To eat or not to eat....

[duffy_smith]

I have been recently hired to shoot a wedding, when I asked the bride about

seating arrangements for dinner, she said -"you are not on my guest list, it's

75.00 a plate, can i dedut if from your cost?" Has anyone ever run into this?

I have always been seated with the videoragrapher, DJ ect... and it's never

been a problem. I have been shooting weddings ( and assisting for) 10 years

and have never not been fed , and I don't think I have ever offended a couple

when I ask about seating arrangements, is there a tactful way to address this

issue? Thanks in advance.

[edward_h]

It's their call, really. You're paid to photograph, not to eat.

 

Personally, I prefer to NOT eat. Eating gets me to close to my subjects, emotionally, which as a photojournalist (newspaper) I really don't want to do.

 

But if I arrive at the wedding party and there's a place for me, I'll sit down and eat a little, photograph a little more, and then finish my light meal.

[rodolfo_negrete]

I have always been feed too althought if they don't offer I would not get offended nor demand it.I think if myself as a worker and not as a guest also when I pick something to eat I pick very little and eat in like 3 minutes.then I stay on the look out for candidids .is only once a week if you skeep a meal nothing major will happen.is not like you are starbing or working on the fields. no offense .this is how I conduct myself

[dzeanah]

When I was shooting weddings I'd be there for something like 8 hours shooting. If I didn't eat, I'd be in trouble (and the photography would suffer). I told brides they could either feed me, or watch me leave for a half-hour to swing by the closest fast food place. I didn't care about eating with the guests (a sack lunch is fine), but food was a necessity.

[al_kaplan1]

I've never photographed a function where I wasn't invited to eat. If you're going to be there more than 2 or 3 hours you need to eat! You can bet your butt that the caterer's wait staff gets to eat, although perhaps in another room.

[Jerry_]

Good manners: if you are not offered a meal, do not expect one.

 

 

 

 

That said, you may find one guest did not show up: you may get a meal, but go prepared: take a couple of granola bars, ceral bars, or a peanut-butter sandwitch -- depending on what you like to exist on.

[gary_woodard]

It is common to offer someone food and drink at occassions such as weddings, probably common thru all cultures worldwide, I would not pay a

penny, how rude, typically Amerikan capitalistic crap you run into once

in a while.

[chris_fall]

i agree with Derek. it's kinda rude to not let you eat. esp. when your running around for 8+ hours. i do put in my contract that if i'm not fed i get a half hour lunch to get food and i'm not responsible for any lost memories (cause if i eat with the party i can always get up and shoot. and there was one time when we were sitting down to eat and then out of no where the bride and groom stand up and start giving a spech to thier parents. poor video guy missed most of it cause we weren't told bout it. but because we got to eat with them i still got photo's.)

[bruce_rubenstein___nyc]

I don't know if getting a meal depends on region/price, or what. I do know that the photographer I work with, in NY, has it in his contract that we get fed. More often than not we wind up getting our food after the "people" have been served. This means we get our food as many of the guests are finishing eating and getting back up to dance, or the cake is about to be cut. This results in a very rushed meal. Very often we take turn eating and shooting (this works if you're working with an assistant). My preference is to eat during the coctail hour. You can eat on the run and shoot if anything is happening. The only problem with this is that formals get shot during this time.

 

No matter where it comes from you have to eat and drink, or you just get wiped out. Drinking tip: Just about every reception has an open bar. If there is a tip glass out I put down a few bucks. This always gets me snappy service for repeated glasses of whatever soft drink I want. (For the record, I almost never have alcohol on a job; especially if I'm the shooter.)

[gary_woodard]

Just for the record, I suck down every free drop of Booze I can get my

hands on, seems to improve my keeper ratio.

[brady_dillsworth]

It has only happened once where I was not included in the seating arrangement to eat, and I believe it was because the photographer had not told the couple that I would be attending as an assistant. After I noticed that, I spoke with the one of the wait staff and explained the situation, at which point they brought me a meal to eat with silver and glassware. If the bride asked to deduct the meal from my pay AND the if the contracts weren't signed yet; I would assure her that it would end up being the most expensive meal that she ever bought.

