guests who think they are photographers...

[uk]

Jon, it's not sarcasm.

 

Because I shoot with 50mm and a 35mm lenses, I have to work hard to get into position.

 

Providing you clear it with the parties before hand there is no reason you can't get on the

front row. After all there are vacant seats there.

 

There are two choices - follow the procession in and sit in the vacant grooms spot for a

while (SHOCK HORROR), or access the front row from the outer aisle. The B&G want you

there, the clergy don't want you to interfere.

 

I use Leica for its quiet approach and short lenses to be in the action. If I'm confined to

the back of the church I can't do what I'm being paid for and I make it quite clear up front

(no pun).

 

So no sarcasm, it's not in my nature.

[lb-]

I never have a probem with guests and their cameras. I never miss a shot and they never

get in my way.

 

I have no restrictions placed on me during ceremonies. I can move about as I need.

 

guests are friendly and respectful and very often helpful. I welcome their suggestions and

tips.

 

Sometimes guests even help me carry my bag or hold a reflector.

 

weddings are a joy to shoot.

[j_c38]

Your a photographer, not a bouncer. Be polite to the guests, they may be your next client. If you are worried about them getting better shots then you're in the wrong business.

 

With that said, I do have a clause in my contract that I am to be the only photograher. I do let them know I don't care if people take pictures as long as they don't interfere with my job. I also explain that having everyone taking pictures distracts me and the couple. Pictures don't turn up very good when they are distracted and it takes time.

 

Every situation is different. As a PROFESSIONAL photographer it is your job to best deal with what ever situation you are in. Be Firm but be polite. Take charge from the begining.

[35mmdelux]

i don't worry about them or give it much of a second thought. Its part/parcel of the event.

 

When they get in my way I allow them to take their pictures, then politely ask them to move over. I've never made it much of an issue.

[david_schilling___chicago_]

I honestly don't think that guests using cameras has changed that much over the past 14 years that I've been shooting weddings. Since the guests are typically family and friends, this makes them key people to the B/G and to the celebration of the day. Dealing with these situations is one of the things that make a true pro.....the goal is to have fun, celebrate, and contribute to the day.

[lisa h]

To Lauren M- You should have your friend/the bride communicate to the hired pro that you will be there taking pictures.

I was in a similiar situation as you were before- a friend asked me to take candids at her wedding (b/c she likes my photos and wanted my perspective on the day, she was not looking at this as a way to save money on reprints). She told her pro when she hired her that she wanted me to be there taking pictures all day also. I was very respectful of the pro and everything turned out well, but I imagine that it wouldn't have turned out as well if there was not a conversation with the hired pro ahead of time. I also had a conversation with my friend ahead of time in regard to what she could realistically expect from me (since I was there as a photographer AND a guest).

-Lisa

[cjogo]

Everyone and anyone can move around freely with their cameras : at our coverages. They usually have digital cameras, while I am shooting film. Hey ~ gives the B&G a chance to see what digital looks like (ha). We tell the wedding couple that we don't "police" their day. If uncle Bill's head is in front of an image, of the two of them...they will have the rear of his head ~to remind them to reprimand him ~ everytime they meet with him in the future. Since we do not do offer re-orders or albums (they retain all the negs) we are not worried about any competition, from say, a better angle/image of a guest shooting.

 

75% of our shots, are completed, 2 hours prior to the wedding. So there is only family/bridal party present. The shots after the ceremony ~ the B&G are usually wisked away from the altar. That is usually only 20 minutes..the guest don't even have time to have a drink and look for us. :-) We have the B&G designate someone in the family > to keep the paparazzi~crowd from getting unruly. Of course, we do very little PJ and generally stay only 5 hours..so the guest can "fill-in" after we leave.

[amanda_h1]

Amanda H , jul 07, 2006; 09:24 a.m.

Yes, this can interefere, especially with formals. Fortunately, when it happen to me, the guest photographers were respectfull enough to wait until I was done shooting and the wedding party was happy to take a few extra pics.

[Dave Gardner]

My last wedding i could not believe how many people had cameras. I really don't mind them...most are family of the bride or grom...and you have to remember...blood is thicker then water...so it would only be counter productive.

