I have received a lot of questions from prospective clients lately regarding the equipment I use, how long I have been photographing weddings, the quality of photos my equipment will take and so on...

These are excellent questions that a prospective client should be asking their photography consultant.  I would recommend asking a lot about their equipment, experience, commitment to quality and even try to understand their processes and workflow.  WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT, you might ask? 

With technology comes those who will try to take advantage of the modern age.  Look at the internet for example.  It is a wonderful tool for obtaining information and so much more.  It is also a place where a lot of entrepreneurial types spark ideas of how to get rich quick. In many cases it has worked out for both parties – the consumer/client and the retailer/consultant.  BUT there are lots more cases where things did not quite work out the way they were pitched and to the disappointment of the end consumer of products and services.

In today’s photography age we have digital cameras with more automation, bells, whistles, capabilities, megapixels, humdingers and do-dads than a potential client even cares about.  These are all nice things to have in your tool belt as a photographer, but does the average person know what these things can and more importantly cannot do?  Usually they only read about the features and really don’t understand how to use them.  They just know – my camera has x and can produce y – which makes it an awesome tool.

In the professional photography industry we call those who purchase fancy, low end digital SLR cameras ‘prosumers’.  Don’t get me wrong – a prosumer is not a wrong category to fall into.  A lot of us are prosumers with lots of things we buy.  We buy the best item we can afford with professional capabilities and features to give us the capabilities of a pro.  Look at bicycles for example…  Just because we go and buy the top of the line ‘prosumer’ Trek touring bike doesn’t make us all a Lance Armstrong does it?  It surely gives me the capability to be a Lance Armstrong with lots of training and years of practice.  I cannot expect in my first dozen rides to take on the Tour De France.  The same thing holds true for prosumers of the digital photography market. 

What ends up happening is a person sees that 10 megapixel SLR on EBay or their local camera shop for a price that is not too unobtainable.  For about two or three grand one can acquire the equipment to be like one of the photography masters – Ansel Adams perhaps?  Take a few photos of your dog in peoples clothing and you are a William Wegman.  Take a photo of your baby in a cute scene and you are an Anne Getty’s – right?  You may be able to emulate these great photographers with much ease using your new Canon Rebel digital SLR, but do you have the years of experience and know-how of a real pro?  They make it look easy on the commercials and in magazines when selling those cameras…  But how easy is it really? 

Digital photography has brought us a really long way into taking better, if not excellent photographs.  It has really taken us all up a level.  Is that all it takes is a fancy piece of equipment, some lights and somewhat of a creative eye…  Not quite.  Those that have studied this art well before a digital camera was nothing more than something we seen in popular science magazine knows that it takes a whole lot more.  You have to understand so many variables that go into the technical and artistic side of a photograph.  Not only do you have to know it – you had to have experienced it.  Mistake after mistake, error after every trial, getting what is right to happen every time.  Back in the days of shooting film, I learned the fundamentals and fine tuning that was required to be a photographer.  It is really more complex than composing an image and pushing a button.

I have to admit – using my digital camera has made life so much easier in some respects.  For example, I don’t have to worry so much when I have someone that blinks a lot.  I still have to mind my rules of lighting when it comes to a client that does not react well to the process of flashes, etc. to have their portrait captured.  Even though it is digital and quick it still takes some fundamental and advanced skills to capture images like the masters.  A digital camera works very similar to film and reacts similarly under different colors of light, under varying conditions, etc.  

I think it is great to hear that prospective clients are asking questions and are starting to realize that those photographers out there charging $800 for 8 hours and disk are out for a quick dollar to fund their ‘hobby’.  To a true professional photographer creating images for clients to cherish for the rest of their lives is a sole purpose and reason for practicing their art.  My advice to anyone interviewing their potential photographer for a special event is to ask questions and know how to spot a deal that is too good to be true or a fish that does not smell quite ripe.  Someone may have gotten lucky and taken a few good photos – but does that make them an experienced professional.