[picturesque]

I think if you shoot for at least 4 hours, you should be fed, but I don't ever push it. If no one offers, I don't eat, and sometimes bring something with me. I've had it range from no food to being fed a lavish meal just like a guest. I don't think it's regional--it depends on your client's attitude toward you as a vendor. I take what ever is offered. It's up to you how you deal with this. Physically, if you know you'll suffer if you don't eat, then maybe you need to put something in the contract. Me, I can go many hours without food and not even notice.

[derek_c.]

I usually don't expect meal<br>

I always eat right before the wedding. Also, I always carry two protein bars and some water.<br>

If they ask, I always say "Oh, I rather not eat and take pictures"<br>

Only if they insist, that's when I say "OK, thank you very much"<br>

I am usually happy to find some snacks and drinks around me.<br>

[jay ott]

A tactful way to handle this would be to bring your own food preferably something that smells e.g. sardines, limburger cheese and onion sandwich, an Indian curry, Korean Kim-chee, or anything Greek that has lots of garlic. Ask again about the seating and explain that you'll be bringing your own food, but you still need a seat.

[robert_c_harvey]

Good answers from all!My two cents: MANGIA! You should eat before the event, maybe lightly, and when scouting locations at the event , introduce yourself to the catering staff. I usually compliment them on there work I might have seen previously, or my present impression.Discus the wedding somewhat with them, timing etc., and ask about the food, and plenty of times they let me get a little bite here and there; like they're not? Then, a meal of some sort later , after the pre-ceremony, ceremony, and recessional shots, not to mention maybe a stop at a garden location on the way from ceremony to reception location. But I eat fast, and as a previous poster stated, you've got your eye on the action, and are loaded with film, compact flash cards, whatever, and are ready to go. Then it's back to work!

No one mentioned booze, here's my rules; don't. Don't lose your focus, literally, and if something goes wrong, guess what? They'll say you were drinking. Not a good thing; for reputation!

OK, at the very end of the event, maybe , just maybe I'll have ONE glass of wine! And then double check all the cameras again, and keep shooting...

Robert C. Harvey

[steve_levine]

Carry a Powerbar or an apple in your camera bag.Every now and then,we get stiffed on the meal.In fact tonight,we pigged out at cocktail hour(love those jumbo shrimp),and didnt get served any dinner!I happen to think that it is pretty low class,to not make any arrangments for the service people to eat at a wedding.We are often on the job for 8-12 hours and it is often not possible for us to stop & obtain food from another source.Sometimes we get a "deli" plate served to us,in lieu of the regular meal.It is always fun to eat a stale sandwich,when the guests are chowing down filet mignon.But as someone pointed out,we are there to work.

[austinphoto]

I eat some at the cocktail hour. If I am with them all day long and don't get to eat, I do resent it, but I swallow my pride and never ask or beg for food. If they don't feed me and they are my customer, god help them when they want to buy one extra print. It will cost. Otherwise, I go on with my life and eat later.

[gpdno]

Don't expect to get fed, but I always have. Maybe it's that pathetic starving look I have?

[jimstrutz]

I have it in my contract that if anyone else gets a meal, I get a meal. This is just one of the details I point out before signing. I've never had anyone balk at this.

[fotografz]

Like Jim, it's in my contract. In fact I stipulate that I be invited as a guest (plus a

companion), and I also discuss where we would like to be seated well in advance of the

reception.

 

This assures that up front the client knows we are not servants. An invitation also shuts up

some Country Club folks who would also like to treat you as a servant.

 

Duffy, IMO since you did not stipulate this in advance, were I you, I'd just suck it up and

bring something to eat for yourself. Then add the stipulation to your contract in future.<div></div>

[nstock]

Most catering halls make arrangements for other vendors to eat. If they are SMART they treat those vendors WELL because guess where some of your referrals come from? Guess who makes contact with wedding planners and other wedding professionals? Guess who will get a big thumbs up or down when asked? From the Photographer to the DJ to the Dancing girls to the wedding coordinator, it is plain smart business to treat other vendors well. We don't have to eat with the guests, but being in an adjacent room or the same room is a good idea so we don't miss anything and are available.

