When is it too intrusive?

I've had the honour of photographing several weddings with another 5 coming up.

With these weddings I have also had the bonus of none of them being in a church

therefore there have been NO restrictions as to where I can be. With the bride

and groom knowing this I've been told time and time again...whatever it

takes...get the pictures. I try to keep my distance and have been very

fortunate with the ceremony set ups. At the rehersal at the last wedding I did

I ended up smack in front of the bridesmaids (I was crouched down so I wasn't

obstructing anybodies view). I came right out and asked if anybody was opposed

to me being where I was...this was an incredible angle to see the father of the

bride pass off his little girl. Everybody...the bride, the groom, the parents

the bridal party...everyone stated no with great enthusiasm, "be where ever

you have to be to get the pictures". So I did what I had to do as told...the

way the venue was set up I really had no other way to get an unobstructed view

of this particular shot that the bride wanted. So after getting the bride

coming down the isle I ended up crouched in front of the bridesmaids and got my

shots then proceeded to a less obtrusive position for the rest of the ceremony.

Behind the commisioner. Then I had to cut infront of the bridesmaids again to

get back into the isle to get a picture of the "kiss". There was no other way

for me to make the escape for that must have picture too. After the wedding I

got to my pictures and have to admit that I got some really good pictures at

some really great angels. Pictures I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. The bride

and groom were thrilled but I can't help but feel that I shouldn't have been

where I was. I wasn't hanging over the officiant sholder nor was I blocking

other peoples views....but to me it didn't feel right. Where does one draw the

line?

Thanks.

IMHO, one draws the line where the client/officiant says the line is to be drawn.

 

If they want that shot, and the only way you can get it is to be somewhere whacky, and neither the client or minster(/whatever) has a problem with that position, then you're doing the job you were hired to do. :)

Where are you located? You mention Commissioner so that makes me think you're not in the US.

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Around here, upstate NY, if you're not IN the church, you have a bit more leeway as to what you can do, but I personally try not to go beyond the imaginary line that runs left/rigth from bride/groom. While it may be a nice shot, it's distracting as hell to the guests to see someone popping all over the place, let alone up in front.

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If you're in the church, you just don't get that, as the altar area is off-limits in virtually every church I'm aware of. So you have to shoot from center/side isles or balcony. I would never be in front of the parents on either side either.

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About the only time the altar area would work is off to the side, during the pro/re-cessionals where everyone is looking back in most cases.

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While you may not have been blocking anyone, you need to think about whether or not you were distracting to the guests. The bridal party knows what you were going to do, but the guests did not and they could see you as being a pesky photographer. My best compliments come from people saying, we didnt' even notice you. You need to be your own judge on some of your shooting locations. Ask some guests if they noticed you, etc.

Having shot all kinds of wedding ceremonies, I would say the line is a combination of what you are allowed to do, what your clients want, and your own sensibilities. If given guidelines by the officiant, I follow them. If given no guidelines, I do what I consider a combination of getting the shot and being respectful (especially in churches). If told by the officiant to get anything I want during the ceremony, I do so, even when it goes against my sensibilities. I've had officiants refuse to re-create because "you should have gotten it during the ceremony".

Tammie, I have wondered this too. If the couple and officaint have told you to do whatever to get whatever shot, I would move in, quickly, then back off. At a recent wedding as a guest, the video person had set up in the center aisle right up front on a tripod blocking almost every guest from seeing the bride and groom. I felt this was very intrusive esp as being on a tripod she could have shot from further back. For all I know though, the couple had told her to do whatever she wanted to get great video.

As above everything depends on the variable what the B&G want and what the officiant will permit. In most cases the B&G are looking to you to make the call as they are not the wedding expert. While you can get great shots up in everyones face, I personally will only get on stage or close to the wedding party is when I am forced to due to crowded conditions. I would never choose to be so close as I would end up in all the photographs taken by others and indeed would stick out and look like a fool. Keep your distance use a longer lens and if you can you can walk up on the side for a wide ange shot or pass across the action once to get expressions of the Bride then the Groom you you are the one being paid to get these photograhs but not at the expense of disrupting the ceremony. I have had several event where I was told by the officent "this is a religious ceremony not a paparazzi event" always check with clergy/officent and use discression

Best wishes! Dirk D.

Lightdances Photography

Lightdances.com

I have to agree with most people here. You really have to use your own intuition and 'gut feeling' about where the boundaries are.

 

You got to remember that you are there to capture an event...not BE the event! :)

 

Before a ceremony I try and scout the location and find places where I can get great angles but also be as unobtrusive as possible. This may mean making use of slightly ajar doors or open windows behind the pulpit with a longer lens.

 

It is also an advantage if you have an assistant or second shooter in one of these locations. That way they get the shots but don't have to move during the ceremony.

Here's an example of what not to do: http://www.videobycarol.com/Home_Page/Obtrusive_Photography.html

Thanks everyone. Especially David...I've seen that clip before...I find it absolutely hilarious and pitiful at the same time. Hard to feel anything but invisible after seeing that display of etiquette.

That's a funny clip. She looks pretty good, but I wonder if she is paying for the rights to use "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on a few of her other videos.

Trust your gut, if you feel like maybe you're being intrusive, you most likely are. As someone above mentioned, with church weddings, you generally limitted to the center aisle or balcony. I recently shot a wedding with no center aisle, and a videographer who took up the two aisles and almost the entire balcony with his equipment...sometimes you need to be creative and use a long lens! As are as when there are not restrictions, I try not to go past the first several pews/rows, never go infront of the bridal party, B or G or behind the officiant. While the bride and groom may not mind, it's really distracting for the guests. I've also met with a lot of couples who complain about weddings they've attended and the crazy things the photographer did during the day just to get a good shot. just be happy you didn't have the restictions that you're sure to encounter later on, and be mindful of being distracting in the future.