Dinner shots?

[steve_gibbs1]

I tell my clients about the policy at booking so they should not have bought me

a dinner. Although some of them will ask again at the wedding, nobody has

ever been offended by this.

 

And yes, business is half psychology.

[anner]

I wouldn't take pictures of guests eating unless it was requested up front by the bride &

groom, and even then I would probably try to stay far away and carefully chose my

moments and expressions. I have no problem taking table shots before people eat, or

after they've had their fill- sometimes the best expressions come from when people are

just visiting with each other. I will, however, take pictures of the food as it is served- be it

plated, buffet, or family style- with the emphasis on the food and not the people.

[timcorridan]

o.k so whats your favorite meal youve ever had? hmm this could be another post huh. whats the most elaborate dinning experience youve had at a wedding youve shot?

[todd frederick]

I always require a dinner, especially if I've worked for six hours and face four or so more. The clients also insist that I eat and when there is an assistant, the assistant eats too.

 

I do not go around and take photos of people just eating. I do follow the B&G around after they have eaten and do some table greeting photos or some set-ups such as displayed above.

 

If I haven't finished my dinner, I will go back and catch a few bites between taking the greeting shots. Be sure you leave a note on your plate for the servers not to remove it. I made that mistake once.

[fotografz]

We have it in the contract that we are invited guests. It assures you are in the main room if

something worth shooting occurs. We request to be at a table off in the corner against a

wall. The DJ usually eats with us. I photograph my plate(s) when it comes. The table

setting, and the favors as well as the table decorations. It's part of covering the details.

 

Not to mention that we are human and have to eat.

 

Not one issue with this from clients yet.

[lex_jenkins]

These are tricky issues and I can comment only from a limited perspective. And, consistent with my inability to make a long story short, this involves a personal anecdote that I hope won't bore or irritate everyone. Feel free to skip it.

 

In general, I agree, folks don't like to be photographed eating. They don't mind so much being photographed drinking because it's a bit less unflattering.

 

Anyway, you're unlikely to get any good photos of people eating unless you're part of the family or they're good friends of yours. Folks who take snapshots of each other while eating will probably get better results than the official photographer.

 

As for eating at the wedding, it's never a problem for me. I shoot weddings only for family and friends, and always as wedding gifts. So there's never any question that I can eat with everyone else. The issue never arises.

 

However, in actual practice I do little more than snack around. These affairs seldom last long enough that my blood sugar drops to the point where I'm in danger of passing out in the wedding cake.

 

I don't drink alcohol if I'm the photographer - I have a hard enough time handholding steadily when I'm sober. And I try to limit my intake of soda, punch, tea, water, whatever, to less than 16 ounces. That seems to be about the limit, beyond which I have to go pee. And I don't want to miss anything.

 

Okay, that aside, if I decided to turn this into a part-time or full-time actual for real business, I'd stipulate in my contract that I get to eat and I get a place at a table along with everyone else. It can be in a corner next to the kitchen, that's fine.

 

There was a time when I wouldn't have stipulated this. But several years ago I had an experience that changed my mind.

 

I was directing a production of "To Kill a Mockingbird" for a well funded theatre group. At one point toward the end of rehearsal, when things were shaping up nicely, I was asked to stage a scene from the play for the local country club, where some folks on the theatre board were members. This is a common practice for fundraisers and to raise community awareness of the play and theatre group. I gladly agreed and chose a small handful from the large cast to accomodate the small makeshift area in the dining room.

 

I had assumed - obviously mistakenly - that my cast would be seated and fed either before or after the performance. This was normal practice in my experience, even with the smallest theatre groups operating on shoestring budgets.

 

When it turned out that the woman who had asked us to stage the scene had made no arrangements for us and, in fact, seemed haughty about the very notion, I had to call on my most tactful manner. I hastily met with the actor playing Atticus to discuss the situation. He had a much greater stature in our theatre community and I wanted his advice and support. He agreed that it would be disrespectful to ask us to perform without inviting us to join them at the table.

 

Also, we had children with us (Scout and Jem) who were excited about the prospect of being invited to the country club and I wasn't about to disappoint them. (Besides, the actress who played Scout was absolutely charming and has since gone on to have a successful career in films and television - entirely due to her talent and support from her family and despite my inept direction. Okay, I lie, I did a bang up job on that play.)

 

So, we got things resolved, were hastily seated around the dining room and if there were any repercussions I didn't take note of them. I wasn't a regular member of that theatre group and for various other reasons would not likely have been invited back anyway. ("Mockingbird" will always be a controversial play under the best of circumstances and, predictably, we experienced our share of strained relationships. However, I've never believed that everyone has to be friends to make great art. We only have to agree to work together on a common vision. In fact, I believe that friction sometimes produces greater work because it elevates the determination of those who are involved. But I don't care for the gimmick of provoking needless friction.)

 

So the main reason I'd make this stipulation is because it clarifies a point of respect with the client. It may seem like a small point, especially if you don't eat or drink anyway. (I would at least sit down for a few minutes and chat with the folks at my table.) But I firmly believe it's essential to distinguish yourself from the caterer, DJ and busboys. Out of necessity the photographer has a higher profile. Your interaction with the people being photographed has an effect on the quality of the photographs. If you are not permitted to join the wedding guests at the table it can reinforce the senses of a wall between you and those you're photographing. It's little more than a token symbol of your position at the event.

[fotografz]

Good post Lex.

[steve_levine]

I think some of the posters here work for very low fees, and work in fire houses, VFWs and American Legion halls. You will find that as you increase your fees enough to make a living from weddings. That the quality of the venues you work improves.

[david_schilling___chicago_]

Steve, Only partly true....as you find yourself at the really nicest venues you may find that you have 10-15 minutes to compete with the band at a sandwhich fixins spread in some back room or eating a fancy box lunch in the kitchen....been there, done that.

[Dave Gardner]

The brides I've dealt with so far always provide us with a dinner. However i always tell them not to pay for a plate for me...just my assistant and if its OK, I'll just pick at the small stuff, but i ask for a table off in a corner, and not with guests because of the equipment we carry.

 

My reasoning for not eating dinner i tell them is this...they always serve the head table first then fan out to the other tables...hence the table arrangements. SO by the time they get to us and or the DJ, the head table is done eating and the B&G are going to the tables that are also done to visit with the guests. I always ask in advance if the B&G will go from table to table...this way I'm ready for the shots...i don't pose them with the table...i just take candids.

 

So taking shots during the dinner IMO is a must...because not everyone is eating...and some are just chilling out...and i get some great shots. It's also a great time to get to kid with the guests...i would always look for a table with older people(grandma's etc) and would say something like...the bride told me to keep an eye on this table because you guys get loud and act up...it usually gets a smile and breaks the ice.

 

As far as driking...i like "Merlot"...and will always have a glass...but i do tip.

 

Dave