"Turn Off Your Shutter!"

rachlynn17 · Apr 20, 2009

Okay, so at my wedding this weekend, the minister spoke with me before hand to ask if I could "Turn my shutter off." Yes, I'm serious!
The bride warned me of this, so when I met him, I let him talk 1st. He went on for about 8 minutes on how distruptive photographers are at weddings, and how loud their cameras are. He said that he was aware that digital cameras are only made to act like film cameras, but their really is no shutter, and they just make that noise to sound like a camera is supposed to sound! He didn't have a problem with me walking around or using my flash during the ceremony, nope! He just had a problem with me using my shutter!
I very politely explained that he was wrong, and if he wanted to ask all of the congregation to turn the sound off of their cheap digital point & shoots, he could, but my shutter would be making noise.

Sw1tchFX · Apr 21, 2009

Instead of saying "you're wrong", possibly explaining (and showing) that your camera actually has a mirror box with mechanical parts, so you physically couldn't turn it off.

Overread · Apr 21, 2009

sounds like he is just ahead of the times

whilst DSLRs have physical shutters at the moment I am sure that we will oneday have only digital shutters - that is to say no physical shutter - as part of the construction. Heck many cameras already have a silent shooting mode where the shutter curtain is lifted up and the shot taken by the sensor turning on then off.

rachlynn17 · Apr 21, 2009

I didn't say, "You're Wrong", I just explained why he was.

JE Kay · Apr 21, 2009

Yaaaaaa.... I have a big problem with that! It's not his wedding, it's the bride and groom's. What he likes or dislikes is irrelevant. Sorry, he's not paying the invoice, they are. He's there to do a job. As are you. It's not his church, not his wedding, not your client.

This is the main reason I don't shoot weddings anymore period. I got sick and tired of the BS that comes from dealing with churches and 'those' who work in them.

Pious self absorbed son.....whew! Wow... now I need another cappuccino... :mrgreen:

Overread · Apr 21, 2009

errr but it IS their church!
That is the point - they do have control over the building and it is their service that you are taking part in - if they don't want flash being fired into their face every 2 seconds then that is their choice. I think its a rule made even more common these days with the number of people with small digi cams - its not a football stadium your in and I bet he does not want to feel like that with everyones digicams going off - along with your strobes and what not in the background.

Big Mike · Apr 21, 2009

It's not his church

I'm sure he would disagree.

As photographers, our client is the couple and we hope that the officiant allows us to take photos during the event that takes place in their building. It's their building, they can set the rules. If I'm not mistaken, photos are not allowed at all inside a Mormon temple, for example.

45mphK9 · Apr 21, 2009

I totally agree that the minister should allow what the bride & groom want. If only they would consider how important the ceremony shots are down the road.

However, I think it depends on whether the bride and groom are members of the church or are they just renting the church space. If they're members then they "own" part of the church. If they're not members then they have to go along with the rules just like at the reception hall. IMHO.

I used to shoot wedding videos many moons ago & this is a lot of why I don't do weddings at all. Yea! We had one priest rip us a new one for going into the church without him inviting us in. He said, "You wouldn't expect me to just walk into your house uninvited, would you?" I just told him that, "At my Catholic church, anyone is invited to just walk in". That wedding didn't go so well. :er: Hmmm.

Good point on the temple. I guess it depends on whether it's a minister's preference or religious regulation.

usayit · Apr 21, 2009

Overread said:
errr but it IS their church!

Overread is right.... It is his church and most photographers I have seen do their best to work within their comfort zone. This includes bringing the parties together prior and discussing what is permitted and not permitted. Remember, religious marriage is a privilege extended to the couple by permission of the church. The church is NOT the bride and grooms servant or hired service. This is a holy church not some paid chapel in Las Vegas.

One wedding I shot did not allow ANY photography during the ceremony... it was considered disrespectful. The head photographer worked it out with the church to finish the ceremony without cameras and then perform a reenactment afterwards. It actually worked out wonderfully as the photographer had full control during the reenactment and even was allowed to set up some lighting (umbrellas and strobes).

Big Mike · Apr 21, 2009

If only they would consider how important the ceremony shots are down the road.

To some people, nothing is more important than their religious beliefs...photography is likely a long way down the list.

It's up to the couple to decide what is important to them. If their officiant does not allow photography or has strict rules that they disagree with, then it's up to them to rectify the issue. Maybe they find a different officiant or maybe they find a new venue.

This is something I discuss with the couple during a consultation that happens well before the wedding. I also try to meet with the officiant, either the day before (during rehearsal) or before the ceremony if there is time.

Primo · Apr 21, 2009

Overread said:
errr but it IS their church!
That is the point - they do have control over the building and it is their service that you are taking part in - if they don't want flash being fired into their face every 2 seconds then that is their choice. I think its a rule made even more common these days with the number of people with small digi cams - its not a football stadium your in and I bet he does not want to feel like that with everyones digicams going off - along with your strobes and what not in the background.

That may be true but then again, the couple could have also chosen a different church.

Dwig · Apr 21, 2009

rachlynn17 said:
I didn't say, "You're Wrong", I just explained why he was.

The smoothest and least confrontational approach was to start by saying that he was right, but right about the wrong class of cameras.

Most digital cameras do have shutters but they are so quiet that users don't know when they've fired. Many "cure" this by adding an artificial shutter sound which, sometimes, can be disabled. A minority sub-class of digital cameras, the DSLRs that most pros use, have normal sounding shutter/mirror systems just like film cameras. His error was only in thinking your DSLR was like the much more common digicam.

45mphK9 · Apr 21, 2009

Big Mike said:
This is something I discuss with the couple during a consultation that happens well before the wedding. I also try to meet with the officiant, either the day before (during rehearsal) or before the ceremony if there is time.

This is EXACTLY what everyone shooting a wedding should do & then you know up front what can happen & what can't. It's smart too so that the couple doesn't come back on you disappointed that you didn't get a certain shot. Showing the officiant the respect of discussing their point of view ahead of time goes a long way to getting your way.

It's just my personal wish that all officiants would value photography like we do. Not gonna happen. It's just a wish.

45mphK9 · Apr 21, 2009

I also wish other photographers & videographers would not ruin it by being disruptive for the rest of us. (Oh yeah, I'm not doing weddings!) So, I guess I mean for the rest of you.

JE Kay · Apr 21, 2009

It is not his church, he simply works there. Period. He has no vested financial interest nor does he own any part of it, unless it's a small rural very old church and then he very well may own it. That's pretty rare though.

Again, he's there to do a job as requested by the bride and groom, as am I.

I'll tell you this much as I've been told by numerous family members and others who were receiving or requesting photo albums as a gift or some package, they most defiantly side with the photographer. They want good photographs, they don't care how you get them. I have had people back me when I got into disputes on this subject. Some were subtle, some not. I've also walked away from wedding contracts because there was simply no way to shoot it properly. In those cases you are better off refunding and moving on. :thumbup:

I give you ****ty photographs because of some stupid imposed limit on how I can shoot, who you gonna blame? Damn right. I'm not there shooting the church for any reason, I'm there shooting the wedding. You do your job and I'll do mine.