As our nation strives to become more budget-oriented within the wedding world, many a client will ask if we could forgo the engagement session to cut down on the price. And I get it, I really do. From their perspective, it's not near as important as time on the wedding day, but not having your wedding day photographer shoot an engagement session is actually removing quality from your big day photos, and here's why.

WHY IT'S REALLY FOR YOU

The engagement session is definitely when you and your fiancé can celebrate this period of your life that will only last a short time. This is also the opportune moment to take your photographer out for a trial run. By having a friend or less expensive photographer take your engagement photos, you're shorting yourself the advantage of experiencing your wedding day tog before the big day. It's as if you decided that you would be wearing that Vera Wang gown you've been in love with, but you won't take the time to try it on and have it altered. Your wedding day is not when you want to wear that dress for the first time. Photography is no different. The engagement session is in a way also that test drive to make sure you're happy with what the wedding will be like.

WHY IT'S ALSO REALLY FOR ME

So while it's also important for you to experience your photographer, it's equally important for your photographer to experience you, individually and as a couple. Each couple is different and the engagement session is the perfect time to see how they interact with each other and the camera. To see how aware of the camera they are versus being able to just enjoy the moment with each other. This is when I stock up on my arsenal of funny moments, new inside jokes, and insights to your personality that I can pull out during the wedding day during moments of stress, nerves, feigning smiles, and just overall wedding day emotions. This is my chance to put you at ease and let you see that this picture-taking thing is really not that bad.

By having the engagement session and going through that process, we can all start your day in confidence knowing what to expect from each other. That's a win-win in my book.

Hey Photo Fans!

Over the next few weeks, or more, I'll be posting an informative series on what you need to know from this side of the camera. This won't be a tutorial on how to use your camera or my camera, but why professional photographers make the choices they do concerning gear, workflow, contracts, and more. You can't be expected to make informed decisions if no one ever actually informs you in a way that you can understand and later apply to your situation.

To kick this shindig off, we'll start with the fact that there are specializations within the large umbrella of photography. I know this is something people are aware of, but it's not something that's considered when selecting a photographer. Where the disconnect happens, I'm not so sure, but I've heard some really terrible (and preventable) tales of people choosing the wrong photographer because it was someone they already knew, or a photographer trying something new so their price was low, but was so beyond their wheelhouse. (Even I once had a mental lapse when I suggested the wonderful lady who took my high school senior pictures to photograph our wedding. I mean, I loved those photos (and still do years later), but luckily a wiser party redirected the trainwreck-that-would-be and we found a wedding photographer. And I love those photos too. See it really can happen to anyone of us.)

For example, not every photographer, regardless of professional level, can successfully photograph everything. There are some professionals who list a wide variety, perhaps, but not everything is listed. If it is, then the term 'successfully' may not be defined the same way. I, myself, enjoy photographing practically anything, however I would never feel comfortable charging for services in something like pet photography. It's just not my thing to do a whole session of a pet, unless it's my pet and I just got a new toy. Then I have lots of pictures of just my cat sun bathing or just annoyed. Okay, mostly she's annoyed.

Maybe it's a matter of personality. Some photographers don't work well under pressure and are more suited for a studio setting where they can control all the factors, others get bored with a staged backdrop and have to think on their feet to turn out a successful portfolio. It's really more about what makes the photographer tick and not about right or wrong. Be mindful of what kind of services you're looking for when selecting a photographer. A lacking portfolio in what you need may mean that it's easier to budget, but you could be disappointed with the results. Even if there isn't a selection of work in the exact specialty that you're looking for, if the rest of their portfolio is stellar and there are strong similarities between what they have and what you want (i.e. architectural photography and commercial photography), they may make the jump. If they have their degree in photography, odds are that jump will be easier than if they didn't. Most self-taught photographers who are successful went through many workshops and tutorials and mentors to get where they are today. The problem with them making the leap into another category is that all those learning experiences they paid for were highly specialized to the area they were focusing on instead of an art emphasis in the application of photography. University programs teach through the study of art where you create your own work through a chosen technique, like photography or painting, which makes switching from one subject to another easier when you understand the root of it all. A weekend workshop in Adobe won't get you there.

Next time you're in the market for a photographer, be mindful of what your needs are and that a photographer is not a photographer is not a photographer.

(side note: if you're the photographer, be sure that you know exactly who you are in your craft before you take on something new. Culling for a client is not the moment to realize that you were not cut out to do whatever new thing they asked you to do. I can ice a mean cupcake, but don't ask me to pipe a whole cake. Let's acknowledge our limitations people.)

Working on some 'on the go' self-portraiture. Remember, it's not a 'selfie' if you're using a DSLR, you have to set a timer, or you have to run to your spot in the sweltering Texas heat. *bonus points for all 3.

To read a little be about who I am as a photographer, check out this page.