Weddings & guest photographers who won't get out of the way!

[William Petruzzo]

I had a wedding this afternoon. I've never seen so many guests wanting to squeeze in to take pictures. At some times it was almost comical. As the bride was walking up the isle, I almost literally had to sit right in the middle because guests kept creeping out and getting in the way of the shot. It was seriously annoying.

One guest in particular was consistently getting in the way. I got the impression that he was trying to build his own portfolio or something to that effect. I can sympathize with that. Also, he was apparently a good friend of the bridal party.

After huffing and bitching in my mind about it for a good while, I eventually embraced the fact that his picture taking was going to be a part of their day and I decided to start getting some shots of him doing what he was doing.

Here's one I thought came out fairly well.

 

[vegasvisionstudios]

The 3 reasons I don't shoot weddings

Bride, Mom and Guestzilla

 

[shed301]

only3 reasons?.. i have about 30..lol

 

[vegasvisionstudios]

only3 reasons?.. i have about 30..lol

Three was enough for me to figure out I did not need to stick around to discover the additional 27

 

[ocular]

That takes some guts and quick thinking. Good for you, I like the picture too. In the future you can ask the priest to ask the guests not to take pictures during critical points of your choosing.

 

[CSR Studio]

You don't have anything in your contract about others taking pictures?

 

[MBasile]

I remembered reading all of the complaints from wedding photographers, so when my cousin's wedding came up I made sure to stay out of the pro's way. Hopefully my effort was noticed and appreciated.

That takes some guts and quick thinking. Good for you, I like the picture too. In the future you can ask the priest to ask the guests not to take pictures during critical points of your choosing.

(I would have the priest ask them not to take pictures during the ceremony period, as they are likely to get in the professional's way while he tries to do his job, as well as bother other people who are enjoying the ceremony.)

You don't have anything in your contract about others taking pictures?

These are both great sounding options.

 

[Ockie]

If they do that on weddings I shoot I just ask them to let me finish first... never had anyone being annoying (well, not because of taking photos in my way at least) after that anymore

 

[JIP]

That takes some guts and quick thinking. Good for you, I like the picture too. In the future you can ask the priest to ask the guests not to take pictures during critical points of your choosing.

(I would have the priest ask them not to take pictures during the ceremony period, as they are likely to get in the professional's way while he tries to do his job, as well as bother other people who are enjoying the ceremony.)

You don't have anything in your contract about others taking pictures?

These are both great sounding options.

Those 2 things sound rediculous to the exteme. The last thing I want as a weding photographer is to have the priest announe to stat o ut of my way. I personally like to blend into the woowork and having the priest make an announcement like that would be bad. To put something in your contract to keep other people out of your way?? what right do you have to tell the friends and families of the couple that they can't take pictures??. As the professional photographer your job is jus that to be the pro and aunt millie with her disposable or cousin joe with his full professional package should not be a distraction to you. Part of being a pro is being able to overcome bstacles like this without having to resort to making a spectacle of yourself.

 

[Big Mike]

Those 2 things sound rediculous to the exteme. The last thing I want as a weding photographer is to have the priest announe to stat o ut of my way. I personally like to blend into the woowork and having the priest make an announcement like that would be bad. To put something in your contract to keep other people out of your way?? what right do you have to tell the friends and families of the couple that they can't take pictures??. As the professional photographer your job is jus that to be the pro and aunt millie with her disposable or cousin joe with his full professional package should not be a distraction to you. Part of being a pro is being able to overcome bstacles like this without having to resort to making a spectacle of yourself.

Those thing might sound extreme, but if your options are to either do that, or have aunt Millie's head in every shot, which is better for the B&G?

I do have such a clause in my contract, but I really prefer not to have to bring it up. I'm always conscious of trying to be nice to everybody at the wedding, including the annoying guests. But in some situations, you have a choice between being nice or doing your best to get great shots....and you're being paid to get the shots.

I've found that letting the B&G know about the issue can really help, as they are usually the best people to clue in their relatives. I get them on board during the pre-wedding meeting. After all, if Uncle Bob is constantly in the way, and distracting them away from your camera, it's their money that is being wasted.

 

[JIP]

Well for me I got so tired of DJs making announcements to the effect of "stay out of the photographers way" I would go to them as soon as I got to the reception and specificially ask them not to do that before the party even started.

