A few months ago, I saw a viral TikTok of a wedding photographer that did acrobatics and acted crazy to get reactions from his subjects. Seeing it made me laugh and I thought, “Man, I wish I had that much energy.” But the truth is, I already bring that much energy, just refrain from the potential hospital stay from a broken ankle. I bring it in a way that is my own – awkwardly hilarious, a contagious and sometimes annoying laugh, and dance moves that are uncomfortable to watch. Basically, I’m my best self behind a camera.

So the question is, would you rather have a wedding photographer that makes you laugh so hard you blow champagne out your nose or one that gets that amazing couple’s shot with your veil in the wind? Ooorr get you one that can do both?

Remember looking at your parents’ wedding pictures? The ones I’ve seen are very posed, rigid, and awkward. I can just imagine a photographer standing there silently after telling them he’s going to take a photograph of them before they cut the cake. Like, how awkward is that? But I feel like that was the norm back then. Just say “pose,” point, and shoot and go on about your business.

These days, it’s a lot more fun. We literally make insane Cockatoo sounds to get children to look at us and smile. We tell ridiculous jokes from a third-grader joke telling book to get you to laugh at how ridiculous we are. We tell you to fake laugh until you real laugh and to look at each other and cross your eyes. It gets real goofy out here. But the result is magical. Genuine laughter and joy is the result. And the crazy thing is that we’re adjusting our settings and making sure no one’s hair is falling, we’re framing our photos and focusing our lens on your eyes, all while encouraging true laughter.

Is it possible to get an amazing experience with a photographer and stellar photos? Yes. Is it easy or cheap? No. We end an eight-hour wedding day with blisters on our feet, a raspy voice, and a very full bladder, and every single moment was completely worth it. We’ve spent years training to be a comedian through trial and error, years learning our equipment settings (there are so, so many) and editing, years honing our skills to best meet your needs.

Is it possible to get an amazing experience with a photographer and mediocre photos? Yep. Some people are naturally hilarious and vibrant (I envy them) and are just starting out with photography. But at least you’ll still have genuine emotion present in your photos because he’ll make you laugh. What about amazing photos but a dull experience? Probably not, but maybe, if you’re a great actor and have posed in front of a camera before.

Moral of the story: get you a wedding photographer that you connect with, someone who can make you laugh, and can create beautiful images with technical skill and experience. Maybe you and I aren’t a great match, and that is totally ok. I want you to find the photographer that is a great match for you, both in personality and photographic skill.