Eva the photography robot shoots her first professional wedding gig

Image: Service Robots (via Bride Magazine) (Image credit: via Bride Magazine)

The news that robots are coming for our jobs has been making the rounds for a few years now. And while automation is definitely taking over our lives, many of us have nothing to fear... unless you're a wedding photographer, maybe?

UK-based company Service Robots has droids for hire or purchase, and one of those is a photographer robot called Eva. The humanoid robot uses facial recognition technology to identify people before asking them if they would like to have their picture taken.

Eva was launched earlier in 2019 but not until April 7 did she get to officially shoot her first wedding, when she was hired by Gary and Megan Barker to capture memories from their big day.

"This was a fantastic addition to our day and our guests are still talking about it," Gary, the groom, told Bride Magazine. "Eva went down a treat and really got people involved. It made a nice change from the normal photo booths."

Mingling with the crowd

Eva is equipped with an interactive color screen in front of her humanoid body. Guests can choose from a variety of photography options before Eva goes click-happy.

When Eva is hired, Service Robots sets up a printing station at the venue, so images can be printed out instantly. If the guests prefer to not take a keepsake home, the images can be uploaded to a social media platform of the guest's choice, provided an internet connection is available at the venue.

A spokesperson for Service Robots told Bride Magazine that, "People are less interested in traditional photo booths. They are looking for something new and memorable that will really make their event stand out. None of the guests at this wedding will ever forget their first encounter with a robot photographer and it will provide the happy couple with a lovely reminder of their special day."

In any case, we don't see Eva giving flesh-and-blood professional photographers any competition... at least not yet. After all, she is essentially a fun version of a photo booth or selfie station, one that can easily upstage the couple on their very special day.

[Via Bride Magazine]

Sharmishta Sarkar
Managing Editor (APAC)

Sharmishta is TechRadar's APAC Managing Editor and loves all things photography, something she discovered while chasing monkeys in the wilds of India (she studied to be a primatologist but has since left monkey business behind). While she's happiest with a camera in her hand, she's also an avid reader and has become a passionate proponent of ereaders, having appeared on Singaporean radio to talk about the convenience of these underrated devices. When she's not testing camera kits or the latest in e-paper tablets, she's discovering the joys and foibles of smart home gizmos. She's also the Australian Managing Editor of Digital Camera World and, if that wasn't enough, she contributes to T3 and Tom's Guide, while also working on two of Future's photography print magazines Down Under.