Why You Should Stop Taking Pictures at Weddings

Why You Should Stop Taking Pictures at Weddings

Thanks to modern day technology our cell phones have made it possible to capture moments on a whim. We can take photos and Facebook them instantly. We can email, text them and even do some editing to them all on the go. We can attend an event and provide those not in attendance with a peek inside. Thanks to hashtags they can get a glimpse not just from our perspective but the perspective of countless people who Instagrammed a photo using the same hashtag.

This is happening more frequently at weddings and some brides and grooms are even creating their own hashtags as a way to document and revisit wedding photos shared via social media. And, as appealing as it sounds and as simple as it is to do such, it often comes with a price. For some couples that price is the lack of professional wedding photos from their special day. Why the lack, one might ask? Because Aunt Sally’s hands were in the way of the photographer’s camera because she insisted on standing up to take a photo of the bride and groom, and Uncle Harry’s flash was still on causing the photos of the hired photographer to not come out clearly.

According to an article by The Huffington Post, wedding guests may want to give consideration to an unplugged wedding. While it is noted that there is something “special about seeing your wedding day unfold from your guests’ perspectives,” this can result in less quality wedding photos. The author of the article, Corey Ann, a professional photographer shares experiences and photos from incidents such as when a guest got in front of her while capturing a “key moment” of the day.

Imagine how different things might look like had guests made the decision to “keep their arms down and their hearts open.” By doing so they could fully be present and enjoy the day rather than helping those who weren’t in attendance feel present. Not only that, but as guests we aren’t professionals which means the shot the photographer would have gotten prior to our cell phone blocking the view most likely would have turned out much better.

Another interesting point made by the article is how social sharing should not be done until after the ceremony and done without approval from the couple. For many of us it isn’t something we think about, but it is noted that sometimes the couple doesn’t want to have things shared unless they are the ones doing the sharing. Another potential issue is the fact that sometimes surprises are ruined. While I have written about wedding party and guest etiquette and not sharing bad pictures of the bride just because you look great, there is also the possibility that your post of the bride before the ceremony might pop up in the groom’s feed before the big reveal.

The photographer’s account of what she has experienced at weddings definitely has me prepared to be more mindful going forward when I attend weddings. That desire to step out into the aisle or stand up and take a picture from your own camera might be impeding the photographer’s ability to get a shot of the couple who wanted their wedding moments captured so much so, that they hired someone to do it. Although it is noted that most often guests mean well, many of us are excited and want to help capture parts of our loved ones’ day. Nonetheless, we must not forget that we were invited to be guests not photographers.

It will be interesting to see if there is a shift in which everyone except the photographer is discouraged from taking photos or perhaps random guests standing in photos, cameras in hand, will become the norm. For more on this, including examples of wedding photos gone wrong, visit The Huffington Post.

What are your thoughts? Would you ask guests to “unplug” for your wedding? Would you be offended if asked to do so?