A problem with a wedding photographer!!!please help

bellaPictures · Dec 1, 2005

Hello all, this may be abit long...

My cousin is getting married in January 2006 and they have hired a professional wedding photographer. I have no problems with that at all and the reason why they didnt want me to do it is because they didnt want me to work on that day. But because i love photography, im going to take photos anyway.

So my cousin mentioned to her photographer that i will be there on the day to take pics also and she also mentioned that im pretty good!

Anyway, their photographer is NOT happy with that at all and she said that its in their contract that other photographers are NOT allowed on the day. Is this right, ive never heard of that before. He said that, because he was paid to do a job, he fears that having another photog there might get in his way and he wont be able to do his job affectively. And also he's afraid that im going to take all this shots when he poses them etc. Im so upset about this when my cousin told me. I dont know what to do now.

please help me!!! i thought anyone is welcome to take pics of bride/groom on their wedding day! What should i do?? Not taking my camera for this specal event is NOT an option at all!!!

thanks for reading!

thebeginning · Dec 1, 2005

i know it seems frusterating, but he does kind of have a point. If you were the pro photographer at a wedding and there was someone else taking pictures seriously there too, especially of some of the poses you set up, it might steal your thunder. I'd recommend taking the camera but just make sure you dont get in his way or take pictures that he poses. Just common courtesy. I dont think he can actually prohibit you from taking pictures, but it would be polite to appear as 'point and shootish' as possible (bring minimal equipment). I think if he said that there can be no other photographers on the day that means no other paid photographers, so you should be okay with that.

DocFrankenstein · Dec 1, 2005

That's pretty standard for pro photographers. He's there to make money off your cousin and if you take pics and they're "quite good" as your cousin described it, it defeats the purpose and he's gonna have less sales.

And he's probably charging 30 bucks per print too.

danalec99 · Dec 2, 2005

I'd be happy if someone would take care of all the posed shots!

Anyway, their photographer is NOT happy with that at all and she said that its in their contract that other photographers are NOT allowed on the day. Is this right, ive never heard of that before.

yes, some of them have that clause in their contract.

I agree with thebeginning said. There are gonna be a zillion uncle Bobs. As long as you are not in the hired photographer's way, there shouldn't be an issue. Be creative and shoot what he is not covering.

ksmattfish · Dec 2, 2005

This is fairly typical, particularly if the paid photog is making their money off print sales. I even have a similar clause in my wedding photography contract, even though I really don't mind other photographers. Then again, I don't make my money selling prints. It's in the contract because I need to be in charge of the photography to get the job done. Additional photographers can cause a lot of different problems from their flashes wrecking my shots, to the subjects looking at other people's cameras when I need them to look at my camera, to just slowing down the photo schedule.

I'd suggest that the B & G explain to the pro that you aren't an additional hired photographer, but just a guest who happens to be a photographer, and you won't be getting in the pro's way, or "stealing" their shots. There may be issues with flash photography if the pro is using old-school flash slaves, but anything modern is going to use radio remotes.

When you get to the wedding introduce yourself to the pro. Let them know you'll be staying out of their way, you just love the couple and love photography. Hopefully they will understand, and it won't be a big deal. If not, well, the couple should have asked about this before signing the contract.

For all the grief pros post (not at TPF, but at more wedding photography oriented sites) about amateur photogs as guests at weddings, I've never had any major problems with the guests shooting away. I try to accomodate them as much as I can, even allowing them to shoot during the posed photos, as long as they let me get my shots first, but as I said, I'm not selling prints. I doubt a wedding photog who makes their money on the prints would tolerate this.

Big Mike · Dec 2, 2005

You can't fault someone for trying to protect their income, especially if that's their sole source.

I'm not a pro photographer, but for most of my friend's & family's weddings...I'm 'hired' to take photos. I do what ever the pro does not. Usually starts in the morning with the getting ready shots, candids at the wedding & even during the formals. Then the whole reception. I try to stay away from the pro, not so much because I don't want to piss them off...but because I don't want or need to copy or cover what they are doing. I like to find something more unique...or at least a different vantage point than the the pro.

bethany138 · Dec 2, 2005

"The original theme song to the Transformers was actually "Chuck Norris--more than meets the eye, Chuck Norris--robot in disguise," and starred Chuck Norris as a Texas Ranger who defended the earth from drug-dealing Decepticons and could turn into a pick-up. This was far too much awesome for a single show, however, so it was divided. "

HAHHAHAHHA.. thats fabulous! :lmao: :lmao:

Anyway. ... back to the topic - he's right... if he's selling prints.. get out of the way. Take less equipment (like somebody else said) and don't take his posed shots, after the Bride has ok'ed this with him. This is his job and likely his main source of income so be nice.

Golden Rule of Wedding Photography:

Do not get in the photogs way cause if you were the hired photog you wouldn't want people in your way. lol.. yeah.. thats it. Listen to my wisdom.

ksmattfish · Dec 2, 2005

When I go to a wedding as a guest I bring one of my odd cameras, and just have fun. Try for the less obvious, less typical shots. Hopefully the pro is decent and will cover those. You can offer the B & G a different angle.

