One for the guests, the bridal party, and anyone who plans on using Instagram at a wedding. You don’t have to be a professional photographer to take great photos. There will already be a professional photographer there anyway. But taking good photos is more than just pointing your phone at something, taking a picture and slapping a filter onto it.
Don't use Instagram
Of course you can just go into Instagram and take a photo, but we advise against it. Your phone’s own camera is going to be better than the one in Instagram. While some features from your camera is lost in the app’s camera, there’s nothing you can do with a photo taken from Instagram that you can’t do with one from your main phone camera. It’s always good practice to use your phone’s camera and then import them into Instagram.
Think of the square
One of the key things to remember about Instagram photos, particularly if you are following our first tip, is that Instagram photos are square. Make sure you set your phone to a square when taking photos for Instagram, or be prepared to crop the photo. Try to keep it simple too, but fill the frame. Don’t be afraid to get up close and personal to fill the frame.
Work with natural light
Most people will be aware that natural light is the best light for photos and this still applies for Instagram. The key when taking good photos for Instagram is to not rely on the filters to give good light. Utilise the brightest parts of the day and take plenty of pictures where a lot of natural light floods interior rooms. Some photos with good light might not need filters at all.
Take advantage of the golden hour
For those who don’t know, the golden hour is an hour before sunrise and an hour before sunset. Naturally, the one that you will probably be awake for is the golden hour before sunset. Be mindful of this in the winter months because, as you know, sunset can happen as early as 4pm in the depths of winter. These two times of the day is, literally, the golden hour for photographers because it gives way to the best natural light. And why should Instagrammers not take advantage of this too?
Focus on the details
Of course you should make sure you get plenty of lovely images of the bride, her bridesmaids, the family, etc. But part of the beauty of weddings is the little details. The table settings, the centrepieces, the cake, the favours, the decorations, all of these make for Insta-gold. Make sure you get close up to all the details and keep the backgrounds simple. You want the detail in question to stand out, so you don’t want the background to distract from the main feature of the image.
Know Instagram's features
Instagram is not all about the filters. You should play around with the other tools you can use to change the picture. If you add warmth, saturation, highlights, and much more before you even touch the filters.
Do some post-production work
You don’t have to stick to the features and filters on Instagram to perfect your pictures. There are some great apps available for Android and iOS systems, both free and paid for. VSCO Cam and Snapseed are two of our favourite free photo editing apps that lets you play with so many more elements of the photographs than Instagram alone. Experiment to your heart's content and show off your photography skills at the next wedding you attend.
- Jenny Darmody
Image credits: Sign: Exclusive Wedding Tales | Bride and groom: Apel Photography | Golden hour: Sylvie Gil Photography | Groom holding bride: Louise Vorster Photography