Dispose of the Disposable Camera and get Photo Sharing Cards

If you have been a client of mine, you know that for DJ services you get to go through my 4 page check off list that helps me outline completely your reception and its flow. Maybe it’s a little too detailed but I like it that way. One of the questions on there is – Will you have disposable cameras?

Years ago these were all the rage. I mean, what better way to get even more pictures of your day from actual guests attending the wedding? Custom covers were put on them and little rhyming notes educated those guests unfamiliar what to do with them, or asking them to complete a scavenger hunt of sorts.


But the perfect idea was not without its limitations. Invariably, I found that many people complained about the same things after developing the film

• Dark pictures. Lets face it. Disposable cameras don’t have strong flashes. So trying to take a photo at any sort of distance in a dark room results in grainy and dark pictures that even the best of Photoshop pros cannot salvage successfully
  
• Repetitive pictures. As great as your first dance is – 100 pictures of it in poor quality weren’t the initial intention
  
• Inappropriate pictures. Yes folks, some people have jokers for friends who find photos of…um…anatomy…especially funny.
  
• Disappearing cameras. It’s a given the people will neglect to leave the camera in the table and take them with them, even though they were reminded otherwise. It’s an easy enough mistake. For a while, I advised brides to consider numbering the cameras so at the very least they knew which table’s camera was the disappearing one.
  
• Unused film. I cannot tell you how many weddings I have been to where I have collected the cameras at nights end to find them barely used.
  
• FILM. Remember that? No quick upload via USB. So you are made to spend money developing film which will no doubt be 85% unusable.

If you haven’t picked up on it, I’m clearly not a fan of disposable cameras. In fact I’m surprised when it’s mentioned as still being used. What I do love is the premise that started this as being a popular event item -pictures taken by guests. In every event that a professional photographer is hired, there will be great pictures. Pictures of the guests of honor(s) will dominate, but there will be some pictures of guests alongside, dancing, etc. Yet, those pictures taken by your friends are out there. Pictures that you are part of and will see on things like facebook. Lots of pictures take place now especially with digital cameras, pictures of sporadic groups, inside jokes, and silliness’s. How do you as the bride, groom or guest of honor get your hands on those pictures?

You ask. Lose the disposable camera and invest in the cute sayings to your guests on a photo website reminder. Sign up for a online photo sharing site. There are free sites and paid sites and more likely then not you are already a member of one of them. Sign up for a new account for your wedding specifically and print cards asking guests to upload their photos from the wedding to the site. This bride used an upgraded Flikr account.

You can read about her photo sharing cards here. It is a fabulous idea and you can go a step further in obtaining the photos by not only placing the cards on your tables on the wedding reception, but you can attach them to your favors. Even better, continue to use them by including them in your thank you cards. Before you know it, you’ll have a whole photo sharing site full of pictures of your wedding day or event. Even more pictures to remember the day.