I know i'm not the only wedding photographer who ran into this person.

http://player.vimeo.co​m/video/75820951

We all have our stories... But thankfully we all have our revenge stories as well. A few weeks ago during family formals I was getting heckled by a retired professional photographer for being too stern. Later that night, he let me know that the couple requested his assistance to get the official cake cutting shot... So I let him have a go at it. He posed the bride/grooms hands and rings over the cake topper like it was 1988... and proceeded to get 12 inches away with his 70-300 something lens to try and take a photo... His flash popped up... but after 30 seconds of fidgeting around, it never fired...

Later that night, when he was around the bride/groom and I, I asked him to show them their cake photo... to which he replied "Oh, I need to edit it first," which I'm pretty sure was code for "the camera wouldn't work"

I like what they mention in the end, request that guests keep their cameras in their pocket, or even better leave phones and cameras at home or at the door, like one guy there did. I can't stand the "videographers" and "photographers" messing up every concert with their phone up in the air lately, if I'd have a wedding now I'd request the same. And will once my kids are getting married, though by then we'll probably all have google implants transmitting live, LOL

Good idea at the end of this. Talk to the couple and agree on an announcement before the wedding. State personal recording devices are acceptable but please remain in your seats and a please do not reach into the isles as you will interfere with the professional photographer. Or just say all personal devices must be shut off.

Have a few options in the contract. Show them this video and explain it is a growing concern. If the couple is OK with it so be it.

Here are a few links from Neil's site.

http://neilvn.com …est-not-the-photographer/

http://offbeatbride.co​m/2011/06/unplugged-wedding

I've given up on this improving
talking to my couples, exchanging emails on subject, giving examples...

main issue is that once someone jumps in the aisle to take a shot, no one has time to straighten out that person, and saying something after the fact is like buying house insurance after the fire...

so whatever happens will happen, and be shot... and then if the B&G have issue with Cousin Steve's aisle jump, they can use the pics to shame him...

More than likely when one starts others follow. Reading this I still think I would offer options and say no matter how much you try it will happen. Only way to guarantee it is if all devices are put away. Actually when you think of it people running around taking shots are pretty disrespectful to the couple as they are not really paying attention to the ceremony.

Just a out of the box thought. Tell people to turn off devices and after the couple walk the isle the couple will return to allow some shots at the ceremony area and will re-walk it for everyone.

Probably won't fly but if you can't beat something, try work with it.

Since you can't cure stupid, you just have to work your way around it.

It's just the sign of the times...actually have been that way for a while. You know, the "first!" mentality. Just go to any website that accepts comments and there's always that loser who thinks it's cool to be the first one to comment even though it's just to chime in "first!".

People want to take some snaps and be "first!" on Facebook to post something up...

I'm used it by now. Is it irritating? Sure. But it has become part of the job trying to avoid them.

Personally, if I attend a wedding as a guest, I won't bother with photos. Maybe a few snaps, but honestly WTF am I going to do with all that footage?

Yeah, that is the last thing I want to do if I'm a guest. There was a time but not anymore.

It's great to see that the problem is becoming recognised to people other than photographers. Media coverage such as this surely supports our profession.

I'm sure that at some point in the future it will be a common request from celebrants to set the tone, if not already. I'm seriously considering making it part of the deal.

Good thing im not "that guy"

between that, guests not paying proper attention during things like the 1st dance, and guests carrying away in their conversations during speeches is why every guest should be forced to sit through some form of training when invited to a wedding...

That was a well-done video! It is good to see this problem finally being explained to the general public.

Bryan

makes me want to slap some of this cell phone photographers wanna be.

At my daughter's wedding, I'll have bouncers. We see your phone come out during the ceremony, you get bounced. Be there for the wedding, let the photographer be there for the pictures. Period.