I have a new pet peeve: smartphone photographers at wedding ceremonies.
Being a guest at a wedding is special. The bride and groom chose you to be their 'guest'. They want you to witness their union and be participants in the experience. They hire photographers to capture THEIR special moments and it's unfortunate when those special moments are ruined by a guest who NEEDS to take pictures for their OWN enjoyment.
Here are a few examples of wedding guests with their smartphones right in front of the professional, hired photographers.
Here are some tips on how to be a tech savvy guest at a wedding:
1) Put your phone away during the "program". If someone is speaking, you should be listening. If something is being presented, you should be watching. Ceremony, first dance, cake cutting, and speeches are important parts of a wedding. Be a good guest and be present! Many weddings nowadays encourage social media shares with a customized hashtag. Post away if this is the case and use the "downtimes" during the wedding festivities for taking pictures and social media sharing.
2) During the ceremony, stay in your seats to ensure you don't get in the way of the professional photographers.
3) The couple hired photographers not only to capture their special moments, but also to document the company of family and friends in attendance. The couple wants pictures of your smiling faces having a great time, not pictures of you with your camera or phone pointed at them.
4) Most photographers allow their guests access to an online album after the wedding so when the professional photographer comes around, be sure to smile and strike a pose. It's OK to ask photographer for a business card or contact the couple after the wedding to view the pictures.
5) Lastly, be a helpful guest and remind those around you to put their devices away during the ceremony and other key moments in the wedding. A friendly reminder saying, "Sit back, relax, and give your camera a break. Let the professionals do the job."
I hope cousin Carol and soon-to-be husband Mitch have a blessed wedding this Saturday! It's an honor for me to be a part of it all! Cheers!
What are your technology pet peeves?
 |
| Photo compliments of www.SweetDayStudio.com |
 |
| compliments of www.ibtimes.com |
My cousin, who is like a little sister to me, is getting married this weekend and I wanted to make sure this doesn't happen on her special day. With her permission, I've made a small flyer to give to guests as they arrive at the ceremony.
With a little help from Pinterest, here's what I came up with:
1) Put your phone away during the "program". If someone is speaking, you should be listening. If something is being presented, you should be watching. Ceremony, first dance, cake cutting, and speeches are important parts of a wedding. Be a good guest and be present! Many weddings nowadays encourage social media shares with a customized hashtag. Post away if this is the case and use the "downtimes" during the wedding festivities for taking pictures and social media sharing.
2) During the ceremony, stay in your seats to ensure you don't get in the way of the professional photographers.
3) The couple hired photographers not only to capture their special moments, but also to document the company of family and friends in attendance. The couple wants pictures of your smiling faces having a great time, not pictures of you with your camera or phone pointed at them.
4) Most photographers allow their guests access to an online album after the wedding so when the professional photographer comes around, be sure to smile and strike a pose. It's OK to ask photographer for a business card or contact the couple after the wedding to view the pictures.
5) Lastly, be a helpful guest and remind those around you to put their devices away during the ceremony and other key moments in the wedding. A friendly reminder saying, "Sit back, relax, and give your camera a break. Let the professionals do the job."
I hope cousin Carol and soon-to-be husband Mitch have a blessed wedding this Saturday! It's an honor for me to be a part of it all! Cheers!
What are your technology pet peeves?