Guests of the Wedding Can Take Precious Photos for the Newlyweds

I’m assuming you’re not a professional wedding photographer as I write this article, but am guessing that you’re going to be a guest at a wedding and you’ll want to bring your camera along with you. As long as you’re toting the gear, you might as well get some great shots to share with the happy couple, your friends and family along the way, right?

It doesn’t matter if you have nothing but a disposable camera – in fact, these make great gifts to the newlyweds, and many weddings often include disposable cameras placed on each table for the guests to use. What the newlyweds are hoping for is at least a couple of really great photos that the professional photographer wouldn’t have been able to take. So, armed with a simple camera (or a fancy one if you’ve got it), and the following tips, you’re ready to capture a beautiful moment or two.

One: Visibility

When you arrive, have your camera plainly visible. You might want to double-check that photographs are allowed during the ceremony (some traditions will not allow it), but the biggest reason for having your camera out in the open is so that everyone become accustomed to seeing it there. The best shots are ones that aren’t forced – candid photos. You’re going to have much more luck grabbing great candid shots when people aren’t suddenly aware that you have a camera in your hands.

Along the lines of visibility, try to be seated closest to the action. During the ceremony, see if you can’t get a seat in the aisle and close to the bride and groom. Or, something that the professional photographer won’t have time to think of, see if you can’t place yourself conveniently in view of the bride and groom’s parents. Capturing shots of their heartfelt reactions during the ceremony is something that the newlyweds will thank you for, if they’re taken well.