As you're wedding planning and comparing vendors one of the questions you might ask is this one: What do you think separates you from other photographers? Why should I hire you?
I typically shy away from these types of questions by default because of my personality. However, after 7 full years as a full time photographer and hundreds of weddings I think I have something to say about this.
I excel at capturing the moments as they’re happening. My expertise with my equipment from a technical standpoint is what I would hope for and expect in a professional and is a quality I look for in someone to capture my own wedding.
Pro cameras have a ton of settings to manipulate giving the photographer all the tools necessary to get the shot and I know how to use them to my advantage. As basic as that may sound I have found this to be lost among many “professional photographers”.
I’ve worked along side a lot of photographers over the years and I can count on one hand those who knew their cameras like a “pro” should. I’ve had to coach and gently instruct many second shooters and have even taken on the role as a lead photographer when I was hired as a second shooter because the main photographer wasn’t prepared to handle certain (night-mare like) lighting conditions that lurk at most ceremony and reception venues. This was a photographer who was contracted and paid very well for the job they weren’t prepared to do. While there are many conditions that we wedding photographers can’t control and just have to do the best we can with, I do consider it my responsibility to get the best possible images and sometimes that means manipulating the scene, the subjects within the scene, or manipulating the natural light or adding light. I have a lot of tools at my disposal and I’m prepared to use them when the situation calls for it — this, I believe, is one thing what separates me from the pack.