Anything-to-get-the-shot, or low-key?

I've been browsing the Weddings forum for some time now, and I've noticed some differences in the style of wedding photographers. On some shots, I just know that the photog had to be walking all around the church to get the shots.

The argument can certainly be made that you should do whatever it takes to get the shot, and record the moment. On the other hand, if you shoot with that perspective, you could well be altering the way the moment is remembered by others around you.

Assuming you're shooting by yourself, what is your approach? I know I'd love to zip around getting all the shots without being noticed, but I know that's not a very realistic expectation.

-Tim

i'm a strictly low key guy. i know i miss shots because of it but i don't care.

for whatever reason weddings guests tell me all the time 'the photographer at so and so's wedding was so annoying/obnoxious/dis​tracting'. more often than even 'the pictures sucked'.

it's truly bad for business.

I try to be very low key..but if there is an important moment that I would miss if I didn't walk up front or on the side then I would do it...I would not want to miss something that I would regret later.

I'm interested in this, too. I'm thinking specifically about a shot I saw once of a ring exchange, that was taken from below, indicating the photographer must have actually been very close to the altar and on the floor. Do you guys actually get up their and do that (the result may justify it) or was that shot likely posed? Do you discuss with the couple how "invisible" they want you to be?

I was once jokingly told by the brides mother that she was a little frightened when she was sitting in the church because she had a feeling like someone was watching her and she kept seeing shadows moving about up in the loft. hehe

I always keep a low profile, always wear all black to minimize visibility. I see some photographers walking around with bright ass shirts and ties! Crazy..

This one guy I know goes to meet potential b&g's wearing hiking boots jeans and god knows whatever else with wild hair and untrimmed full goatee.

I don't know, people are just different....

I walked around the church on Saturday. I didn't walk up to and around the altar, but I certainly went from balcony to left to middle to right to balcony. When I saw the bride was getting emotional during the ring exchange, I actually ran up to the corner to capture it. I know for sure I didn't annoy anyone. The B&G thanked me for being their photographer and the guests were all as nice as guests can be.

I feel that in 10 years, they'll see that photograph and remember that moment. But in 10 years they won't remember me moving around, even if they saw me on the day.

If you think about it, your careful and quiet-as-can-be movement wouldn't be any more or less annoying than clackclackclackclackcl​ack to anyone who has a low tolerance.

I don't think I will have the flexibility for the wedding I am shooting next weekend to switch between lenses and feel I am going to have to force myself to use my 17-55 because I have a bad habit of filling the frame with the 70-200 and will miss a lot. So, I will have to walk around to get close enough for the very important shots I think.

Karena wrote in post #3953831
I don't think I will have the flexibility for the wedding I am shooting next weekend to switch between lenses and feel I am going to have to force myself to use my 17-55 because I have a bad habit of filling the frame with the 70-200 and will miss a lot. So, I will have to walk around to get close enough for the very important shots I think.

Who said anything about switching?

Leave one camera upstairs on a tripod with zoom, and walk around with your midrange + flash (if allowed). If you have some extra cash and trust, hire an assistant and let them shoot pics from the balcony. Assistants love little jobs like that.

In the UK were sometimes told that were not allowed to move around during the ceremony whether its a church or a regsitry wedding and other times theres just not room to move because theres too many people rammed into a small space (we shot a church earlier this year with a capacity of 60 that had 150 people in it) so by default were usually low key. That suits us though because theres always 2 of us and so we always shoot it from 2 angles anyway and sell ourselves on not being intrusive.

Only one I can recall this year where I did move around a bit was the big french wedding we shot because the chruch was huge and it was impossible to over it all from the same position .... I was able to tip toe up and down the side aisles at that one though so didnt disturb anyone.

We quite often get comments about how unobtrustive we are and thats exactly what we aim to be for the majority of the day.

Adaptive wrote in post #3953845
Who said anything about switching?

Leave one camera upstairs on a tripod with zoom, and walk around with your midrange + flash (if allowed). If you have some extra cash and trust, hire an assistant and let them shoot pics from the balcony. Assistants love little jobs like that.

I only have one camera body. I have been asked to 2nd shoot but act as the main photog. Long story. ONly had 2 weeks notice to prepare and the wedding is next weekend. No 2nd body and cannot get one before the wedding. So, only 1 body and not enough time to change lenses.

I'm definitely as low-key as you can get, and more and more I try to be a pure photojournalist and tell the story of the day, rather than manufacture moments. The main reason is because I feel it's more genuine that way, and a very small part is that I'm just not that great at directing people (it's just not part of my nature). I realize not everyone is into that mindset, and that's ok.

I think you'd be surprised at how little people notice you if you don't interact with them and just observe what's happening. I shoot with short primes and am usually only a couple of feet away from subjects, but I doubt they even notice me much of the time, since people tend to focus on each other.

cdifoto wrote in post #3953819
I walked around the church on Saturday. I didn't walk up to and around the altar, but I certainly went from balcony to left to middle to right to balcony. When I saw the bride was getting emotional during the ring exchange, I actually ran up to the corner to capture it. I know for sure I didn't annoy anyone. The B&G thanked me for being their photographer and the guests were all as nice as guests can be.

I feel that in 10 years, they'll see that photograph and remember that moment. But in 10 years they won't remember me moving around, even if they saw me on the day.

If you think about it, your careful and quiet-as-can-be movement wouldn't be any more or less annoying than clackclackclackclackcl​ack to anyone who has a low tolerance.

I totally agree. I try to be low key but on certain shots I am all over it. I am not pushy but want to get my shot. It truly is how you handle it. ("It's not what you say but how you say it" type of thing)

I'm very low key, but I can't help but feel that I should be more directive to get the results I want.

I'm looking to get more directive. I'll take my megaphone to my next wedding

I'm low key, but i'm starting to become a bit less low key to get the shot. I don't go up on the alter, I stay in the aisle or wings (there are rarely balconies here), and go up with the B&G when they sign the register. I wear shoes with rubber soles that don't squeek and I dress entirely in black - suit pants and shirt. I've been told quite a few times the B&G didn't even know I was in the church during the ceremony.

Karena wrote in post #3954030
I only have one camera body. I have been asked to 2nd shoot but act as the main photog. Long story. ONly had 2 weeks notice to prepare and the wedding is next weekend. No 2nd body and cannot get one before the wedding. So, only 1 body and not enough time to change lenses.

If you have a good knowledge of the run of events then you should know whats comming next, (celebrants talk/speackes/vows) theres time to swap lenses...just, not a position id like to be in to often, or without having a second camera, 2weeks u can get a back up ...be prepared, its worth it.
T