I'm a huge fan of experiences. I think they are essential to create a well rounded person. No one eats escargot because they crave it. They eat it because they are curious and they want to say they know what its like. (it’s not as bad as your brain thinks it is)
One of my favorite experiences is going to a wedding! They have everything. Friends, Laughs, Love, Beer, and of course, Cake! These are things you’ll want to remember when you’re old! And what better way to remember the fun you had at your friends wedding than taking pictures? So here are a few tips to taking better photos at weddings with your phone. Note, all the photos below were taken with an iPhone 6.
1. Focus on YOUR story!
There is a very good chance that there will be someone at the wedding who is being PAID to photograph the couple, so since they are covered focus on yourself! Take photos of what you wore, who you are with, or what you’re drinking, what made you laugh, and of course your awesome dance moves.
2. Let us know where you are!
Take photos of the church, take photos of signs the couple have made, and take photos of everyone walking into the reception when you show up, all the tables, and take a shot when you leave at the end of the night. These are the things that will tell the story later of where you and your friends had fun.
3. Shoot the details.
Have you ever heard that the beauty is in the details? Its totally true. The couple have spent the last year or more planning their wedding. Painstakingly deciding between things like mint or spearmint tablecloths, rose or salmon colored ties, and I’m not even going to get into how many millions of choices couples have for table centerpieces. The couple spent a lot of time on these details so take photos of them!
4. Get Closer.
You’re phone takes great photos right? Right. But you know where it sucks? Its zoom or… lack there of. Don’t use your phones zoom. Ever. Seriously. All you’re doing is lowering the resolution and thats not good. So just get closer! No one will think you are a weirdo taking photos at a wedding. You have no excuse to not get closer.
5. Turn your phone sideways!!
I get it. Its easy to take photos the way you’ve been trained to hold your phone. But tall photos just don’t tell enough of the story. When you turn your phone sideways and get wide you get more context in your photos. people looking at the photos later will get a sense of where you were, you will get photos with more people in them, they become more compelling, and you will feel more connected to the photos and isn’t that the point of taking them?
6. Share your photos! But not all of them...
You're more than likely going to take somewhere north of ten thousand photos. Awesome! Now you should share them! But please, please, please don't share them all. If you are uploading the photos to Facebook, try to keep it around 10-15 with an absolute max of 20. Nothing is more boring than looking at a dozen photos of your pulled pork sandwich no matter how delicious it was. Just post your favorites photos and they will make everyone jealous. Or better yet make a slideshow with Animoto. They have a free app for your phone and people are more likely to look at your photos when they are set to some awesome music!
So If I had to sum this up with just one tip, it would be…Don’t.
Seriously. Just don’t take photos. Create memories. Drink more beer and eat more cake. The Couple invited you to because they want to spend the happiest day of their life with you because you're a pretty cool person. You owe it to them to be present. We all look at our phones too much anyway. Spend your time enjoying your experience and watch your friends get married.