Wedding Photgraphers Territorial?

[cjm]

I was juts wondering if it is normal for a wedding photgrapher to be territorial when taking pictures at a wedding?

I was at my cousins wedding today and I noticed the photographer sort of had this ego that he and he alone was the only one who should be taking pictures of the wedding, up and including the reception. He seemed to even have a problem with people taking pictures of the couple cutting the cake. You know a known photo OP at a reception?

Now I am wondering if this is sort of normal for wedding photographers to be territorial like this or if this guy was just a rare one?

If you are a wedding photographer, the question is, do you resent others for taking pictures at a wedding and are you territorial? Or do you acknowledge that although you are being paid for your work there will be other photographers taking pictures at a wedding?

Also, picture takers at a wedding, have you ever run into a wedding photographer like I just mentioned?

[tim]

I'm new to wedding photography, but i've noticed this too. Seems there are two types of photographers, the type that want to be the exclusive photo takers (so they can sell more prints), and others that do the job they're hired for and don't worry about it. I'm from the second group - I do what i'm hired for and don't worry. Digital cameras are everywhere, you couldn't stop them if you tried, and you shouldn't even try. A pro should do a better job, if not, then the B&G should use the best shots. I think many "all the pictures are mine" photographers are going to go out of business in the current market.

My contract says that I will be the sole professional photographer at the wedding, and also that no other cameras are allowed to take photos of my formal group photos or artistic type photos. This is because i've found that if there's more than one camera, people look all over the place, even if you tell them where to look and get their attention before each shot. I don't even allow other people to hang around unless they're necessary, again it can spoil photos.

Any other time it's fair game - cake cutting, first dance, etc. I will gently move people out of the way if they're going to spoil my shot, as i'm being paid to do a job I can't let people accidentally spoil it, I do it nicely and everyone understands.

[robertwgross]

Some wedding photographers use optically slaved strobe flashes. As a result, old Uncle Fred's flash shot will trigger the strobes and cause all manner of heartache for the pro. That is counterproductive.

Others of us use the Canon wireless flash system, and it is not so easily disrupted, so it is not that big of a deal. Since we are shooting under contract for the B&G, we make it clear that it is in their best interest to let us shoot first and foremost. Once we shoot some formal pose, if Uncle Fred wants to shoot, then that is fine. But we need to keep the B&G concentrating on our cameras and not Uncle Fred's.

Actually, I have more problem with videographers. They always seem to have their sun gun lit up and putting warm light onto the scene where I am shooting a still, so I get little warm streaks of light from that.

Some photographers will make a rule that there will be absolutely no flash inside the church except for theirs. That's a tough rule. If the B&G sign the contract to that effect, then if Uncle Fred starts shooting his flash, the pro has every right to pack up and leave, and the B&G would be in default.

---Bob Gross---

[TonyKInTexas]

I've shot some weddings and never have an issue with people taking photos. Sometimes I ask for them to wait for me to get done with a specific pose and then I let them take their shots. Of course my flash units, being optical slaves, probably mess up their shots. :)

If I were doing weddings full-time I would get radio triggers for my flash unit. I would still work with people so everyone had a chance, even the folks with professional gear.

The key is to make your money from the service and not from prints. Charge up front what you expect to make. Include a package that provides value to the couple. Include, for additional charge, parent albums.

There is money to be made in wedding photography with the right business plan and attitude.

[Sean-Mcr]

. This is because i've found that if there's more than one camera, people look all over the place, even if you tell them where to look and get their attention before each shot..



That actaully happend in this photo Tim when i was in Edinburgh. Sat outside a cafe bar on the Royal mile and a rolls pulls up. How could i resist:D

[MattyB]

sorry to go off topic, but LOL great post bloo dog

[robertwgross]

By and large, wedding photographers must know what they are doing. There might be some rare, temporary glitch with the equipment, but to a certain degree, the pro wedding photographer moves his tripod up, lines up the pose, tweaks the pose, tweaks it a bit more, and then fires away. With a simple pose, this may take only seconds. With a complex pose with many subjects, it might take minutes to get right.

