the perfect shot

Do you know how hard it is to find a great photographer?

Photography is the most important wedding decision I will make.

Exaggeration? No.

The food is important. The location is important. The dress is important.

All of it is lost without photography.

So hire a photographer. Easy solution. But why would I pay someone to do the job of a basic point and shoot camera, especially when we're talking about thousands of dollars.

Photography is an art and a skill. Many photographers, it seems, don't have a grasp on both. 

I don't by any means think that my minimal photography education makes me an expert, but I do know what is aesthetically pleasing - at least for me.

I have looked at countless pictures in which I don't know what the shooter was trying capture. 

And the use of light. Horrifying lights glaring into the lens. Overblown highlights. Moments lost to shadow. Or worse, outdoor night photos in which the couple has the unnatural glow of the photographer's lamp. You may as well attach a flash to your camera.

Then there is the sun. It can be a beautiful addition to a photo if captured correctly - a golden thread or an auric glow. It can be a major distraction if not.

And my favorite of all...the posed "natural" shots. "Stand facing that way, now position your arms this way, and turn your head over there." When do these look good? You just end up looking very uncomfortable.

There are really a million things that can put a photographer into the "not worth my money" category - these are just a few.

So I press on. For the ones that can capture moments well create works of beauty and make the search worth it.