A few years ago, I remember struggling to find a photographer. During that time, I needed some professional photos to post online. And - of course - I wanted them to be ones that hid my flaws. However, these days, I take my own photos and used apps likeLog In to 'perfect' my look. It saves money and the results are either close to or as good as a pro.
Nope, not anymore, not unless it's a very special occasion like a wedding or something. I mean, you wouldn't want an amateur to take your picture during one of the most important events in your life now would you? But for the most part, if you can point and shoot a camera you're pretty much settled since most cameras make it easy to take great pictures.
Like @becccagreen, we also have our digital camera not to mention that all our phones have cameras too. But on occasions like weddings and other formal events, we hire a professional photographer although we do not bother with the prints anymore. Some photographers offer a package deal that includes the printed photos aside from the service of covering the event. We just take the service and we handle the printing.
I don't anymore and I think most of these studios that used to cater to the masses have already gone anyway. I used to get my picture taken professionally when I was very young but as I got older I lost interest and now I could just do it myself if I really wanted to. I think most families now just do it by themselves at home because the only difference you'd get at a studio would probably just be the backdrop and I don't think many find that too necessary.
I don't think there's a need to have a professional photographer take your photos anymore. Everyone these days has a camera [yeah, smartphone camera's are as good as old school cameras with some even better] and there's lots of free software to edit the picture you take if there's anything [about it] that you don't like. That's why I'll never pay for "professional photos."
I take my own! I'm not nearly as good as a professional photographer, but my freelance skills create some pretty great results! In addition, some friends will pay me to do photoshoots for them because I charge a lot less than studio quality photos.
With the advances in technology and cameras nowadays being not only pretty awesome but also so easy to operate - that even the most inexperienced photographer is guaranteed excellent results - I really can't see much point in paying the excessively high fees that most commercial photographers charge - that is of course if you can find one - as I've noticed that their numbers appear to be in decline.
I haven't for quite a long time. It's not right, no I days to pay for professional photos, unless it's a big event or party. For example for my wedding, I do plan to hire professional photographers. But that is once every several years. Life has not been easy for professional photographers!
My graduation ceremony had two sets of photographers. One to take a still pic and one of the graduate receiving their board. While I'm content with the still, which I edited and scanned to send to others, family was a different situation. The first package they bought looked okay but couldn't be duplicated by a 3rd party, so more had to be ordered. What a hustle. Unless I have a wedding ceremony, I'll take my own pics.
So, in summation, unless a person is participating in a wedding or graduation, they forgo getting a pro. I thought so. A close friend is a part-time photographer (and full-time insurance adjuster). He struggles to get regular gigs. People just don't hire professionals to take photos like they used to unless it's for a really special occasion. For this reason, photographers have to be flexible and promote niche type work to make money.
I would stick with a professional photographer for something special such as a wedding, or kid pictures or family photos. It's not just about being able to touch up your own pictures in Photoshop (which is a skill unto itself, and not something an amateur can just "wing it" and get good results). Professional photographers have a better trained eye for composition, lighting, focal lengths and other details that give their work a much higher quality. These are things you can't easily fix in post production. Not to mention, if you are using a point and shoot with a flash on it, those tend to give you shots that look like a deer caught in headlights. They look garish and cheap, and not a good option for something like a headshot to accompany your Linkedin profile and/or resume. Professional photographers will have all the necessary lighting equipment to produce a much softer, natural looking, and more pleasant lighting arrangement.
I haven’t in years. But I won’t lie, it was something I did once just for fun in my late teens/early twenties. My father worked at a photo studio at the time, where they offered makeovers as well, so my friend and I went there on a whim and got the works. I think we were mostly in it for the makeovers But getting our model faces on was fun. That’s not something I would do again, though. And I don’t have any need for professional photos these days, so I just take my own. Though sometimes I think it would be nice to have a friend with better photographic skills than I have to help me out with my blog photoshoots. Not to mention, it’s more fun that way.
I think paying a professional to have your photos taken is only suitable for weddings and formal functions, and with everything else, you can just take the photos yourself, so in my case I won't be paying for a photographer since there is no need for it.
Funnily enough, I never used to mind professional photos until I met my husband. I'd given him a set of my professionally done pictures and he pointed out that they kind of 'suck the life' out of people LOL That put me right off because i could also see it, especially when I saw what he could do with the camera. I don't know what he does, but he takes some lovely pictures. He always seems to flatter the subject without going OTT, or even using any tricks to airbrush and tweak them to within an inch of their life. I prefer those types of photos.