8 Korean phrases for getting your photo taken on a trip
Korea is a country that photographs itself constantly, which makes it an easy place to ask for help with a picture. Strangers expect the request, know the angles, and will often take more frames than you asked for.
The phrases below follow the whole exchange, from stopping someone to offering to return the favour, all in polite 요 speech with the honorific forms you use with people you do not know.
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실례지만, 사진 좀 찍어 주실 수 있어요?
sillyejiman, sajin jom jjigeo jusil su isseoyo?
Excuse me, could you take a photo of us?
실례지만 (excuse me, but) is how you approach a stranger, and 주실 수 있어요 is the honorific 'could you', the politest everyday way to ask a favour. Koreans say yes to this almost without exception.
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여기 누르시면 돼요.
yeogi nureusimyeon dwaeyo.
Just press here.
Literally: If you press here, it is fine.
Say it as you hand over the phone, pointing at the shutter button. -(으)시면 돼요 is the polite 'all you need to do is', useful for any instruction to a stranger.
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세로로 찍어 주세요.
serollo jjigeo juseyo.
Vertical, please.
세로 is portrait orientation and 가로 is landscape. Most Koreans will shoot a person vertical by default, so this is more often the thing you say the other way round, when you want 가로로.
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전신으로 찍어 주세요.
jeonsineuro jjigeo juseyo.
Full body, please.
Literally: With the whole body.
Korean photo culture takes this seriously: a good stranger will crouch to make your legs look longer. 다리 길게 나오게 찍어 주세요 (make my legs come out long) is said half as a joke and fully meant.
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하나, 둘, 셋. 김치.
hana, dul, set. gimchi.
One, two, three. Kimchi.
The Korean 'say cheese'. The count uses the native numbers, and the photo is taken on 김치 because the vowel pulls the mouth into a smile.
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한 장 더 찍어 주세요.
han jang deo jjigeo juseyo.
One more, please.
Photos are counted with 장, the counter for flat things. 여러 장 찍어 주세요 (take several) is the honest request and nobody minds it.
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저도 찍어 드릴까요?
jeodo jjigeo deurilkkayo?
Shall I take one of you too?
The customary return of the favour, and 드릴까요 is the honorific 'shall I do for you'. Offer even if they are alone; people travelling solo appreciate it most.
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여기서 사진 찍어도 돼요?
yeogiseo sajin jjigeodo dwaeyo?
Can I take photos here?
For temples, galleries, markets and small shops. -아/어도 돼요 is the standard 'is it okay if', and the answer 네, 되는데 플래시는 안 돼요 means yes but no flash.
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Nearly every line here is built on 찍다 (to take a photo) plus 주세요, so the pattern is adverb or noun + 찍어 주세요: 밝게 (brighter), 가까이서 (from closer), 여기 배경 나오게 (with this background in). Learn the verb once and the rest is swapping the word in front.