 

I do however at every wedding...if someone gets in the way...and i can't adjust...i just shoot it...put in an small album and show it to every bride...so that they understand what can sometimes spoil a shot. I even do this with the video guy. At least it CYA.

 

I doubt there's much we can do about it.

 

Dave

[uk]

" 75% of our shots, are completed, 2 hours prior to the wedding."

 

Amazing, I never new that.

 

In the UK it's like a pistol being fired the moment the Bride arrives at church. In fact

before, when the bride's dressed is being fastened. From that point on your trading time

with the Bride against time to take portraits of the Groom and Best Man. Literally, get 10

minutes with the Groom and your very lucky.

 

Bride arrives and the Ceremony takes over. Ceremony finished and rent-a-crowd steps in

or whisk them off to a venue for 40 minutes.

 

Apologies to all UK shooters for repeating wwhat you already know. I hadn't realised that

weddings shoots in the USA are like working in a studio. Films processed before releasing

the models ? :-)

 

When church weddings were essential here, photographers could shoot 5 weddings in a

day. 30 minutes ceremony, 30 minutes group shots - next one arrives. Wet proofs at the

reception. All before my time, I add.

[think27]

FYI - Moderator note:

 

This post by Robert Williams does not ask for examples of images where guests are shooting.

 

I have reposted comments where images were attached - deleting the images.

 

To clarify.

 

Please feel free to upload images when the thread is specifically asking for a treatment of a particular situation. Multiple image uploads are allowed in this case as the thread is clearly an image thread.

 

Please do not post an image if one is not asked for.

 

If a question is asking for a solution to a problem and an image is the best way to demonstrate a technique or approach... Feel free to post one image - a wedding image please.

 

No posting threads or images to "show and tell" your last wedding or your favorite shots etc. Although at the end of each year I do try to post a thread asking for the year's best or favorite images. In that instance it is one per person. Again - if you want to post one image from your last wedding... OK - great... but just one image and point people to a folder with the rest with a link.

 

All this is to preserve bandwidth and to eliminate the problem of slow uploading for dial-up users. Yes - there are dial-up users in the world. Two of PN's moderators for instance are still dial-up.

[cjogo]

GARY--the pre~shooting is something we setup, it is our "style" of coverage. Not sure if it is done this way across the Colonies, over here. We are not PJ shooters...we set up everything early in the day :: for the perfect light..relaxed situation.. the bride/family is finished before they even walk down the aisle,,same with the grooms side. We help seat all the guests, about 15 min. before the ceremony and after, as the B&G come down the aisle > they follow me away to a "out-of-the-way" spot. 20 minutes later I am taking couples shots, of the guest > at the cocktail hour. They all sit down for dinner/lunch and I retire for an hour. Back for first dance (45 minute set) cut cake and I am out of there.

 

During the week ...I shoot portraits and very small weddings. The small weddings consist of 2-4 people -- we just shoot {for about an hour+} and hand them the undeveloped film.. >>> off to one of those this afternoon!

[timberwulf]

I've had (and seen) mixed success over the few years I've been assisting/shooting weddings. Sometimes you have a ton of cameras, sometimes very few.

 

I'm usually more concerned about running in to people trying to get a shot and falling over while I'm moving around shooting - I don't always pay enough attention when backing up (don't we all). ;)

 

As for that camera neutralization device, the article mentioned it does not and may never work against DSLRs, due to the technology looking for the reflection of the CCD (and as well all know, by definition, you almost never can see the CCD on an SLR unless it's mid exposure). I can't imagine a program trying to detect, verify, and then neutralize through slewing a light around - a DSLR in a 125th (or even an 80th) of a second. Getting the little white light deployed that quickly alone would be a feat. :)

[jmichaelc]

You can bet that in the future all my personal threads will have a footnote: Post an image to illustrate.

 

Such a better place with images Mary; without them the excitement is gone. The old saying "A picture is worth a 1000 words" and i can't stand typing a 1000 words.

[walter_degroot]

I have shot a lot of weddings as a invited guest " and please take a lot of photo's"

the best situation is an aunt or pro wedding director moving folks around and doing "police like" duties

once in a while it was my wife , the oldest sister or aunt.

