How do you act as a pro photographer when you are a guest at a wedding

[green_photog]

<blockquote>

<p>Those people who bring 70-200 + 5D2 to a wedding are generally not "pro photographers" or at least someone who shoots for profit as your question indicates. They are just people with expensive gears but have no better place to use them except in a wedding.<br>

Interesting. I would just <em>love </em>to know where you got your stats on that from :)</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Just my own generalization. If Yervant goes to a wedding as guest, do you think he cares to break out his 70-200 plus 1Ds3 and take a few shots from the side?</p>

<p>Weddings are good occasions for GWAC to test out either their shinny new pink camera or their expensive 70-200 IS lens. I have seen people shadowing me with the shinny Iphone the entire ceremony too. </p>

<p>That's why I said people with pro gear as guests at a wedding aren't usually pro or shooting for profits, they are just guys with expensive gears with no better place to use them other than weddings.</p>

<p> </p>

[pete_s.]

<p>A photographer (paid or not) is an observer, not a participant. I'd rather be a participant when someone I care about is getting married. So camera gear stays home.</p>

<p>On our future wedding we have decided to have something like this on the invitation: "The B&G would like you to turn of your phones, leave your cameras at home and just fully enjoy the day!". A pro will shoot of course.</p>

[bruce_rubenstein]

<blockquote>

<p>"The B&G would like you to turn of your phones, leave your cameras at home and just fully enjoy the day!"</p>

</blockquote>

<p>So long as they enjoy the day the way you want them to. The boundless arrogance of some of the kids in this forum is breathtaking. So if someone take out their phone, are you going to confiscate it, or just not give them their goodie bag?</p>

[david_schilling___chicago_]

<p>There's no simple right or wrong and each wedding can have very different dynamics. I'll bring one camera with a good over-all zoom lens and external flash....I leave my bag in the car and I skip the use of a camera bracket. I'll pay attention to the hired pros and stay out of their way. Once the DJ and videographer started the bouquet toss and garter sequence while the pro was in the hallway doing backdrop shots....I covered the moment and got the shots and offerred the film to the pro who politely declined and I gave the negs/prints to the B/G.....turns out that the photographer was a bit of a jerk and the DJ & videoguy wasn't worried if he was involved. The photography was shooting Hassys and was a bit of a prima donna. I knew both studio owners for the stills shooter and video guy. After the wedding I called the videoguy's photography director (who was a friend) and informed him of the non-pro behavior of his employee.....I let the photographer explain himself for completely missing both the bouquet toss and garter sequence.</p>

<p>What I do not do when I'm a guest......I'm not working, I do not take hundreds of shots. I do not post a gallery to smugmug and offer prints for sale at a reduced price or at cost, I'd happily post 1, 2, or 3 images to Facebook to celebrate a friends wedding and not to showcase my photography.</p>

[fuccisphotos]

<p>I would never, EVER, take shots behind the hired pro at the wedding. Knowing that drives me nuts when I'm shooting, mainly because of wandering eyes, keeps me from ever doing that to someone else. And I'm not talking about taking shots the whole event, trying to add things to my portfolio. I'm just talking about a few decent snaps of say just me and the bride, or my husband and I all dolled up, or to take some shots of my own friends dancing at the reception. And lastly, to have my gear there on the off chance something happens to the pro. <br>

For example, my friend went to a wedding this weekend, and the couple (english isn't isn't their first language) misunderstood the contract and thought the videography company would have a still photographer as well. So to their total surprise, they ONLY had a pro videographer that day. Luckily my friend brought his DSLR, and as he put it, played photographer for the day. Now my friend isn't a pro at all, and it shows the quality of photos you get when an uncle bob who doesn't really know how to use their camera in low light situations will end up shooting, but still it was better than nothing!<br>

So maybe after reading all these posts, I'll just bring my old rebel and throw on the 50mm. Better than nothing, but not as obtrusive.</p>

[Dave Luttmann]

<p>I just bring a point and shoot, or a small 35mm film camera....like my Minolta X700 and Tri-X. Nothing fancy. I'm there to enjoy....so it's just snapshot mode.</p>

[tk3foto]

<p>I do not like to attend weddings that I do not shoot. Maybe it's an ego thing, but I have seen such unprofessional behavior by photographers at the last two weddings I attended as a guest. First, the wedding photographer did not take pictures of the table arrangements or the guests at the reception because she was too busy on the cell phone. At the last wedding I attended the photographer was the first person in the buffet line ahead of the wedding party and the invited guests and left before the toasts by the best man and matron of honor.<br>

Strangely I was asked by the brides of both weddings to provide them with the images that I took. Since both were friends of the family I agreed, but I reminded them both that they could have simply hired me.</p>

[green_photog]

<blockquote>

<p>I do not like to attend weddings that I do not shoot.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>After I've started shooting weddings, why would I ever want to go to another one unless it is absolutely necessary if I'm not working there? I don't like all the waiting for the bride to show up, waiting in between ceremony and reception, waiting for the dinner to start, or the speeches to end, you name it.</p>

<p> </p>

[david_schilling___chicago_]

<p>Vail, I do bring my bag of gear which includes back-up equipment but leave that in the car....on the off chance that something happens to the pro, or the couple hires an inept photographer who doesn't bring their own backup gear.....just in case.</p>

[fuccisphotos]

<p>That's a good idea David.</p>

[fld]

<p>I have probably said this sometime before in here, but when I go as a guest, I take one camera, usually my Leica iiif, and shoot one roll of color neg. Before I leave, I give that roll to the happy couple and tell them that I got the pix that their hired pro didn't get. That's my wedding gift.<br>

Never had the roll handed back!</p>

 

[bruce_rubenstein]

<p>The couple would be even happier if you gave them Leica, so they could fondle it on their wedding night and have the best orgasms ever.</p>

[ryan_k]

<p>For most of my friend's weddings I am asked (with permission to the paid photog, if there is one, of course) to supplement the day with nice shots. I will bring one of my SLRs only if this is the case, and I make sure to stay out of the way. My contributions are then looked at as a backup / gift to the bride and groom, as they KNOW me and they know what level of work my style produces, whereas the hired photog may be an unknown variable, as much as you try to select the best within your budget.<br>

Otherwise, I have a nice little Yashica Lynx 14 E rangefinder that I carry around. I do not take my SLR and lighting equipment, and don't even bother with flash.</p>

<p>Enjoying a wedding, for me, always means having a camera in-hand. However, it does not always mean that you should take any prominence over the hired professional. </p>

<p>-Rk</p>

[kendra_gill]

<p>To be honest I consider myself semi-pro, stuck in the middle for now. Had classes, have an art degree, but a lack of experience. I was in a wedding 3 weeks ago and you're right. I took my lighter weight camera just for some fun candids and there were guests with nicer pro cameras. I always look at it like this though. Owning a top of the line paint brush doesn't make you Picasso. The valuable skill and experience you have doesn't get overshadowed by an expensive piece of equipment. My feelings in your case are, if you are related to the bride or groom, or you are requested to bring your camera, you are okay bringing whichever equipment you like. BUT I also feel that if you aren't close to the bridal party (ie. a co-worker of your spouse), don't get sucked into doing a job for free. My husband is a caterer and I can't tell you how many people ask him to cook at their parties for free because their aquaintences of ours.</p>