We were starting to move our tripods into position one time, and Old Uncle Fred was already in position, ahead of us. He was already tweaking the pose, so we just stood there behind him and marked time. He got all ready to shoot and then pushed the button. Nothing happened. No flash. "Wait!" he said. He fooled around with the camera gear, and then pushed the button again. Nothing. We are still standing there, waiting, and we are "on the clock" so to speak.

The B&G saw what was going on, so they spoke up and asked Old Uncle Fred if he could move aside for a second while we moved up to shoot. Old Uncle Fred held his ground and said that he would get it this time, so he fooled around with the camera again and then pushed the button again. Nothing.

Finally, he stepped aside to let us shoot, and he seemed to have a grudge against us for the rest of the occasion.

---Bob Gross---

[CyberPet]

I've yet to experience someone that's territorial when it comes to wedding photography. But I had to be "pushy" at one point yesterday when it was time for the rice throwing outside the church (well it was both rice and flower petals). I'm short so I had to get in close and there was this massive ring around the couple when they stood by the door. So I gently asked (at the best spot in my view) if I could squeeze in to take some photo's since I was the hired gun. I was lucky enough to have the groom's mother there (did not know that at first) and she scooted away some girls and said "sure, you stand by me!" and that I did. :D

[chtgrubbs]

It's the pro's job to get the photos the B&G are paying him for and if it means keeping the shooting guests out of the way, then that's what he has to do. Shooting a wedding can be very stressful, particularly the after-ceremony formals when the photographer is trying to get beautiful shots but every body else is anxious to get to the reception or trying to socialize. And moments such as cutting the cake or throwing the bouquet are split-second shots when having another photographer coming into the frame or distracting the B&G can ruin the pro's shot. And that pro had probably experience all of these problems at previous weddings, which is why he was territorial.

[cjm]

And generally, it's some young guy with a brand new camera who elects himself second gun to prove that the B&G should have hired HIM rather than the pro.
He may have been "pro" but I'm not sure how pro he is, since his film camera was a Elan 7 (no grip running on lithium) and his Digital was a Nikon D70(no grip). He didn't have a camera bag he had a metal box, he didn't have a tripod but he used a brand new wal mart ladder. He had all his film on the ground mixed in with used and unused. His set up was more of a hobby photographer then a real pro.

He may have been the "young guy" that did get hired over a real pro. Because his set up said to me pro-am not professional at best, at least from what I saw and know. Young being around 35 that is. ;)

[AjP]

few month ago one of my friends who is DJ and doing lots of wedding and parties, ask me to photograph some of their work for thier web site, I did 2 wedding and receptions and phtoographers were awesome and friendly (high class photographers) expecially last one, incredible guy, being in business for 30 years, one of the best and of cause expencive in our area, I was really surprised. He even steped a side few times when I was taking pics.

[CyberPet]

Being the hired gun seem to give you some sort of authority too... one girl left her Canon EOS with me (some analog, didn't see what model) when she was standing in line to hug and wish the B&G congratulations. I was standing back when I got my shots and were waiting for the B&G to be ready to go the the location we were going to shoot the portraits at.... I want an analog Canon too... hmm... I'm too darn honest! :D

[ksmattfish]

It says in my contract that I am to be the official photographer at the wedding, but I don't mind other folks taking lots of photos. Sometimes they do get in my way, but it's never as much of a hassel as all the other things that tend to go wrong on the wedding day (people running late, bride getting crabby, 110 degrees in the shade and everyone is in a suit, etc...). At the wedding I did last week the bride's father had a Nikon DX1 and the little sister was toting a Nikon F5. When I first spotted them I was carrying a Pentax K-1000. I have to admit it made me feel a little inadequete for just a second. :lol: Later I had a chance to talk to them, and I asked if they were professionals, but they were just passionate amateurs. Apparently the dad did a lot of race car photography, and that's why he needed the big guns.

