too many "photographers"

I have, and I know other people who have lost many pictures due to flashes from other people's cameras. Do any of you have a rule of no flashes, or no picture taking when you are taking pictures? It seems selfish, but there are time (like first kiss or bride coming down the aisle) that all 200 guests want to shoot. I have kind of decided to just tell the bride about the issue and tell her the options so she can decide. I don't want to say guests can't take pictures, but when their "absolutely necessary" crap camera phone shot ruins your pictures...
What to do? Put a camera phone shot in the album?

I have been running into this problem a few times now.
At the last wedding I did there was the flash issue and also when the couple cut the cake the guest would surround them so closely trying to take pictures that I wasnt able to move the way I needed to to get decent shots. They wouldnt move out of my way either and the couple started before I could get to them and say anything. It was frustrating but nothing I could have done in that moment.

That's when it comes to a point of "Running a wedding shoot". You NEVER want to let someone else control your flow. As far as other pictures being taken during the situations you described, you're pretty much stuck and I have never lost a picture due to the fact someone elses flash fired during the kiss or what have you.

I make it VERY, EXTREMELY clear though that during the actual formal, posed pictures, aunt thelma will not be behind me firing off shots. It's even in my contract. I've never had a problem with this either because I can actually control what's going on around me now. In the begiining of my career I wasn't so good at it though. Now, don't get in my way!! haha....

Oh and, like I said in another post on here the other day, the way myself and the rest of my team carry ourselves at a wedding has actually gotten me a lot more bookings because people enjoyed how we had a grasp on things and things just flowed.There's a way to handle everything....even good old aunt thelma taking pictures over your shoulder....

yup, absolutely agree with prev post!!!!!

I always make the space I need, and people always co-operate with me. During formals no other cameras are allowed, and I ask people to not stand anywhere that the people in the group can see them, it spoils too many photos. You have to be assertive but nice at the same time.

I've never had anyones flash spoil a shot. The shutter's only open for 1/250th of a second or so, that'd be pretty bad luck for someone to flash at exactly the same time as you!

For my weddings it hasnt spoiled a shot, but its very irritating. I will need to start telling the couples in advance about this.

However I had a event ones where a few shots were spoiled because of other peoples flashes but there wasn nothing I could do. It was a nursing school graduation and as they were walking down the stairs through the audience flashes went off everywhere.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to furnish a link to this post to any potential brides and grooms.

I have my first wedding coming up in June and as I can be a bit shy, this does worry me.

mark

The best way to approach this with the bride and groom is to just point out nicely how it is difficult for people to know where to look when there is more than one camera pointed at them.

I usually spend a couple of minutes talking this over with the Bride and Groom and they usually have it covered on the day.

You can have whatever you want in your contract but that contract means diddly squat to the guests. It only covers your a$$ in case you do miss anything.... you can then 'blame' the guest paparazzi, etc.

Chances of another 'tog's flash ruining your shot is pretty unlikely... and if you are only taking ONE pic at those crucial moments... you deserve to cop it...

As for running the shoot... thats part of why you are getting paid... talking with the couple before the day helps but you need control on the day.... dont be a 'bit*ch/**** to people but run the shoot... and people will let you do your thing.

Dont forget 2 things
1. you chose to shoot Weddings... its part of the game.
2. You are at a Wedding, not a commercial scripted shoot so you are there to capture what heppens... use the paparazzi ... take a shot of them too... cause 1. It'll blind them for a sec and 2 brides and grooms enjoy it... (some)

Peter.

I was at a wedding a week ago where I was shooting indoors under available light, all going smoothly then I noticed a little green light on the B's dress...couldn't figure it out - so I took a bunch of shots in case I needed to photoshop to the max...

Turns out it was a focus light on a P&S illuminating the scene for about 1 whole second before the camera figured out where to focus on...and yeah - it came up in 2/15 shots.

B actually liked being green in one shot!

Whenever I have a problem "on the day" I ask the "best man" to sort it out. The bride and groom have other things on their mind.

N

Thats actually great advice. I've used the best man many a times to do things for me. They hardly ever even flinch at anything you ask of them! That's why they are the...ummm best.

I was asked to be back up at a wedding this past weekend. I started using a flash during the reception, but was mindful about where the photographer was at all times. Especially when it comes to cake cutting, guests really need to stand back - not just to give the photographer room, but so everyone can see. I like the idea of letting the best man handle this.

Stacie

Stacie

I suppose it also matters how many guests are there too. It is only something I have recently dealt with and only because it ruined a couple of good composition shots. It is more of an issue with other types of photography. I have never been rude, and the flash has never been that much of a problem with shots. I have just recently been talking to brides about it. People looking in 4 different directions can bea problem though. But thankfully I learned to use Photoshop and can take 8 shots or so and then Frankenstein people heads so that the final shot has everyone's eyes open and facing in one direction. hmm... love photoshop.

Oh yeah, do you get people asking for family photos? I mean guests asking you to do their family picture because they are all together and obviously not footing the bill?
I had an older woman who began to throw a huge fit because she wanted a family picture of her grown children and their kids as a family picture. Her poor son didn't want to impose on the bride and they were really "getting into" it. So I caved because the bride was a friend of mine and I didn't want them to start a huge fight at her wedding reception. And I felt sorry for the guy because he apologized to me all night long for his mother's behavior. How do you deal?