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CEASE and DESIST; Taking pictures at a small wedding and reception
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Aug 27, 2018 13:00:29   #
rwww80a Loc: Hampton, NH
 
I have been taking pictures for 50 years (started with a Nikkormat FTn) with candids at the many weddings I have attended through the years.

This was a first!

In the ceremony program there was a statement (printed in the middle of the first page of the program) about the "excellent" photographers the couple had hired and not to take cell phone pix and post during the ceremony. I had my Nikon 7200 and took some pix and went to the reception took a few more. The sister of the bride came up to me and said cease and desist, I tried to tell her that what I was doing was to make an album of candids for a gift for the happy couple which I have done many other times. I stopped, didn't want to make the bride unhappy. I even had the grandparents come up to me as ask me to shoot some portraits of them - which I declined to do at that point because I wasn't the "official" photog. It made me feel bad for them later because I never saw the official wedding photogs over on the side of the room where they were sitting away from the noise.
Later the mother of the groom came up to me and explained that the picture statement in the program was done at the photographers insistence because the photographers didn't want their time and photos "devalued" by amateurs at the wedding. THEY are the picture takers and no one else can shoot the wedding? First I've heard of that! I had even been trying to stay out of the pros way so I wouldn't get in their way or ruin their shots! By the way, on the next day there must have been at least 10 postings on Facebook of cell phone vids and photos from the wedding and reception.

Are the pros really that paranoid and insecure about their work AND that amateurs could possibly make their work look bad or not as good? The photogs didn't even have the b...s to ask me themselves?

Yes in the past I have had several couples or families say that the album I put together as a gift was better than the pro BUT I think that because they were family.

Any other experiences or opinions???

Reply
Aug 27, 2018 13:17:27   #
pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY
 
rwww80a wrote:
I have been taking pictures for 50 years (started with a Nikkormat FTn) with candids at the many weddings I have attended through the years.

This was a first!

In the ceremony program there was a statement (printed in the middle of the first page of the program) about the "excellent" photographers the couple had hired and not to take cell phone pix and post during the ceremony. I had my Nikon 7200 and took some pix and went to the reception took a few more. The sister of the bride came up to me and said cease and desist, I tried to tell her that what I was doing was to make an album of candids for a gift for the happy couple which I have done many other times. I stopped, didn't want to make the bride unhappy. I even had the grandparents come up to me as ask me to shoot some portraits of them - which I declined to do at that point because I wasn't the "official" photog. It made me feel bad for them later because I never saw the official wedding photogs over on the side of the room where they were sitting away from the noise.
Later the mother of the groom came up to me and explained that the picture statement in the program was done at the photographers insistence because the photographers didn't want their time and photos "devalued" by amateurs at the wedding. THEY are the picture takers and no one else can shoot the wedding? First I've heard of that! I had even been trying to stay out of the pros way so I wouldn't get in their way or ruin their shots! By the way, on the next day there must have been at least 10 postings on Facebook of cell phone vids and photos from the wedding and reception.

Are the pros really that paranoid and insecure about their work AND that amateurs could possibly make their work look bad or not as good? The photogs didn't even have the b...s to ask me themselves?

Yes in the past I have had several couples or families say that the album I put together as a gift was better than the pro BUT I think that because they were family.

Any other experiences or opinions???
I have been taking pictures for 50 years (started ... (show quote)


Never seen this before. Sounds like they lack confidence and concerned that others will take better shots and minimize what the buy. It's also a single point pf failure. If the only photographer screws up, the family gets nothing. I can see limiting flash as this can be distracting or to avoiding the same space as the paid person, but to say no one is chicken shit!

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Aug 27, 2018 13:20:02   #
rwww80a Loc: Hampton, NH
 
You have said it well.

Reply
 
 
Aug 27, 2018 13:20:36   #
deer2ker Loc: Nashville, TN
 
That's how they make a living but some are more paranoid than others. When I am there as a friend or family member, I always go and talk to the photographers and tell them that I am shooting pics for personal reasons and not selling them and that I will stay out of their way. I haven't had anyone tell me to stop if I do that...it is common courtesy. But inevitably you will run into those that are insecure or have a strong stance.