[ksmattfish]

He may have been "pro" but I'm not sure how pro he is, since his film camera was a Elan 7 (no grip running on lithium) and his Digital was a Nikon D70(no grip). He didn't have a camera bag he had a metal box, he didn't have a tripod but he used a brand new wal mart ladder. He had all his film on the ground mixed in with used and unused. His set up was more of a hobby photographer then a real pro.

He may have been the "young guy" that did get hired over a real pro. Because his set up said to me pro-am not professional at best, at least from what I saw and know. Young being around 35 that is. ;)

I regularly use simple cameras quite successfully in professional situations. The idea that gear somehow gives skill and ability is a false assumption. I find the idea that vertical grips are neccessary to be a "pro" to be particularly silly.

[blue_max]

I recently had to shoot a group of people. Individually they were fine. As a group they were unmanageable.

With digital, it's really comforting when you get to the monitor and see it can be saved. They are all useable. Until then, it's stress city!

Some people react well under stress, the rest of us...

Allow for that and you won't go far wrong.

If you get on the good side of a photographer and offer him first refusal on your shots, you may even make a few quid!

Not every professional has been at it for donkey's years. It may be their first gig, so have a heart. It's as much about people skills as photographic ones.

Graham

[Maureen Souza]

It should be no secret here that, while Bloo Dog's stories are entertaining, I don't quite buy into everything he says. Weddings don't just belong to the B&G... they belong to their families and their friends/guests who help them celebrate.I was surprised when I did the last couple of weddings.... some people came up to me and asked if they could have permission to take photos! I think every guest who wants to take photos should have that right. It is their family member or friend who is celebrating one of the most important moments of their life and I don't think any photographer has a right to deny them their own memories of it through photos. So my reply was, "Knock yourself out....hope you get a ton of good shots."

[CyberPet]

Oh yeah, that happend to me too yesterday... they asked if it was ok for them to shoot (but they weren't near the portraits anyway) and I said about the same thing, "knock yourself out and send me copies" :D

[Belmondo]

I went to a very exclusive wedding in New York many years ago. It was a very posh affair, and the reception was held at the New York Athletic Club. The super-expensive photographer was reputed to be one of the best in the area, and he showed up with not only his equipment, but an attitude that was the apparent result of a strong belief in his own self-importance. He was quite a tempermental fellow (read: jerk).

Every time he saw someone with a camera, regardless of what a person was doing with it, he would have a fit. At one point, he actually threatened to pack up and leave.

My treatment was typical: I was sitting at our table at the reception following dinner, and I was snapping shots from my chair of whatever I could get a line of sight to. Suddenly I heard his voice from across the room, "You! You! You there!" I looked around to see what the ruccus was about when I realized the red-faced bozo was pointing in my direction and yelling at me. :o :o :o I walked over to where he getting set up for the cake-cutting shot to see what the problem was, and he informed me that nobody was to take any photos while he was working. It was really an embarrassing position to be in, and in any other circumstance, I would have told him in precise terms exactly what I thought. Unfortunately, I didn't want to be the person responsible for causing the photographer to have a nervous breakdown, especially in light of how much money was being spent on this society wedding. I went back to my table and didn't touch the camera any more that day.

The irony of the whole thing is that after all the buildup of what an artist this guy was supposed to be, the pictures were really pretty bad. I've seen considerably better here on the forum. In the process, he managed to pi$$ off just about half the people at the wedding, and for what? Clearly the absence of any other photographers didn't improve his product, and it probably turned out that his tyrades will be what stands out in the minds of more people than the wedding itself.

[cjm]

Weddings don't just belong to the B&G... they belong to their families and their friends/guests who help them celebrate.I agree with MoS more then anything I've read here. The wedding, is the celebration of the two families coming together as much as it is the B&G becoming husband and wife.

