alby Loc: very eastern pa.

i don't go to many weddings. mostly family. don't have a fancy camera. i stay way out of the way, shoot almost only candids as the pro is there to get the "set ups"... i turned off the shutter sound and it bothers no one. many times some of mine were favorites over the pro's... makes me feel good to provide "memories".

jrcarpe Loc: Jacksonville,AR

I was asked by the bride to shoot some video of the wedding and while in the process of doing so the hired photographer told me I was interfering with him and requested me to stop. I politely informed him I was doing this as per the Bride's request and if he had a problem he could discuss it with her. Problem solved.

However with the introduction of cell phones everyone now thinks they are a photographer.I hate to be at a wedding or other event and see the phones come out.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Good answer!

I’ve been a candid photojournalist at several wedding receptions. In each case, I had an advance agreement with the bride and her photographer that I would stay out of the way of the other pro(s), and not duplicate their scenes or setups. I would either video the ceremony, or not photograph it at all.

Unfortunately, we live in an age when getting a cellphone photo is more important than experiencing the occasion. The most disgusting, saddest thing to see is 20 people with iPhones crawling all over each other at the front row of an event, each reaching for the best photo.

I have no problem with pros who have exclusivity clauses in their contracts, and no problems with couples who agree to them. If it gives the pros a monopoly, so be it. It’s the families’ day, and someone in the wedding party is paying the bills. Every invitee is a spectator, and should abide by the couple’s requests.

Receptions are often a little different. That’s where many pros have struck a detente of sorts. The bride and groom announce that attendees should not take photos of any “setup” scenes where the pros are working, but they are free, and encouraged, to photograph anything else of interest. This honors the 1980s’ “disposable camera on each reception table” practice, by using guests’ cellphones.

It’s wise to check your sense of entitlement at the door of any event, until you know you have permission to use a camera.

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

My thoughts exactly. It would be so easy to ask the family if they would make an exception but you make the decision thinking what you were doing was important enough - that was totally wrong.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

I have seen both sides of that issue. I have shot (professionally) many weddings and have had several incidents with guests and their "personal" cameras. Some would jump into the middle of my set shots of the bride coming down the isle.. I have a mid-telephoto zoom and set the camera up on a tripod behind the podium so I could get shots of the bridal party coming down the isle to the front. But, I have 4 or 5 shots per wedding of a "amateur" photographer jumping into the middle of my "candid" shots in most of the weddings. I've also had several instances of well meaning wedding guests intruding into the photo session between the wedding and the reception. This is not to mention the "staged" shots of the garter removal and cake cutting etc.
So, I can understand the frustrations of the photographer and the family. After all the family is paying big dollars for the photographer to get good shots (without some guest barging in). And yes, I included cellphone shots etc. into the mix... I don't care whether it is a cell phone, a point and shoot or a full blown whatever (including video). I don't (and the family doesn't want) shots of the bride and groom (or the wedding in general) with well meaning guests standing in front of a photographer being paid to shoot the event.
Now, I have attended many weddings as a guest and constantly watch the "paid" photographer perform his or her work. (you never know when they may have a shot that you didn't think of and you'll want to do it the next time you shoot a wedding. But, I also feel for the photographer and will try to politely point out to well meaning guests that they are intruding into the photographer's shot. I usually get the dirty look or comment... but at least I get them thinking. I always point out that they would be upset if some well intending person was pushing into a job that they were being paid to do. The grey area is that if you have a "paid" photographer that is just ignoring obvious shots... (like the afore mentioned garter or the throwing of the bridal bouquet, then yes.. get the shot... cell phone or whatever. But, if the person is doing their job.. STAY OUT OF IT!

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

When I go to a wedding, I leave my camera at home. I have seen too many wedding photos ruined by people standing in front of the hired photographer. Especially during the ceremony. I have several times witnessed wedding guests jump into the aisle, in front of the photographer because they knew, they just KNEW they could get a better shot of the kiss with their iPhone!

You can say you "try" to stay out of the photographer's way, but, unless you have eyes in the back of your head, try is the best you can do and you will fail several times during the event. Even if you turn around to check, you might just ruin a shot and look like a photo bomber. Multiply that failure by just 1/4 of the guests who want to record the event and a photographer is lucky to get any good shots.

