Flash in churches

JDS · Oct 24, 2007

I've heard of it, but never known why. Why do some churches not allow flash photography? The one reason I ever got was only "For religious reasons." I'm religious - I mean, I go to church every time the doors are open. But I'm just curious what these religious reasons are for not allowing flashes?

Big Mike · Oct 24, 2007

God hates photographers? I don't know :scratch:

Actually, I think it's because a lot of people find flashes to be annoying or distracting. The way that many photographers shoot now, with digital, the officiant and the couple could get 'flashed' hundreds of times during the ceremony. If I were the Officiant and I had the power to tell them 'No Flash'...I might consider doing just that. As a photographer, I think it's ridiculous...but then, as a photographer I would design a church with fantastic lighting.

ahphotography · Oct 24, 2007

I'm on board with Mike - I did a wedding back in August where they requested no flash photography. The church was way old and the lighting really was poor. I find it crazy when a thousand flashes go off but then at the same I agree that all church lighting should be placed with no flash photography in mind! There was no religious reason for it that I know of. It's just a preference...

a very uncool preference for the photographer. :grumpy:

Big Mike · Oct 24, 2007

The thing that bothers me, is that the Officiant will tell you that you are not allowed to use flash (because you were professional enough to ask ahead of time). But then you are shooting the wedding and 36 guests are flashing away and nothing is said...what are you supposed to do in that situation?

JDS · Oct 24, 2007

For the wedding I did, there was a grouchy elderly lady that just spouted off saying no flash photography would be allowed during the ceremony. All of the family that was going to be taking some with their own P&S cameras were sorta bummed, but were going to comply. Then this other lady said that it was ok..so they went ahead and did it. I don't believe the officiant wasn't even a member of the church it was held in, and he never gave a preference.

I did, however, have those couple of family photogs that kept getting in the way. That I could do without. The rest, I don't really care too much about.

optical_girl · Oct 25, 2007

maybe because it causes a distraction to those who are attending the ceremony...

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doobs · Oct 25, 2007

Because they can.

LaFoto · Oct 25, 2007

Well, within an ongoing service, my feeling is that flashes simply disrupt the service. They are annoying, a nuisance, a distraction, call it what you want. They might not be "un-religious", but simply go against the meaning of the service (to my mind).

In old churches here in Germany, there may very well also be very old paintings, painted walls and ceilings, paint on woodwork etc, which actually and truly suffers from too much exposure to light (the colour pigmentation will fade), so that is another very sensible (to me) reason why no flashes should be fired in churches. The bursts of bright light might actually harm what antique (valuable) objects there are!

nossie · Oct 25, 2007

I had to feel sorry for the photographer at one wedding when the Priest said "now I shall bless the rings IF I can get a moments peace from the photographer". Hey buddy it's an action shot and we gotta eat. Ok but this girl was rattling away 3/4 shots at a time with the camera, I was at the back of the church and I could hear it but I couldn't decide if it was because I was tuned into the sound.

As for the flash, you can hide the odd one here and there in with all the P+S flashes. Fire a couple off every now and then and I think the Priest will be more understanding than if you turn the place into a disco.

LaFoto · Oct 25, 2007

To my mind, a BLESSING is the LEAST moment in which I would wanted to be interrupted by a photographer doing their work!!! THAT would be one of the VERY IMPORTANT moments in which I would wanted to have my peace! Honestly.
Why do such photos NEED to be taken "in situ" ... those could easily be staged later! (I think).
I very much accept our pastors' regulation: no photography during the service, only could I come to an arrangement with one when I explained the congregation would definitely not notice me nor hear me, and I took the photos with a camera that makes NO noise, and I had the flash OFF.

nossie · Oct 25, 2007

LaFoto said:
To my mind, a BLESSING is the LEAST moment in which I would wanted to be interrupted by a photographer doing their work!!! THAT would be one of the VERY IMPORTANT moments in which I would wanted to have my peace! Honestly.
Why do such photos NEED to be taken "in situ" ... those could easily be staged later! (I think).
I very much accept our pastors' regulation: no photography during the service, only could I come to an arrangement with one when I explained the congregation would definitely not notice me nor hear me, and I took the photos with a camera that makes NO noise, and I had the flash OFF.

I'm getting married next May and I can tell you that I think the whole lot is a load of senseless crap, 1 shot outside the church afterwards will do me, everybody say cheese now let's go eat.
Why spend 3000 on a photographer, 2000 for a dress that will be worn only once, 100s on old cars to drive me 1 mile to the church, and on and on and on?
My fiance and I just had a conversation last night about her engagement ring when she said "I don't know what I'd do if I lost this", I had an easy answer "Get another one!" she's like "nooo, this one is special" and all the time I thought it was just a fekin ring that put me 5 grand out of pocket - for what to me is a bit of shiney stone out of the earth, but like it's oooh such and such grade and it's weighs like almost who gives a crap.

