Photographer moving around during the ceremony

<p> I have seen extremes both ways from the photographer just sitting in his/her chair and taking shots during the ceremony all the way to one who actually walked up behind the pastor and took photos over his shoulder during the ring exchange. I wanted some opinions on how you as a photographer feel about what is acceptable moving around during the ceremony. I have hear "You do what it takes to get the shot, its easier to ask for forgiveness than permission" to "You need to be invisible, its their day capture it but don't been seen."</p>

<p>Thank You<br>

Bill</p>

<p>I won't go onto the alter area unless specifically asked to, AND invited to by the pastor/priest. I usually move slowly, quietly and as low as possible between the rear of the aisle and the grooms side (beyond the guests line of sight). In general, I believe in keeping out of sight and earshot.</p>

<p>A lot of it depends on what is allowed by the officiant. I've shot weddings where I was not allowed to get closer than the last pew of guests and I've been given free reign to go wherever I want.</p>

<p>Regardless, I try to make myself as inconspicuous as possible. I'll move around when the congregation is moving; as they stand up or sit, I will move at that point. Since there is a commotion anyway, my movements are less noticed. Can't do that all the time, but when the couple/guests/clergy/etc. see you making a real attempt at being invisible, they'll be very forgiving of you when you can't be.</p>

<p>This is also where having an assistant or second shooter is wonderful - two separate camera angles without excess movement.</p>

<p>I simply go to the rehearsal......absolutely <em><strong>everything</strong> </em> can be discussed and settled then.</p>

<p>No need to be slinking around like rats at a wedding.....lol....Bob</p>

<p>I personally don't like to be the center of attention. It's the clients day, not mine. But i'm old school. Many newer photographers do whatever it takes.I just don't feel that being all over the ceremony is that important to the integrity of the coverage. Getting beautiful church images are plenty. Getting "eyeball" photos is not necessary.</p>

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<p>If it's an outdoor wedding I keep a reasonable distance and shoot the key elements on longer lenses. I go in close to the guests during non-key elements for context shots, but am careful not to cross their line of sight. In either case, I never go near the altar, since that's the focus of everyone's attention and the one place where I'm guaranteed to be in the way.</p>

<p>If it's an indoor wedding (especially a church wedding) the rule here in the UK is 'no flash, no movement'. So that's what I work with. But I shoot as a pair which makes it easier. One of us is near the front and off to the side, and the other at the back of the church. That way we can get everything without moving.</p>

<p>Whether indoor or outdoor, my view is that it's a wedding first and foremost and not a photo shoot. The whole point of being hired is to get the key shots with maximum quality and minimum intrusion.</p>

<p>I was a guest at a wedding recently where the photographer took around 300 shots during the ceremony from center aisle. It was a quiet church with great acoustics; the mirror slap of each one ricocheted through the church. It was interesting to hear it from the guests's perspective, and I can confirm it was very annoying (there was a great deal of grumbling later). I was also uncertain what the photographer was shooting - 90% of those shots would have been near identical.</p>

<p>Shoot rate is something not mentioned so far. Don't know about others, but once a church ceremony has started I find that around 20 frames, each well timed and well chosen, is usually more than enough. For outdoor weddings I shoot as much as I like, providing I'm at an appropriate distance.</p>

<p>interesting timing for this questions...last night was the first wedding where i "couldn't move". i attended the rehearsal the night before so i knew the pastor rules (no flash and no moving) and was able to prepare for that (at least mentally) which helped because i had never been told that before. i ended up taking less shots, but still got the key moments and am perfectly happy with what i got. i also don't like being a distraction or the center of attention at a wedding as other have already said. and when i am allowed to move freely any movement is around the outer perimeter. this church was beautiful and had a balcony and at the rehearsal i asked the pastor if i could go up there for a few shots which basically amounted to me moving twice and he was ok with that. this movement was all in the back and never crossed sight of the guest. </p>

<p>So long as the photographer, pastor, and couple are clear on the boundaries, and the rules are followed, you're ok. You should, if possible, get a nice shot of the bride and groom separately during the ceremony to capture emotion. Some churches forbid this, so you get what you can. I tend to be farther away in the beginning, and as said above, take the opportunity to move when there is already movement by someone else. The only time you need to be close is the rings, and after that you need to back up anyway for the kiss and recessional. Bottom line, only when necessary & allowed. Depends on the couple & the venue.</p>

<p>It is less about what I as the photographer finds acceptable, and more about what the couple wants in combination with the rules of the church or officiant. I always ask--both the officiant and the couple.</p>

<p>As a basic rule to go by, however, I try to be low key--move slowly, silently, stay back, not on the altar, etc., etc., but I also know that some cultures have different expectations. I've told this before, but at one church, the officiant told me that anything goes. I still held back a bit during the ceremony, and when I asked him for a couple of re-creations, he refused, saying that I should have gotten everything I needed during the ceremony because he told me there were no restrictions. During the ceremony, guests were walking behind the officiant, shooting over his shoulder. I didn't, and paid for it.</p>

