Is Professional Photography a necessity?

No it’s not…

In people’s normal daily lives, something like professional family photography is not necessary, its a luxury. It’s not a need. The day’s have gone where every family would attend a photography studio so that they could obtain a photo of the family that they could keep and enjoy. These would be printed so that the family would return and choose a photo or some photos. Typically, these would be the main print in the living space on the wall and may be a 10x8 on a desk etc. Think 1980’s matching jumpers and big hair, mullets and oversized spectacles.

The digital age…

So the digital photography world around the year 2000 changed everything in the space of a decade. Those images could be seen immediately and those photos would be sent off for print. Fast forward to 2020 and everyone carries a digital camera contained within their phones hardware and software. It is reported that 1.8 billion photos are posted every single day. The once secretive and highly technical knowledge of taking photos is free to everyone who uses google. People obtain a live view of the image that they are about to take before they hit that shutter button and are free to move around until they find light and angles that are complimentary.

However…

The fact is photos on phones, Instagram and Facebook are just not the same. Once that photo has been taken within a few seconds, its posted and the moment that it relates to is gone. The feeling is gone. The image is a captured moment in time as opposed to a carefully crafted image. You don’t need a professional photographer, but then again, you do.

So I do need Professional Photography?

There will come a time when you absolutely don’t need professional photography, but it’s not here yet. A photographer is more than the camera, the lens and light. A photographer is usually a trained creationist and an artist. They have developed a knowledge of composition, lighting, creativity and story-telling. They will spend time to compose that image and arrange or finding light that works. They can post-process edit the images so that there is an almost flawless image that not only captures a moment in time, but it is the best version of you in a classical format. One that you will keep for many many years and which wont be lost when you drop your phone down the toilet. It will be something that is passed to your grandchildren who will look at you with such amazement, studying their family members from years gone by. That’s not really something that is conveyed in the same way on a small digital image.

YES, you do and you don’t need professional photography.