Where do you stand during the ceremony?

[john_mauser]

Where do you place yourself during the ceremony if you don't have an

assistant to place somewhere. Do you sit at the back with a long

lens and tripod and take your closeups and wide angle shots there.

Or do you slip up towards the front for the ceremony shots (possibly

in one of the pews or up front shooting the back of the groom and the

front of the bride). The only photographer I've watched shoot a

wedding stood at the back of the aisle the whole time. Is it even

possible to slip back and forth without being noticed. Thanks, John

[Jerry_]

Here goes a general answer:

 

 

1. Ask the minister or priest what is acceptable?

 

 

 

2. Ask the bride's mom (and/or the bride) if any 'scooting' around is OK or not?

 

 

 

3. If the church has a balconey, chances are you can shoot a few shots from 'up' there (no flash, tripod, available light) and if the service is long enough, use a wide-angle and maybe a short tele for your images.

 

 

If no balconey is available, you can shoot from mid-way back in the church (a 80-200mm f2.8 lens does well) with a tripod and no flash.

 

 

 

4. Then (if you were upstairs, back to the main floor) get ready for the couple's first kiss.

[timberwolf1]

Gerald's answer is generally good. However, do not rely on the Bride's answer. It is the

officiator you want to talk to.

 

The safest position, if you don't know where to be, is in the extreme back of the church.

You can walk up at the moment they begin to kiss.

 

The noise of the camera is quieter if you stay in the back of the church. Noise is the

major issue here. Use a Rollei TLR or Leica if you can! A Hasselblad ELM is the wrong

camera to use at this time.

[todd frederick]

I agree with both of the above, but each event is different. Generally, the photographer is not allowed up front and must work from the back with no flash.

 

There are exceptions. I once photographed a wedding where both the priest and the couple had me stand right next to the priest at the altar to photograph each "sponsor" bringing their special religious item to the front. This was very important to them. on the other hand, I once did an outdoor wedding and the Episcopal priest would not allow me to take any photographs at all. She said it was disrespectful to the sacredness of the ceremony and I could "recreate" it after the ceremony, but she had no problem with video!

 

The primary person to ask is, as stated above, the officient: priest, judge, Rabbi, etc. He or she controls the ceremony.

 

I usually use a 35mm with a telephoto and 400/800 film for this, but on two recent occasions the chapel was so small and dark, that my little Olympus C-5050 digital did the trick much better and much more quietly than a film camera.

 

Try to get this information before the wedding day and bring what you need for the unexpected. Often you can call a church or temple coordinator as well to get this information.

 

The only thing that irritates me is when I can't use flash, but dozens of flashes fire all through the ceremony from the guests.

[todd frederick]

Simply as an example I am attaching one of the photos I took with the digital C-5050 from the back of the small chapel in Glen Ellen CA, from the back of the center aisle. It was only about twenty feet to the front of the church, and the noice of the 35mm would have been distracting, but the quietness of the digital, on a tripod, was appropriate for this situation, and did not give me the heavy grain I would have had with a high speed film. I did not plan to use that piece of equipment but I'm glad I brought it with me. Go the wedding prepared for anything!<div></div>

[picturesque]

I agree with Timber--always ask the priest or church's wedding coordinator. Also ask them where you can stand for the processional and whether you can use flash and come closer to the couple when they kiss (besides asking whether flash is allowed during the ceremony). If you want to work at the church again, always obey their "rules". In most Christian weddings, once the ceremony starts, I go to the back of the church, get a few overall shots while the priest is giving his intro talk, then if allowed, I walk to the front side aisle to photograph any readers, singers, B&G, parents, etc. You can't walk to the front unnoticed--but be as quite and purposeful as possible. After that, I usually walk to the back again, and up to the balcony if one is available (another thing to check with the priest about--sometimes the door is locked unless you ask) for the acutal vows. I try to photograph any candle lighting from the balcony (gives a better angle) and then as soon as that is done, I hurry back down to the church floor since sometimes things end quickly and you don't want to be caught off guard when they kiss. I sometimes re-stage the ring exchange as close-ups later. I always try to find out the sequence of events since some ceremonies can be very different. Also, if the priest says anything goes, take his word and get the shots, even walking onto the altar if he encourages you to do so. In some cultures, photography, flash and all, is just fine anywhere you want. I failed to follow a priest's instructions to "take any pictures anywhere I wanted" once and later, when I asked for re-enactments, refused to do them.

[fotografz]

90% of my ceremony shots are taken on a tripod using a cable release due to using slow

shutter speeds.

