In today’s society in the age of social media, blogs and websites with high mega pixel cameras on the end of every smart phone and tablet, guest photographs are common place. These images usually hit the pages of the bride and groom long before the professional shots have even been processed. Is this a bad thing? In these posts I discuss the effects of guests photographing weddings, from the perspective of the 3 corners. I will put my personal and professional opinion across on this subject from the point of view of The Bride and Groom, The Photographer and The Guest.
In this post we will look at the point of view from the The Bride and Groom. To read my opinions on the view from The Photographer or The Guest, please click the links above.
“Embrace and enjoy it”
You also may even have a few amateur, semi professional or even professional photographers come as guests. They will no doubt take images throughout the day and send to you via social media, disk or even album. This is a lovely extra gift to add to the memories you will keep for ever. Embrace and enjoy it.
This should not detract from the work of the professional that you will receive at a later date. The guest may even upload these images to their own websites or blogs, so embrace it. Ask yourself, why are they uploading? It’s because you look fab! It’s because the image is great and think you will like what they have captured.
Issues can arise if people are either getting in the way of you or the professional photographer you have hired, which in turn stops you from getting the most from them. Or if people are using outright plagiarism and copying the professional, picture for picture. This however can be sorted quickly by having a quick chat in person to the guest in question on the day.
“It was lovely to relive the day”
All this attention however should be flattering and seen as a good thing. So how do you feel when you get home and see hundreds of pictures hitting Facebook or other social media? It should make you feel special and proud.
When my new wife and I got Married in May 2013 and went on our honeymoon within a day or so, it was so nice to be sitting by the pool in Thailand receiving notifications that many different friends were posting pictures of our wedding up on their social networking pages. It was anything from Facebook to blogs and we felt so special. It was lovely to relive the day from the perspective of the guest.
Yes some pictures were better than others but that is what happens. It certainly shouldn’t be something that offends you and upsets you. Let’s face it, the more pictures you see and receive of the big day is certainly the better option. It also means your guests enjoyed it and felt compelled to share the day to others.
In conclusion, please enjoy the day, don’t worry yourselves with it, and enjoy all images that emerge from the day. You will be thankful you in years to come when you look back at all the imagery you received from the day.
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