Why Should I Hire Professional Photographer?

Today a client told me about a conversation she had with a photographer about senior portraits. This photographer quoted the client a fee of $200 and said they could have all the images. Great deal, these days, right? Who wouldn't want to scoop that up!

My immediate, but not spoken thought was, what kind of images would one get for $200? Would they be printable to the client's satisfaction? What level of artistry would these images have? Most importantly, was this photographer a Professional photographer (i.e. someone who derives their full-time income from their work, builds upon their knowledge/skill by attending state, national, local conventions, and is a member of PPA or ASMP) or a "photographer" who has a camera and wants to make some extra income on the side of their other full-time work?

As I put the finishing touches on one of Derek's book images, I thought back to that earlier conversation. Most of my fellow, professional photographers work to build their photographic and computer skills to produce images that are beautiful, dramatic, moving, and above all else, pleasing to the the client. In that process, we build a relationship with our clients; most who return year after year for our services.

Being a visual learner, I thought I'd use a photo to illustrate the point of using a Professional Photographer. I'll let you guess which one is the original image and which is the finished product of Derek, the cross-country runner and a 2010 Senior. While the "before" image is acceptable, I know which one he and his parents will like in his custom book!