena, California. Kirstin (the bride) selected the wardrobe and per my request also brought several props that they felt helped express their personalities. The album itself was created in Adobe InDesign and was formatted to be presented in a lay-flat 12″ x 12″ magazine-style album.

As a final note, and as I mentioned in my acceptance speech, I’d like to thank my dear friend and mentor Jerry Ghionis who has provided me with immeasurable guidance and support over the years. Without him, my successes would have not been possible. Thank you so much Jerry. I love you man! I’d also like to give a nod to Melissa Ghionis, Justine Ungaro, and Sally Sargood who have all been incredibly supportive of my competition efforts.

Experience

I photograph an average of 35 weddings every year. And, over the course of my career, I’ve photographed hundreds of weddings. This means that I’ve worked in hundreds of different locations, in challenging lighting situations, under all kinds of weather conditions, and all the while living and working through countless wedding day “emergencies.” Although a family friend may be quite good at holiday photos or family photographs or even fashion photography, can they cope with a wide range of rapidly changing situations and still capture amazing photographs of the hundreds of special moments that are your wedding day?

Skill

I’m an experienced camera operator. Over the course of a single year, I’ll take over 75,000 photographs. And, on a typical wedding day, I’m changing equipment settings constantly. After my many years as a professional wedding photographer, my cameras and lighting equipment have become extensions of my body. I no longer consciously think about camera adjustments or lighting situations. I simply view a scene and adjust my equipment automatically. And because of that skill, I’m able to capture rapidly evolving wedding moments as they happen. Without those skills, important wedding moments can be missed—moments that can’t be recreated. You only get one chance at weddings.

Equipment

I invest heavily in equipment. For example, my primary wedding equipment includes two Nikon D3 cameras (carried at the same time), a 24-70 f/2.8 lens, a 70-200 f/2.8 lens, two SB-900 flashes, and 32GB high speed memory cards. And in addition to my primary equipment, I also have a backup camera (D3x), four backup lenses, four backup flashes, and a host of other lighting gear. To put this in perspective, at a typical wedding I arrive with over $25,000 in camera equipment with about $15,000 carried on my person at any one moment. This equipment allows me to create amazing photographs in extremely challenging lighting conditions—conditions where lessor cameras and lenses struggle to keep up. Has your family friend invested in the professional cameras and backup equipment necessary to ensure the best possible photos, even when the lighting is horrible or when something goes terribly wrong with one or more pieces of gear?

Insurance

Good professional photographers carry insurance. My insurance coverage includes general business liability ($2M), equipment insurance ($100k), and professional liability insurance (aka errors and omissions). If the unthinkable happens, I want to be prepared. That means peace of mind for me and my clients. As an aside, did you know that many venues won’t allow photographers on-site unless the photographer carries adequate liability insurance? Is your family friend insured? Are they underinsured?

Motivation

My reputation is on the line every time I photograph a wedding. Therefore I have a strong incentive to do an amazing job—especially in the age of the Internet where every aspect of customer-service is a matter of public record. My livelihood is at stake every time I photograph a wedding. Is your family friend similarly motivated?

Focus

When you a hire a professional to photograph your wedding, we are typically focused on one thing—capturing excellent photos of you and your fiancé. If you hire a family friend, then one may assume that they’re going to be friends with several of your guests (or perhaps many of your guests). In those situations, that family friend may sometimes end up distracted by those guests. It’s only natural to spend a few minutes chatting with friends at weddings. And it’s only natural to share a drink when offered. And it’s only natural to photograph people you know more frequently and with greater enthusiasm than people you don’t know. But, if you hire me, I’ll be focused on the single task of creating beautiful photos of you and all of your guests and working every second of the day (except when I spend a few minutes to grab a quick bite during your reception) doing the job you’ve hired me to do.

Service

As my business is photography, I’m relying on your patronage in order to meet my financial obligations. As such, it is in my best interest to provide good service before, during, and after the wedding. This service includes providing deliverables (digital negatives, albums, proofs, physical prints, etc.) as well as using my experience to advise you on a wide range wedding related planning considerations. This is my job. It’s what I do every day. Can your family friend say the same thing?

I’d like to admit that I fully realize, that for some clients and for a variety of reasons, a family friend may be your only choice. However, I’m hopeful that this brief essay will empower some clients to ask pertinent questions of that family friend before making their final decision.