Australian photographer explains how to shoot weddings on iPhone

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

It seems that the days when you had to wait for weeks (or even months) for a photo session filmed on a professional camera are gone. Now eminent photographers are giving tips on how to shoot with their phones. Whether it's wedding shots, family photos with a newborn baby, or just a romantic photo session, modern technologies will cope with any task, the main thing is to know how to do it and be able to feel the frame.

James Day (James Day) is one of those photographers who prefers to shoot with his iPhone 7 Plus. It's not that he completely abandoned his expensive DSLR camera - he still uses it - but as his practice has shown, the photographs taken with the phone, even though they are inferior in some positions to DSLRs, may well compete with them and, most importantly, they are much more convenient and easier to use.

The result of such photography often confuses viewers: they simply cannot determine which picture was taken with a SLR camera and which one with an iPhone. Of course, nature also plays a role - James Day lives in Australia, famous for its gorgeous views of both the sea and architecture, but still this is not the main thing. James decided to share some tips on how to shoot a great photo shoot (including a wedding), wherever you are.

"Many people think that buying an expensive camera will allow them to take great shots. But the camera does not take photos - you do it. The camera allows you to simply take better photos. At one time, I was very surprised that the camera on the iPhone allows you to take such high-quality shots. This opened up a huge field for me to experiment."

"It is very important to catch the right moment. At weddings, for example, sometimes several photographers are hired at once, and they all work together to capture that notorious moment. As a result, the couple has a lot of photos of what is happening, but there is simply no sense of the uniqueness of the day and the emotions experienced."

"What is convenient with an iPhone is that it is lightweight, fits in your pocket, and can be used to shoot, edit, and even send a photo for printing. And there is still no need to change the camera or lens if, for example, it changes lighting, as is often the case at the end of the day after a wedding party."

Use light

James explains that soft light can be used, and even light that falls directly onto a person can produce interesting results. Outlined silhouettes against the backdrop of a sunset sky look very stylish and profitable when placed correctly in the frame. "You are either looking for a dark background and wondering how you can highlight the objects you want, or you are looking for the lightest area to highlight a silhouette against it." this way, the light will not fall from above, which usually forms not very beautiful shadows. - and they don't have to squint or hide their faces from the bright light."

Keep it simple and use the right apps

While many photographers spend hours retouching photos, James Day prefers to keep things simple and keep his phone simple."I'm not a big fan of all that fancy, so I don't use lenses - things like that are bulky and time-consuming." “I prefer to do all the work BEFORE the photo is taken, not after. So when it comes to applications, I use Filmborn, in which you can shoot and adjust the photo, turn on exposure, color temperature, and the like. "" If you still like to photograph first and then edit, then I would recommend some application like VSCO, although the most popular, this is perhaps Light room and SnapSeed … The Light Room is familiar to many professional photographers, but the mobile version is of course oversimplified."

Shoot horizontally

“I myself shoot both horizontally and vertically, but as for me, horizontal shots look more logical and familiar - this is how we are used to seeing the world. Plus, at weddings it helps to give photographs a more“home”look. have a great time, and they want to see this time in photographs the same - cozy and happy - the way they remember it."

Use a depth-of-frame effect

“Maybe not on all smartphones, but on the iPhone 7 Plus, you can frame a frame like a professional camera, in which the main subject will be clear and the background is blurred. Previously, this effect had to buy lenses for thousands of dollars. now it's much more accessible, so why not use it!"

A few tips for those who are shooting with the phone:

- Don't over-retouch the photo. This year you can do everything in yellow, then everything in blue will be fashionable. Leave the photo close to the original. - Try to capture the moment, not create it artificially. - Do not rely on the flash, most often it only spoils everything. - Do not skimp on frames, there are never enough of them, especially at a wedding. - Do not just click. so, adjust the settings according to the circumstances. - Pay attention to details such as hair falling on the face or jewelry. - If the subject is moving, try moving the camera at the same speed - this can have an interesting effect.

A couple from Tallinn decided to play their wedding without lavish celebrations and hundreds of invited guests, and the bride herself decided to shoot this action. The result is very beautiful - see the photos in our article " More soulful than professionals: wedding photos taken by the bride herself."