Check your background...

[michaelchadwickphotography]

<p><a href="http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/2010/01/05/behind-the-awkwardness-reach-out-and-touch/">http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/2010/01/05/behind-the-awkwardness-reach-out-and-touch/</a></p>

<p>Nothing terribly important - just a good reason why you should 1) hire a professional and not a family member, and 2) <strong>check your backgrounds before you click the shutter!</strong></p>

[savagesax]

Thats just too funny!

[py-photography]

<p>I needed a good laugh today!<br>

hahahha</p>

[kim-maru]

<p>That's one for the out-takes reel for sure! : ) It did however, serve to remind me to do just that---check the background before releasing the shutter. It's very easy to get caught up in the moment, particularly in wedding photography, where things often move pretty quickly and a moment can disappear suddenly only to find out later that I've taken an image that would have been lovely were it not for the tree growing out of someone's head! Thank goodness for PS in those cases! : ) kim</p>

[jimmckinnon]

<p>That's great Michael. Thanks for sharing!</p>

[benjamin_tapper]

<p><a href="http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/2009/12/05/sns-its-right-here/">http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/2009/12/05/sns-its-right-here/</a><br>

Another good one off akward family photos. Yes, check your backgrounds :)</p>

[starvy]

<p>the bride is rather a large lady. this story is too funny!</p>

[david_schilling___chicago_]

<p>I've seen a few out-takes from some beach weddings that had some very interesting subjects in the background and some very funny ones as well.</p>

[wedding-photography-denver]

<p>heh, funny.</p>

<p>I must say though, beautiful light.</p>

[rt_jones]

<p>You guys should try doing wedding video. You'd be surprised at all the nose pickers, crotch scratchers and breast straighteners one picks up in the footage.</p>

[g.e._masana]

<p>I'm still trying to figure out why a photographer would take that picture even if they didn't see the guy on the roof.<br>

The bride's face is almost compeletly turned away, it's completely unflattering to her, her hand on the window looks so awkward, the bouquet cuts right into it all - it's basically just a shot of a big white gown filling up the entire frame... truth be told, the only reason I can think of taking that shot is exactly because her hand looked like it was on the guys' butt. Betcha that's the real story behind it and they're making like it was unplanned.</p>

[ibdnzgr]

<p>I photographed a couple for an engagement session. This was at the end of a pedestrian bridge and leaning back against a railing. Not till later when I enlarged the image to 20x30 did I see graffiti on the railing just to the left of the bride's hand, written in sharpie. Well, I was glad to have caught it and photoshoped it out!</p>

[michaelchadwickphotography]

<p>G.E. - This was not a pro photographer, but rather a sister-in-law. And that's why you hire a pro! : )<br>

The great irony - I actually had trouble with my own wedding photographer. Our beautiful shots at the pier gazebo had to all be photoshopped to remove the "Cut Bait Here" sign just to the right of where he told us to stand. And, he forgot to get the bride alone in her wedding dress at the altar. He was late and I was never told, and didn't see my wife before the wedding, so I assumed he had done them already. Plus, we're musicians in addition to being photographers, and we had problems with the DJ too. How ironic.</p>