Share your GWC moments...

[DStanic]

I went to a wedding today, over the last 2 years I've done more shooting at weddings then just being a guest so I left my camera in the car and enjoyed the day.
It was a nice wedding but the couple's photographer was shooting with a 40D or 50D, some sort of kit lens (28-105 perhaps?) and used the popup flash. I know the camera is capable of taking great pics, but cheap lens and no 'real' flash, hmm. Also there was this girl who appeared to be his assistant (followed him carrying the little camera bag and a P&S) she looked to possibly be in her teens-had her hair partially dyed hot pink and was wearing a tight skimpy bright red/black dress.. terrible attire for anyone attending a wedding (and FTR she was on the heavy side nothing great to look at either lol). I thought to myself "I have my gripped 5D and primes in the car too bad I left the 580 at home, but I don't want to look like I am the photographer for the day..."

Later on I learned that he (the photog) was a friend of the groom's father, and the girl in the MTV dress was his daughter. So he (hopefully) was shooting for free as a nice gesture to the family. The church had huge windows and was well lit, and it was a nice day outside so hopefully the bride and groom got nice wedding pics. I dunno how well the reception shots turned out as it was quite dark in the hall, the pre-flashes from the popup flash were a little annoying at times to say the least! :lol:

[Drakeskakes]

I was at a graduation party for my friend and I guess my girlfriend was making friends and some kid tried hitting on her. He used the "I'm a professional photographer" line. She came back with "Oh, so is my boyfriend. You guys should talk"

I asked him what he did and said hes a professional photographer for some company like "Pro-Photo" or some other local comapny with a tacky name.

Anyway, I tried to engage in a somewhat honest conversation with him, I asked what he shot with.
"A rebel xt"
Oh... well what kinda glass you got on it?
"Um, I actually think the screen is plastic, not glass"
oh, sorry. I meant what lenses are you using... you said you shoot sweet 16's so you have to have something pretty fast
"um, yeah I guess you can say it take pictures pretty quick...i think its like 4pic per second"
Sorry again, I meant are you using a 35 1.4 or something good for indoor dark events?
"oh yeah um, i'm using the lens that came with the camera, I dunno the specs though"
Oh man thats rough, you must at least have some good lighting to get some decent pictures
"Yeah the built in flash is really sweet, i never have to worry about it being to dark"
Are you making some good money?
"I actually haven't done an event yet, they hired me this morning"

I wanted to scream at him "YOU ARE NOT A PROFESSIONAL! Furthermore- STOP PICKING UP GIRLS WITH YOU WANNABE SENSITIVE PHOTO-ARTIST CRAP.... Fatty"

[JonSC]

What's GWC stand for? :oops:

[Flores]

GWC = Guy with camera.

[oldspice]

"guy with camera" a term cocky photogs coined to make themselves feel superior. although a semi valid point.. One of the best pics I ever took was in my "GWC" stage :/

[cdifoto]

I'm a GWC all the time. It's not just a moment.

[tonylong]

I'm a GWC all the time. It's not just a moment.

Heh! Yeah, that's me too! And really, my daughter is nice and tries hard, pink hair and all:)!

[ssim]

Everybody here has been one of those at one time or another. I am sure that those just starting out salivate at the opportunity to take their camera gear to every wedding they get invited to. While they are a PITA, I endure them when I am shooting a wedding and attempt to teach them something along the way. In all the paid assignments that I have had in my career I can only recall once when they were such a pain that I had to have the bridal couple deal with them. In my case it was Girl With Camera.

People are just itching to use that word "Pro" in front of photographer. Look back through the threads here and you will see many asking the question if they can call themselves a pro yet. I don't if it is that great of a hook to pick up women but if it is and it works, then more power to them. For every pick up line out there, there is also a gullible person on the other side.

[DStanic]

The difference between GWC and "beginner" is that GWC thinks they are "all that" and does not necessarily want to learn or will listen to advice. A GWC may or may not refer to them self as a "pro". I don't call myself a "pro" but I'd also hate to be called a GWC either. I like to think that with all the research and learning I do about different aspects of photography hopefully make me a "good photographer", and I'll leave it at that.

[mbellot]

"guy with camera" a term cocky photogs coined to make themselves feel superior.

bw!

[blindman9135]

I just did my first wedding with a friend and now your really making me think, am i a GWC?

She knew the groom from many years ago and it was a low budget wedding(the real photographer was his mom with a canon G8/9 or something like that, no off cam flash or anything). We had driven 70 miles to it, got lost and were late for the service so we made it for the reception/party.

I shot the entire thing with a 50 f1.8(it was a dark room, candle lit almost, had to go ISO 800) and a Yongnou YN-460II bouncing off the ceiling.

My partner used a Nikon D90 with an 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 attached and pop up flash(she had her SB600 with her but didn't know how to use it, I tried to rig it so she could bounce off the ceiling but didn't know how to increase the power of the flash so i gave up).

When the group shots came around she used her camera with the pop up flash and i put my flash on optical slave mode and softened the light of her pics by bouncing it and holding it on either side of her (we used her cam cause my nifty fifty wasn't wide enough) {Team Work!}

Out of a combined 800 pics taken(mine 6RAW, hers 2JPEG) we had 170 keepers. It was a learning experience for both of us being my first wedding and our unpreparedness ;) I'm sure we looked like GWC's but our pictures were a gift to the bride and groom.

I'm looking to get a Wider lens i want to go prime but Im not sure, Budget: $500
Sigma 24mm f/1.8
Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4
Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8
or some sort of 24-70 f/2.8

Any suggestions for a humble GWC with a 50D?

[DStanic]

I'm a little surprised by the reactions of this thread. I don't want to make myself feel "superior" to anybody, I just know I'm trying my best. If you are a "humble GWC with a 50D" that is learning then good for you! I shot my first wedding with an XTi (I did have a real flash though! :p) I did not have an assistant wearing a tight hot-pink dress either (sorry I just can't get over that!- perhaps the biggest reason for making this thread.)

blindman9135: I was very close to buying the Sigma 17-50 2.8 OS, it looks like a good alternative to the 17-55IS (which IMO is the best lens for crop in that FL range). But I ended up buying a 5D which does not work with that lens. If you want a prime lens I would suggest Sigma 30 1.4 I had one and it was excellent.

[smmokan]

It's amazing to see the attitude that "professional" photographers have towards others with cameras. Get off your high horse and come back down to earth a little bit. Not all weddings need to be done by people with $15k worth of camera equipment that charge half that for a day of pictures.... there are levels of service everywhere you go. Some people are happy eating at the Olive Garden instead of paying 10x as much for a fancy restaurant.

"GWC"? I agree with Oldspice.

[FlyingPhotog]

I guess the definition of a GWC has morphed some since I first heard it...

Once upon a time, a GWC was someone who hawked a pro shoot trying to snipe images from the pro's set up. Usually happened with fashion or swimsuit shoots at the beach.

An inexpensive wedding photographer is simply an inexpensive wedding photographer. If they're the hired photographer, they can't be the GWC.

[JayCee Images]

"guy with camera" a term cocky photogs coined to make themselves feel superior. although a semi valid point.. One of the best pics I ever took was in my "GWC" stage :/

Id say a "GWC" is more like the cocky newbie that just bought a shiny new 60D and thinks he can shoot pro level stuff because he now has a "good" camera.

Craigslist is littered with these guys\girls.