If the photographer can't deal with others taking pictures then no matter how much money he is being paid, he is not professional, he’s a amateur being paid money. IMO

I would have told him in precise terms exactly what I thought. Unfortunately, I didn't want to be the person responsible for causing the photographer to have a nervous breakdown, especially in light of how much money was being spent on this society wedding.


Did he have an Aussie accent and was bald and talked about his metrosexuality to the wedding party?


regularly use simple cameras quite successfully in professional situations. The idea that gear somehow gives skill and ability is a false assumption. I find the idea that vertical grips are necessary to be a "pro" to be particularly silly.


Grips aren’t pro but they certainly are a good idea when taking pictures for money, you don’t want your batteries dying while in the middle of a shoot. Batteries dying can sometimes be bad for business.


I use simple cameras too for my hobby, because for what I use cameras mainly for I only need wide angled lens. However the film being placed on the ground with unused film, is like being a gold panner who places his gold nuggets with normal stones. Losing one of those rolls would be bad, bad for business and bad for his reputation, especially if one of them is the end where the B&G kiss as man and wife.

I thank all you wedding photographers for you imput, it has been very informative.

[cjm]

Puce? Wow that's pretty bad color to have, it is worse then teal! But the worst unwelcome color has to be bright yellow.

I took a few pictures here or there at the wedding with my Elan but if I saw the WedPho I always looked at his lens and where it was pointed and judged from that where to go and stand so I wouldn't get in the pictures at all. I also was wearing a black long sleeve shirt. I was probably the good family photgrapher who you guys don't mind cause stayed out of the line of fire. But PUCE, PUKE!

[tim]

At my one and only wedding so far there was one guy with a good camera, something like a G5 with a 580EX on it. He was a pro, working in real estate, and had worked with people in the past. I had a chat with him, used some of his ideas, he used some of mine, and we got on great. I gently moved him aside once or twice, and he didn't mind. He did comment that people were often looking at my not his when we were shooting in the same place, probably because I was the offical photog, and with the bracket and everything hooked up it was pretty obvious where to look. Me telling them to look at me helped too ;)

I liked having him there, I got ideas, had a chat, and if there was anything I missed there was another camera that might've caught it. That's good for the B&G IMHO.

[CyberPet]

[Am I the only one who's amazed to see friends and guests wearing outlandishly bright clothing to a wedding? I've always considered that inconsiderate to the bride].

Most mother's of the bride I've seen has worn the most horrible colors... anything from fiery orange to neon green. Maybe that's their right and I've missed it? :D

[robertwgross]

The wedding, is the celebration of the two families coming together as much as it is the B&G becoming husband and wife.

The first wedding that I ever shot was a strange one. A male friend of mine was marrying his longtime girlfriend. The bride's parents did not approve of the groom, so they refused to pay any of the expenses of the wedding. The guy and the gal decided to pay for everything themselves. They hired a pro photographer for the wedding ceremony, but they were running low on cash, so they asked me (as a friend) to shoot everything else besides the ceremony. I agreed.

The bride's parents attended the whole deal, but they sat there like rocks and never smiled and never budged. At the reception, the groom came up behind his new parents-in-law and gave me the secret sign for a photo, so I snapped it. Beside the smiling groom, there were two of the sternest faces you've ever seen.

---Bob Gross---

[Maureen Souza]

Nobody has the right to step in front of the hired gun. .

I don't believe I ever alluded to that. I just don't think the hired photographer has the right to boss everyone around and make all the photography rules. I have it arranged with the B&G beforehand on what pictures are to be taken and when. That seems to pretty much take care of things.

I just haven't ever encountered anyone who tries to over-step their bounds when photos are being taken.

