Good morning world! However, not such a good one for me.
Lately I had the opportunity to work with an amazing couple. I was hired as the
main wedding photographer to capture the one very special moment in their lives
that will remain as a reminder of their wedding for the remainder of their
lives. Let me restate this a little clearer, I am capturing something that cannot
be duplicated, cannot be recreated, and cannot be re-shot. I am stopping
moments in time for two people who trust me with completing the task of providing
them the ONLY tangible memories of the day they became man and wife. Unfortunately
at every wedding something is bound to go wrong. At the consultation I warn the couple about the things that can happen so they are prepared, however I forgot to warn
myself of what could go wrong on my part for this last wedding.
If you are a seasoned or professional photographer who has
shot a wedding, you know as well as I do that we work weddings with a silent code
of conduct. One of the main rules of this conduct is to stay out of the hired photographer’s
way if you are a guest at the wedding. Some also argue whether or not to show up
with your professional gear and snap photos of the wedding at all. Personally
If I were a guest at a wedding I would leave my gear at home. Although, it is
very rare that I am ever invited to a wedding as a guest, I would rather enjoy
myself then work if I was. But to each their own.
Before I continue, I will note that I do NOT mind the Uncle
Bobs or Aunt Suzie’s at the weddings I am shooting. I don’t mind all the cell
phones or tablets that line up behind me like the paparazzi. I really don’t mind
if you only have a DSLR and bring it to shoot photos of your loved ones. I
actually encourage wedding guest to take images so the bride and groom have
next day access to the images, since wedding packages can take up to 3 months
to be completed during the busy season. I
don’t mind all of this as long as they do not get in my way and hinder what I
am paid, and under contract to do.
Now let me explain why I am beyond livid. The couple that
hired me are super sweet, and so amazing to work with. The bride was beautiful
in her heart line, rhinestone embroidered dress. She was radiant as she stood at the end of the aisle to finally become one with her other half. They have planned
every detail down to the rhinestones glued to the table decor. They have been
nervously and anxiously awaiting this moment for a very long time. Everything
was to be perfect as she walked down the aisle glowing with love, her father by
her side, holding back tears. I slowly come out of the isle to capture this one
moment in time that can NEVER be brought back, and then BOOM a guest with a
DSLR, jumps in front of my shot, on camera flash roaring and ready to go. As
many of us pros know, DSLRs have the ability to sync with other DSLRs and their
external flashes. This is the time when I know all my fellow photographers
reading this are on the edge of their seats cringing, thinking, OMG NOOOOOO…
Not only is she in the shot, but my external flash, like women’s menstrual cycles,
has synced together. Every time she hits her flash my flash pops too. Thus over
exposing the photos. I rush like a mad man looking at the bride with horror,
hoping the other lady would MOVE IT so I can get this moment. Nope. The guest
has her finger clamped to the rapid fire button, on automatic, shooting like
it’s an AK47 in the middle of a war zone. Needless to say, anyone who has shot
a wedding knows exactly how these shots came out. In panic I too begin to rapid
fire praying to the good Lord that I will get an image that is not overexposed, underexposed, out of focus, or contains a woman with a camera in it. I managed to get ONE.
ONE good photo and the bride is looking down because of the abundant amount of
flash photography that is spilling her way. Not only did “Aunt Suzie” (how we
refer to the other “photographers” or people with DSLRs at weddings that follow
the main photographer taking every photo the photographer does) continue to shoot through the
ceremony, she took it well on into the rest of the day. Every MUST HAVE special
moment, there she was, shooting over me, behind me, in front of me. Our cameras
in sync so that even when I am not shooting my flash is blinding me in the eyes
because she is. All my posed shots, styled shots, candid shots, there she was
popping away like a very amateur photographer trying to outdo me at a wedding I
am contracted for.
Now that I have explained my situation I will go on to give
advice. Not only to future brides and grooms, but future Uncle Bobs or Aunt Suzie’s,
people who want to get photos at the wedding, and photographers who are wedding
guests. You need to know these things happen and will ruin the photos that the
main photographer is trying to get. Although I have heard of this exact
incident happening before, I have never had it happen to me, so I put my guard
down. The main wedding photographer is hired by the bride and groom for one
specific reason, to capture their ONE day they have spent thousands of dollars
on so they have something to remember it by. We are capturing split seconds of emotion that cannot be recreated. It is not your job as a person
with a “nice camera” to fulfill the
contract that they have signed and agreed upon. I DON’T mind if you want to whip
out your camera, snap photos with your phone, video with your tablets, or
camcorders. I am prepared to work with you, alongside you, heck I'll even help
you adjust your settings so your photos don’t come out orange and blurry, but
for the love of everything holy, PLEASE DO NOT jump in front of the
photographer, and continue to shoot the wedding like you were the hired help. Stay
out of the way of the person who was paid and is liable for anything that goes
wrong. I wish I could have pulled this lady aside and asked her to stop, but I
am too passive, and didn't want to hurt anyone’s feelings, or upset anyone. I
hate when people are mad at me, but today I am mad at myself, because I cannot
go back and ask the bride to re-walk down the wedding isle with her dad.
All you professional photographers out there, aspiring
photographers, armatures, hobbyists this one is for you. Leave the DSLR at
home, bring a point and shoot, a camera phone, and enjoy yourself. Weddings are meant to be enjoyed, but in a
fast paced rapidly changing world, with technology galore, many of us have forgotten
how to sit back and take in the excitement of the day. I am not a wedding
photographer full time. I specialize in styled child and high school senior
portraits. But I love weddings so I take on a limited few each year. I am on my
10th wedding in the business, and sadly I have watched them become
more of a “who can capture what” moment rather than a moment of happiness,
enjoyment and unity. With everyone these days whipping out the camera phone so
quickly to capture our food, or our favorite drink, we have slowly forgotten
how to just enjoy life. So please I beg of every one of you reading this, when
at a wedding, do not hinder the photographer from completing what he or she is
there to do, be respectful, get your shots, but don’t ruin the memories that
the bride and groom hired us to capture because at the end of the day, we are
the ones who have to explain this to them with a lump in our throats, and a
heavy heart. This is how to ruin a wedding photo.
