MtnMan Loc: ID

They are indeed. Others less so.

Weddings are festive affairs. I wouldn't hire anyone with some of the attitudes expressed here. I wouldn't want them near my wedding. I'd make it clear to them that:
1. I am hiring them for a job: to take photos.
2. Everyone will have cameras and take whatever pictures they want.
3. I expect them to be gracious to everyone.
If they didn't like that our conversation would be over. Not unfriendly but over. They are free to seek other customers.

If I had any hint that they had some of the attitudes expressed here I'd move on. I wouldn't care how great they think they are. It's my wedding and my choice.

It has never been an issue for us so evidently there are plenty of great photographers happy with the above.

Fortunately I have only one more wedding to go...we hope.

Regards,
Larry Leach

quote=sontog]These people giving you their responses are very nice...[/quote]

tk Loc: Iowa

Let me through this into the mix. What if the DJ and his 2nd are actually trying to drum up business as DJ/wedding photography wrapped into one. They do this a few times. Copy your shots and in a year decide they can talk the bride into not needing you. Granted anyone can start their own business and compete with you, but actually compete with you on the same day at the same wedding?

SteveR Loc: Michigan

What kind of camera was the DJ using?

tk Loc: Iowa

My daughter got married Oct. 1st at our farm. We hired a photographer that was quite good. I would not have wanted my daughter to have any kind of argument going one during her big day but I also would not want to piss off the photographer and get less than stellar results. Being professional or not it might be hard to give your best when you are ticked off. How is this different from you hiring a speaker for your convention and the caterer has another lesser speaker come in and talk at the same time? I would confront the DJ and ask them to let you shoot first or tell them you will load a few for the screen, if not satisfied tell the father of the bride you have a request to get the DJ to back off till you are done. Let him take photos of the dance after you leave.

grandaizsa Loc: Chesapeake, Virginia

Just do your job! At the reception everyone will be shooting, even cell phones.

mgemstone Loc: Chicago/Cocoa beach/La/NY

This happens all the time. Often people bring cameras to the reception and photograph the party. The problems you seem to have are that 1) They were immediately on display at the reception (this might be a way to sell your services if you used this in your package), 2) The assistant might be getting in your way but this is part of the action at a reception including drunks and kids, 3) May be the images that the DJ was taking and being displayed were good enough that you were insecure about your own skills and resulting images. I would guess that #3 has more to do this than anything else. You can not be professional and be insecure about your images. If the DJ assistant was out shooting you, perhaps you need better skills. No matter what level we think we are as photographers, we all need to continue improvement in our craft.

Others who said you should have ingnored the situation at the reception as it is the bride and grooms day, not the photographers, are absolutely correct. You can talk to them about it when they are selecting images. Walking out will hurt your reputation and income for future wedding shoots. Every bridal dress shop, hair dresser, MUA, and others will be talking about it and certainly be talking about your lack of professionalism and the disturbance that you caused at their wedding.

Mudshark Loc: Illinois

I don't have many rules, as a photographer. I try not to "stick out," to be as invisible as possible. I try to do as much planning and research ahead of a shoot as possible. I try to use the best equipment available. And fellow photographers...I NEVER SHOOT WEDDINGS.....PERIOD!....money be damned!
Having said that...hopefully, as it should be...your work is so vastly superior to some dimwit DJ..that his "show" only serves as proof of the value of your product.

Unclewiggley Loc: Winter Haven, FL

Guess I got out of the wedding business at the right time. All the ones I did were with 2 1/4 & 4x5 film. Had no problem with videos or someone elses cameras getting in the way. I use to let guest take pictures after I was done with the shot. I'd let the couple stay set up for a few seconds after I was done then go on to the next set up. It was suprising that not many did come and take pictures and the bride and groom was happy that I did that. It's just good business to give a little and I was asked for a card quite a few times.

Messsucherkamera

My thought exactly. I doubt that the DJ would care much for this - and I doubt that he would tolerate such arrogant and self-serving behavior or that he'd "suck it up" or react to such interference with his duties "graciously" as some expect the wedding photographer to.

The DJ and his photographer had exactly zero professionalism and no consideration for the couple, the family who is paying for the wedding photography or the photographer who was there to shoot a job. Such unprofessionalism is not okay and should not be tolerated. It has nothing to do with the ego of the photographer; it's about the quality of the couple's wedding photgraphs.

The wedding photography 1.) will cost the couple (or someone) a significant chunk of cash and should therefore produce images of the highest possible caliber, 2.) is a one time only event - there are no "do-overs," 3.) and is suffering due to the unprofessional behavior of the DJ and his photographer - which will leave the couple with a second rate set of wedding photos.

None of the above is acceptable or even remotely okay. No professional photographer should be expected top "suck it up" and live with it. Would the reception facility tolerate anyone carrying in food that they made and serving it? No they wouldn't.

In that situation, I would have approached whoever was writing the checks for the wedding photography and informed them that the DJ and his photographer were interfering with my ability to discharge my duties in a professional manner and are compromising the quality of the overall wedding photography package that he/she is paying for.

I would gently remind them in a polite and non-aggressive manner that the terms of the contract that they agreed to clearly state that there will be no other photographers permitted to work or interfere with my efforts to photograph the wedding - and that the terms of that contract must be adhered to in order to provide the couple with the highest possible quality of wedding photographs.

I would then ask the check writer to address the problem with the DJ and to ensure that the other photographer's interference cease and desist immediately.

I think that is about as common sense a way that this situation could be dealt with while not causing a confrontation with the DJ's photographer or acting out in an angry and unprofessional manner toward the other photographer or toward the wedding party.

The bottom line is that no one should be allowed to interfere with the execution of the photographer's duties or to compromise the quality and professionalism of his/her work. The couple's wedding photographs are at stake, as is the photographer's reputation. Neither should be allowed to be compromised by the unprofessional behavior of a DJ and his photographer.

JMHO.

MtnMan Loc: ID

Hi,

We'll never have any problems because with your attitudes you won't be allowed near any of my weddings.

Can I be sure to get your name right when I tell others?

The trick for the rest of us is to learn that there are people out there with such attitudues and to make sure you don't get one at a (hopefully) once in a lifetime event.

Regards,
Larry Leach

tk Loc: Iowa

I'm not saying throw a hissy fit! I'm asking the DJ to please back off and if he is a jerk check with the check writer and see if this was an arrangement with the DJ then ask nicely if they would request the DJ back off. If that does not resolve, shut up, take pictures and store this in the memory banks for the future. Take steps to protect your contract, but don't walk out or cause a scene.

les_stockton Loc: Eastern Oklahoma

I'd just do the best job that I could do. Document to the customer that you were interfered with when the other photographer kept getting in the way. Get paid, and don't look back.

Count it as education and in the future, ask if there's to be a DJ and who that will be, and find out what types of things the dj (or his assistant) might be doing. That way, there are fewer surprises.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

If I recall correctly, the contract specified "no other professional photographers," which is why I asked what kind of camera he was using. What if it was a point and shoot? If so, that's not the tool of a pro.

Messsucherkamera

The type of camera is irrelevant, IMHO. What is relevant is the fact that he is interfering with the wedding photographer's ability to produce the highest caliber wedding photographs possible - which is what he was hired to do.

The DJ was hired to DJ. Let him and his assistant DJ, let the wedding photographer do his work too. JMHO.

Messsucherkamera

Hi,

Quite frankly, I have no desire to be near any of your weddings.

It seems to me that it is the DJ and his assistant who have the attitude problem. For some reason, you seem to think that's okay though. I fail to understand this line of thinking.