Invest in a Professional Photographer

Anyone who tells you that they aren't feeling the recession in our current economy in Louisiana is probably putting a good spin on the situation, or just do not follow their business's finance's as closely as they should. There is little doubt that the economy in Louisiana has changed and people are being much more cautious with how they spend their money. And when it comes to planning a wedding there is no doubt that there are necessities and then there are extravagances, many of which get cut when people become frugal with how they spend their money. I won't go into the areas of your wedding that you should be looking to make compromises if your financial situation has changed - that information is probably better found on wedding planning sites, and in your own planning for your event. But the one area, in my professional opinion, that you absolutely should not compromise is the professional photography.

Obviously I have my own biased opinion here as I stand to gain from that opinion, but the truth of the matter is that I give you this opinion to emphasize the importance of having an exceptional, very experienced, thoughtful, professional who makes their living as a photographer to photograph your wedding day - be it me, or any of my peers in this industry. Weddings are a once in a lifetime event that cannot be done over, and when it is done and you are trying to remember everything that occurred on the day of your wedding the only thing that you'll have left from that day are your pictures. We've shot many wedding and taken many portraits for people who are no longer here, some of those pictures being the last record of those people. We've photographed so many moments that are absolutely impossible to recreate, and there is little doubt that good professional photographers can make you look and capture you in ways that you will likely never see yourself again. Professionals who have done this business for while know the flow or the event, know how to handle the pressure of getting those shots that can't be missed, know how to work with large groups of people in a fast and efficient manner, know how to capture all the moments from your ceremony without being obtrusive or distracting, know when to intervene and when to let you enjoy your wedding day, know what to do when there is a problem that calls for action, have backup equipment in case of a failure (and yes, I can say with certainty, it will happen), have other photographers working for them to make sure to get the shot, are networked with other working professionals and have staff to cover in case of an illness/death in the family/accident (and yes it definitely does happen as well), and most of all have the ability to create timeless works of art and breathtaking moments frozen in time from one of the most important days in your life. It is a very, very challenging, stressful, and demanding job and the pressure is extraordinarily high, and if you save in every other area of your wedding I encourage you to ensure that you do not leave that in the hands of anything other than an experienced professional photographer whose work you are inspired by. There is little doubt in my mind that you'll regret it otherwise, and I hear that from so many clients whom have either experienced or been warned about the alternative.

There is no certification required to call yourself a professional photographer, and there are so many people out there now who think that they can pick up a digital camera and make a little extra money on the side - and many of them actually have websites and cards and on the surface might seem completely legit. In fact, there are without question far more of those types of "photographers" out there now than there are of me and my peers, technically trained and experienced in all of the aspects of a very complex business. The economy might be different in Louisiana and across the country than it was a few years ago, and there is no doubt that 401k's, investments, real estate, and retirements have taken a hit, but I have no doubt that the situation will get better eventually - it might take a while, or we might see a change sooner than we hope, but eventually things will get better. Your photographer is an investment. An investment in moments that will never happen again, and in making you look more amazing and capturing a couple at a time in their life that they will very likely never look and feel again - I certainly wish I still looked like I did when I got married. So my hope is that you will all make your investments in your wedding day wisely, and hire someone whom you have complete confidence will create works of art from you special day - be it me, or any of the talented few who call this business their profession!

Chris Genovese