Unless asked to bring my camera, I leave it a home (OK in the car.) Even if asked, I may decline since I am there to celebrate the event, not record it. Celebrating is the role I agreed to when I accepted the invitation.

pappleg

I did part time weddings for 35 years. While attending a friends wedding I brought my camera but was not the "official" photog that day. While composing a few shots keeping well away from the pro they had hired an apparent female "assistant" deliberately stepped in front of me. After the second time I told her that my titanium camera body could make quite an alteration to her anatomy-she left me alone!

KarenKaptures Loc: New Jersey

I would honor the wishes of the couple. Also, sometimes, brides don’t care for cell phone pics and wants guests to refrain from posting to social media during the ceremony allowing her time to post wedding pics first.

BebuLamar

A wedding, a party, a trade show, a concert all are the same to me. If the people who are in charge of the venue don't want me to take picture then I won't take picture. The official photographer is irrelevant to me.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

When I did weddings for hire - I never had an instance where a guest caused any sort of real interference in my work (did have the occasional jerk - but I could be intimidating if need be, and could usually defuse a situation) - some minor inconvenience maybe, but as for important "lost" shots, no. I have seen drunken wedding guests cause problems, but I was always able to work around them. As a guest or even participant in a wedding, (unless it was in a dungeon) I'd shoot fast film/high ISO "no flash" and get all I could get, often using a smaller camera or a high qual. P&S. Later if out of the way, no qualms about flash for candids. Folks knew me and my skill level and always wanted copies of what I shot to go along with any official album. When I did "for hire" I did the "official" album, and then usually a smaller album of candids as a goodwill freebie. Did "save" a couple of weddings where the Photog didn't show (accident) and a couple that were late for whatever reason - I just stepped in and did the prelims.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

I don't and won't take a camera to a wedding. We have people making a living on Wedding Pictures. Let them make a living.

I don't want a bidding war to under sell my pictures.

pendennis

I photographed weddings for a number of years. I designed my contracts so that I was the exclusive photographer for the event, and that others could take pictures only when I'd completed a section of the wedding event I was photographing. For instance, coming down the aisle the bride could only be photographed after I finished her procession. It was always too late to get in pictures once the bride arrived at the altar. The same held true for any photographs permitted by the official at the altar. The priest/rabbi/minister always had my back.

On post-ceremony poses, I moved too quickly for "Uncle Joe and his Sears KSX". If he wanted to try and corral the participants after I was finished, good luck! I also moved the party along to the church entrance for departure very quickly. The amateurs were never privy to my script.

At receptions, control was quite a bit more difficult, so I got the shots I needed at those events, but didn't really mind the amateurs, since I had position for all the takes.

I found that, over time, my concentration levels and preparation far exceeded the ardor of the amateur.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Quite honestly, the weddings I've been invited to attend as a guest keeps my cameras at home. The wedding party hired photographers and they are responsible for the wedding photos not me. There are times when one just needs to leave the cameras at home.

The only time I photographed a wedding in which I wasn't the wedding photographer was when a wedding was held in the vicinity of a pub for which I was the official photographer. Since the wedding was part of the pub activities, I was asked by the owner to photograph the event. The happy couple received none of the photos I took. They were posted, in small format, on the pub's facebook page.
--Bob

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

If you are asked to do something at someone's wedding by the wedding party, don't you think it's right to simply adhere to those requests rather than completely disregard? And YES, I've seen and heard this before because many people with their cell phones including "Uncle Bob" get in the way of the photographers and ruin some of the traditional planned wedding pictures. I've see some weddings where the wedding party put those instant cameras on each table for the guests to use and then simply leave the camera on the table when it's used up. I've also seen some of those shitty pictures. Most (90%) are crap.

JCM

As a close friend to one of the best portrait - and wedding - professional photographers in the USA I can relate his comments regarding how many of his photos were ruined by persons in attendance at the wedding taking photos and having their flash go off during his shoot. This was back in the film days so they shot discretely and more limited. It can only be worse with the small cameras and cell phones today. Remember, this is how the photographer makes a LIVING. Botched up photos impact his/her ability to sell the photos. If one does not want professional work at their wedding then just let everyone take photos willy nilly. Another point - and especially for the "f off" response - this is their wedding NOT yours so have some respect. If you are unable to agree to this then just stay home. When it's your show and you're paying the bills then you can make the rules. In this case, you're not entitled to do whatever the f you want. See, I can play that game too.