Opps Smokers are people too

[Actionphotog]

The 11th of November I did a wedding @ a villa, did the whole bridal prep, walking up to the gazibo and ceremony and all the photos of the reception ....... So I thought.
Got a call from the Groom this week said how great the proofs were and how I made the day a nice one and bla bla bla ...
He then asked me is it a standard practice to only shot the brides family?????
I'm like "No I shot both families but most of the shots are going to be of the bride and groom and whom ever they happen to be talking to."
LOL Well as it turns out (and I even when thur all the photos) I only have like 5 photo of his family.
And for the life of me I couldn't understand why ...
Then I realized why they weren't in any of the shots ......
They All Smoked, All of them, so they were all on the side of the house were the garages/cars were not in the house or on the big ass deck where everyone else were. They all stayed on that side of the house all damn afternoon.
I shot the people on the Deck and in the house, in the yard.
LOL and wouldn't you know it .......
None of the brides family smoke
He (the groom) said that he wanted to bring that to my attention and I should use it as a lesson learned. He also realizes that there is nothing I can do, and
said that the photos were great even without his family in them.

So I guess the moral of the story is.... Smokers are people too and we should seek them out in the smokers area.

This was a first! Enjoy :o

[jessiper]

Didn't they provide a shot list of who they wanted pics with? You're not going to know who is who unless they tell you. Of course you'll be able to figure out who many of the "important" people are, but not all of them. That's why I ask for a shot list as well as someone to let me know who they are. At least they still liked the photos!

[Big Mike]

Good lesson, thanks for sharing.

I guess it is important to photograph the smokers...you never know how much longer they have to live. :(

[Actionphotog]

LOL Yeap list and all.
We started to do the formals right after the ceremony but the Groom wanted to "Mingle" rather than take photos, The bride was like "well we should do them now before people start to eat/drink or leave and then we can't get them in the photos" But the Groom won their first little argument.
So I shot two formals with the parents and two formals with bestman and maid of honory and all their friends and then he mingled.
I mentioned to him throughout the afternoon that we need more group photos, but kept on with his mingling and the bride was like well whatever he wants.
I think that is the reason he didn't make a bigger deal.

[Grace]

Good lesson, thanks for sharing.

I guess it is important to photograph the smokers...you never know how much longer they have to live. :(


lol

i really hate it when people at the reception divide rooms/area what have you. it makes it even harder to get pics of everyone. I completely undrstand. I worked a wedding that had two reception areas (did not know this until i arrived!) How the heck is one photographer suppose to cover two areas and snap all the action?

[tim]

That's a good lesson for all of us to learn, thanks for sharing.

[MagicallyDelicious]

At the end of the day you dont know this guys family from adam so they B & G should have appointed someone on the day who knew both families to help you out for half an hour to help you get to know who was who!

[PIXI_666]

Considering it is such a big desgusting habit, i think the smokers should also think about this and not exclude themselves to one side - why spend a whole day smoking anyway you have a wedding to enjoy?
Sorry but i dont think it's necessarily your problem, i think they need to admit that it was their problem too...

Del

[cdifoto]

I gotta be honest and say too bad. They alienated themselves. You were hired to shoot the event, not the designated smoking area. They could have stepped on their butts and joined the fiesta.

[Tragerman]

The real message to the groom is that his family didn't want to be at the reception as much as they wanted to be secluded with their common crutch. It's a shame really. Smokers create their own alternate society that joins together at the smoke shack. Victims of their own habit (I'm a former member of that group). I'm not sure it 's the photogs job to go off premises to find the other crowd. The statement you made that you were shooting the people around the B&G is most telling.

Don't sweat it. Just mark it up as another thing to consider, but not fret over.
-Mickey

[Big Mike]

Considering it is such a big desgusting habit, i think the smokers should also think about this and not exclude themselves to one side - why spend a whole day smoking anyway you have a wedding to enjoy?
Sorry but i dont think it's necessarily your problem, i think they need to admit that it was their problem too...
I gotta be honest and say too bad. They alienated themselves. You were hired to shoot the event, not the designated smoking area. They could have stepped on their butts and joined the fiesta.
I completely agree...smoking and smokers irritate me to no end. I'm somewhat allergic to it...which doesn't help. Like a lot of people...I've had family members die slow & painful deaths from smoking related cancer...and watching other family members continue to smoke...just makes my blood boil.

Back to the wedding/lesson at hand...I don't think that the smoking family was being anti-social...they probably did more visiting that the family that stayed inside. Smokers have their own little world when they 'go out for a smoke'...they visit with one another as they congregate in the smoking area. That's what I've observed anyway. At plenty of weddings, I go outside for a breath of fresh air (ha ha) and visit with the many smokers out there.

That being said...I think Actionphotog did the right thing. Stick with the B&G and be inside...where you would expect the party to be.

[cdifoto]

Back to the wedding/lesson at hand...I don't think that the smoking family was being anti-social...they probably did more visiting that the family that stayed inside. Smokers have their own little world when they 'go out for a smoke'...they visit with one another as they congregate in the smoking area. That's what I've observed anyway. At plenty of weddings, I go outside for a breath of fresh air (ha ha) and visit with the many smokers out there.

