Post shots of wedding guests trying to get a shot

Subscribed. The cell phones were bad enough with the extended arms all over the place. Now the iPads take so much more air space, with extended and raised arms. Sometimes I wish I had a BB gun.

I used to care about this but in all honesty, who gives a crap? Everyone has a phone now that takes pictures, you sure as hell can't stop everyone from taking pictures? They have a right to don't they?

You let the clients know that it would be appreciated if you have guests who take pictures to be mindful of me who is getting paid. If they don't then it's not my problem. If they jump in front of me, I try and move. If I can't move and the shot sucks, oh well, its not my fault. And if the client gets pissed, show them the communication that discusses this very issue.

My last wedding was a nightmare similar to this - that old aunt with a "new Galaxy S3" and an old ass point and shoot was in my way taking pictures in front of me for the entire portrait/bridal session. I wanted to throw her in the river. That to me is different than people with cameras/phones taking pictures when in their chairs, isles, etc. The ipad thing, well those losers should just plain be taken off this planet and sent to mars for exploration without a space suit.

We as photographers need to get over ourselves - we are not the only ones with cameras these days. Sure we are getting paid to do it and we want to make sure we do the best job we can. But don't let your ego get in the way of family and friends who want to enjoy the day with their friends/family too.

Sneaky over the shoulder shot hehe... Im very tall so it makes these shots easy.

npompei wrote in post #17217848
I used to care about this but in all honesty, who gives a crap? Everyone has a phone now that takes pictures, you sure as hell can't stop everyone from taking pictures? They have a right to don't they?

You let the clients know that it would be appreciated if you have guests who take pictures to be mindful of me who is getting paid. If they don't then it's not my problem. If they jump in front of me, I try and move. If I can't move and the shot sucks, oh well, its not my fault. And if the client gets pissed, show them the communication that discusses this very issue.

My last wedding was a nightmare similar to this - that old aunt with a "new Galaxy S3" and an old ass point and shoot was in my way taking pictures in front of me for the entire portrait/bridal session. I wanted to throw her in the river. That to me is different than people with cameras/phones taking pictures when in their chairs, isles, etc. The ipad thing, well those losers should just plain be taken off this planet and sent to mars for exploration without a space suit.

We as photographers need to get over ourselves - we are not the only ones with cameras these days. Sure we are getting paid to do it and we want to make sure we do the best job we can. But don't let your ego get in the way of family and friends who want to enjoy the day with their friends/family too.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. At McDonalds, do we jump over the counter and start making burgers, at the tax office, do we jump on the computer and do our own tax? People need to have respect for peoples profession and give them the space to do it. Ceremony and reception shooting I am fine with, but during the family shots and location shots its a no no

I don't think the point of this thread was to try to find a solution to a problem at Weddings. I don't think anyone here would say we're better than anyone else at the wedding, so saying "we need to get over ourselves" doesn't quite make sense. We're just trying to have fun with an annoying thing that happens.

I also just wannted to subscribe so I can post some pictures here when I'm off work lol. One thing I wish I could have captured somehow was getting, "PSSSSSSTTT, you're in my shot!" from what looked like a grandfather as he held up his Point and Shoot from the 8th row back lol. I was like really??? Luckily one of his relatives told him he was crazy for bothering me, then he left me a lone.

Posting photos soon.

LucasCK wrote in post #17217637
this post makes me cringe with annoyance already. enjoy the moment, wait for the professionals photos!

This lady really got on my nerves (this is unedited):

Keep posting. As a non-professional I have brought cameras to weddings but stayed far away from the professional. I'm not moving around the ceremony to get a shot. I don't have multiple flashes available. I don't have multiple bodies I'm shooting with...I want to enjoy the party etc.

I have a hard time saying someone can't take a photo from their seat or of the party but looking at this thread I might be changing my mind.