 

I resented the first pro who "ran" a wedding but saw the wisdom of her presence. ( she objected to my battery charger at the wall/corner)

 

depends on the general civility of the guests, but that seems to have left the planet

[cjogo]

JAMEY-- This is why they have moderators--It is not technically "our" site. If others would be less fortunate,,, because of limited dial-up---or bandwidth , that photo.net does not possess....we have to follow their rules/their site. Yes, I love showing photo examples.. simply have the participants, of the thread > directed to your site.. to show your images there. :-)

 

p.s. I think : in a similar related thread -- I spoke of setting our Quantum strobe --at full power and turning the head around --firing directly into the camera~toting crowd behind us. Sending them all off in a scury. We explain "we are just bouncing our light & kindly wait for us to finish." Sure we are frying their retinas and their CCd's

[think27]

Thanks C Jo -

 

Jammey is welcome to post the kind of threads that are appropriate for image responses.. I wrote a detailed email to him explaining what works and doesn't work in the forum.

 

PS you still haven't told me if you know my brother - Mike Ball there in Carmel ;-)

[jmichaelc]

Funny how it only applies in certain areas. CJO - go take a look around and you might realize as someone once said, the wedding fourm is the orphan child of p.net in regards to images. We have to limit our bandwith here so the Lecia forum and others can run it wide open with image postings. The slap on the hand hurts after a while, and at the same time you have to watch others eat the cookies.

 

It's all fun. I just don't like some of the rules as they apply.

 

I can stare at letters to get concepts but i'd much reather stare at illustrations. Just my preference but i'm good at following along :)

[think27]

Jammey - actually it is the Leica forum that is the orphan child.

 

From what I understand...the Leica forum was separate from PN and was finally brought in under the PN umbrella as it was also one of Philip Greenspun's sites. Because they operated under different guidelines and were separate - they are allowed more leeway both in tone and images.

 

If you want to see images...you can always vist the Wedding Critique Forum or the No Words Forum. ;-)

[KenPapai]

<i>"Same wedding, different Uncle Bob ... Fuji DSLR and a freaking laptop and 4X6 printer at the reception making prints for everyone. I kid you not."</i>

<p>

One of the funniest lines I've read in quite some time! Thanks Marc.

Technology rolls on!

[wingedrabbit]

OT: Good, I'll go over to the leica forum and stir up some trouble. Like, "Why would anyone waist their money on such a camera?" and "I'm thinking of buying a leica, which one?" or "When will Leica come out with a digital camera like Canon?" or "I've spent $X,XXX.XX on this Leica system and my pictures still look like crap. What gives?"

[stephen_kruft]

Yes, that is a good story. I have never seen a printer at a wedding.

 

As an amateur who refuses to do weddings but likes to take pictures there, I absolutely never bother or block the photographer. I don't need any shot. I have rarely seen this (but I see people popping disposable camera flashes too close to him or her). A few times I have seen clueless people get right where he or she should be for an important shot and be politely asked to move, which they did. I'm sure I would not hesitate to ask, if I were being paid to get that picture.

[KenPapai]

Personally I'd LOVE to see some sample shots posted that were ruined by guest photogs.

 

To Lauren -- enjoy the wedding as a guest and take as many shots as you require! Just tone down the pro gear and perhaps go with a simpler and smaller diffuser.

 

As to the Leica forum -- the only hater email from PN I ever received was from a certain snobby B* person in that group, "You DON'T know who I am or about me! I went to Harvard and all that and WHO, Ken, are you?! I know people and you probably don't." I tried to be civil with him but he refused any and all reply, as if it were beneath him. The ONLY one I tell you, and from that group. Ick. (and this was all about an Epson class action lawsuit thread in Darkroom forum) (this reminds me of Phil C's recent "stalker" email post)

[john_h.1]

"I noticed she was taking photos of me with her cell phone, then sending them to her friends and having a laugh at their replies."

 

Ben, It would have been even more funny, for you perhaps, had you gotten your own camera out and took a shot of her.

[think27]

Ken - that would be a great thread! Why not start one....

 

But what should be posted is only shots that are ruined by guests at weddings by a video person or an Uncle Bob...

 

Anotherwords... No posts that say - well - my guests are having fun shooting and we all get along fine... see...