It's not about Photography...it's about God.

You know, I have to wonder if 10 years down the road that groom would be wishing "Damn, I wish he HAD stopped the ceremony"

rick_reno wrote in post #16312864
You know, I have to wonder if 10 years down the road that groom would be wishing "Damn, I wish he HAD stopped the ceremony"

Why not the bride wishing the same thing?

From reading the article, it sounded like at least one of the photographers was "on the job", which to me would indicate that he was working for the bride and groom.

I agree that the photogs should have spoken with the minister in advance. The problem is that the article doesn't give us a lot of "background" info, as in what was the agreement between the photog(s) and the bride and groom, and as to whether the bride and groom discussed photography with the minister...

Hey, maybe this was the first wedding for this officiant. LOL.

Bottom line. Maybe the photographer was being annoying by being behind the altar in this outdoors wedding. Maybe he was being "amateur". Maybe he didn't go over the ground rules. Maybe it's about god. Maybe it's about the couple. Maybe it's about the guests. Maybe it's about all of the above.

But the only thing I noticed in the video was the horrified faces on the couple. That says it all to me. The officiant could have handled the situation with grace. Instead he showed what a pompous prick that he was and made everyone very uncomfortable including the very couple he was going to marry.

Shame on him for using God's name to push his ego on everyone. BTW, I'm not religious but I've shot many religious weddings and while some officiants mark their territory pretty seriously, they are mostly graceful even when someone steps over the line.

Grace...this guy didn't have it...and apparently never learned to have it either.

SMH.

We don't know all the details surrounding the video, but here's how I think about it, and I'm old. I've been doing this a long time and made a few mistakes along the way.
I can't imagine myself shooting a wedding without first getting the ground rules from the officiant. When you are working a wedding, or any other paid event for that matter, you are a vendor just like the band, the DJ, the bartender or whoever else they have hired. Get the ground rules ahead of time, be professional, don't be the center of attention, do the job, get paid and go home.
What I hope a couple will remember is that I helped them organize the posed photos, offered suggestions when needed without dominating, and gave them great photos. I also hope that will lead to referrals.

speaking of pompous pricks, the photogs could have easily said, sorry, and moved back rather than try and have an argument in the middle of a wedding ceremony.

There was video, they didn't need to create a slide show that could be shown as a video from the same angle.

For note as this has been posted everywhere; I believe the original officiant called in sick (or similar) the day of/before; and the couple just met the one in the video that day. All preparations (Photogs/couple talking to said officiant) were likely rushed as it was the second time; and I bet they had a general thought that they didn't need to (or have time to) go over everything again. Right? No; photog should have gone up to the officiant right before the wedding when they realized it was a different one; but it was a large matter of mis-communication (and said officiant just being pompous imo, if they had such a strict/unusual view on photography that they would interrupt the affair; they should have brought it up themselves when they came in at the 11th hour)

Well the story does have a (somewhat) happy ending, the couple were able to laugh it off...

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/v​ideo?clipId=1007896

Even though they were "laughing it off" you did get the impression that they thought the minister was acting "out of place", rather than them blaming the photographer(s).

In fact, two things I "took away" from again watching the video footage:

First, the minister and the couple were standing in front of these white "shrouds" whereas it appears that the photographer(s) were shooting from behind the shrouds. The video was clearly shot from behind. You can't see the still photog, even when the video is backed off a bit. In other words the photog(s) were a ways back, not hovering over the minister's shoulders!

Second, as to the claim that at least one photog was being "argumentative", I didn't get that at all. In response to the minister's outburst, the photog asked for clarification, "Do you want me to move?" and asked in a calm way twice.

At least, that's how it appeared to me!

I think the priest totally overreacted, but I also think that photographers at a ceremony like this should try to be as invisible as possible.

Everyone involved was a little bit wrong, and everyone involved was a little bit right.

Boundaries of the videographer and the like probably would have been best discussed before hand with the couple, the videographer and the clergy, to avoid such a situation like this.

It always amazes me when someone claims to know what god wants. I mean isn't it obvious that god cares more about the priest being annoyed than for the couple to have a great set of memories to look back upon for the rest of their lives?

TTUShooter wrote in post #16328797
Boundaries of the videographer and the like probably would have been best discussed before hand with the couple, the videographer and the clergy, to avoid such a situation like this.

As I understood it from the post on their website, this was discussed and the only boundary they were given was to not shoot from the aisle.