Reply
Aug 27, 2018 13:20:40   #
orrie smith Loc: Kansas
 
rwww80a wrote:
I have been taking pictures for 50 years (started with a Nikkormat FTn) with candids at the many weddings I have attended through the years.

This was a first!

In the ceremony program there was a statement (printed in the middle of the first page of the program) about the "excellent" photographers the couple had hired and not to take cell phone pix and post during the ceremony. I had my Nikon 7200 and took some pix and went to the reception took a few more. The sister of the bride came up to me and said cease and desist, I tried to tell her that what I was doing was to make an album of candids for a gift for the happy couple which I have done many other times. I stopped, didn't want to make the bride unhappy. I even had the grandparents come up to me as ask me to shoot some portraits of them - which I declined to do at that point because I wasn't the "official" photog. It made me feel bad for them later because I never saw the official wedding photogs over on the side of the room where they were sitting away from the noise.
Later the mother of the groom came up to me and explained that the picture statement in the program was done at the photographers insistence because the photographers didn't want their time and photos "devalued" by amateurs at the wedding. THEY are the picture takers and no one else can shoot the wedding? First I've heard of that! I had even been trying to stay out of the pros way so I wouldn't get in their way or ruin their shots! By the way, on the next day there must have been at least 10 postings on Facebook of cell phone vids and photos from the wedding and reception.

Are the pros really that paranoid and insecure about their work AND that amateurs could possibly make their work look bad or not as good? The photogs didn't even have the b...s to ask me themselves?

Yes in the past I have had several couples or families say that the album I put together as a gift was better than the pro BUT I think that because they were family.

Any other experiences or opinions???
I have been taking pictures for 50 years (started ... (show quote)


Just my opinion, but photographers today are paranoid about their skills. In the past, (film days), it was expensive and a lot of work was involved in photography. Today, go buy a cheap or expensive DSLR and start snapping photos. Snap enough and you will have a decent amount of photos to present to your client.
The best wedding I ever attended was one where the couple set the rules to the photographer, not the other way around, and handed out disposable cameras to the guests. The photos they purchased from the photographer were great photos, the candid photos they collected from the disposable point and shoots were irreplaceable. The photographer they used was confident enough in his talents that the disposables were not an interference to what he was doing. People need to realize that they are paying the photographer and the photographer needs to bend to their desires, not the other way around. If the photographer knows how to do their job, a few amateurs will not be a deterrent.

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Aug 27, 2018 13:20:42   #
PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA
 
I have never been asked to stop. The only negative experience, if you could call it that, was at one wedding when the photograper asked me who I worked for. When I explained I was a guest who was a photo enthusiast, there was no further problem.

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Aug 27, 2018 13:21:04   #
gwilliams6
 
As a wedding shooter for most of my 44 years as a pro, I understand why the photographer had that statement put into the program. I cant tell you how many times a family member or zealous guest has stood up and/or blocked me from making that shot of a critical wedding or reception moment, from the first kiss, to walking down the aisle, to that first dance, and cutting the cake. As the official photographers we are getting paid to cover an event, and our clients, the bride and groom expect us as pros to make those shots and more. We can't come back to them later and say, oh sorry I dont have that moment (that will never happen again) because Aunt Ruth or Uncle Charley thought it would be neat to stand up in front of the photographer, or lean into the aisle with their cellphone, blocking the photographer.

I often shoot with a second shooter and also offer video, either by myself or with a dedicated video shooter. We take great pains to coordinate our coverage so everyone of our shooters can have a clear angle for coverage. We can not factor in anyone else who may wish to intrude as a shooter. I also put this statement out or make an announcement to the wedding guests. I also ask if there is anyone that would prefer NOT being in photos, so my crew can avoid taking their photo, that does occur at weddings.

