Here we are. The month of August laid out like a picnic blanket on the calendar; inviting us to partake of the remaining summer pleasures while we can.
Somewhere in there is likely a wedding, engagement party, or milestone event. The gathering is genuine but summer is the sweetener. Seeing old friends and meeting new ones. All centered around someone(s) who pull it all together.
Chances are - at weddings, for sure - that a professional photographer is part of the mix. Hired to cover the event and make sure the guest(s) of honor are captured full and well. Not only is it a timeless keepsake of a memorable moment, but a good event photographer can elevate the experience with clever angles and creative images. Event photography is all about the execution of both anticipation and reaction.
But we are all photographers too, these days, and likely won’t be attending without our iPhones at hand. Eager to catch the moments ourselves. Because, why not?
Have you ever seen the photo of wedding vows being taken behind a sea of upraised iPhones?
That’s why not.
Events are performance art, and when there are professional photographers on site, you are one of the performers. Be in character, whatever that is for you, when you are in the frame. And then the hosts, after the blur of the moment, sitting and watching the pictures later, can delight in their guests’ presence and participation in the day.
But here’s the thing. You can contribute (and I know you want to) in some very special ways that the pro photogs cannot. You are on the inside.
Here are the rules of guest photo etiquette.
Never intrude on a group shot. This is the Pro’s bread and butter. Even I f every other shot is out of focus or overexposed, they have to nail the group shots. And if one of the group is distracted by you and looking off to one side, the shot is lost. If the Pro is smart they will ask the group to pause after they’re done so their friends can get a shot too, but that’s their call.
Get the ‘insider’ shots. What the Pro can’t get are the personal shots. Friends hanging out. Close ups. Details. Candid shots of the hosts. Kids being outrageous. A Pro may get lucky, but they are going to take thousands of photos at a wedding; at least a thousand at an event. The selects they give the hosts will be a fraction of that. You have a big advantage for truly personal shots that they will never get. They can’t be everywhere. That’s your gift.
Video snippets. It can be a personal message to the hosts. Interviewing friends. Random moments. Panning across a room or lawn to show the scale. Dancing. Video adds a whole different dimension to the experience and even a professional videographer won’t get the up close personality that you can with an iPhone.
Technical wizardry. If you are handy with your iPhone, it will offer options the Pro’s can’t or won’t touch. Time-lapse of the receiving line, slo-mo dancing moments, recording a toast, and more.
Fashionably late. Depending on the event, the Pros will either present photos fairly soon after the event or will take weeks. Try to get a read on that (ask them how you’ll be able to see the photos they take and when), then share your photos/videos with the hosts on a different timeline. That spreads out the experience for the hosts, and adds visibility to your pictures.
Then you’ll be voted the best guest photographer.
Party on.
Pam and I are both photographers, so we’re lucky to have lots of pictures of ourselves over the years on trips, hanging out, and doing summer stuff as a family.
But I see many families where there’s just one person who’s the family photographer. And they don’t show up much in the photo collections because they took them all.
If that’s you, now’s the time to get a summer intern.
I think summer brings out the best in us and is a wonderful time for family photos of everyone. Not in every picture, of course, but everyone - including the “family photographer” - should get equal time. Then, years from now, when you look back on this summer you’ll see a complete story with everyone in the picture.
To do that you’ll need a summer intern.
It can be your partner or a close friend. If you vacation with other families, do a little trade - you photograph them and they photograph you. Sailing. Hiking. Games. Days at the beach.
And the kids. Get everyone involved. It’s amazing what they can come up with if you make a game of it.
And at summer’s end you can create a slideshow of everyone’s pictures.
And you’ll be in the picture.
Did you know that you can take a photo with your Apple Watch? One of the apps is a remote camera trigger. Just prop your iPhone against that venti iced Americano and launch the Camera. Find the Camera app on your watch. You can see yourself on the watch to position yourself, then tap the Camera app on your Apple Watch to start the countdown for a selfie.
You can control everything from your Apple Watch.
Set the length of the countdown timer
Choose front or rear camera
Flash on or off
Live Photo on or off
If you are using the selfie camera everyone will see the countdown on the display.
Thanks for reading.
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.