Photographer not having a paid photographer at his wedding

Overread · Jan 12, 2015

*is making a list of everyone in this thread who supports the idea that wedding photos are NOT the most important thing in the universe - will then use this as blackmail in any future wedding threads where the opposite is being argued as the truth by those individuals

*

Each to their own; diferent people have different priorities. The key is communication between bride, groom and famillies and friends and getting a good even mix so that the wedding is well setup (remembering that many family/friends who can't attend are often pleased to see even a few snaps taken at the event so they can join in even if just in proxy).

Heck I bet people do webcam invitations to weddings - start a skype group chat and invite people from all over the world to attend - at leas for things like the service and speeches and such

tirediron · Jan 12, 2015

I think the important thing is that Gary take the three-thousand quid he could have paid for a photographer and use it to buy me a ticket across the pond. I'll shoot the event free and promise not to drink too much more than one barrel of ale!

mcap1972 · Jan 12, 2015

Good for you

pgriz · Jan 12, 2015

runnah said:
I've been married for 5 years and for 5 years the wedding album has remained on the shelf.

When my wife and I were married, we didn't have much money, and the couple we hired (he the photographer, her the stage-manager, poser and artistic director) supplied us with the photographer (she was sick that day). The wedding album had all the standard poses, but appears very static. Nemmind. It's the album that the kids, when they were growing up, would haul out at various intervals, and the last time we had it out was on the weekend when during dinner with some friends, the subject came up to how we all looked when we were married (32 years ago for us now).

Gary, congratulations again. I am confident you have your priorities straight, and the memories will always be better than the photographs.

dennybeall · Jan 12, 2015

I was thinking about an approach that would provide memories of the day.
What about getting an email or youtube address and asking everybody at the wedding to email pics they take and then use Win Movie Maker or PowerPoint to put together a slide show with music. I did this at a 50th Reunion a few years back and the final CD went out to all that contributed for cost.
From my first wedding, many years ago, the pics that I cared the most about were the candid shots taken.

Trever1t · Jan 12, 2015

My first wedding was amazing (my childhood home on the waterfront in the Caribbean) and I had a pro shooter...my brother's snaps were much more emotional.

My second wedding (church) was shot by two friends...free so I won't complain but nothing noteworthy.

I DID ATTEND ONE VERY CLEVER WEDDING...where those disposable film cameras were strewn all over the tables and the Master of Ceremony asked that everyone pick them up and shoot. I'm sure of the 200+ rolls of film they got some interesting perspectives.

Roba · Jan 12, 2015

At are wedding we had the disposable cameras on every table as well.
The problem was we had a few cousins that are Scottish, wearing kilts!!

JustJazzie · Jan 12, 2015

Weddings are bad luck anyways, they always seem to lead to divorce. Just elope and take some cell phone selfies. ;-) spend all the money you'll save on something useful, like a car, or a house...... or a hasselblad.

gsgary · Jan 12, 2015

Thanks everyone, I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the support

bribrius · Jan 12, 2015

set up your camera ahead of time, toss it on video. just a thought. we had a church volunteer shoot our wedding as someone else. They did pretty good for free. Maybe you know a few people.

gsgary · Jan 13, 2015

bribrius said:
set up your camera ahead of time, toss it on video. just a thought. we had a church volunteer shoot our wedding as someone else. They did pretty good for free. Maybe you know a few people.

And if there is wifi with my A7 you would see my photos on flickr before me

Designer · Jan 13, 2015

gsgary; ignore all the "helpful" suggestions of having random guests snap pics for you.

Being a photographer yourself you don't need piles of garbage photos cluttering your life to remind yourself that if you had been the official photographer at this wedding, you would have had some decent photographs to treasure.

I still support your plan, BTW.

Braineack · Jan 13, 2015

step it up a notch and shoot your own wedding.

pgriz · Jan 13, 2015

One of the issues for photographers, is to know when to leave the confines of the rectangular frame and to live the moment. I think Gary has it pegged about right. At some point, a bunch of selfies will have to be made, probably after the first barrel is consumed, and the camera had better be on full auto by that time.

My daughter's getting married in about a month. It has been my role to be the family's photographer up to now, but that night, it will be my role to be the father of the bride, give speeches (short if I can make it), propose toasts, dance and eat, and eat and dance. There is an official photographer (a member of my photo club) taking care of the important stuff, and I will bring a point-and-shoot for impromptu selfies. Life events are to be lived.