 

[William Petruzzo]

Yeah, I do have that clause in my contract also. But it's not something I'm ever going to be quick to bring up. It's mostly there as an after-the-fact defense. For example, if some guest ruins the pictures, legally it falls on the bride and groom, not me.

Only in extreme cases would I actually say anything, and even then it would have to very tactful. I wouldn't want the priest or DJ calling attention to my presence, especially if there is a videographer there.

The guest in this photograph was clearly pretty new to things. Most photographers, amateur and pro, usually understand it's bad etiquette to bring your own prosumer gear to a wedding you weren't hired to cover. Both because you can get in the hired photographers way, and because of the possibility of taking future sales from the hired photographer.

 

[Big Mike]

Yeah, I do have that clause in my contract also. But it's not something I'm ever going to be quick to bring up. It's mostly there as an after-the-fact defense. For example, if some guest ruins the pictures, legally it falls on the bride and groom, not me.

Is that really the right attitude to have though?
It's like you know that someone is ruining your photos, but you don't want to say anything about it. Then when they are unhappy with their images, you just point to that clause in your contract.
Wouldn't it be better to just address the problem when it happens, and end up with better photos?

I think that a lot of older photographers often come off as 'grumpy' etc, partially because they can be a little firm with people getting in their way. I think this is because that have learned, with experience, that it's better to get the shot and make the client happy. Uncle Bob will grumble, but he'll get over it pretty quick.
Also, it used to standard practice that a lot of money was made on (re)print sales. So a) they didn't want Uncle Bob getting the same shots that they are...and b) they wanted their shots to be great (without the back of Aunt Millie's head).

Now that many photographers are just handing over the digital files and not relying on print sales, they don't care as much about guests getting in the way.

 

[William Petruzzo]

Yeah, I agree with you. And in really extreme cases that's what I'd do. But most of the time it's not really a detriment to the photos, only an inconvenience (albeit sometimes a big one).

On the wedding day, the last thing that I need to create is any kind of drama. Especially for the sake of referrals, it's important that my actions during the wedding never stand out louder in a bride's mind than the pictures themselves. And since in general, something 'bad' always stands our more than something 'good', you have to make absolutely sure that it's necessary to bring it up.

I also always try to make a note of mentioning it during check-in calls so that they don't give someone the okay to bring their camera to build a portfolio or something.

 

[JIP]

Yeah, I do have that clause in my contract also. But it's not something I'm ever going to be quick to bring up. It's mostly there as an after-the-fact defense. For example, if some guest ruins the pictures, legally it falls on the bride and groom, not me.

Is that really the right attitude to have though?
It's like you know that someone is ruining your photos, but you don't want to say anything about it. Then when they are unhappy with their images, you just point to that clause in your contract.
Wouldn't it be better to just address the problem when it happens, and end up with better photos?

I think that a lot of older photographers often come off as 'grumpy' etc, partially because they can be a little firm with people getting in their way. I think this is because that have learned, with experience, that it's better to get the shot and make the client happy. Uncle Bob will grumble, but he'll get over it pretty quick.
Also, it used to standard practice that a lot of money was made on (re)print sales. So a) they didn't want Uncle Bob getting the same shots that they are...and b) they wanted their shots to be great (without the back of Aunt Millie's head).

Now that many photographers are just handing over the digital files and not relying on print sales, they don't care as much about guests getting in the way.

When I first started shooting weddings like 7-8 years ago I worked for a studio whose main money maker was reprint sales. They would charge a very minimal price for the initial shoot and lots for reprints and albums. The guy who trainedme was the long time manager of this studio and he told me to actually allow people time to shoot your setup shots before you shoot them so you have their undivided attention. One way he told me to do this was to go up and help them ge setup and straightened and take your time walking back to your shooting position to give people the opportunity to get theor images. The main justification being that your picutres are going to be better than theirs so why start some kind of confrontation with a friend of family member. He also would always talk to people with good gear shooting the weddings (that's actually how I met and started working for him) again the main justification being not getting into somekind of problem with the family. Honestly I have to ask what right do you have to tell someone's friend or family member what they can and cannot shoot at their friend or family member's wedding. I have never in all my years of shooting weddings had a problem at a wedding that cannot be solved with "excuse me you mind if I shoot this first??".