<p>So here is that old but useful advice--use your judgement. When I do take some bold action however, like walk in front of the parents, I stop, take a picture quickly and move on. I don't just hang there attracting attention. And like Neil, I take very few images during the ceremony, unlike the hundreds normally taken just during the ceremony. Which is why I do old fashioned things like use a tripod, so I don't have to be bracketing or continuous shooting to cover myself on hand shake or something.</p>

<p>"old fashioned things like use a tripod"........that's precious. Do new wedding shooters not carry a tripod or light meter ? </p>

<p>Hello,<br>

I am new to wedding photography and I do move around too much in ceremonies. I try not to, but sometimes I feel like I have to. I'm also afraid of missing shots so I will sacrifice someone getting mad at me to make sure I get the shots. For example Saturday I had a wedding where there was no center aisle. Basically there were two aisles and seats in the middle with guests and the B&G were in the middle. So I had to stand in front of the guests in aisle seating. I apologized to them, but its something I HAD to do even with my 70-200.</p>

<p>Not only am I fairly new to wedding photography, but am apparantly old fashioned too! Like others I check with the vicar/minister/registrar and follow their guidelines. When given lots of freedom I still move little as I don't want to be a distraction. The ceremony is all about the couple and their vows, not the photographs. Weddings in the UK tend to be fairly formal so I've not yet had an experience like Nadine.</p>

<p>How much I move will vary from venue to venue. I'll move much more covering a civil event outside in a park where I tend to stay back and to one side at a Catholic ceremony. I'm also familiar with most religious practices and therefore know to stay still during the more solemn moments.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, this is one of those issues that doesn't translate well to the written word on a forum. It's best learned from a good wedding shooter during an apprenticeship, familiarity with the religious mores/norms, and the application of common-sense.</p>

<p>Geo--no, not a lot of new shooters use a tripod or carry a light meter.</p>

<p>it really all does depend what the officiant will allow, and it will vary depending on your location, around my area catholic churches say move as you need to but not in front of the crowd, and no crossing the aisle period, usually a greek orthodox church the preist will you assign you to one place, and that's it ..no moving period, so it's best to have 2 shooters(w/ one in the back). Once in a great while you will encounter (as some long-time shooters have)the officiant who will incorporate you (the photographer) into the proceedings, instructing you to stay in one spot(after the bride has entered), and at the moment when he needs you, will motion to you, you stand up, step forward, take several frames, then return your assigned spot, no moving period. this ones my personal fav, since the couple knows in advance pretty much what to expect in terms of photos you'll be delivering, there's never any second guessing, and it gives the officiant complete control over what going on.</p>

<p>When considering where to <em>cross the line</em> in terms of being visible, it's best to consider how many of these images actually get ordered. What's the point of being all over the place and invading their most private moments when 6-8 images are being used in the album? ...-Aimee</p>

<p>I charge good money for covering the ceremony itself, so there's an automatic expectation on the part of the B&G that I'll at least get great shots of the vows when they're holding hands, the ring exchange, though that one's hard to nail every time, and OF COURSE the first kiss. I've learned to put my 40D on rapid fire for that one.<br>

All that said, I do chat with the officiator beforehand about his/her allowances and taboos - they REALLY appreciate being asked. I move slow and deliberate when appropriate, and stay put when appropriate. I was raised Catholic, so I have a good sense of what that is in most situations.<br>

One officiator saw that my timing was slightly off for the first kiss, so he motioned to me, and asked the couple to kiss again! I'm sure they didn't mind...</p>

 

<p>Out of interest, does anyone carry a second camera with a quieter action specifically for the quiet moments during the ceremony?</p>

<p>Hal--no, I don't. I got over shutter sound when I started using a Hasselblad for weddings. Not a lot of cameras are louder than that. What I do, as I said above, is not shoot a million images, and I choose when I release the shutter. I won't, for instance, release the shutter when there is a prayer going on. I'll wait until just before the end, or just when the officiant starts speaking again.</p>

<p><strong>My 2cents:</strong><br>

As was mentioned, we charge to capture the moments, thus we have to shoot. Loud, as Nadine mentioned, shutters are just realities of life. Generally, you know and expect certain moments thus being ready and shooting when needed (NOT UZI) is one way to minimize decibel damage. Plus, I try to think about guests how they came to see B&G and not my @$$ thus I do w/e is possible to make sure that nor my assistant nor me are in the way <em>especially</em> during ceremony.<br>

On occasion, THE BIG MAN, forbids pictures being taken during the ceremony, at which point, I call over B/H & both mothers (fathers rarely care) and make sure they are aware of the situation and proceed only after they all decide what they want me to do.</p>

<p>Adam</p>

<p>Personally, I am very respectful of any religious ceremony. I wear "stage black" and soft soled shoes, as does anyone that shoots with me.</p>

<p>I slink around like a rat (I prefer the term "Ninja: :-), haven't used a hand held light meter in a decade, and use a quiet camera during the ceremony. But I do find a tripod is useful in dark churches for long lens shots from a balcony, or if relegated to the back of the church by the officiant or stern church lady.</p>

<p>If the officiant says anything goes, and the clients agree ... then anything goes. At our last wedding I told the priest that we had a telephoto up on the balcony and we'll stay out of the way, and he pulled me aside and said "all you get is photos of the backs of heads, I want you up here with me ... so I did. Best ceremony shots I ever got. </p>

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