As for portraits...really people taking pictures in front of you when you set up portraits? I wish you were kidding but I've seen it. I was at a relatives wedding and had my big camera and lens. It was portrait time and I wouldn't be surprised if the photog was pissed when she saw me with my big camera. Anyway, I was called in for a family photo. There was this older woman who kept getting in the way with a point and shoot. The professional would wait for her to finish and then only after that could the pro get the shot...it was taking forever. I politely asked the woman to stop and she wouldn't so asked her a bit less politely and she wouldn't so I told her to stop and she finally did. I found out later that she had complained to the bride about the photographer (me) and then been told that I was not the professional but her big brother-in-law and if I had told her to stop there was probably a good reason. I also got a mouthed "thank you" from the professional who later gave me a few pointers. See we can all get along

Luxx wrote in post #17219408
...
There was this older woman who kept getting in the way with a point and shoot. The professional would wait for her to finish and then only after that could the pro get the shot...it was taking forever. I politely asked the woman to stop and she wouldn't so asked her a bit less politely and she wouldn't so I told her to stop and she finally did.
...
I also got a mouthed "thank you" from the professional who later gave me a few pointers. See we can all get along

Yup, when people start to take my shots I stop and let them go first. Sometimes they realize they're being rude, and sometimes not. The important thing is that the subjects don't know where to look, so no one gets a good shot. So I wait until they are done and I am the only one with a camera so everyone is looking at me. It does take longer, but it works. Generally for formals I intentionally take the bridal party somewhere away from the rest of the guests to cut down on the problem, but for family shots someone in the family invariably has a P&S or cell phone.

As for telling "aunt betty" to knock it off - a collective "Thank You" is in order!

Luxx wrote in post #17219408
Keep posting. As a non-professional I have brought cameras to weddings but stayed far away from the professional. I'm not moving around the ceremony to get a shot. I don't have multiple flashes available. I don't have multiple bodies I'm shooting with...I want to enjoy the party etc.

I have a hard time saying someone can't take a photo from their seat or of the party but looking at this thread I might be changing my mind.

As for portraits...really people taking pictures in front of you when you set up portraits? I wish you were kidding but I've seen it. I was at a relatives wedding and had my big camera and lens. It was portrait time and I wouldn't be surprised if the photog was pissed when she saw me with my big camera. Anyway, I was called in for a family photo. There was this older woman who kept getting in the way with a point and shoot. The professional would wait for her to finish and then only after that could the pro get the shot...it was taking forever. I politely asked the woman to stop and she wouldn't so asked her a bit less politely and she wouldn't so I told her to stop and she finally did. I found out later that she had complained to the bride about the photographer (me) and then been told that I was not the professional but her big brother-in-law and if I had told her to stop there was probably a good reason. I also got a mouthed "thank you" from the professional who later gave me a few pointers. See we can all get along

I come at this from both perspectives as my own daughter was married this summer. She opted for a "no camera" ceremony (except the pro). It was a small line at the bottom of the program that alerted guests that they had photos covered and it worked well.

During the posed group shots, it was my own mother who needed to be sent away as she was directing people and taking over the grouping. :/

As a photographer, I speak with my brides about it and just say you can ask people not to bring out their cameras or embrace it as part of the culture in which we live. I can roll with it however they want. I just want to know ahead of time their wishes.

timbop wrote in post #17219429
... So I wait until they are done and I am the only one with a camera so everyone is looking at me. It does take longer, but it works.

I have tried that, but the problem is some people, and for sure the kids, run out of patience and start breaking away from the group.

Sibil wrote in post #17219442
I have tried that, but the problem is some people, and for sure the kids, run out of patience and start breaking away from the group.

I hold my hand up with my index finger raised to say "hold on" while the uncle bob is getting his shot. it generally works. If they start to break I loudly say "wait, let me get mine!"

timbop wrote in post #17219330
This lady really got on my nerves (this is unedited):

That is the least of your worries with that shot and very easy to clone out.

I've never had a problem with guests getting in the way with groups shots nor on a bridal party shoot. If a photographer regularly has problems with it, it is not the guests who are the cause... it is the photographer not being in control well enough.

Group shots are the easiest part of the day. If you are properly organised you should be able to rattle them off at around one group per minute or faster. I've not taken longer than a minute per group in over three years now.

memoriesoftomorrow wrote in post #17219589
That is the least of your worries with that shot.

Yeah, the shot I was actually going for was a silhouette, but you can't tell what that lump in the background is. Is this any better?

It would be a cull image in my book. Missed focus, poorly exposed and awkward composition.