A few wedding shots, as an attendee

I have zero doubts that the hired photographer's images will be superior to mine, but I managed a few that I really liked and thought I'd share. I'd also appreciate any C&C, just please remember that there were multiple PAID photographers and a videographer at the wedding and I avoided many opportunities and angles for great shots just so I wouldn't ruin their shots or get in their way.

The walk with Dad

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/EKGS​gS

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/DYsS​oA

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/EMZa​g8

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/EnGD​fF

They look good to me.

Thanks! I tend to be incredibly critical of myself when it comes to pictures, my wife even gets on my case about it. But I'm relatively happy with these. But again, I'm ALWAYS open to constructive feedback so bring it on if anyone has any!

Very sharp! Love the wide. Keep at it and don't be so hard on yourself. We all love to crash weddings with our gear and take a few great ones. That's what happened at my wedding. Thank heavens. We didn't have a photographer. Too poor.

SuzyView wrote in post #17926203
Very sharp! Love the wide. Keep at it and don't be so hard on yourself. We all love to crash weddings with our gear and take a few great ones. That's what happened at my wedding. Thank heavens. We didn't have a photographer. Too poor.

I would disagree with your comment Suzy about we all love to crash weddings with our gear to take a few great ones. I have yet to do so. I look at it as I was invited to enjoy their day with them, not work it. And they paid someone to capture their moments.

We do a great deal of weddings and often people are there with camera's and I believe their intent is not to get in the way for the most part, but not knowing where to stand or experienced on what needs to be taken or requested by the couple, they will get in the way. And that I can somewhat forgive because they have no clue. But when another pro or want to be pro shows up and pulls out their gear....not a good move. And in this instance looking at the photos, very good by the way, not just sneaking in a shot or two but swapping lens as well? The hired guys might have been civil and state no problem but I can guess what they were thinking.

If it satisfies your curiosity, by the time we arrived, it was standing room only behind the chairs. So, we stood back there with me closest to the aisle. The only time I moved from that spot was when there were no paid photographers behind or beside me and I wanted a shot right down the aisle, I think I did that twice. Otherwise, I took the shots standing right where I was. I was very cognizant of my role as a guest, and the role of the paid photographers, and never even considered getting in their way, or anything even remotely close to it. I didn't even consider walking around to get different angles.
I only took 5 sequences: officiant talking (wide and tele), husband putting ring on her finger, vice versa, kiss, coming back down the aisle.
So I understand what you're saying, but please don't assume and lump me in with attendees who are disrespectful of pros and the job they were hired for. And I think it's obvious based on the images I shared that they were all taken from basically the same vantage point so it wasn't really fair to lump me with those you're talking about in the first place.
And what's the big deal with swapping a lens? Lens came off went in the bag, lens came out of the bag and went on the camera with the release pin pressed down the entire time. My wife didn't even notice I did it and she was standing next to me.

well done

you should crop the first image tighter to get rid of the support beam which adds nothing to the picture - it also brings out the facial expression of the nervous bride

you also easily clean up the picture with a little easy PS clone stamping

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/E9Ex​2W

on the 3rd picture you can do the same thing if you want - crop it tighter and use a little PS to clean it up and make it about the couple

your 2nd picture is the overview shot so it allows, if you wish, to have the 3rd tighter

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/E9Hy​9E

Not trying to cause any issue. You can do whatever you wish. Only my opinion on how I feel about this. Others here will disagree but that is what makes this forum great. The pictures were very good as I mentioned. If you want to take wedding photos as a guest and show them here to get pointers, do so. Just not a big fan of guest photographers at weddings and we see them all the time. If you were able to stay in one location without causing issue for the hired photographers, great. Looking at your photos, it seems you were not in the same spot the whole time and thus my comments about possibly getting in the way.

Your pics look awesome man. Really makes me want to add a 135L to my bag!

