For the wedding shooters amongst us.

It's a good PSA in general but realistically there's no way of avoiding it entirely and bringing it up with your client is just going to leave them with a bad taste and stress. Some people have bad habits that you can't expect to break. I've been to weddings where the grooms father was shooting on his DSLR the whole time.

Here's a trick of mine, if you don't have an angle, incorporate the amateur photographers, people with iphones, consumer cameras, and yes even ipads into your shots. Purposely get a shot or two of them, closeups of their screens etc. and use it as part of the day. Most couples want to see themselves but also really want to see their guests. If someone is encroaching on your space, don't step in front of them with you body or they will keep getting closer also and it will be a bad cycle. Instead smile and politely ask them to stay behind a certain line and let them know where they will be out of your way. Always be nice to guests, they are all potential clients!

Other than that, I do my best with cutaways and if ultimately someone blocks me at a bad moment and there's nothing I can do about it, the couple will 90% of the time be understanding and blame it on the person taking the picture not you (as long as the rest of your stuff looks good it should be fine.)
 
I don't shoot many weddings, perhaps a couple a year, but agreed to shoot one this last weekend for close friends of ours.

My problem wasn't with the iPhone users, but with the photographer and apparently not very experienced when working with a videographer.

I had a short conversation with the photographer before the event, and politely explained about not stepping in front of me during the ceremony, because I couldn't move, and she assured me it wouldn't happen.

It happened fifteen times. We also had a B roll camera shooting at the same time, so I was able to edit around most of it.

I also had the "departure shot" all set up in advance, and when the couple left, guess who jumped out in front of me?

I didn't say anything to her after the actual ceremony, but no doubt if she does this professionally, some one will.
 
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David Saraceno said:
I had a short conversation with the photographer before the event, and politely explained about not stepping in front of me during the ceremony, because I couldn't move, and she assured me it wouldn't happen.
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That's a common one. The more you work in your market the more you will get to know the different photographers and the more they will get to know you and what you don't want them to do.
 
LINK

I've linked it before and I'll link it again. Dave, #2 is for you.

I'll never shoot another wedding....that was my promise to myself a few years ago and I've not looked back. (except to have a chuckle at these threads)
 
I've been to several weddings that have either verbally, or used a sign to ask guests not to film or take pictures, specifically during the ceremony. Most of the people complied! I've shot about 20 weddings in the past year, and have seen a lot of crazy stuff :D
 
Scott F said:
LINK

I've linked it before and I'll link it again. Dave, #2 is for you.

I'll never shoot another wedding....that was my promise to myself a few years ago and I've not looked back. (except to have a chuckle at these threads)
Click to expand...

What can I say...??? You just made my day...still loughing with that article...:) Soooo true!!!
 
I shoot weddings.

For me, first and foremost this is THEIR day, not mine. These are their friends, and they are sharing one of the most important events in their lives with their friends. They are not there for me to make a beautiful video for them. Although I've had the problem of people with not only iPhones but also iPADS getting in the way of my shots, I would never say or do anything to upset any of the people who are here for the happiest day of this couple's life. I'm there to document, not interfere.

As for the still photographer, I've found it does no good to ask them not to step in front of my cameras. If I happen to be in the spot where the best shot is to be had, then they WILL want to be in that same spot. Typically the family is paying a lot more for their services than they are for videography -- which is usually just an afterthought for most of them. I have been told before that the still photographer has priority. So be it. They hire me, they pay me, I work under the conditions they set for me.

I use multiple cameras so I can cut around many things, but there's always something you can't cut around. I, too, had the still photographer pop up in my shot of the couple coming up the aisle. You can be almost certain that's going to happen -- where else could the still photographer be to get that shot? It's not like they're just going to not GET that shot. No way!

This is stuff we all will have to deal with and find workarounds for. i'm hopeful the day will come when videography will be the primary way people want their weddings preserved, and the still photographers will take a back seat. More and more I think this will happen. After all, as I tell my clients -- "A picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is thousands and thousands of pictures -- with sound!" :-)
 
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David W. Richardson said:
I shoot weddings.

For me, first and foremost this is THEIR day, not mine. These are their friends, and they are sharing one of the most important events in their lives with their friends. They are not there for me to make a beautiful video for them. Although I've had the problem of people with not only iPhones but also iPADS getting in the way of my shots, I would never say or do anything to upset any of the people who are here for the happiest day of this couple's life. I'm there to document, not interfere.

As for the still photographer, I've found it does no good to ask them not to step in front of my cameras. If I happen to be in the spot where the best shot is to be had, then they WILL want to be in that same spot. Typically the family is paying a lot more for their services than they are for videography -- which is usually just an afterthought for most of them. I have been told before that the still photographer has priority. So be it. They hire me, they pay me, I work under the conditions they set for me.

I use multiple cameras so I can cut around many things, but there's always something you can't cut around. I, too, had the still photographer pop up in my shot of the couple coming up the aisle. You can be almost certain that's going to happen -- where else could the still photographer be to get that shot? It's not like they're just going to not GET that shot. No way!

This is stuff we all will have to deal with and find workarounds for. i'm hopeful the day will come when videography will the the primary way people want their weddings preserved, and the still photographers will take a back seat. More and more I think this will happen. After all, as I tell my clients -- "A picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is thousands and thousands of picture -- with sound!" :-)
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Good stuff. Post some of your work here!
 
David W. Richardson said:
For me, first and foremost this is THEIR day, not mine. These are their friends, and they are sharing one of the most important events in their lives with their friends. They are not there for me to make a beautiful video for them. Although I've had the problem of people with not only iPhones but also iPADS getting in the way of my shots, I would never say or do anything to upset any of the people who are here for the happiest day of this couple's life. I'm there to document, not interfere.
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I agree with your documentary approach, but unfortunatelly things are not that simple! If you lose an important shot because some of the guests got in your way and you didnt do anything about it, chances are, the couple will put the blame on you and not on the guest! You are the professional and you have the responsibility to have that shot no matter what. And from my experience, most of the times those annoying people with iphones or ipads are not even the closest family or friends to the couple. Real friends and family are usually just enjoying the moments! What I do? Im being as polite as I can get...but really...I m ready to do ANYTHING to get my shot!
As for photographers...? Oh man...with most of them...its a war zone...haha:)
 
lyrov said:
I agree with your documentary approach, but unfortunatelly things are not that simple! If you lose an important shot because some of the guests got in your way and you didnt do anything about it, chances are, the couple will put the blame on you and not on the guest!
Click to expand...

Possibly. But if I anger their friends, that is also likely to anger the couple and the families. Besides which, what am I going to do -- leave my camera and walk around in front of it myself to politely ask these people to move out of my shot? It's a bit too late by that point.

Like I said, in my view this is their day, their event, their family and their friends. I'm only there to observe and record. I do that as best I can, trying to anticipate and deal with problems. But I'm not going to tell anyone what they can and can't do at someone's wedding. I'm just not.
 
Do you use pre-rec? I hate missing a moment and by the time I've framed the shot it's usually passed! So annoying...

I agree with what you're saying though - it's your job to make the most out of the situation - but I don't think it's rude to ask for them to be considerate of you. Multiple cameras is the way forward.

Can I ask, do you work as a one man crew? Or do you have someone else? If you do work alone, what cameras do you leave un-manned?
 
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