Dean' s Photography

Looking to Hire a Professional Photographer?

Hiring a professional photographer can be a daunting process. When you don’t really understand the art, it’s easy to wonder about the costs. We’ve all seen what digital cameras can do. When we see this it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking it’s the camera that takes the pictures and not the people. While the cameras absolutely play a critical role, there is no question that the time, training, experience, and skills of your professional will deliver you a lifelong memorial, capturing not just the events, but the emotion and the special moments.

Professional photographers know how to get great results

Digital cameras are designed to provide the safest possible result in any circumstance. This means that their output is essentially neutral. For most things, that’s ok. When you hire a professional, you’re doing so because you want images that are powerful and real. You want white whites. You want real emotion. You want to see the rooms and the people and the smiles and the tears in the way you remember them. You want to look your best.

The process of capturing these moments in camera is one requiring years of training and experience. Simply understanding where to stand, how to hold the camera, which settings to use, when to use a flash and when not to are the outgrowth of training trial and error and talent.

During a special event such as a wedding, professional photographers will capture literally thousands of images, most without you even knowing they’re there. Once the images are captured they will spend hours editing, cropping, filtering and screening the images to make sure you are at your very best. It is not unusual for this process to take 2-3 times as long as the event itself.

Professional Prints will last a lifetime

When you order prints, your professional photographer will go through every detail, removing blemishes and unwanted details, making sure each color is as bright and clear as possible. At times your photographer will provide special screens and toning, such as sepias, tints, or black and white treatments to further enhance the result. Single images can again take hours to get just right, so you’ll be proud to display them. Pictage plays a part in this as well. We’re frequently asked why an 8×10 print can cost a couple of dollars from a local drug store and so much more when delivered by a professional. This is because these prints are handcrafted by artisans who pay attention to every detail, making sure the colors, balance, density and contrasts print exactly according to the photographer’s design. Even the paper that is used is of archival quality, manufactured to maintain the best possible colors for decades after printing.

Albums and books with the best designs

If you think about the amount of attention that is paid to a single professional print, you can appreciate the work that goes into an archival quality album. Albums are a collection of up to hundreds of prints, each one managed with much the same process as a single print. These prints are chosen by you and your photographer and then your photographer will design an album telling the story of your special experience. Once printed, the images are bonded to backings chosen for such characteristics as moisture and heat tolerance, adhesion reliability, smoothness and resistance to warping. Albums are then assembled by hand to ensure a lasting result, and delivered to you to enjoy for a lifetime. Yes, you can get a photo book from an online source with some pictures in it for a lot less, but it doesn’t compare in any way to the albums your photographers are prepared to deliver.This attention to detail is what makes your photographers a professional. They enable you to remember the precious moments in your life in vivid color and detail. If these things are important to you – and they should be – then you need to take the time to meet with your photographer and get a sense of the value of each of these products. They are justifiably proud of the work they do and the samples they will show you will not simply provide a window into their work, but will also give you fun ideas for the days you are planning.

It’s probably clear from reading this that we at Pictage have a huge respect for the photographers we serve. Their work amazes us and it will amaze you. We wish you the best in your planning and we wish you the best on your special days.