Well considering it was the B&G's day, and not the guest's, it shouldn't matter whether they were smoking or not. If they wanted to be in the photos, they have to be where the action is. Almost every photo I take other than detail shots has the couple in it. That's who I'm there for. In my opinion it's up to the couple to let the guests know that they want them in shots, or around the party in general, so they want them to keep the smoke breaks to a minimum. I don't even shoot guests that aren't smoking yet aren't part of the excitement. Even if the photographer does make time to go out to the smoking area...what kind of shots do you really thing he/she is going to get? Yeah that's right...people standing around smoking. Not exactly album material there.

Who smokes all day at a wedding anyway? Most people don't smoke all day at work...why would they at a wedding?

[Big Mike]

Well considering it was the B&G's day, and not the guest's, it shouldn't matter whether they were smoking or not. If they wanted to be in the photos, they have to be where the action is. Almost every photo I take other than detail shots has the couple in it. That's who I'm there for. In my opinion it's up to the couple to let the guests know that they want them in shots, or around the party in general, so they want them to keep the smoke breaks to a minimum. I don't even shoot guests that aren't smoking yet aren't part of the excitement. Even if the photographer does make time to go out to the smoking area...what kind of shots do you really thing he/she is going to get? Yeah that's right...people standing around smoking. Not exactly album material there.
I agree...and in this case...it's not that they wanted to be in the shots...it's just that when it was done...the groom asked why so few of his family. I would place no blame on Actionphotog.

Who smokes all day at a wedding anyway? Most people don't smoke all day at work...why would they at a wedding?
Smokers tend to smoke more (a lot more) when the drinks are flowing and there are other smokers around. I know plenty of people who don't smoke otherwise...but at a wedding, after a few drinks...they are outside, visiting with the smokers and having a few themselves. Also, many smokers may smoke double or tripple their regular amount durring a wedding.

My only point is that smoking is a very social activity...especially at weddings. It would be to our benefit, as photographers...to keep that in mind.

[cdifoto]

My only point is that smoking is a very social activity...especially at weddings. It would be to our benefit, as photographers...to keep that in mind.

Actually, quite the opposite. With all the designated smoking areas these days, it's a very anti-social activity. It's only social at bars and bonfires.

I saw a lot of smoking guests outside the weddings I've shot, but I certainly wasn't going to fire off frames of them looking like idiots milling around with butts in their faces.

I don't feel that it's anything I should "keep in mind" unless to remind the couple that they need to ensure the people are inside if they want them in the photos.

[TeeJay]

....I guess it is important to photograph the smokers...you never know how much longer they have to live. :(

LOL :lol:

lol

i really hate it when people at the reception divide rooms/area what have you. it makes it even harder to get pics of everyone. I completely undrstand. I worked a wedding that had two reception areas (did not know this until i arrived!) How the heck is one photographer suppose to cover two areas and snap all the action?

We are photographers - miracles are easy - we can do anything!:confused:

At the end of the day you dont know this guys family from adam so they B & G should have appointed someone on the day who knew both families to help you out for half an hour to help you get to know who was who!

Absolutely.

Actually, quite the opposite. With all the designated smoking areas these days, it's a very anti-social activity. It's only social at bars and bonfires.

...and all you'd get is a hazey photo and a cough!

[Big Mike]

Actually, quite the opposite. With all the designated smoking areas these days, it's a very anti-social activity. It's only social at bars and bonfires.
I guess it depends who they are being social with. They are only anti-social to the people who stay inside...they are very social with other smokers etc. I haven't been to a wedding that didn't have a bar...and often the atmosphere is fairly similar to a bar...dancing, drinking & smoking etc.

I saw a lot of smoking guests outside the weddings I've shot, but I certainly wasn't going to fire off frames of them looking like idiots milling around with butts in their faces.
I didn't say you should. I agree, they do look like idiots and don't usually make for good photos.

I don't feel that it's anything I should "keep in mind" unless to remind the couple that they need to ensure the people are inside if they want them in the photos.
Well, if you are at a wedding...and have agreed to get a shot of 'Aunt Millie'...and you can't find her all night...it would be in your benefit to know that there are 50 people outside...and maybe she is one of them. I'm not saying that you, or anyone, should be responsible for including the smokers in the photos or in the wedding reception. I'm just saying that for a lot of people...that's where the party is...and a lot of memorable moments do happen out there.

[strmrdr]

I hate getting my picture taken so please do not bother the smokers.
Most of them are hiding from you and they do not want to be found.

[zacker]

that is why you need to start smoking...pronto!!
and, just incase some family mems are Alkies, start drinking also!!
lol

[Keith R]

they were all on the side of the house were the garages/cars were .

Best place for 'em - unless you have a mine shaft handy...

[zacker]

Best place for 'em - unless you have a mine shaft handy...

Oh great, nice... " First they came for the smokers and I did nothing, then they came for the drinkers, still, I did nothing, then it was the farters and burpers..still, I did nothing, then they came for me......"

lol Where will it all end?