Wedding Kaos

I shoot with another photographer and together we do both the bride and groom at the homes. Well the last time we did a wedding she missed a lot of the bride photos at the house because things did not go as planned and she is kicking herself now.

My shots were at the grooms, in a very very small house with 30 guests in the basement running upstairs and down with food, hyperactive kids and pouring rain outside. I did the best I could in this situation or did I?

For the bride issue I have suggested to her that we have a checklist either on paper, smartphone or tablet whatever to make sure we get all the basics, her reply was that it looks unprofessional as she has been doing this for 15 years. (but the experience did not work did it)?

As for the smartphone list I though it would be good, that way in all the rush everyone is in. I thinks its better to check your list and complete the basic shots then miss them. At least the client then knows you are double checking. We all forget we are only human.

As for this tiny house and heavy rain I had little control over the kaos but managed to get some shots. Perhaps I should have called it and said we will get the groomsmen at the venue instead?

So what do you folks feel about a checklist and moving a shoot to the venue or maybe we should have a backup location scouted in case of bad weather looking at the forecast or a backup plan in case of bad weather at the time of signing?

The weddings I have been a part of, it was only the groom and groomsman getting ready together with the photographer shooting. No other guests or distractions.

If this other shooter is a partner, you both should be on the same page otherwise creative differences will quickly end the partnership. If she is a second shooter, then she should be listening to what you tell her to do and if you are her second shooter then you need to be doing what she says.

You should have a backup plan of course. There are plenty of indoor places to go in case of inclement weather. You could head to a local college or university and get shots inside, you could head to the local mall and I've even seen photos where they got them done at the local public library or even an underground parking garage. It all depends on the groom. Some grooms want traditional, some grooms want edgy, some grooms don't care. Get their input and have a location or two in mind for each.

I am the second shooter so I do what I can however, my feeling is to abort a shoot in the conditions mentioned and regroup at the venue or college, parking garage etc like you said. That I think was my mistake but shes the boss. I know the bride was not ready and other issues arose as to why she did not get the shots she needed. If brides aren't ready for photos or maybe they should be and include at the time of signing?

As for the checklist what do folks think about that?

I never use a check list EXCEPT for family formals.

scorpio_e wrote in post #16485160
I never use a check list EXCEPT for family formals.

Ditto.

Sometimes things just don't go right. Everything and everyone is late and perhaps it's pouring out side. All you can do is take what the day gives you.

Are you talking about the getting ready session? That's what usually goes on inside houses, hotel rooms, etc. The only formals I might take are some portraits after the bride/groom are done getting ready. I wouldn't take group shots there. It's usually either at the church, the reception venue or perhaps some other stop the couple specifically requested.

If it was a rain-out, then obviously you need to stick indoors. I would have gone to the venue but since you were the second shooter, it wasn't your call. Did you call your primary to discuss or suggest?

I don't think checklists look unprofessional. However, if she's been doing this for 15 years, then she really shouldn't need one unless the group permutations were completely out of the ordinary. Otherwise, they are pretty much the same.

You're a photographer, not a magician. Sometimes things are chaotic, capture what you can.

This is also a lesson, you need to prepare your couples. The B&G should both be in relaxed environments, spacious, no junk lying around, no people preparing anything. Hotel suites are good. Once you make these recommendations if they don't follow them you can say "I told you how to get great photos and you didn't do it". You can also take the B or G with our without party aside for a few photos.

If you're looking at a list you're not looking at what's going on. Lists for family photos only for me.

Sometimes **** happens. The more experienced you are the less it happens, because you seen it before, you know what to do, and you've prepared your customers.

I have a full day wedding timeline/run sheet with names, times, addresses, details not to be missed on a clipboard in my bag at every wedding. As opposed to any comments of people thinking/calling it unprofessional I get the complete opposite. Organised and professional are two of the most commonly used words when people write reviews.

I write up lists and directions to myself similar to what Peter does it sounds like (e.g. directions, phone #s, things to think about when arriving on the scene but also specific shot ideas--3 times more that I will have time to use); and I absolutely do look this over before the major portions of the day (arriving at bride's getting ready, ceremony, reception). But I seldom get a chance to look at my list of shot ideas (e.g. bridal party photos) while actually shooting.

Two points to make about this. First--I feel like making the list itself is helpful, even if I don't have to refer to it. Second--I think looking at a list during a shoot can not only be detrimental to keeping a connection going with your crew (check out egghead who's checking out his notes ! put down the ipad, poindexter !), but also makes it slightly more challenging to engage with your surroundings and the live possibilities that are in front of your face. Every second looking at your notes is a second you're missing what's happening around you. [That said, if it's really only a few seconds--I don't see a problem].

I'm surprised that you need to write down the basic shots. I'm also wondering if maybe you have a large list of 'basic shots' and are maybe being too methodical here [Bride at 3/4; silhouette of head; eyelash photo etc.] OR these are shot lists from the bride. Asking for shot lists from brides was a huge mistake I made the first 30 or so weddings. Now my couples say: just do your thing, man.

Working in the services industry as we do, it's all about "expectations management." I hold a planning meeting with the B&G (and/or maybe a mom) one month prior to the wedding to carefully go over the timeline of the day and to set the couple's expectations. I gently remind them of how weddings are made for Murphy's Law, how they need a 'Plan-B' in case of rain, what they can expect in the way of continuing small delays and how that will affect their photos, etc., etc. I never work from a checklist except for formal family groups, and I remind the couple that my contract calls for someone in their family to manage that with me since I couldn't possibly know who all those listed people are.

The largest number of elements of the job as a wedding photographer have nothing to do with photography - being a skilled diplomat is one of the bigger responsibilities we all have.

Most people at their initial sales consultation have an attitude like Christopher above... "just do your thing, man." But if they seem rigid about exact checklists, or if they're trying to save money by expecting me to do nine hours of photography in a short 5-hour package, I deliberately rush through the sales meeting to get rid of them and if they DO call to hire me a week later, I tell them someone else bought their date in the interim.

I might be a wee bit OCD about this, but I ask the couple to send a list of any specific group shots they require, along with a small jpeg of each key person (best man, bridesmaids, parents, family members etc.) along with their name. I print three copies of the shot list (one for me, assistant and a spare in the car - just in case) as well as a list of who's who with their photo next to them. I find this helps keep track of what we need to get and it speeds up the group shots as, if we're looking for someone, we know exactly who we're looking for.

picworx wrote in post #16484872
For the bride issue I have suggested to her that we have a checklist either on paper, smartphone or tablet whatever to make sure we get all the basics, her reply was that it looks unprofessional as she has been doing this for 15 years. (but the experience did not work did it)?

I would not think a checklist would look unprofessional. Even if it did look unprofessional I would rather have it look unprofessional and have the results shine rather than look professional and the result not look professional.

I dont ask for a list or write one myself, you should know what to get, just think of your wedding, who you want in those pictures? thats my list

^how many weddings have you shot, Felix, if you don't mind my asking ? I ask because I'm wondering if there really is some critical number one reaches after which one could just 'know what to get'. After 75 I'm definitely not there.

Not many as primary but I guess that dont matter, its like we see photogs in the business for 20 years and still dont know how to shoot a wedding.