[Inspired Photography]

I am still fairly new to wedding photography, and haven't had too much trouble with people getting in my way, just too many people behind me causing people to look away during group shots and things like that.
I adopted a faily humerous approach to solving this problem by yelling out "CAMERA 1!" and putting my hand up before i take anything, and when i am done, "CAMERA 2!" (signalling for everyone else to go for it). It sure gets peoples attention! And i always do it with a smile on my face so they know i am not being rude or anything.
It lightened the "serious" nature of the formal pics too so i got alot of better smiles than I otherwise expected too...

It is somewhat intimidating when guests have a bigger camera than you, but it's not the size that counts... it's how you use it.
And if you don't believe that, just pull out your shiny white 70-200 or better, and that'll shut em up :P

Anyways, that is my experience...

Rob

[CyberPet]

Just 95 to go to have some experience. :)

[AjP]

Just 95 to go to have some experience. :)
Do u need and assistant :)

my worst wedding(reception) experience was not becuase of people or guest photographers.... but light conditions, the hall was dark brown, everything dark brown, .... hate dark brown and... yeeeee.... mirrors on silings and walls...HORRIBLE...............

[d'homme]

You gotta to remember, that if the couple paid the guy to take pics, in the end, they won't care whether he missed a photo, or his photos were messed up by others.

I've done wedding where I practically have to push people out of the way to get shots of the bridesmaid, groomsmen and bride coming down the aisle. (Remember you've got a limited time for that.) I've had pics with other peoples flashes in my pics. Even at the end of the ceremony, I've had to annouce that people should wait until after I do the pics at altar, (if their smart, they could use the pics as I posed them.) One time, as you know the new hushand and wife exit going to the backof the church, they got trapped by people taking pics of them and posing with them. NO. Your should do that AFTER I'm finished at the altar. If you don't give firm, you can be there hours waiting on friends and relatives to finish their pics. And by the time you get to the pics the couple is PAYING for, they're tired and ready to go.

So should I be the ONLY one taking pics at the wedding .. NO. BUT since they couple are paying me to take pics, I need to make sure no one messes up what I'm trying to do.

[Maureen Souza]

But my point is that after you do a couple hundred+ weddings, you'll see people do things you never thought you'd see.

I think I'll stay pretty picky about who I shoot. I don't want to be telling stories like yours and be teaching school instead of shooting photographs:D :D

[CyberPet]

A friend of mine said she and her husband stopped shooting weddings because of the stress and all the "risks" they were taking. It was just exhausting to them and they spent every weekend out on location and the weeks dealing with the aftermath (this was before the digital era). I know my friend means well shen she's trying to scare the daylights of me about what can happen, but she's also nice to give me some few pointers here and there. One of her best advice was:

1. Breathe
2. When you've messed up beyond recognition, take a few breaths before you try to figure out how to save your rear, then take a few more breaths before you try to fix it.

I think that's pretty sane when it comes to anything. I.e. I don't want to get worked up if someone gets in my way, I'll just try to keep my cool (and hopefully that'll be good for my reputation). I'll have a nervous breakdown when I get back home instead.... my poor husband will get the worst of it. But then again, a forum like this is also a great place to vent.

[cjm]

Man alive Bloo, why would you use the same lab after all those disasters?

[AjP]

Bloo Dog, man... what ahorible stories you have... I'm so sorry, hope no one will go throughsuch things anymore, including u

[CyberPet]

Bloo Dog, that just sounds awful!!! But I do hope that lab problems is a thing in the past now, even if you do send your digital images to a lab to get the prints on photo paper, at least *I* have the "negs" in my posession. The worst nightmare to me would be that I lose my memory cards, damage them somehow or the camera gets amnesia and forget to record any images (or I forget to remove the lens cap). But then there's a million other issues too that can be stressful.

But be sure, I won't shoot weddings if its not fun anymore. I promise you that! :)

[S230]

If it wasn't for Bloo Dog sharing experience with us, we probably have nothing to write about... :)

This is why part of when I do weddings, I normally have 2 to 3 people on site with full gear. It definitely is not as profitable but it surely covers almost everything.

