Robertl594 Loc: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Nantucket

As a photographer, I admire, respect and appreciate most photographers. I have a request to many of you.

I attended a beautiful wedding last weekend. As you probably recognize, most people do not know how to use a microphone and the sound engineers do not teach the bride groom, officiators or other speakers how to speak into the mic, or adjust the sound so people can hear the ceremony. Being an auctioneer, I know how, but most people do not.

To make matters worse, there was a photographer standing behind me (and many others, continuously clicking away with a DSLR. The sound of the shutter was very distracting and annoying.

Having both mirrorless and DSLR cameras I know how silent the mirrorless can be and a much better choice for weddings and other events that require quiet photography. If you are a professional photographer and are hired to do these events, please use mirrorless cameras. People around you will be much happier.

You can also differentiate yourselves when selling your services by letting your prospective clients know that you are using state of the art quiet cameras that will not detract from the ceremony.

If you are searching for an event photographer, ask the question, what equipment will you be using.

Needed to share. Rant over.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Agree, the pro in these venues has no excuse to still be using a DSLR. Unless they have a DSLR with excellent live view AF that can keep up with the action and use the live view as appropriate.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

No excuse to still be using a DSLR? Wedding photographers should dump their high end DSLR outfits, and spend many thousands of dollars on a new system, just to please a wedding guest or two? In all of my time as a wedding photographer, never once did anyone complain about the sound of my cameras (film).

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

We remodeled a bathroom about four years ago. In the course of doing so, we had new recessed light fixtures installed. They are, of course, LED fixtures, since the age-proven incandescent ones are now illegal. And they were "guaranteed" to last for 60,000 hours of service...probably about 30 years. They are now starting to fail. The lamps are not replaceable. Why would they be, with a 30 year life expectancy? So we are looking at replacing the fixtures, one by one.

I am not against progress, and I am not a Luddite. But we are in a time when blind following of "new" is consuming many of us. This is combined with so many folks just looking for something to cause personal offense.

In my recent experience, folks tend not to be attentive and respectful at group events whether anyone is clicking a camera or not. If they are the ones making the noise, they see no problem with it. Only when someone else behaves badly is there a concern at all.

I apologize if my comments cause this discussion to get moved, but I am really tired of problems being made where there is no problem.

Robertl594 Loc: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Nantucket

Yes. and it was not a guest or two. And I will remember this photographer, never use, hire or recommend that photographer again. Times have changed. Technology has advanced.

Professional photographers who charge thousands of dollars for an event should have professional equipment, should know how to be invisible as not to become the center of attention. Silent mirrorless cameras are commonplace now and should be used now for events like these. Professional photographers who charge for these events are not FWC (friends with cameras) who pros complain about. Time for pros to step up and become appropriately invisible and shine through their final images, not their physical presence at the event.

The photographer was standing behind me in the center aisle and was clicking away, as he should have been. However, all I could hear was the incessant clicking, not the wedding. I did not ask him to move, I did not want to cause a problem. But it annoyed me and others. Got me thinking about proper professional wedding photography.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

Exactly

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

So now all Nikon D850's have been rendered obsolete with the advent of the camera? The photographers main concern is to make images that will please his clients. There is no reason for him/her to be concerned with the guests (within reason). Do we all go out today, dump our modern gasoline powered automobiles, because modern technology has brought us electric cars? Are mirror-less cameras and electric automobiles ALWAYS better? Have you shot a fast paced wedding using only the Live View, viewfinder on a mirror-less camera. There is a reason why many professional wedding, event, and sports photographers still prefer the optical viewfinders on DSLR's.

Robert, you are entitled to your opinion, and I respect that. I am just throwing another point of view out there.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Because dinosaurs like you worked when a functioning mirrorless didn't exist.
No one had something better anciently so people had no choice but to put up with the noise.
Now for $1,500 you can get an amazing and capable FF mirrorless body add a $100 compatible adapter and every AF lens you own is 100% compatible.
You do NOT have to get rid of all your outfit, just a body.
Those who don't will be left wondering why their work is falling off.
PS it has been about 4 years now when fully capable mirrorless cameras hit their stride. This just didn't happen yesterday.
I upgrade my AutoCAD and REVIT every year to stay current and relevant. Check those prices out and compare to a camera body.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

My current DSLR has silent Live View, silent shutter, etc. I am now obligated to use it, because optical viewfinders, shutters, moving mirrors, etc, are only used by dinosaurs, in your opinion? Which electric car model are you driving, and I assume that you always "upgrade" to the newest cell phone technology?

marycar53 Loc: Tuscumbia Al

My 5DMIV has a silent shutter setting that I use when needed. When sitting on my deck photographing at my 7 hummingbird feeders, the hummers would scatter when I use the regular one. They stay around with the silent.

