Sharing Space with Videographers at a Wedding?

[sara505]

A couple of months ago I shot a wedding, was surprised to find a videographer, a "friend of the couple," who managed to 1. plant herself in a conspicuous location, dead center, all during the ceremony; 2. stand in my window light while I was taking intimate post-ceremony shots of couple; 3. follow us outside for what I was hoping to be un-encumbered far-and close shots of the couple walking, talking (impossible with videographer tagging along). I asked her for 15 minutes alone with the couple and she became indignant, and refused to leave us alone. A most unfortunate situation that managed to cause stress on a day where there should have been none.

I've never encountered this type of situation before, and suspect it was the "friend of the couple" component, as I do not believe a professional would conduct herself in this manner, at least not in my experience.

Just curious, have others have similar experiences with videographers, and how was the situation handled?

[advaitin]

You were hired, right? You were within your rights to insist on exclusive setups and you should have told the clients to either control their friend or consider the contract broken by them. Sounds harsh, but unless they had someone else there to fill in, they should realize the need to cooperate. Chances are pretty good that the Vgpher produced lousy stuff, anyway.

Whenever I've been at a friend's wedding and not the official photographer, I stay the hell out of the way. I always carry a camera and shoot candids, it's my habit, but not the pro's setups. Last one I shot from my seat, concentrating on the footwear, because the couple decided to have the whole wedding party wear personally decorated sneakers. It turned out the pro never shot any images of the feet, so my quirky views were the only record. But I still stayed out of the way and out of the frame whenever possible, just common courtesy.

[sara505]

You were hired, right? You were within your rights to insist on exclusive setups and you should have told the clients to either control their friend or consider the contract broken by them. Sounds harsh, but unless they had someone else there to fill in, they should realize the need to cooperate. Chances are pretty good that the Vgpher produced lousy stuff, anyway.

Whenever I've been at a friend's wedding and not the official photographer, I stay the hell out of the way. I always carry a camera and shoot candids, it's my habit, but not the pro's setups. Last one I shot from my seat, concentrating on the footwear, because the couple decided to have the whole wedding party wear personally decorated sneakers. It turned out the pro never shot any images of the feet, so my quirky views were the only record. But I still stayed out of the way and out of the frame whenever possible, just common courtesy.

Yes, I was hired, and all during our pre-wedding conversations the subject of the videographer never came up, and since I've never had a problem before, the subject of a possible videographer was not on my mind. Other videographers in the past have demonstrated the most professional behavior, deferring to me every step of the way. As I said, it was the surprise, as well as her poor deportment, that really threw me. I mostly tried to work around her, ignoring her as best I could, as the wedding day is not a day for getting into a fight, but it was very problematic.

[_Jo_]

The videographers I have worked with in the past have all stayed out of my way and asked me to tell them if they were in my way. That was very rude and would certainly have affected your range and the outcome of your photos. I would not be happy - and would have quietly told her to move!

[adamfromperth]

I have a slightly different point of view of the problem. I am a wedding videographer and also do wedding photography for a different company, so i know how it feels to be in both predicments.

I understand that in this case it was a family friend so the footage would have been ordinary. But with professional videographers i think that photographers have to learn to share the day with them.

The bride and groom have paid a similar fee to have them capture their wedding day just the same as the photographer. So i have a few small comments.

In regards to standing in the middle of the aisle, this is obviously where you want to stand for some portion of the service and that is fair enough. But ponder the fact that lets say for the vows you only need to be there for 10 seconds, the videographer needs to stay stationed there for the entire time. There is also nothing stopping you from asking the videographer to stand back (leave their camera rolling) whilst you took some quick shots. Or you could bob down in front of the camera... simple problem avoided.

As per the window light situation, i agree with you this is stupidity as it is obvious that is the set up that you are working for. Generally a videographer will ask if they are in the frame or if you are using certaain lighting. But if they are just "ask them" if they could move a little bit.

