Another year of weddings is about to begin and I cannot wait to take fresh images and see which become your favorites!! I love, love, love when my clients share their photos… that’s what they’re for… for you to recall your favorite moments from the day and share those memories with your family and friends. Beyond seeing you put your images to good use, there are five things in particular that come to mind that make the photographer in me especially happy…

1. Click “Skip Cropping” on Facebook Profile Photos

When you change your profile picture on Facebook, upload from your desktop and select “skip cropping”! You’ll still be able to reposition the thumbnail however you like, but now the ENTIRE photo will be saved as your profile picture. This may seem like a small thing, but a lot of thought goes into how an image is cropped and keeping it as is ensures the beauty of an image in its entirety is not lost. Here’s an example using an image the talented Rebekah Kemp took of me:

2. Upload from Your Desktop

When you share a picture on Facebook, if you have the option, go ahead and share from your desktop vs. your phone. Desktop uploads are much more quality than mobile uploads. Let me show you!

The picture on the left is uploaded from my desktop. The picture on the right, from my phone.

Don’t see much of a difference? Let’s zoom in a bit:

This may not look like a huge change if you’re viewing on your phone, but from my computer, the contrast is HUGE!

3. Add Professional Photos Tagged of You to Your Timeline

When I tag you in a photo, if you like it, click “Add to Timeline”! Most of us know what it’s like to be tagged in a cringe-worthy photo we’d rather not show the world… been there. But if you like the photo shared, let it onto your page! This is particularly important if it’s the first professional photo shared after you’re married or your sneak peek album. The reason this helps, is it’s the biggest way for us as photographers to get any kind of exposure – by YOU letting your photos be seen by your friends, especially during that first 72-hour window after you get married while your guests are still on a high from the excitement surrounding the wedding day.

4. Don’t Edit Your Photos

This includes Instagram filters, VSCO and Facebook edits! Photographers give meticulous attention to detail in coloring, clarity, light and grain for consistency to their brand and overall quality. If you liked their work when you hired them, trust their creative eye with your photos, too!

P.S. If there’s something like a spot on your dress, messy hair, acne or something distracting in the background that you’d like cleaned up, let me know – especially if you’re making a print order!! Chances are it’s an easy fix and I’m more than happy to make it for you! It’s amazing how just a small tweak can take an image you like to an image you LOVE.

5. Give Credit

I very intentionally do not put watermarks on my images. When I first started out, man oh man was my watermark nice and big and beautiful (not)… eeesh! Over time, I realized that watermarks are often distracting and detract from the beauty of the image, so I’ve chosen to put my faith in my clients to tag me instead. If you share a photo, credit the photo!

On Facebook, that means tagging my business page in the description. On Instagram, you can tag my handle @emitton in the description. On a blog, just link to my website emilymitton.com.

By the way, this goes for vendors as well, not just my couples!! When I show up, I’m shooting first and foremost for my clients, no question. But as a way of saying thank you for helping to make my clients’ day as beautiful as it is, I try to shoot with them in mind as well – featuring their venue, the paper goods, the flowers, the food, etc. before freely giving away those images for them to share on social media so they can promote their work. It’s a team effort to create the wedding of your dreams! A simple tag for credit when they share is all I ask. If you see your vendors sharing my images without credit, help a girl out and go ahead and give them a friendly nudge to tag your photographer, too!

Happy sharing!