Amadauss wrote in post #17930366
Not trying to cause any issue. You can do whatever you wish. Only my opinion on how I feel about this. Others here will disagree but that is what makes this forum great. The pictures were very good as I mentioned. If you want to take wedding photos as a guest and show them here to get pointers, do so. Just not a big fan of guest photographers at weddings and we see them all the time. If you were able to stay in one location without causing issue for the hired photographers, great. Looking at your photos, it is a little obvious you were not really in the same spot the whole time.

I was in the same spot, except for 2 occasions where I stepped about 7' to my left so that I was in the aisle (but still behind EVERY guest and the photographers were either NOWHERE near me, or were crouched down about 5-10' in front of me). I mentioned this earlier.

In fact, this frame grab from the drone they had shows me (in the back - parallel to the paid photographer but 7' away or so). I was either standing right there, or like I said earlier, I stepped to the left when NO ONE was around into the aisle for a picture. This frame grab was literally 2-3 seconds prior to me taking the 4th/last photo above. So please, how am I being a nuisance? I'm behind every other guest there. I'm not bothering ANYONE, and I'm CERTAINLY not in the photographers way. So, seriously... what's the problem?

Thanks everyone for the positive comments. I really appreciate them! I'm not going to let the clearly assumptive, incorrect opinions of one person ruin the "atta-boy's" from the rest of you. Sincerely... THANK YOU! It means a lot to me!

There is no problem. I have no idea why some people are so sensitive about this issue. If the pro needs someone to move they make it happen. Easy as politely saying excuse me and being where you need to be. That is why you hire a wedding photog to do weddings - they know what to do.

Just to clarify, I never take out my gear, unless asked to. I hardly ever bring it out. But I've been to weddings where the B&G just didn't know better. Not very expensive weddings, mind. For those weddings, especially if they are pro bono, I never mind people taking out their nice gear and go at it. Just friends. No one is getting paid.

Since I'm a pro, I don't interfere with the pros hired, but there are times when I've been the pro and someone took a great picture I didn't catch and I'm okay with it, as long as it's just for the B&G's use or to learn from.

When I decided I was going to shoot professional level, I shot with a few pros to get a sense of the whole work flow. It was great. But it is their living and I appreciate that. When I said "crash" I didn't mean like crash people's weddings just to shoot. I meant, we attended a wedding, there was no photographer, and someone said, "Hey, Suzie, go and get your gear!" I'm all over that. But when there's a hired pro, I don't do much. But nowadays, people with iPhones can take better pictures than with good equipment 30+ years ago when I got married. So, good equipment is sometimes what's in a pros hand at any time.

wallstreetoneil wrote in post #17930398
There is no problem. I have no idea why some people are so sensitive about this issue. If the pro needs someone to move they make it happen. Easy as politely saying excuse me and being where you need to be. That is why you hire a wedding photog to do weddings - they know what to do.

I have shot many Asian weddings where everyone related or not has a camera and is flashing away like on the red carpet at the Academy Awards. Before anyone gets going, I have to give my "Please let me do my work and I will let everyone take as many pictures as I find acceptable before I move on, but please stay out of my way or else I will push you back!" I'm pretty bossy, so they get the point. Once you establish the rules, people tend to correct themselves and each other and everyone can have fun. With the work contract, the B&G know they are hiring you to take the pictures for money and they will pay you for your time and product. Some pros will not let anyone with a camera near the event, but others are very easy with a crowd. If I were a guest and the pro said no pictures, I would respect that, but if the OP didn't have any warning to stop, I think it's okay to get a few shots in, especially if he didn't use flash or stand somewhere to block a guest or the photographers. As a pro, your style, your reputation is key. If you are easy to work with, people tend to remember that and pass your name along.

On a personal note, I did not have many pictures from my own wedding, but my brother, who taught photography at a local college took pictures, I don't think I've seen all the pictures he took. One of the best pictures was taken by a friend who just happened to have a camera on him. Now, so many years later, I really love that picture.

BTW, drones, nice.