As for the third with the intimate walking, i can't see a problem with the videographer being there, they have the same right to get their shots as you do. As long as they are not standing in front of you it shouldn't be a problem.

Anyways that is my small rant about the frustration of being labelled not as important as photographers. However, i am talking about good videographers which obviously this woman wasn't.

[tim]

I have a checklist I go through when I meet couples leading up to their wedding day, "do you have a videographer?" is one of the questions on it, then "professional, amateur, or family?". I then ask which has priority, and discuss what can go wrong, issues that can come up, and have them chat to the videographer. Sometimes I call the videographer to say hi and chat about how the day will go.

If they hired a videographer they want video, so I work with them to make sure they get both. This includes talking to the video person/people before the ceremony. Couples sometimes alter their video plans after I tell them my experience. I'll always treat videographers as fellow professionals trying to get a job done, so long as they treat me the same way. Amateurs I have no tolerance for, they've caused problems in the past and I don't allow them near me.

I don't often allow a videographer along on the photo shoot, but I offer to get back early so they can have some exclusive time, or give them time on location. The video guys i've worked with and know are good and unobtrusive I don't restrict.

If anyone's rude or obtrusive I have a quiet word with the groom, and my contract reserves the right to leave.

[jonwhite]

Over the last 2 years we have worked with some great videographers and some not so great videographers, generally we have found the longer the videographer has been in this business the better they are at working with us, the ones we have had the most problems with have been the family friend who is "mr videographer" for the day and got well and truelly carried away, thats deffo not a hard and fast rule though.

When the new ones start standing on the pews in church you really have to cringe though.:oops:

Like Tim its something that we always discuss with the B&G beforehand and agree who has priority (Photos always seem to be the priority with our clients) and then try and get a good raport going with the videographer on the day, help each other out with shots etc. good communictaion is the key here.

We had an interesting video experience last year actually and I guess its kinda an example of the good and the bad.

We shot a wedding at the start of the year for a client and the Videographer seemed to be part of the wedding party/family but had a real top end video camera and seemed to know what he was doing. We worked really well with the guy on the day under some difficult and challenging circumstances (long story but a motorcycle ploughed into one of the wedding party cars on the way to the venue) and shortly after the wedding he contacted us and booked us to shoot his own wedding later in the year.

Turns out the guy was starting his own video production company and one of the things he was offering was wedding videography. On the day of his own wedding he had one of his friends/employees shoot the video and whilst he wasnt as good the first wedding he was still good fun to work with and for most of the day we didnt get in each others way...... until the fireworks at the end.

The bride and groom left the venue down an allyway of fireworks which was pretty challening for all of us as we were walking backwards in darkness towards a pond with a camera upto our eye whilst a number of people lit fireworks around and behind us. .... it was pretty crazy and whilst we were trying to get a shot the videographer was walking backwards very close to the couple blocking our shot, everything we were shooting had hm or a part of him in it ...... that is until Nick stopped shooting and went and grabbed him and "gently" pulled him back a bit so I could grab a shot :). We had asked a few times for him to let us get a shot but I think the noise and excitement meant we werent heard or we were filtered out so on this occasion we didnt have much choice other than to physically manhandle him. Not something we have had to do before or want to do again but we apologised to the videographer and he understood why we had done it and apologised for getting in the way...... all in all it was a fun if somewhat crazy end to the day.

So in this shot what you dont see is Nick pulling the Videographer backwards ... we have a lot of shots before it with the videographer in the shot :)

http://www.boundlessphotos.com/clients/BP065-BLOG-040.jpg

[tim]

That's the problem I have with amateur videographers - they stand in the way, in the shot, or walk backwards right beside the couple. I do the walk backwards thing coming out the aisle if there's no videographer, but if there is I stand at the back with a long lens and ask them to do the same.

[g-money]

My last wedding two weeks ago had two videographers. I have to say they were more than professional. We talked a bit while he was setting up and he told me upfront the pictures were most important and that if he got in the way just let him know but he would do everything he could to stay out of my shots. He done a great job. We exchanged cards and I would not be shy about referring him to other wedding clients.