Tally Ho · Dec 2, 2005

One reason that pros don't want 'Uncle Charlie' with his camera is that he can be a pain in the the backside. I was shooting a wedding a number of years ago and the bride and groom wanted all of the photographs done after the ceremony. That means we had about 45 minutes to do all of the posed shots at the altar. I always start with the biggest group and work down, so I get everyone posed and made several images, then I started to step from behind the camera to rearrange the pose. That's when 'Uncle Charlie' swings into action. He stops me and says he wants to take a shot for himself. So he whips up his 1975 Canon AE 1 with a tiny Vivitar 101 flash unit perched on top of it and begins to compose the shot. The group was quite large, and all he had was a 50mm lens, so he starts walking toward the back so he can get everyone in the viewfinder. I was using a wide angle lens and was about 15 feet up the center aisle and he walks past me and my tripod by about 10 feet and stops, turns and looks through his viewfinder again. He likes the composition, but my equipment is in the way of his shot, and he tells me that I will have to move my camera and tripod and one of my light stands that had an A/C powered monolight on it. So I move everything, and he carefully focuses and presses the shutter button. The flash doesn't fire. So he looks at the flash unit then he asks the group to hold it for one more shot as he forgot to turn the flash on. He turns it on and the wait begins. After about 20 seconds he informs everyone that he thought his batteries were good, after all they were new three years ago when he put the camera away and he can't figure out why they were not up to powering up a little flash unit now. The bride by this time is getting really mad, so she not so nicely tells him to sit down because she doesn't have all day to wait for his camera batteries to recharge. He took the hint and we finished within the allotted time.

TH

panzershreck · Dec 2, 2005

my suggestions:

http://www.80stees.com/images/products/MacGyver-Tee-shirt.jpg

thebeginning · Dec 2, 2005

Tally Ho said:
One reason that pros don't want 'Uncle Charlie' with his camera is that he can be a pain in the the backside. I was shooting a wedding a number of years ago and the bride and groom wanted all of the photographs done after the ceremony. That means we had about 45 minutes to do all of the posed shots at the altar. I always start with the biggest group and work down, so I get everyone posed and made several images, then I started to step from behind the camera to rearrange the pose. That's when 'Uncle Charlie' swings into action. He stops me and says he wants to take a shot for himself. So he whips up his 1975 Canon AE 1 with a tiny Vivitar 101 flash unit perched on top of it and begins to compose the shot. The group was quite large, and all he had was a 50mm lens, so he starts walking toward the back so he can get everyone in the viewfinder. I was using a wide angle lens and was about 15 feet up the center aisle and he walks past me and my tripod by about 10 feet and stops, turns and looks through his viewfinder again. He likes the composition, but my equipment is in the way of his shot, and he tells me that I will have to move my camera and tripod and one of my light stands that had an A/C powered monolight on it. So I move everything, and he carefully focuses and presses the shutter button. The flash doesn't fire. So he looks at the flash unit then he asks the group to hold it for one more shot as he forgot to turn the flash on. He turns it on and the wait begins. After about 20 seconds he informs everyone that he thought his batteries were good, after all they were new three years ago when he put the camera away and he can't figure out why they were not up to powering up a little flash unit now. The bride by this time is getting really mad, so she not so nicely tells him to sit down because she doesn't have all day to wait for his camera batteries to recharge. He took the hint and we finished within the allotted time.

TH

hahahaha.

loved the story :lmao: :thumbsup:

danalec99 · Dec 2, 2005

he thought his batteries were good, after all they were new three years ago when he put the camera away and he can't figure out why they were not up to powering up a little flash unit now.

:lmao:

bellaPictures · Dec 3, 2005

Thanks so much for all the advice. I told my cousin, i will NOT be in his way at all and will make myself guest. I dont intent to take any of his posed shots at all either, i like to be different and unique. But i can understand his point of view as well. I was just pissed off that he told my cousin, he doesnt think i should be at the wedding at all!

Kent Frost · Dec 4, 2005

Now for a photographer to suggest not allowing someone into the wedding is a bit stupid, but I do understand why he has that clause. A perfect example would be when I helped out my brother with a wedding in Illinois. Whenever we were doing the posed group shots, we used 2 slave flashes on light stands, and he used a main flash on the camera body as a master. Now, keep in mind, these slaves weren't radio controled, they were optical slaves. So ANYONE'S flash could have set them off, then we'd have to wait for the lights to recharge for the next shot. Sometimes we didn't notice it before it was too late, and some of the photos ended up strangely lit. That's not very professional. During this shooting session, it was HIGHLY essential that no one with cameras be in the area at that time, unless of course they knew how to turn their flashes off. But there's no way in hell I would move all my stuff so "Uncle Charlie" could get his shot. People are going to get their prints of the group photos, whether they took them or not. And I think it's silly to have to claim at least one shot for yourself. "I took that one!" Well wonderful, what did it get you other than the opportunity to say you took that shot? If you want to have a good time taking photos at a wedding, do it at the reception. To be honest, if I were shooting a wedding, that would be the time I would want the most help getting the coverage, especially at a big wedding. But the ceremony and the portraits should be understood.

Bella, to be quite honest, I think you'd have a better time getting shots at the reception. That's the most fun part of the entire event! People are loose and, in some cases, getting liquored up, and that's when you get the best photos!

photogoddess · Dec 4, 2005

bellaPictures said:
I was just ****ed off that he told my cousin, he doesnt think i should be at the wedding at all!

While I understand the photograper not wanting another pro or advanced ammie shooting over his shoulder, saying that he didn't want you at the wedding at all was seriously stepping over the line. Your cousin needs to have a serious talk with this person that she hired and remind him that it's her wedding, you're her relative and he has absolutely NO right to govern the guest list based on his professional issues with other photographers being in the vicinity. If the photographer has trouble with that, too bad.

I would snap away to your hearts content, just as any other guest would feel free to do and stay out of this jerks way. Hopefully your cousin will have the presence of mind to not point you out to this jerk and you'll be able to blend in. I've shot photos at many weddings that I was not the "official" photographer at. I respect the hired hand's right to make a living and stay out of their way and get shots that they can't get to or don't think of.