It has nothing to do with any insecurities, but has to do with providing the best , most complete and excellent photos to the couple who has hired us to capture these once in a lifetime moments.. Put your camera and cellphones away, enjoy the wedding and let the hired pros do their jobs. You can get copies later of our excellent and unobstructed work. Cheers

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Aug 27, 2018 13:28:02   #
rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA
 
rwww80a wrote:
I have been taking pictures for 50 years (started with a Nikkormat FTn) with candids at the many weddings I have attended through the years.

This was a first!

In the ceremony program there was a statement (printed in the middle of the first page of the program) about the "excellent" photographers the couple had hired and not to take cell phone pix and post during the ceremony. I had my Nikon 7200 and took some pix and went to the reception took a few more. The sister of the bride came up to me and said cease and desist, I tried to tell her that what I was doing was to make an album of candids for a gift for the happy couple which I have done many other times. I stopped, didn't want to make the bride unhappy. I even had the grandparents come up to me as ask me to shoot some portraits of them - which I declined to do at that point because I wasn't the "official" photog. It made me feel bad for them later because I never saw the official wedding photogs over on the side of the room where they were sitting away from the noise.
Later the mother of the groom came up to me and explained that the picture statement in the program was done at the photographers insistence because the photographers didn't want their time and photos "devalued" by amateurs at the wedding. THEY are the picture takers and no one else can shoot the wedding? First I've heard of that! I had even been trying to stay out of the pros way so I wouldn't get in their way or ruin their shots! By the way, on the next day there must have been at least 10 postings on Facebook of cell phone vids and photos from the wedding and reception.

Are the pros really that paranoid and insecure about their work AND that amateurs could possibly make their work look bad or not as good? The photogs didn't even have the b...s to ask me themselves?

Yes in the past I have had several couples or families say that the album I put together as a gift was better than the pro BUT I think that because they were family.

Any other experiences or opinions???
I have been taking pictures for 50 years (started ... (show quote)


Professional Wedding Photographers are getting paid to produce professional results. It makes sense that they did not want amateurs (no offense) taking pictures, getting in the way. On a Facebook group dedicated to the Business of Photography, wedding pros post all the time about Brides and others claiming that the "free" images taken by somebody were superior to the paid photographs, as a way to get free processing, images and even get out of paying.

It's their job, it's your hobby.

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Aug 27, 2018 13:28:33   #
rwww80a Loc: Hampton, NH
 
As I said, I did try to stay out of the photogs way. And yes I had several instances of others blocking my shot as they leaned into my view.
I also noticed that the "official" photogs looked like another dancing couple at the reception because they both were constantly shooting next to each other getting essentially the same angle of view.
Bob

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Aug 27, 2018 13:29:54   #
Bill_de Loc: US
 
I have never shot wedding professionally. Whenever I went to a wedding where I thought I wanted to take pictures I would seek out the photographer and ask it they would mind. In each case, without me asking, the photographers would give me guidance. There were some shots they set up that they would ask me not to shoot, and I didn't.

The experiences were always fun, but taught me early on that I never wanted to be a wedding photographer.

--

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Aug 27, 2018 13:31:02   #
rwww80a Loc: Hampton, NH
 
That happened to me once - and I told him I was the father of the groom!

Reply
 
 
Aug 27, 2018 13:32:20   #
bthomas42 Loc: North Ridgeville Ohio
 
I was recently Copying a bunch of slides to digital on my computer and came across some of her cousins wedding from about 40 years ago. My wife was talking to her cousin and mentioned that we found some pictures from her wedding, and all of a sudden her cousin started crying. She said that they had no pictures from the wedding, the photographer that they had hired had gotten drunk and all of the pictures he took where trashed. Since we already had plans to visit them in Florida about a month later, she asked that we bring them with us so we could all look at them together rather than sending the pictures to them.

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Aug 27, 2018 13:35:38   #
One Rude Dawg Loc: Athol, ID
 
rwww80a wrote:
I have been taking pictures for 50 years (started with a Nikkormat FTn) with candids at the many weddings I have attended through the years.

This was a first!