Robertl594 Loc: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Nantucket

While agree with your assessment of others being rude and talking during ceremonies, I do not think that they excuse the errors of others and the the avoidance of potential solutions that should be provided by paid professionals who should know better. In other words, two wrongs do not make a right. So excusing the paid professional photographer because others are also rude, is not a good justification for me.

You equate the migration from DSLR to mirrorless as the "Blind following the new" I think that mirrorless technology has been around long enough that we are no longer blind, at least those who have embraced the wonders of this new technology are not. Eventually and soon, DSLRs will be obsolete and those who do not make the migration soon will be left behind. At least now, the old lenses can be used with the new bodies.

Look at the evolution of medical imaging. Started in 1895 with a simple Radio and X-Ray, 76 years later the CT Scan was invented. CT Scan provided much better visibility into imagery through better technology. Then came MRI and Ultrasound. Even better technology. Following your logic, you would prefer to stay with the original radiography and X-Ray as the blind following the new?

Look, I love the photographic industry. I support it, defend it and teach it. I like new technology and the application of the best technology for the particular application. Saying that I am complaining for the sake of complaining is insulting. I am not looking for a reason to complain. I am not looking for something to cause me personal offense. There is enough of that without having to look for it. The fact is that the loud clicking in the center of the quiet ceremony detracted from the main event, placing the attention squarely on the photographer (who should have done everything to become invisible and unintrusive), instead of the wedding ceremony.

I believe that a good photographer has to have several qualities: Knowledge of the craft and equipment and how to capture light at the right moments; having and using the right equipment; and sensitivity to his/her surroundings at every moment. This photographer failed miserably on at least two of these traits I consider to be imperative.

You do not need to apologize for your opinion. This is a discussion between adults. Your opinion is welcome without apologies. I have expressed mine respectfully, in an attempt to create awareness to a sensitivity, and I am not apologetic for this.

AndyT Loc: Hampstead, New Hampshire

Robert. I was a professional wedding photographer for 32 yrs, upgrading my equipment as needed during all that time. I'll grant you the microphone, but your comment about upgrading the photographer's equipment because you found the shutter distracting is a bit much. When on the rare occasion I was able to attend someone's wedding as a guest and not work it, I found myself watching and critiquing the photographer instead of enjoying the ceremony. I think that's what you've done here.

Robertl594 Loc: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Nantucket

And I respect your opinion and I embrace other points of view, that's how I learn. My point is that as technology advances, there are better solutions available for specific circumstances. Professionals who charge thousands and tens of thousands of dollars for a service should be up to speed on technology, with sensitivity to their surroundings. The room was silent, could barely hear the ceremony because the speakers do not know how to orate (not an unusual problem at weddings) all we could hear was the camera.

My D850 has been one of my all-time favorite cameras. However, having used mirrorless, I would be embarrassed to show up at a quiet ceremony with it given the distracting noise it makes in small quiet environments. My cameras already call more attention to myself than I want. That's just me. I am about to sell my D850, if anyone is interested in it, LMK

Robertl594 Loc: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Nantucket

You nailed that one for just about every wedding I attend (5 in the last 5 weeks). While I am not a wedding photographer by choice, I am always watching the photographers, however, not at this wedding, it was a very close and dear friend of my family. I was not concerned about the photographer at this wedding until he overshadowed the ceremony.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

I have shot many weddings upon a time with a RB67. Talk about noise (mirror). Yet I was not noticeable, as my job (one of them) was to be invisible. At the time, we did not have a bunch of **** trying to 'steal the shot'.

The idea given by a few that a pro needs pro equipment is a joke today. Put a big rig in front of a client makes you a pro... Right. A question: What oven did your grandmother used to cook her delicious pies?

Being pro comes from training, experiences and... Mistakes. Pros used to meet the officiant, learn what was acceptable in the venue, check the best place to shoot, so we did not move all that much and pros uses one or two assistants to shoot the 'incidental during an event. We did the same with the caterer, DJ or band in order to coordinate and somehow be alert to what was going to happen when and where (We had the other to Ws).

Noise? Our real issue was the flashes that can be a real annoyance for everyone. Many venues banned those, with good reasons.

As AndyT mentioned, I also pay attention to the photographers and quite honestly I am not impressed. They run all over the place, sometimes pass between the audience and the main event 'trying to be discreet' make a pest of themselves and if there is noise (actually it does exist) it is only annoying when the 'pro' uses long bursts to capture a scene. While I earlier mentioned that a pro does not need 'pro' equipment a minimal is required in order to provide good quality enlargements but nowadays, clients requesting prints above 11x14 are rare to the extent of becoming extinct.

Should I mention the disrespectful casual dress code? Just did, I guess.