For some time now there has been a tune, and this tune sang about the end of the Mobile DJ.  Who needs the services of a Mobile DJ these days when you have an iPod?  Well, now it seems the tune has changed and the song is now about the possible demise of the official wedding photographer.

Every couple in the world wants wonderful photos of their wedding day.  Pictures that capture the beauty, the romance and the celebration.  What they don’t want however is someone ordering everyone about to get those formal photo’s of the families.

The science behind photography has also come on leaps and bounds.  At every wedding I DJ at I see people with huge digital SLR cameras snapping away.  This is a stark contrast to a couple of years ago when the big thing was how small your camera was.  The big drop in prices of these cameras now makes it possible for aunt Hilda to take a fantastic picture just by pointing and clicking.  Some of the best pictures i’ve seen have been candid shots, and also staged pictures, but not from the official photographer, but a guest.

I spoke to a photographer last night whose bookings are down 60% compared to 2008.  He blames it on the likes of Argos and Tescos selling cut price digital SLR cameras, the cheapest being around £300.  eBay also makes it easy for you to pick up a bargain.  The photographer went on to say it’s very hard for him now to bring anything “new” to the table that makes him different to all the other photographers out there.  They all do black and whites, candid shots, boudoir-style pictures, staged, un-staged…there’s hardly any difference.  Opening a wedding magazine doesn’t make it any easier, every page with adverts from several wedding photographers.

So…is this the beginning of the demise of the wedding photographer?  Hopefully not.  It’s important that you hire a qualified professional rather than “uncle Harry”.  It’s far better to end up with a load of high-quality, in focus wedding pictures rather than out of focus ones…or even non at all.