 

One photographer I know.. a VERY hard worker and very good (top shelf on everything including price).. puts in the contract that if a meal is not provided that he and his assistant will leave the event to eat AND charge an extra $75 for each to have to do so. While I have never seen him enforce this policy, it forces the subject to the front and he has never been forced to go out for his meal.

 

No matter where I have worked outside the wedding industry, I have always been given either a break to go and eat (if it is more than 4 hours of work) or been provided a meal.

[steve_levine]

I never realized how arrogant some of us wedding photographers are?News flash:we arent guests,we are vendors,and we are there providing a service.If you insist on thinking otherwise,perhaps this isnt your line of work?Besides,catering hall chow is fattening,and slows you down!

[fotografz]

Steve, it has nothing to do with arrogance. It has to do with not being categorized with

waiters and such. Yes, we are artists for hire, but in most every other commercial

photographic venture, the photographer is treated with respect and partnership. The

amount of training, experience and monetary investment does separate us from a waiter.

BTW, meals are a prerequisite at commercial shoots, and a standard expense paid by the

client... it's a line item called craft services.

 

In fact, every wedding I've shot provided a table for me, my assistant, the videographers

and the DJ. Every single one without fail, no questions asked. In my experience most

wedding planners include it as standard operating procedure.

 

So, if you want to work 8 -10 hours and have to brown bag food and eat it in the back

room, that's your call. I personally feel differently about it... and it's not out of

arrogance... but instead pride in the professional level services we provide.

[derek_c.]

I shot 5 weddings last year, and will be doing 20 this year<br>

I hope, one day, I will advance myself that people will be happy to treat me.<br>

That's my honest opinion.<br>

You are arrogant only if your client thinks you are.<br>

That's a basic business philosophy.<br>

If you can have them treat you like a king and keep them happy to do so? that's a good photographer/sales-person, nothing to do with arrogant.<br>

It's only a business

[think27]

Wow - lots of opinions and responses here.. <p> After mixed treatment at varous venues early in my career... I finally have it in my contract that I (and my two assistants) get a hot meal - HOT is the operative word for any wedding 5 hours and over. If it is a heavy hors doureve (sp) wedding -- we ask that we can break and fill a plate at an appropriate time. I also explain that it does not have to be the same food as the guests - a plate of hot pasta will do. I explain that they will be charged $15 for a "vendor" meal which is normally stale bread sandwiches and chips. So - if the venue can't do a hot meal for us -- we'll ask the couple to give us $10 each and bring in or eat out somewhere quick for cheaper for the couple and better food for us. <p>I explain that though we may have eaten before we "started" our day at my office... We still had review time, prep time, drive time (sometimes 2-3 hours) and pre-ceremony, ceremony, group shots, couple shots, cocktail, beginning of dinner.... Anotherwords, fast, furious and tense and lots of time since we ate and we just need fuel. The band gets there at/near the couple's dinner - they have not already been working 6-10 hours and if they never get food it should not be a big deal.... I - for one - can not shove down a cold stale sandwhich. I need something hot and that's all there is to it! <p>I don't care if I sit at a table or in a separate room. Just give me hot food.... If the caterer doesn't give it to me? I let them know it is in the contract. Remember that most places have a guaranteed guest count and it is usual that there are less guests than the count - they always have extra food. <p>It is a pet peeve with me... I guess some might say I'm spoiled...but having worked in the catering business myself -- they feed their staff - they can certainly feed us. I'm much more creative than I'd be on an empty stomach or a lump in my belly from a horrible cold and stale sandwich. It truly doesn't cost them much and they're smarter to take care of vendors... If I'm treated well - I'll recommend the venue/caterer to my clients... No brainer. All of my clients understand and always check with us at some point to make sure we ate and if we enjoyed our meal. <p>I guess the answer is - it depends on your needs.. Some people don't seem to mind just eating a sandwhich or a protein bar. Others - like me - have other needs.. Whatever works for your comfort level and creativity level is what you should do.