[CyberPet]

But wait, my horoscope says when Saturn and Mars aligns with Pluto, I'll have a great day, nothing will go wrong. So when is that again?

[TonyKInTexas]

It can't get worse than a lab destroying all of your film because of a machine malfunction. Total loss is total loss no matter the medium used.

With digital, one can save to local HD first (laptop or dedicated device) and have the originals remain on the media cards. So there is a backup before even leaving the event.

And I'm old enough to remember processing C41 film in a home darkroom WHEN it first became reasonable for a home darkroom to do it (mid-70's).

Oh, all ye Digital Babes, just wait! You will find that when you begin to shoot for a living, the more images you take, the greater the chances for disaster. I am sure that there are untold disasters waiting to happen to YOUR files.

Things the lab technicians haven't dreamed up yet.
Things your software developers haven't told you yet.
Things the hardware developers never anticipated happening when Saturn aligns with Mars and Pluto does whatever it does way out there.

Oh, it's gonna happen, and it's gonna be BAD.

I'm gonna start digging my Y3K shelter tomorrow morning.

[NickyBlade]

I had a lab develop 2 rolls from a wedding BACKWARDS! It was an outdoor wedding, the bride and groom anded up on the wrong side, rings looked like they were on their right hands, etc. They wouldn't reprint them for me without charging me again. Needless to say, they lost a customer. Thank goodness I've since gone digital... not nearly as many worries as with film. Oh, I gave the reversed pics to the bride too and she put them in a little flip album just to see if anyone would notice... no one did till she pointed it out. lol. Duh!

[BLINN]

Most average joe blows only have a 3 or 4 meg digital , and a point a shoot at that. Be professional, if you don't or can't get any great photos with other people around taking pictures then it is time to quite. I think that your photographer was very rude.

[S230]

But wait, my horoscope says when Saturn and Mars aligns with Pluto, I'll have a great day, nothing will go wrong. So when is that again?On my current calendar is marked an Astroid Belt approaching Earch on February 1, 2019. We can all get decent photos but need to wait if there be opportunity to develop.. lol...

[Tom W]

Things the hardware developers never anticipated happening when Saturn aligns with Mars and Pluto does whatever it does way out there.


When all that takes place in one solar system, its best to know the exact location of Uranus.

:)

[Belmondo]

When all that takes place in one solar system, its best to know the exact location of Uranus.

:)

Or whether or not there's plant life on Uranus.

[Maureen Souza]

[QUOTE=Bloo Dog]I teach and I write advertising copy AND I photograph small products. I'm still a photographer. I just don't shoot weddings. My days of High Drama are over. Small product photography, however, doesn't present nearly as much drama as weddings do. But there's some fun occasionally.


Well, I am still a full-time nurse. It allows me to say yes or no real easily when I get asked to do a shoot. I am trying to avoid any ugly situations of my own and let you carry on with your stories of the wedding photographer who went to a wedding (he thought) and ended up in hell:D :D

[Michaelmjc]

I went to a friends wedding not to long ago. The photographer there had a film camera that had to of been made in the 1200's! haha ok maybe not that old but it was ancient. So I thought I might as well snap a few for the groom seeing how my pics will probably be better qaulity than his. Just as I got up to take a picture he freaked on me! Told me he was hired to take the pictures, not me.

So I took him out back and roughed him up ;) just kidding.

But I dont know what his problem was, crazy wedding photographers!

[FotOz]

Hmmmm. Good thread this. I'm a pro in Australia and I love to work with the people at a wedding. If you start early in the day by setting up the shots on the steps of the church (and this is where the hackers start photographing) and let them have their go after you've done yours, they'll appreciate what you've done for them. You then firmly but nicely 'steer' the B&G into the spots you want around the church before you go to your locations shots. Honestly though, the only way to alleviate all these problems is to really know the B&G beforehand and explain to them that you will take the shots YOU need to fulfill your obligations, you will take the shots THEY ask for during the day, and that you expect to be able to work around the hackers. After all, most of the hackers are family members anyway. Some of the best informal group shots I get are off to one side when the B&G and party are 'posing' for the hackers. Photographers who act like jerks don't last long in my city. Your reputation precedes you and you get work from being friendly and GOOD at what you do. I've struck 1 or 2 jerks here in Oz at weddings where I've been a guest and I can't believe their attitude. Actually jerk is a bit mile for this type of person. Here in Oz the 5 letter work for phallus applies. (Read pr!ck)
Cheers,
Steve

