Help from the officiants

[kimberly c.]

The last several weddings I have done, the officiant has announced at the

beginning of the ceremony for everyone to put their cameras away, they

explained that they were there to celebrate the couple and to focus on the

couple and that it would be disrespectful to just keep shooting pictures. They

have also stated that the couple has a pro to capture these moments. I

wanted to jump up and down and yell thank you, not so much in that I think it

interferes with my work, but I agree that it is a sacred event and everyone is

more focused on getting really horrible images from 50 feet away rather than

focusing on the bride and groom. Any thoughts??

[lkv]

I agree partly.<br>

The fact that everybody takes pictures doesn't bother me. I would not frustrate all this

crowed, and probably just ask them to turn off the flashes. These are really the bother.

For the ceremony as well as for all those who do not care about the photo stuff going

around...<br>

Lenny<br>

<a href="http://afimage.com">AFimage.com</a>

[david_prouty]

Kimberly,

 

Kiss that guy for me! OK, kiss him for yourself. I'd look pretty silly kissing him! (It was a him wasn't it?) My buddy had a priest/minister tell him not to shoot flash during the ceremony and he complied. The whole time during the ceremony the congregation shot flash! He was not too happy! He went back to the officiant and remarked his displeasure over his insistence of his not using flash and then not stopping the guests from breaking the rule. This particular officiant rethought his rule and from that time forward only allowed the pro's to use flash for the wedding and made the same announcement as in your case. In other cases, I've had churches that don't allow photographs in the church at all, before, or during the wedding (restage afterwards). He said if he heard one click, he'd stop the ceremony and I'd be thrown out! Another wouldn't allow photos after the ceremony in the church. The officiant said, "This is not a studio!" Some guys are really tough!

 

Dave

[think27]

I've run into the problem of the officiant saying no flash only to stand by watching all the guests go snap, snap... <p>Finally, what I did was always meet with the priest/officiant right before the ceremony.. If he says no flash... I say no problem anyway because I generally use a fast film and prefer no flash. HOWEVER, if it is a very dark church... I respectfully let the officiant know that I will certainly respect his wishes, but if guests are using flash, I will take a few shots with flash as well. I explain that it just wouldn't do if the guests had shots of the ceremony but the photographer doesn't have any... It would be inexcusable to the couple.

[wedding-photography-denver]

As Mary said. I would add that it seem to help to call ahead and talk to the officiant.

 

I explain the 'need' to get shots of the ceremony and how others (guests will for sure) then ask how (given my 'need') may I best accomodate their desires and "rules"?

 

You may also give that PERSON a hug form me. :-)

 

Regards

[timberwolf1]

Many priests/officiators will be irritated by 'THE NEED' that anyone has for flash pictures.

Explaining 'THE NEED' to a person who is truly dedicated to his work as a spiritual leader

may earn you a lesson. Flash pictures do not come first here.

 

The rule is that if anyone, anyone flashes during the ceremony, someone else will follow

with their own. As a result, this officiator chose to make the big speech to prevent that.

 

For a professional, it shouldn't matter if anyone else flashes their cameras during the

ceremony. Also, seldom is a church so dark that a 1/2 second exposure at f4 can't handle

the situation.

 

Also, the ceremony begins normally when the officiator first speaks. This means that the

photographer, photographers have a few seconds to take a flash picture before he/she

speaks, get it? So, now you have it, the picture legally taken. After he speaks to ban or

permit pictures, the ceremony begins.

 

All wedding photographers should be prepared to perform a natural light shot at this time:

tripod, release, etc. So where is the happiness? You forgot your tripod? You forgot your

incident meter?

[Jerry_]

...wait until you get one that says "No photography, period -- during the actual ceremony." But the lady shooting the video on a tripod was A-OK!

[jcc]

I'm so glad that others have experienced the preacher telling them not to use a flash, only to have it look like Olympic stadium once the bride walks in. I find it's always best to let the B/G know if the preacher tells me no flash or no shots at all since it's usually her preacher. I shoot the service on a tripod on full auto and let the camera figure out the rest (yeah yeah, I'm not that experienced) and it seems to work.

[kimberly c.]

jerrold- ive done the same with great results

[belledeux diana]

I wish you all an officiant like the one at St. John's Cathedral in Shreveport, La. I have only heard about him from others who have attended "his" weddings. If he sees something nice, he'll call out to the photographer in the middle of everything,"Hey, photographer. You're missing something here. Come get this shot."

<P>

I think if more officiants thought about this being a "family affair" and go about making a "family" out of everyone..even the photographer...they would make a bigger event of the wedding, a memory to keep forever for sure. I suspect the Arch-Bishop at the cathedral wants to reinforce the marriage vows in any way he can. But he makes a very pleasant event of what is usually a commplex hurdling of rules for the photographer.

<P>

(And yes, in the cathedral in Baton Rouge, the (I've never met a )wedding planner (I liked-or who seemed not to be in the way)gave me strict instructions not even to step up on a far corner of the altar. I was even going to be hidden by a huge column. BUT the videographer was right up there, filming away. I argued until I thought I had properly irritated the weddding planner, and thought I had made her life just a tiny bit miserable. She could not ever come up with a reasonable explanation and just a note for me, I think I stumped her on that one.)

[watchin]

I've hit all of the above. The only answer I've come up with is to

talk to the "officiant" before the ceremony. If (s)he asks for no

pictures I respond with "please announce that to the 'audience' as well"

and follow with "Do you mind a shot without flash from the back of the church for the brides album?" and "Would you be so kind as to inform the

bride of your policies as well, I don't want to disappoint the family."

 

As for the wedding planner... I hit the ignore button and inform (s)he "I've been retained to capture this for the family, I will do so!"

 

PS - kiss the one that announces "Hey photographer..." and the one that said "everyone except the photographer", I wish I had them here ;{)