 

I either shoot from a balcony if there is one, or from the middle of the aisle with the

camera as high as I can get it ( I even use a small step stool that resides permanently in

my vehicle). By getting high I can avoid the sea of "back of heads" and zero in on the

action... usually with a mix of primes like a 85/1.2 and 135/2. At that distance, shooting

wide open apertures presents less depth of field problems. I leave the camera on a flash

bracket with the flash turned off during the ceremony so I can pop it off and dash forward

for the recession with the flash turned on.<div></div>

[think27]

Wonderful church shots here! Well done... Love that warm lighting. <p>Agree with all here. Officiant is the key. But also the couple. I've had occassions where the officiant was cool but the couple wanted me to be in the balconey only! <p>I also used to get frustrated when the officiant would tell me no flash and the guests would be flashing away. Finally, I decided to do this.. When the officiant is telling me "the rules"... I nicely explain that I don't use flash during the ceremony -- but that sometimes I like to use flash during the exchange of the rings (only if it is a particularly dark church). What I say is -- that if I see that guests are shooting with flash - I will also take a shot or two. I explain that it just doesn't make sense that the guests get the shots and the hired professional does not.

[todd frederick]

If I use digital, I can correct for white balance, but I like the warmth as well.

 

The step stool idea is excellent. I have one with three steps and it folds flat. It is useful for ceremony shots and for receptions as well. I try to keep things simple and carry as little as possible, but the step stool is a good tool.

 

This is off topic, but I also use one of those folding luggage carriers to move my bags around and keep my hands free.

 

On the positive side, I find that the back of the church (etc.) is really the best location. I rarely can get a good angle on both the bride and groom from the side.

[john_mauser]

Thank you very much to everyone for your help. I'll be sure to go over the rules ahead of time with the official. I plan to have my camera on tripod with a quick release at the back of the Church. Shooting without flash and with a release. And then pop the camera off the tripod and turn on the flash as soon as the ceremony is over. My Elan 7 is pretty quiet but I still don't wan't to upset anybody during the ceremony by sneaking up front(unless they say it's okay). I just mainly wanted to know from the experienced wedding photographers what they were used to...and I appreciate all your help and answers. John

ps. keep'em coming

[timberwolf1]

I started wearing all black clothing in about 1977. I think I was the first to do this. The

purpose of this, is to remove any viewer attraction to you during the ceremony as you

"lurk around". A "black blob" is not interesting. Don't be a photographer that 'turns

heads' during the ceremony! The added benefit of "black' is that I don't have to wear a

coat to be somewhat in color key with black and white attired wedding guests. I wear a

black photographer's vest, and I need aplace to put my Minolta Flash meter. I need a place

to put film, I need a place to put batteries, I need a place to put an extra lens....

[think27]

Timber - Like your feedback on this point....In my opinion, black is the best color to wear in order to blend in... Also -- ;-) rubber soled shoes... soooo quiet - especially in church.

[cassarilda]

YES! Dont wear squeaky shoes! If youre going to talk to the officiant/priest at the location, take the oppurtunity to wear the shoes you plan to on the day to make sure they dont squeak! :)

 

About moving around, the photographer I used to work for walked around (after checking with the officiant/priest), cos then you get good crowd shots (eg expressions of bridesmaids/groomsmen and parents etc).

 

Once you get into it, you may find you go to the same location and same officiant/priest many times, so make sure you listen to them, be courteous and get a good relationship going because then they will be more likely to give you more leyway for your photography.

[todd frederick]

I also started wearing all black a few years ago. I wear a black jacket (not coat) and can take it off when it gets warm. I look like a cat burgler, but it works. No tie, since it gets in the way. The only glitch are my shoes. I finally found some good flat soled skate-boarder shoes that don't cause foot pain and are totally silent, even on hard floors, but they are dark gray. I need to find the same thing in black.

 

I had some film stolen from my bag a few years ago, including an exposed roll, so I keep all exposed film in a slim black leather fanny-pack. I also keep the film inside a Zip-lock bag, since s dring was spilled on me once. I got the idea of the black outfit from a studio videographer, and it works great. I'm not noticed at all.

 

Also keep a change of clothes in the car if something is spilled on you.

 

Sweaky shoes are a problem, but once a guest mentioned that he could hear the keys in my pocket. I did not notice. I now keep my keys in my bag or wrapped tightly in a handkerchief, as well as coins.

 

Many little things we don't notice!

[mattalofs]

On the topic of noise, you never realize how noisy velcro is until you open your camera bag in the middle of a ceremony.

[Jeffrey L.T. von Glück]

I only shot a handful of weddings many years ago as an assistant while in college and I remember that in most Catholic churches you were allowed to go anywhere, shoot anything during the wedding Mass--generally, no restrictions. The Protestant pastors tended to be tougher hombres when it came to photographers, at least that's how I remember it from the late 70s. I'd check with the officiant before hand so he or she doesn't freak out during the ceremony. Good luck.

[bill c.]

The ceremony is where I relax a little bit and slow down. The only shots I usually get during the ceremony are the kiss and some overalls from the back of the room. If a Catholic ceremony, where the bride visits the shrine to St. Mary, if a Jewish ceremony, where the glass is smashed, and other particular events, but I usually try to stay very low-key.

 

On wearing black-- here's a tip for the true pros: wear black underwear. This is EXTREMELY important! As a photographer you will be bending down a lot, and if the seam in your well-used working tux goes out on you, at least you won't have white cotton showing. -Bill C.

[._._z]

I don't stand on ceremony.