[FotOz]

Hmmmm. Good thread this. I'm a pro in Australia and I love to work with the people at a wedding. If you start early in the day by setting up the shots on the steps of the church (and this is where the hackers start photographing) and let them have their go after you've done yours, they'll appreciate what you've done for them. You then firmly but nicely 'steer' the B&G into the spots you want around the church before you go to your locations shots. Honestly though, the only way to alleviate all these problems is to really know the B&G beforehand and explain to them that you will take the shots YOU need to fulfill your obligations, you will take the shots THEY ask for during the day, and that you expect to be able to work around the hackers. After all, most of the hackers are family members anyway. Some of the best informal group shots I get are off to one side when the B&G and party are 'posing' for the hackers. Photographers who act like jerks don't last long in my city. Your reputation precedes you and you get work from being friendly and GOOD at what you do. I've struck 1 or 2 jerks here in Oz at weddings where I've been a guest and I can't believe their attitude. Actually jerk is a bit mild for this type of person. Here in Oz the 5 letter work for phallus applies. (Read pr!ck)
Cheers,
Steve

[Fooboy]

Interesting stuff. And some funny stories. Except for the photo labs stuffing up your good work!!!

I'm not a pro, but I did take photos for one of my cousin's weddings. I can see why it is important to take control a little bit and ask other people to wait because you want everyone in the photo looking at your camera. Some of my photos were spoilt by people looking the wrong way.

But I think this can be done in a polite manner and most people will get out of your way if they know you are the official photographer.

Personally I don't know how you guys do it for a living. Pretty stressful stuff!

On the other hand, I was at another of my cousin's weddings (I've got lots of cousins) and they had an official photographer. I felt a bit sorry for him because in my family there are heaps of budding photographers and there would have been 4 to 5 people with DSLRs firing away at everything. This dude was using film and was pretty quiet so I'm sure there were times when he was accidentally blocked by one of us. He didn't say anything or get angry, but I hope his photos turned out ok.

[robertwgross]

I went to a friends wedding not to long ago. The photographer there had a film camera that had to of been made in the 1200's!

There is a photographer that I know who operates in one of the national parks, and he does wedding and event photography at a resort hotel there. Get this: He uses an 8x10 view camera. Big wooden tripod.

I think he has a thing for pioneer history, so he dresses the part (boots, long duster coat, Western hat, etc.).

Hey, it's a gig!

---Bob Gross---

[tim]

I have the wedding book from Scott from lightingmagic.com. I don't remember the brand or model, but he uses an old medium format camera for all his photos and apparently gets great results.

[cargo123]

It should be no secret here that, while Bloo Dog's stories are entertaining, I don't quite buy into everything he says. Weddings don't just belong to the B&G... they belong to their families and their friends/guests who help them celebrate.I was surprised when I did the last couple of weddings.... some people came up to me and asked if they could have permission to take photos! I think every guest who wants to take photos should have that right. It is their family member or friend who is celebrating one of the most important moments of their life and I don't think any photographer has a right to deny them their own memories of it through photos. So my reply was, "Knock yourself out....hope you get a ton of good shots."

What a cool philosophy. Life is too short and family is family..... I think the couple is going to pay for the profesional picture than blow up 8X10s of Aunt Mary's over exposed point and shoot picture.

[tim]

Great post Bloo Dog, i've learned so much from you already and you're always giving good advice to anyone who takes the time to listen. Your advice is invaluable, thank you again.