Almost every event that we attended, there are some unassigned photographers with their cell phones, capturing every moment along with the professional photographers. It is completely okay. Cell phones have given easy access to an expensive (still expensive) hobby. With instant editing and sharing option, cell phones are a quick and easy means to capture and share the photos to your favourite social media platform. But then, they do come in the way of photographer, and as a pro, I find that annoying.
For all the cell phone clickers out there, I have few requests to make.
1. Coming in the way of the photographer.
This is the worst that can happen and it has happened with me (other photographers will agree as well). This is an important part of the event coming up you have your camera ready and have selected the perfect angle. Suddenly someone with mobile phone gets in front of you to take the shot. You can of course recreate the lost moments later but first, you might not get the same expressions of the people in the frame and secondly, this might even upset your client. They won't take any excuse.
2. Sharing immediately on social media.
This has moved to the client side and photographers won't actually mind as long as they are not in your friend list.
If you have had a professional photographer, you will want only the best photos to go out in the social media some client not even want their photos to make public. Now when you post these pics, you are posting unflattering, unedited photos, a portion of client's expenditure on photographers goes in vain.
Moreover, when someone post this mobile photos they pick the photos in which they look good and not only necessary caring about how others look in the frame. Good luck with that.
3. Handing over your mobile phone to photographers.
And then there is this third kind. They over there camera phone to the photographers to take their photos mid-session or even an Instagram Boomerang! Most of the time photographers will oblige but then please make sure this doesn't make him or her miss any moment and frankly speaking this is not part of his job description. You may ask any of the guest to do this favour.
In a social event, we recommend you to keep your phone in the pocket and should probably take this opportunity to mix with other guest. Enjoy the event and have fun. If you want solo photos, or a group one, please approach the photographer. He/She will be glad to take few snaps, even help you pose. Talk with the photographers, they will like it.
This is my personal opinion and in no way I ask you not to take selfies, do it but please be considerate to the photographers and most importantly to the person who has spent money to hire photographers.