Why is it that some photographers can make just about anyone look gorgeous while others somehow manage to make even the legitimately gorgeous look ordinary? I can’t say that my own wedding photographer fell into either camp — many of his photos were wonderful, but quite were overshadowed by snapshots taken by friends and family. Looking back, I wish I’d spent more on wedding photography because I love photographs. Well, good ones, anyway, like these from Luna Photography of San Diego.
While there’s no denying that Abby and Avi (the bride and groom) are some fine specimens of humanity, I don’t have any doubt that Mike and Paula Luna could have made The Beard and I look just as good on our wedding day. *sigh* I do love the wedding photo album I assembled myself using photographs from many sources, but I can honestly say that not hiring a better wedding photographer was one of the few post-wedding regrets I still harbor.
That was one of the few things I insisted upon at my wedding. It was very low-key — I made my own bouquet and got my dress off of EBay – but I wanted a good photographer. I figured that long after the day was over, the meal digested and the flowers wilted, we’d have those photographs. Plus, where we eloped, those photos wound up being shown to and pored over avidly by every last member of our family and friends. So it was important to us that the photos be perfect.
We wound up hiring Anthony Vazquez (http://www.anthonyvazquez.com). He did such a beautiful job, and was a dream to work with — The Stonecutter always blinks in photos, but Anthony was so unobtrusive and quick that there wasn’t a bit of blinking.
Sometimes I do wish I’d shelled out a bit more for the dress — mine was perfectly fine, but not breathtaking — but if I had to choose again between spending the money on the dress or spending the money on Anthony, I’d pick Anthony, every time.
(Sample photo from our wedding, so you can see what a good photographer can do for an average-looking, somewhat Big girl: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24208698@N06/2296928658/in/set-72157606853420303/)
La Petite Acadienne: You look beautiful! (And normal sized.) The dress looks pretty too, who cares if it’s not Vera Wang exactly. I hope my budget frock will look half that good. Those photos are great, but I’m sure the photographer gets only half of the credit; you look so happy that even cell phone snapshots could record it. 🙂
I think photos are the most important thing (after choosing the right person to marry). I’ve tried to concentrate on other things, but it always comes down to “will this look good in the photos”. That’s what will stay to remind us and our families of the day. I’ve also already almost planned the album we’ll send as thank you cards! So yes, I like photos and albums. We’re not hiring anyone to do the job, though. We have one artistic photography enthusiast and at least 3 other hobbyists with good equipment within our 18 guests, so I think we’re good?
La Petite Acadienne: Say what? I wouldn’t even call you a mildly big girl, but that’s just me. That is indeed a gorgeous photo — kudos to you on your choice of photographers!
Johanna: As much as I would have liked to have hired a better pro photog for my wedding, I have to say I was absolutely delighted with the photos my friends and family took. So much so that many more of their photos appear in my homemade wedding album than do the photos from our hired photographer! If you know you have some skilled shutterbugs in your social circle, I bet you’ll get great shots! Now getting your loved ones to remember to send you the jpgs… well, that’s another story.