How to Choose the Right Photo for Your Save the Date Photo Magnets

Don’t choose just any old photo to send to your family and friends - we’ve collected the best tips to help you decide on a great photo for your Save the Date magnets:

• Hire a professional.You’ll be surprised by the incredible difference hiring a professional photographer will make. Arranging for an engagement photo session or a portrait sitting can be a great trial run for your big day. It allows you to get a feel for how the photographer will capture your wedding. Plus, you’ll have many beautiful photos to choose from for your Save the Date magnets and wedding reception displays.

Professional photography will make you look your best
Photo by Ray Lundrigan

• Avoid a cluttered background. Sure, your living room is the most comfortable place in the house, but a photo with shelves of knick-knacks in the background will look cluttered and unappealing to the eye.
• Hold the camera steady. A blurry photo will print blurry. The details of your faces will be lost. Avoid the “Got It!” blur: Hold the camera steady while you’re taking the picture, or use a tripod or another level surface to hold the camera.
• Use good light. Natural light makes for beautiful photos. Colored lights will make your skin look unnatural. Spontaneous photos taken in a dark restaurant are not ideal; the flash is often the only source of light in the photo, and it glares off of all the glasses on the table and makes skin look shiny. The best time for natural light is just before sunset – just make sure that the light isn’t in your eyes or you’ll squint.

This photo is great for remembering a fun night out, but it’s not ideal for your Save the Date Magnets.
Source
Photo by indi.ca

• Get out of the shadows. If you choose a bright, natural setting for your photo, stand in the light. Often, couples stand under a tree for shade, but the result is a photo with a vibrant, colorful background, and a gray, washed-out couple.
• Use a flash in front of sunsets. Sunsets make for gorgeous backgrounds, but if you don’t use a flash, you’ll be silhouettes against a painted sky.

Use a flash to capture your faces.
Photo by Anna Cervova

• Get in close. Most photos used for Save the Date magnets are cropped closely around the faces. When the camera is physically closer to your faces, there will be more detail in the photo. If you know you’re going to crop the photo, there is no need for the photograph to go all the way down to your shoes.
• Lose the cheese. Forced smiles look forced. Choose a shot where you look natural and your genuine happiness can really shine through.
• Order the Professional Photo Retouching. We’ll color correct, which enhances the contrast and the balance of lights and darks in the photo. Your skin will be smooth and blemish-free, so you’ll look your best for family and friends. If you specifically request it, we can also make your photo black and white or sepia toned. Photo Retouching is for minor corrections; a blurry, dark, grainy photo is a bad starting point. Start with a good photo, and we’ll make it great!