Advice for shooting as guest?

[eekthecat]

I'll be a guest at a good friend's wedding this weekend, and thought it might be fun to bring my camera along (she asked me to). I had her check with her professional photographer to make sure it's okay with him (I banned all cameras at my wedding except for my pro's, for his benefit), and it is.

That said, any advice for a guest at a wedding? I figure I'll avoid attention getting white lenses, and stay at very long and very wide and hope to avoid too many shots of the back of other guests' heads. Any pointers for staying out of the pro's way are also appreciated!

[Philco]

First of all, Eek the Cat was one of my favorite cartoons in the early 90s. I wish they'd bring it back.

In any case, just don't get in the aisle during the ceremony, and don't go anywhere near the pro when formals or bride/groom portraits are happening. I have a hard time getting everyone to look at my camera when other guests are standing there with theirs. Otherwise, you should be fine.

[form]

Yes indeed, see below:

http://www.resolutionplan.com/Joey/IMG_4075_SeeBelow.jpg

[czeglin]

Who DOES that? Holy cow. I went to a wedding when I just got my DSLR, but I stayed the hell out of the way and didn't move around during the ceremony. Geeze.

[RichLPhotography]

Approach the paid photographer at some point early on and let him/her/them know that you don't want to do anything to disrupt their ability and that its ok for them to get in your way if they need to get a shot.

You'll find they will usually be more receptive to having you there.

[Mrsjperry]

If I could just throw something at them......kidding of course.

[Red Tie Photography]

When I went to my cousins wedding and shot pictures for my use, i made sure to email the photographer before hand and build a good rapport. Then i introduced myself at the wedding while not a lot was going on and we had a great conversation. I think because of this she was very receptive and even helped me out a lot. I also made sure to hold off a while before giving my cousin the pictures. I wanted to make sure she had plenty of time to order from the photographer before i gave her my images.

[viet]

You banned all cameras for your wedding but wanting to bring a camera to your friend's? But I guess if she's ok with it, you can just hang loose and shoot, as long as you don't get in the way of the professionals .

Who DOES that? Holy cow. I went to a wedding when I just got my DSLR, but I stayed the hell out of the way and didn't move around during the ceremony. Geeze.

I've seen and encountered worse. One recent wedding, I had a guest with a point and shoot followed me and tried to photo-bomb me most of the reception.

[Philco]

Forgot to mention the dances. A couple of first dance sequences have been really messed up by uncle bob and his camera either blocking my shot or (usually) being right across from me shooting no matter where I shot from...always in the shot with the couple, crouching down, pointing his camera, just getting in the way. Maybe it's his 'gift' to his relatives, but it does take away from what they paid for. I usually leave a few of those in so they can yell at their friend/relative later. I'm not a CGI artist, so sometimes I just have to show things how they are and not how the client would have wished.

[eekthecat]

You banned all cameras for your wedding but wanting to bring a camera to your friend's? But I guess if she's ok with it, you can just hang loose and shoot, as long as you don't get in the way of the professionals .



I've seen and encountered worse. One recent wedding, I had a guest with a point and shoot followed me and tried to photo-bomb me most of the reception.

She *asked* me to (I ended up asking her to check with her photographer, who was fine with it)... apparently she asked everyone and their mom to go ahead and bring heir P&S and DSLRs. (geez, apparently they all have L glass to go with 5d mkii's also)

Apparently I was the only one who bothered to ask around to see how I could stay out of the paid photographer's way. I stayed away from the posed shots to avoid distracting the subjects, kept out of his shots, and shot w/o flash. Sadly, there was one woman who was going flash crazy with her Nikon DSLR during the ceremony (her cell phone also went off *twice* during the ceremony!) and another older gentleman who would literally step in front of the pro to get his own shot. :(

I don't know how some of you muster the patience to deal with these rude people - after my own wedding and this one, I sure have a deep appreciation for the work professional wedding photographers do. It's a lot of pressure for a very special occasion, with distracted subjects, and necessitates a high keeper rate...