Special days, whether they are your graduation, wedding or birthday are magical events that you will want to cherish for the rest of your life. Although it will be memorable regardless of whether there are photos or not, the events of the day all become a blur. Having photos will remind you of specific occurrences and even help you remember who was with you that day. However, professional photographers can be quite expensive, and generally special events already have a ton of expenses. Or if your special day is coming around soon, you may not be able to find someone in such a short amount of time. Whether it is expenses, short notice, or both, you may need to DIY it. Read on to find out how to make great photos of a special day without a professional photographer.
Find a Willing “Photographer”
The first thing you need to do if the event is featuring you is to find someone willing to take those photos. If it is your graduation, you can ask a parent or a friend who is not graduating with you to be around to take photos of you. These events usually take a while, especially if it happens to be your wedding. Make sure you find more than one person who is willing to be around to take photos of you and your friends in case the person you originally asked needs to back out for unforeseeable reasons.
Practice
If you are the one who is going to be taking the photos, then it is necessary that you get well acquainted with the gear you are going to use. Cameras and lighting equipment are easy to understand, but with so much hassle and an event going on it can be quite difficult to maneuver. On the other hand, if you are the one in the photos, then ask the person taking them to practice with you beforehand. Most people have good and bad angles and sides, so take some time out of a day prior to the event and see which angle or side is the most fitting and try to pose that way the day of!
A List of Must-Have Pictures
It isn’t a really pleasant feeling when you finish an event and look at the pictures and find a lot of the ones you had in mind missing. If it is a graduation, then maybe you want pictures with your classmates throwing your caps, a picture with your family, and one without the robe. If it is your wedding, then you will also want one with friends and family, and different ones you can take with your spouse so that you can find the perfect one to hang up on your wall in your new home. Whatever the event may be, you should have an idea of some of the pictures you want, so write them down beforehand so that in the hassle of the event you do not forget.
Take Courses
On the off chance that you have a lot of time to spare before the event, try to take some courses. The photography experts at https://parkerphotographic.com/ suggest that you can always find tools online that will help you create the pictures you dream of. Even if the lighting or the color is off, you can also take courses to fix that through photo-editing courses using applications like Photoshop or Lightroom. These applications can truly transform your images, but they may not be the easiest tool to use, especially for a novice.
Find Good Lighting
Many people do not really take lighting seriously, but it truly makes a huge difference! If your event is during the day and you practiced taking pictures in the morning, you will find yourself with completely different pictures come the day of the event. You will also find a drastic difference if you practice in the morning and the event happens to be at night. The resolution at night completely alters photos so make sure you find good lighting at night and practice at that time.
Use Professional Gear
These days, professional gear is getting more and more advanced by the day. If you cannot afford a photographer or cannot find one, professional gear can to a very large extent make up for that. With automatic modes that detect the amount of light and noise, it can adjust exposure and saturation without you having to. Professional or semi-professional gear can get expensive too if purchased, but it will always be around for when you need it for future events. If you do not feel like you will use it after this event, then look around for studios that rent them for a day or two.
Have Backups
One thing that will definitely ruin your day a little is if you are constantly worried about the person who is going to take photos of you or if the camera’s battery is going to run out. To be fully immersed in your special day and not worry about anything, make sure you have backups. When you ask one person to take photos of you, as aforementioned, make sure you have someone else around that can take over. You can also have them work in shifts in case you want them to be in the photos with you. Always charge the battery and have spare batteries for the camera and the lighting if necessary. A camera running out of battery will make you miss important moments that you want to remember forever.
There is a reason you are thinking of this coming day as special; you want to enjoy your time and fully honor what this event may be celebrating. Your special day should be memorable, and it will be, but having a camera and taking wonderful photos to share with your friends and family makes it even more special. Take some time before the event and do your research; make sure you have the gear that is suitable for the specific type of event, make sure the location you are going to will have good locations to take photos in. Also, make sure you or your stand-in cameraman has taken some courses or has practiced beforehand so that the pictures stand out and are ready to be uploaded and shared or printed!
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