The "Can You Find the Photographers?" Challenge

Don't forget to add that "Find the Photographer" video on the final burn.

Ok, maybe not.

I've done my share of weddings, and 75% of the time I've worked with good photographers. Those were the amateurs. It was the professional photographers that pissed me off. Your footage looked a little too familiar. It wasn't THAT extreme (that often), but when they look at the camera and then stand right there and seemingly intentionally do it, it's frustrating.
 
I hate working wedding because of this, though the last one I worked on before the shoot, the photographer came up to me and we chatted, she mentioned the need for both of us to keep out of each others way, in a nice way, So we flowed very smoothly ducking and getting great shots

You have to find a stills guy that works with you on getting the best
 
HorseFilms said:
I hate still photographers. They're such pricks.
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People are pricks in general. Some happen to be photographers, others videographers. Photographs take precedent at a wedding, IMO, but there is no excuse for the photographers in that video. They weren't just in the way of the video camera, they seemed to be in the way of EVERYONE. Spastic shooting isn't good shooting.

It seems more forgivable to catch a photographer on video than catching a videographer in the still frame. Either way, it sucks to work with selfish folks, regardless of their field.
 
Drew Ott said:
Videographers get respect if they command it. If you sheepishly stand in the corner hoping the photographers get out of your way, you'll end up with footage like this.

These photographers do look pretty annoying though.
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I agree here. I do a LOT of weddings, and I'd NEVER stand for this. To allow this to happen, in my opinion, is not doing your job well.

One of the first things I do when I show up is introduce myself to the photog's and let them know where me and my other shooter plan on setting up. From there we work out where they are going to be, and we make sure all of us understand the common courtesy to attempt to stay out of eachother's shots as much as possible. If they want to shoot down the aisle (where I usually set up), I tell them they have one half of the aisle, and I have the other. As they move in for closer shots, I zoom in to avoid. Entire conversation lasts less than five minutes, and we already have a respect/friendship for one another that would have otherwise not happened. If you don't have a quick talk, things can snowball out of control really quickly as there's a competitiveness that arises rather than a sense of teamwork.

Out of the 500+ weddings I've shot, I've only run into problems a handful of times with the photogs. When it does happen, at the first chance I get, I pull them aside and, as professionally as possible, remind them that I too have a job to do and they need to work with me a little better so both of us get what we need. Problem has always been solved with that.
 
This is not my first wedding that I did. For all these years, this is so far the most annoying photographers that I worked with. If it happened in every wedding, I would have been out of business long time ago.

Oh yeah, this video will go to the final DVD. The brides actually knew about this as she realized the photographers were really close to them throughout the night. She also told me the guy with the white glasses is the "professional" photograher and the guy looks like "beavis and butthead" was his friend helping out.
 
The impression I got just from looking at that photographer was that he's the kind of guy who wants attention. Looked to me like he wanted to get shot on video.

I don't know. Would it be bad to do like a thing of that?
I mean, if you can't get the guys out of the shot, try framing the shot so you get the bride and groom all surrounded by photographers and people looking on? To make them look glamorous, kind of?
 
ahhh...., wedding video memories. I was fortunate to work with the same group, so telling them to move their fat a$$e$ out of the way was never an issue. I did do one wedding for a south american couple and the whole damn family(about 30) was shooting video/stills, was by far the worst one I ever worked on. i mean, Why did they even hire us? The ceremony was like a rave with all the flashes gong off.
 
Many years ago when I was just getting started in video, I was operating a hand-held camera for a live TV broadcast at a basketball game. While on air, following a player, I (unknowingly [I was glued to the viewfinder]) stepped in front of a still photographer.

After the play (as I lowered my camera) I got immediate 'feedback' from the photog "Hey, not cool man." I apologized, and learned my lesson. Now I watch for others shots just as intently as I do for mine.

A little communication goes a *long* way.

Of course (always!) be professional about it, but "hey man, I'm workin' here too" said at the right moment can go a long way. But best yet avoided completely if you have the talk before getting started.

- Mikko
 
I have to agree with the consideration idea. I always talk to the still photogs and sort things out before hand. Plus, I use a spider-brace at the receptions, so I'm pretty free to get in close also. A tripod is too confining.
 
By moving in so close in the ceremony, you are interfering with the audience view to the event too. There is no any good justification for these phtoographers to be all over the place.
 
Taky said:
By moving in so close in the ceremony, you are interfering with the audience view to the event too. There is no any good justification for these phtoographers to be all over the place.
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I agree. These guys are way out of control...
 
Taky said:
Good thing is I have two cameras position in different angle. So I can cut back and forth to find the useful shot in editing. Even so, they were all over the place. At cake cutting and games, they were both standing left and right few feet in front of the couple.

The sad part is, the bride told me they are professonal photographers.
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I just thought you were posting a fun video. This is your footage?

What the hell!? Did you have a talk with them beforehand? As a photographer www.gregorystorm.com and a filmmaker, this would have pissed me off to no end if I was on video. I would have had to pull them to the side and tell them they need to throw on a 70-200 2.8L and stay the hell out of my shot. One of them was bad enough but both of them getting in your shot was just plain stupid and insulting.
 
Yeah that's my footage. Their wedding highlights is here

http://lacolor.com/video/highlights/?id=ReginaJoe

I talked to the guy in white glasses and a girl photographer in the morning. So you can see there isn't much bad shots during the day.

Then at night, a third guy showed up with his spikey hair. Good that we have 2 cameras. I also jack up the center column so I can still get a clear view. But they were both standing just a few feet in front of the B&G on left and right.
 
Mixed reactions for this, got to side with Taky.

Regardless of excuses or possibilities. The guys were ass taps.
As mentioned - they blocked the audience as well, most likely spoiling some of there day. All those flashes and jumping around - I wouldn't be surprised if the audience family and friends got a little pissed off to.

There like butterflies on crack.
 
I've read all the posts now.

Yes, they were crack rabbits, but I think you could have controlled the situation better. I highly agree with the pre-game meet and greet strategy.

At some point you or your other shooter should have pulled Spiky to the side and set him straight.

The fact they were popping flash the whole time let's me know how annoying they were. The weddings I've photographed, especially the during the ceremony, you never knew I was there. I didn't even want to get in front of the audience let alone the videographers.

Photo journalists they were not.
 
I have done what I could. I have talked to them beforehand (not the spiky guy who show up later). However, at Hong Kong Chinese wedding, the reception programme is non-stop. When we finally able to have a break, the reception is already 2/3 thru.

Another aspect is we have warned the bride and groom to hire our photographer as well. If they want to save a few bucks to hire someone like that, that's the consequence.
 
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