Formal Photos After Ceremony & The Camera Phone Nightmare!!!

When do you tell the bride that you don't want people tripping over you while you're shooting? Do you tell them at the rehearsal, before the ceremony starts, or in my case should the wedding planner tell the bride that no photos are to be taken until the photographer is finished?

I'm sure this has happened while you were shooting a wedding. I haven't shot a lot of weddings but the more I shoot the more things happen that I don't expect.

I shot a wedding this weekend. I had this eerie feeling during the ceremony that there might be trouble lurking when I saw that practically EVERYONE in the church was taking pictures with their cell phones. No biggie. They're certainly allowed to do this and I think it's pretty cool that they can post them up on their Facebook page from their smartphone or whatever. I love technology!

My problem started after the ceremony when we started shooting the formals. Not only was I shooting photos but all of the people with their cell phones also decided to shoot formals. I was on my knees at one point getting shots of the flower girls and ring bearer when someone behind me tripped over my left foot (It still hurts a bit) while he was taking pictures. Then I was kneeling again and walking backwards on my knees and almost tripped someone else standing behind me.

At some point during this whole fiasco I was hoping I'd back up into someone and accidently knock one of their phones out of their hand. OOPS!

I wouldn't have minded it so much if they weren't crowding me so badly but come on! There had to have been at least 25 people taking pictures behind me. Why would anyone do that to someone who is being paid to take photos of the Bride & Groom?

Occupational hazard....
Maybe an announcement (by you) to "Please refrain from taking photographs while I get these photos for the couple's album. I let you know when you are free to shoot, OK?"
That might work?
Maybe set up a small temporary barrier? Their flashes would seem to be a problem too.
I don't shoot weddings but would respect the announcement and think most would also.
John

There were just so many of them and I had to get right into the brides ear to speak with her a couple of times because you know how it is when someone takes a picture and they show it to everyone in the room and they're all laughing and being loud. It was a bit overwhelming. I like your idea about setting up a barrier. I'll have to figure something out that will work. Somehow I feel an imaginary line might get breached.

I don't think carrying a barrier around is really the way to go. Just a polite word with the people behind you and also make sure the group in front of you look at your camera during your shots - with others shooting they'll get distracted and look everywhere else!

I'm just keep myself real big and demonstrative. The guests end up more worried about me stepping on them then I am about doing the stepping.

CameraMan wrote in post #12711207
When do you tell the bride that you don't want people tripping over you while you're shooting? Do you tell them at the rehearsal, before the ceremony starts, or in my case should the wedding planner tell the bride that no photos are to be taken until the photographer is finished?

I'm sure this has happened while you were shooting a wedding. I haven't shot a lot of weddings but the more I shoot the more things happen that I don't expect.

I shot a wedding this weekend. I had this eerie feeling during the ceremony that there might be trouble lurking when I saw that practically EVERYONE in the church was taking pictures with their cell phones. No biggie. They're certainly allowed to do this and I think it's pretty cool that they can post them up on their Facebook page from their smartphone or whatever. I love technology!

My problem started after the ceremony when we started shooting the formals. Not only was I shooting photos but all of the people with their cell phones also decided to shoot formals. I was on my knees at one point getting shots of the flower girls and ring bearer when someone behind me tripped over my left foot (It still hurts a bit) while he was taking pictures. Then I was kneeling again and walking backwards on my knees and almost tripped someone else standing behind me.

At some point during this whole fiasco I was hoping I'd back up into someone and accidently knock one of their phones out of their hand. OOPS!

I wouldn't have minded it so much if they weren't crowding me so badly but come on! There had to have been at least 25 people taking pictures behind me. Why would anyone do that to someone who is being paid to take photos of the Bride & Groom?

You would tell them at your initial meeting and note it in your contract.

I am not a wedding photographer, but I will shoot a few a year. In the limited amount of weddings I do I will always talk to the couple at the very beginning when going over the contract about guests taking snap shots. We will discuss if, and who, they want to be able to take snap shots. If it is just close family, then that is who we let in during the formals. You do have control of that, so long as the couple agrees. That will take care of most of the issues you have brought up. Then before I take the first shot, I inform the attendees of the formal shoot that they are to refrain from taking snap shots until after I'm done posing the couple/group, and I get my shot. I remind them that the couple is paying me to get the best images possible, and that I will give them ample time (usually a minute or so) so we can keep things moving. On occasion I will have to remind one or two people, but they typically understand and will follow the 'rules'. And so long as you have the support of the bride, groom, and the parent paying your fee, you will not have an issue. But it is very important that you have their support or things can go south very quickly.

Comes with the territory unfortunately.

The biggest problem is not someone tripping over you (I would consider that to be funny). It is that when you have a line of gwc's behind you, the wedding party does not know which camera to look at. You will have eyes all over the place. Turn around and politely tell the people this, and then ask the wedding party to stay in place for the other photographers after you are through. Then go about your business. If someone continues to shoot after your explanation, call them out publicly by stepping aside and telling them you will finish when they are done. Works for me. People just dont realize they are in the way.

At the time they book me / sign the contract.

I usually don't do the booking myself. Basically, I have an agreement with an event/wedding planner that if I take the gig I am responsible for showing up the night of the gig. I never meet the bride and groom until rehearsal night (which is the day before the wedding). I know that's probably counter productive but that's the way it works. They come in to the place they want to do their event at, they sign the contract, they choose their photographer and that's that. They only see my portfolio. They don't see me until the rehearsal.

CameraMan wrote in post #12713514
I usually don't do the booking myself. Basically, I have an agreement with an event/wedding planner that if I take the gig I am responsible for showing up the night of the gig. I never meet the bride and groom until rehearsal night (which is the day before the wedding). I know that's probably counter productive but that's the way it works. They come in to the place they want to do their event at, they sign the contract, they choose their photographer and that's that. They only see my portfolio. They don't see me until the rehearsal.

That is an interesting way to work a business. I dont think that model will work for me, as I try to push my personality and have a connection with the couple, but its great that it works for you.

It's sort of quirky but I'm hoping to break away from this type of booking process. I'm building quite a nice portfolio for next season. I'm looking forward to being more connected with the bride and groom.

(photographers name) will not tolerate verbally or physically abusive behavior, nor will it share its time or compete with guest photographers for the attention of the subjects. Unchecked guest conduct that interferes with photography may seriously affect the quality of the photographs taken and increase the number of times photos must be re-taken. If THE CLIENT is unable to control the conduct of their guests, resulting in an unacceptable degree of misconduct, or if the conduct of any of their guests damages the equipment of the photographer, it will result in the early or immediate departure of the photographer. THE CLIENT understands that in such an event, no refunds will be granted.

Nice. I need to add this to my contract.