In the ceremony program there was a statement (printed in the middle of the first page of the program) about the "excellent" photographers the couple had hired and not to take cell phone pix and post during the ceremony. I had my Nikon 7200 and took some pix and went to the reception took a few more. The sister of the bride came up to me and said cease and desist, I tried to tell her that what I was doing was to make an album of candids for a gift for the happy couple which I have done many other times. I stopped, didn't want to make the bride unhappy. I even had the grandparents come up to me as ask me to shoot some portraits of them - which I declined to do at that point because I wasn't the "official" photog. It made me feel bad for them later because I never saw the official wedding photogs over on the side of the room where they were sitting away from the noise.
Later the mother of the groom came up to me and explained that the picture statement in the program was done at the photographers insistence because the photographers didn't want their time and photos "devalued" by amateurs at the wedding. THEY are the picture takers and no one else can shoot the wedding? First I've heard of that! I had even been trying to stay out of the pros way so I wouldn't get in their way or ruin their shots! By the way, on the next day there must have been at least 10 postings on Facebook of cell phone vids and photos from the wedding and reception.

Are the pros really that paranoid and insecure about their work AND that amateurs could possibly make their work look bad or not as good? The photogs didn't even have the b...s to ask me themselves?

Yes in the past I have had several couples or families say that the album I put together as a gift was better than the pro BUT I think that because they were family.

Any other experiences or opinions???
I have been taking pictures for 50 years (started ... (show quote)


I would tell them to f off if I wanted my own pics I would take them.

Reply
Aug 27, 2018 13:40:22   #
JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco
 
rwww80a wrote:
I have been taking pictures for 50 years (started with a Nikkormat FTn) with candids at the many weddings I have attended through the years.

This was a first!

In the ceremony program there was a statement (printed in the middle of the first page of the program) about the "excellent" photographers the couple had hired and not to take cell phone pix and post during the ceremony. I had my Nikon 7200 and took some pix and went to the reception took a few more. The sister of the bride came up to me and said cease and desist, I tried to tell her that what I was doing was to make an album of candids for a gift for the happy couple which I have done many other times. I stopped, didn't want to make the bride unhappy. I even had the grandparents come up to me as ask me to shoot some portraits of them - which I declined to do at that point because I wasn't the "official" photog. It made me feel bad for them later because I never saw the official wedding photogs over on the side of the room where they were sitting away from the noise.
Later the mother of the groom came up to me and explained that the picture statement in the program was done at the photographers insistence because the photographers didn't want their time and photos "devalued" by amateurs at the wedding. THEY are the picture takers and no one else can shoot the wedding? First I've heard of that! I had even been trying to stay out of the pros way so I wouldn't get in their way or ruin their shots! By the way, on the next day there must have been at least 10 postings on Facebook of cell phone vids and photos from the wedding and reception.

Are the pros really that paranoid and insecure about their work AND that amateurs could possibly make their work look bad or not as good? The photogs didn't even have the b...s to ask me themselves?

Yes in the past I have had several couples or families say that the album I put together as a gift was better than the pro BUT I think that because they were family.

Any other experiences or opinions???
I have been taking pictures for 50 years (started ... (show quote)


I haven't heard of this before, and I wouldn't hire a wedding photographer who insisted guests can't take photos at the reception, but apparently they did hire the photographer and agree to those terms. I hope the official photographer was good enough to make this demand worth it. I'm sure a lot of the guests won't like it.

Reply
Aug 27, 2018 13:41:24   #
rpavich Loc: West Virginia
 
rwww80a wrote:
As I said, I did try to stay out of the photogs way. And yes I had several instances of others blocking my shot as they leaned into my view.
I also noticed that the "official" photogs looked like another dancing couple at the reception because they both were constantly shooting next to each other getting essentially the same angle of view.
Bob


How good or bad they were makes zero difference. The bride requested that nobody take pictures. End of story...done deal. Regardless of your intentions or what you "want," you aren't involved in making the rules.


When did basic respect for wishes get usurped by self gratification of ones one desires?

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