Jonwhite, Great shot you got, you were lucky there were two you so one could move the guy out of the way. I assume this was shot with direct flash?

Greg

[LORAC]

I can't see why one needs 'priority'. Two professionals, one client.
Clients shouldn't be put in the position of - "which is your priority" - It's their wedding day and unless Photo or Video are complete amateur idiots some professional etiquette is required.
There are occasions when in the heat of the moment - confetti etc, both need a good positon, but it's not rocket science to work out where and when beforehand, so no-ones shot gets spoilt.
Working well together can bring out the best in both. :)

[viet]

A couple of months ago I shot a wedding, was surprised to find a videographer, a "friend of the couple," who managed to 1. plant herself in a conspicuous location, dead center, all during the ceremony; 2. stand in my window light while I was taking intimate post-ceremony shots of couple; 3. follow us outside for what I was hoping to be un-encumbered far-and close shots of the couple walking, talking (impossible with videographer tagging along). I asked her for 15 minutes alone with the couple and she became indignant, and refused to leave us alone. A most unfortunate situation that managed to cause stress on a day where there should have been none.

I've never encountered this type of situation before, and suspect it was the "friend of the couple" component, as I do not believe a professional would conduct herself in this manner, at least not in my experience.

Just curious, have others have similar experiences with videographers, and how was the situation handled?

One word: contract

If they refuse to play nice, talk to the b&g, ask them if they are going to hang the video or pictures.

I've never had a bad situation with any videographers, yet. All depends on how you talk to them & how you handle it. Most of them play nice, got an ass once, but once handled, he played nice.

[viet]

This I agree, and always up front about it when I come shoot & see a professional videographer.

Working well together can bring out the best in both. :)

But this, I respectfully disagree. While one can be very professional, other can't be guaranteed to be the same. I've seen both photographers / videographers whom stepped over their boundary, normally an in charge figure is sufficient, but a few times the B&G had to step up.

I can't see why one needs 'priority'. Two professionals, one client.
Clients shouldn't be put in the position of - "which is your priority" - It's their wedding day and unless Photo or Video are complete amateur idiots some professional etiquette is required.
There are occasions when in the heat of the moment - confetti etc, both need a good positon, but it's not rocket science to work out where and when beforehand, so no-ones shot gets spoilt.

[razyl]

I second everyone who has said put it in your contract, definitely ask the couple in the lead up to the wedding, and take control of the set up of video before the ceremony.

Most pros are good and work well with a photographer, but amateurs / family can be really terrible and completely blow it. I think friend & family get over zealous because they dont want to miss anything but it can ruin a lot of great shots which is a real shame.

I once had a cousin stand (literally) next to the bride for the whole ceremony with a handycam wobbbling around. Another time a sister-in-law stood dead centre of the aisle with not only a handycam but a point & shoot in the other hand snapping shots at the same time!! Unbelievable.

I recommend sorting it all out before the ceremony starts because you can look like an ass in front of everyone making a big fuss of it half way through.

Darryn

[Bobster]

as long as you communicate with the videographer, nothing should hamper the day.. the ones i've worked with - 1 at a wedding i was shooting as 2nd for Jon and Nick @ boundless the guy was great, he came in, talked to me about where he was going to set up etc, and asked if it was ok that he was there etc..
other times where i've been shooting for myself (i always attend the rehearsal) chances are that the pro videographers will be there as well and we chat about where they will be set up etc.. i did at the request of a bride Photoshop out a videograper from a number of ceremony shots because they were set up on on a tripod and capturing them in the shot couldn't be avoided..

[howzitboy]

ive shot tons of weddings and my rule is simple, im in charge. ill set up all the shots and always give time to the videographer to take his shots after i take mine. i try to work as a team and it always works out perfectly. video's get all they need and i get all i need.

ive had guest block me out of shots (cant help that) but never a videographer.