Would You Hire a Professional Photographer to Take Your Vacation Pictures?

That depends on your idea of a location shoot.

As a photographer, I have all of the equipment and skill to take the shots of my vacation, but I'm not in any of them! So... while touring around the area, I picked out the spots where I wanted us to be photographed, then hired a pro photographer to join us for a couple of hours... really nice person, totally professional and non-invasive. I now have an amazing addition to my album that I can look back on, anytime I like... my kids will enjoy them, as well... so will their kids... etc, etc.

That session cost me $500... $250/hr without processing and I get to keep the masters (I consider this very generous). You can pay less, and you can pay much, much more, but in my opinion, the end product is priceless... I'm not looking at my album thinking, "what a waste of money that was." I had the money, I spent it, and now I have incredible photographs - eg: me kissing my wife in front of the most incredible Caribbean sunset that we've ever witnessed. There was a huge charter schooner off in the distance, casting a reflection along the glass-like ocean ...she was a local, so she knew that the boat would be there (probably taken that shot 100 times before), she had minutes to set up that shot and she pulled it off, flawlessly... you can't put a price on that moment.

If it's about being camera shy... having anyone point a camera at you is uncomfortable, especially if they're following you around while you try to look like you're not being stalked by a photographer. Ironically, I'm camera shy... so yes, I was uncomfortable. But it wasn't just some schmuck with a camera; she was a paid professional, she knew how to work with that and catch me in candid moments. She didn't wander with us, she spent 2 hours with us... one of them was spent just getting to the locations. Those two hours were a blip in our vacation, but we now have something to remember it by... and we actually do spend time reminiscing over them - slideshows on the flatscreen, gifts to friends and family, one of them is a 24" print, hanging on our wall (sunset kiss)

I'm biased, because I'm a photographer, but that's how I promote my work... by reminding people that some moments were meant to be immortalized. Give it a try. If you hate the shots then tell the photographer that they aren't what you expected and you decline to accept them (maybe pay for the cab fare). It's a hard thing to say and a hard thing to hear, but if you don't like the art, then don't buy it. It's up to the photographer to present you with something that you just can't be without.

Just my opinion - hope that answers you question :)