Brits have revealed the most common photography blunders – including cutting off people’s heads, and fingers over the lens.
A poll of 2,000 adults revealed not getting everyone in the shot, poor focus, and only taking one picture instead of having several to choose from, also feature in the list of top mistakes.
In a bid to get the winning shot, the average adult will retake a photo three times – but 59% are still unhappy with the final results.
It also emerged an average of 38% of pictures of loved ones captured by waiters and waitresses are deemed “bad”.
The study was commissioned by Hilton to mark the launch of its “Waitographer” initiative – which has so far seen almost 700 team members from around the world receive training on how to capture the perfect picture, by renowned photographer, Roger Moukarzel.
Fred Sirieix, TV presenter and former general manager at Galvin at Windows, London Hilton on Park Lane, said: “Hospitality is all about creating incredible experiences for guests.
“What a fabulous idea to not only deliver that experience, but also help capture it so that it can be cherished forever and shared with your social media followers.
“I’m thrilled to be working with my old friends at Hilton on “Waitographer”, and have seen first-hand the great results from the training.”
The study also found half of adults are looking to take even more snaps to capture special moments with friends and family.
More than six in ten (62%) want more shots with loved ones to capture special moments, while two in five want to commemorate an event.
A quarter want more pictures they can print out and display at home, while 14% are itching for more snaps to make others jealous.
But Brits estimate over a quarter (28%) of the photos filling up their camera roll are sub-standard – equating to an enormous 140 billion snaps nationwide.
The research, conducted via OnePoll, also saw restaurants named the most likely setting to ask someone to capture a group photo (22%).
Emma Banks, vice-president of F&B strategy & development for Hilton, EMEA, said: “We have all felt that disappointment of seeing what could have been an amazing picture ruined by bad photography skills, so we’re pleased to provide the answer.
“Whether you are visiting our hotels for a stay or just a meal, we want the great memories to last beyond just that moment and stay with our guests forever – and we know a great photo can create that lasting memory.
“We look forward to expanding this initiative even further to help combat badly taken photos on a global scale, so that guests can rest assured that their memories will be perfectly captured at Hilton.”
ROGER MOUKARZEL'S TOP TIPS FOR A PERFECT PICTURE:
- GET CLOSER INSTEAD OF ZOOMING IN. Avoid blurry or pixelated images by stepping away from the zoom button and stepping towards the people you’re taking a picture of.
- CATCH THE RIGHT EXPRESSIONS. It is your job to capture the perfect moment – interact with the people you’re photographing, make them smile or laugh.
- CLEAN THE LENS. Even the tiniest spec of dirt can impact the quality of the final picture. Use a soft fabric or cloth, as rough fabrics will impact the picture quality.
- SHOOT IN BURST MODE. If you don’t want to miss a moment, why not take multiple shots at once? Simply touch and hold the shutter button down, and to stop, just release – it’s a great way to ensure there is at least one picture everyone loves.
TOP 10 PHOTOGRAPHY FAUX PAS, ACCORDING TO BRITS:
- Cutting off people's heads
- Not getting everyone in the photo
- Picture quality is low e.g. it is blurry
- Finger on the camera lens
- Only taking one snap – and not several so you can pick the best
- Photographer doesn't seem to care about the result
- Not thinking about the angles – for example a standing waiter taking a photo of a group sitting down, or they take the picture from below the chin
- Not knowing how to use their phone camera
- Taking it too quickly
- Standing too far away
