5 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Photographer for Your Child's Birthday Party
As a father of a nine-year old little girl, I’ve been to countless birthday parties over the years and I’ve noticed that between providing for the adults and dealing with the inevitable breakdown that happens when you have 10-20 kids in one space: nobody was actually ever taking any photos. Sure, you’d capture the moment your child blows out the candles -if you’re lucky- but you certainly aren’t going to be thinking about catching the sweet moment between two cousins who are finally sharing a toy, or the pure unbridled happiness of kids enjoying the bouncey-house that you just dropped a pretty penny on.
Here a 5 more reasons why you should hire a photographer for your child's birthday party:
1. GET IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA: YOU SHOULD BE IN THE PICTURES
How can you be in the photos when YOU are the one taking the photos? And if your spouse is holding the camera, then he/she isn't in the photos. Believe me, your kid wants you in the pictures too! When your baby is all grown up, with a family of their own, and one day is flipping back to pictures of their 7th birthday party, they will wish there were more candid pictures of them with mom and dad.
2. YOU HAVE TOO MUCH GOING ON AS THE PARTY HOST
So, what happens when someone needs help during a birthday party? Who steps in? That’s right – mom and dad (the hosts).
When it comes to throwing a child’s birthday party, the tasks of food, coordination with guests, assistance with directions…come your way, all while juggling a crowd of parents and kids who need help with things throughout the event.
3. YOU WANT FRAME-WORTHY MOMENTS
Could your guests take pictures on their cell phones? Absolutely. Will they look good on Facebook and Instagram? Probably. Will they have an eye for interesting, intimate moments with the expertise to deliver a photograph that screams "BLOW ME UP AND HANG ME UP ON THE WALL?" Doubtful. A professional photographer is going to have a style, an artist's point-of-view, that is unique to him or her which is part of what you're investing in when you book a photographer. They are going to see things that you and your guests won't see because they have been training their eye to look for awesome frame-worthy moments.
4. A PHOTOGRAPHER HAS AN EYE FOR DETAILS
Ask a guest to snap a photo, with their cell phone, of that $350 Frozen themed cake you special ordered and I'm willing to bet they stand about 3 feet in front of the cake table and take a basic straight on photo. Now ask a photographer to take a photo of that same cake and you not only get a wide shot of the entire dessert table, but also a close-up of the fondant figurines on top, an epic shot of the enormity of the cake with balloons floating in the background, an adorable shot of the birthday girl straining to blow out the candles, and the aftermath of the cake once its been devoured. A skilled event photographer leaves no detail undocumented.
5. EVERYTHING IS TEMPORARY...EXCEPT THE PHOTOS
You might recall a photographer or event planner mentioning this idea to you in regards to your wedding. But the same is true of your child's birthday party (or any special occasion for that matter). When the last guest leaves, the party favors are gone, the flowers wilted and the Disney princess tablecloths are trashed, all that's left are the memories. But our memories won't always be as good as they are now, that's just part of being human. Photographs, however, are the memories we always get to keep.
So be present, live in the moment, be part of the memories...and hire a photographer.