So isn't it just another snapshot from the alter, tell that to the BrideZillas going around that think they're Queen Victoria crossed with Queen Latifa for a day demanding all sorts of crap. A staged photograph?!?!? No no no no no, I'm paying you for the "real" thing!

Is it an important shot?.. Who can say but I'd rather have it and not want it than not have it and want it.

Geesuss my woman will get me to the airport at 4am to save 30 bucks on a cheaper flight but then she'll pay extra for the express queue, choice of seats and extra baggage.

Take the shot!

LaFoto · Oct 25, 2007

OK, you can have a personal opinion and a general opinion.
Personally I must admit my sister applied flash photography all during my own wedding, the pastor didn't mind, and I (to tell you the truth) had long forgotten about it, had I not taken out the old wedding album a wee while ago.

Generally I now think that whenever possible, leave out the flash during a service.

If the service, the blessings, and all that is being done during a church wedding has no meaning to you, whatsoever, so little that you say "What is all this fuss about, anyway?", get married in front of the registrar and ... done. A church wedding SHOULD have a meaning to those who decide they want a church wedding. (My personal opinion again). And provided it HAS a meaning to you, your spouse-to-be, the families and all involved, then I feel that a flash can really be distracting.

I go all

over the fact that we actually let my sister run around and take photos from all angles DURING the actual service. But I was sooooo nervous (must have been), I never realised at the time...!

nossie · Oct 25, 2007

LaFoto said:
If the service, the blessings, and all that is being done during a church wedding has no meaning to you, whatsoever, so little that you say "What is all this fuss about, anyway?", get married in front of the registrar and ... done. A church wedding SHOULD have a meaning to those who decide they want a church wedding.

Get married in front of a Registrar.... oh if only... I wish... please please please... maybe if I was marrying another man... it's not too late, is it?.. but here's a news flash... Woman and Men are different beings, in fact they are so different one would start to wonder how we ever get along at all.

Man: Registrar 55, own suit, new dress for her 200, drinks and grub for everyone afterwards 500, off to the airport destination hedonism.

Woman: Wedding Planner, Church, Cars, 2000 for Flowers, Dresses - 3 for her & 1 each for the 3 maids, 4 suits, gold stamped invitiations, priests that go "and now I'll bless the rings", photographers, shoot locations, hotels before, hotels after, cake, food, drinks, gifts for guests, and on and on and on... >30,000!

Church wedding for me means boredom for a ridiculas half hour and disappointment for my guests standing up, sitting down, kneelingdown, standing up, turn around, do the hokey kokey, load of crap for to sign a contract and get on with the rest of my life with my woman.
Church wedding for my fiance means the dream she's always dreamt coming true and that LaFoto is the thing that matters most to me so that I'll put up with the rest of the circus.

[Insert some talk about flash here to justify post :er: ]

EOS_JD · Oct 25, 2007

nossie said:
Get married in front of a Registrar.... oh if only... I wish... please please please... maybe if I was marrying another man... it's not too late, is it?.. but here's a news flash... Woman and Men are different beings, in fact they are so different one would start to wonder how we ever get along at all.

Man: Registrar 55, own suit, new dress for her 200, drinks and grub for everyone afterwards 500, off to the airport destination hedonism.

Woman: Wedding Planner, Church, Cars, 2000 for Flowers, Dresses - 3 for her & 1 each for the 3 maids, 4 suits, gold stamped invitiations, priests that go "and now I'll bless the rings", photographers, shoot locations, hotels before, hotels after, cake, food, drinks, gifts for guests, and on and on and on... >30,000!

Church wedding for me means boredom for a ridiculas half hour and disappointment for my guests standing up, sitting down, kneelingdown, standing up, turn around, do the hokey kokey, load of crap for to sign a contract and get on with the rest of my life with my woman.
Church wedding for my fiance means the dream she's always dreamt coming true and that LaFoto is the thing that matters most to me so that I'll put up with the rest of the circus.

[Insert some talk about flash here to justify post :er: ]

I do enjoy other peoples weddings - especially ones I shoot although I must admit to being the above man in your description!!

It's trru men are from a different planet when it comes to things like this.

skieur · Oct 25, 2007

In a church that many tourists visit, flashes would certainly irritate the regular parishioners, so a no flash policy makes some sense. Flashes from most tourists do not cover the distances involved anway. I think we have all seen tourists with a point and shoot camera with a flash trying to light up the whole interior of a cathedral.

On the other hand, it is a ridiculous arbitrary restriction when it comes to special events such as baptisms, first communion, weddings, etc. in church. Interesting that these restrictions often come from the dogmatic conservative clerics who seem to have forgotten that there is a certain festivity and celebration in holy events that should not be forgotten or ignored just because they take place in a church.

skieur