 BetterPhoto Member |
Wedding Photography: Tactfully Dealing with Others I have photographed several weddings, and I always ask the bride to be to make sure no one brings a camera and takes shots during the wedding. I can't think of a solution other than hanging a sign that says no cameras allowed!Another growing problem is that my clients want to buy my negatives. I have found no one who does this and I don't think it is ethical anyway. Any suggestions?
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Jon Close |
For formals posed before or after the ceremony, I think you are entitled to specify a "closed set," or at the very least make a firm request that those with cameras hold their shots until after your lights have fired so as not to throw off your lighting and so you don't record red AF-assist lights on the bride's gown. I don't think a "no cameras" rule would ever fly at the reception. Reference the request for the negatives: Emphasize that what you are providing are professionally posed, composed, and processed prints and albums (paper and/or digital). The negatives and digital RAW files are not a finished product - note that it's you, the professional, who has the expertise/time/ability to fix flaws, adjust exposures/color, artistically crop, and print on archival paper. That's what they are buying.
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Kerry L. Walker |
Asking people not to bring a camera to a wedding is like asking Coyote not to chase Roadrunner. You can ask all you want but it ain't gonna happen. Putting up a sign won't help either. It will just look tacky on your part. (I figure you're joking.) Don't worry about others taking pictures. The bride hired YOU, so your pictures are the ones she wants. Hopefully, yours will be much better than anyone else's anyway. Just ask that they not shoot when you are shooting, as it will only mess up your work and you were hired for the occasion. When you are finished, tell the others to fire away. They're going to, anyway, so you might as well have some control over when. Selling the negatives is not unethical or unheard of. It is bad business practice, however. It's like asking an author for the copyright when you buy his book. I don't sell my negatives - primarily because I want control over where my work is processed. I send my work to a professional lab, and I don't want someone getting my negatives and sending them to a cheap lab where they might get inferior results. Other people might see the inferior work and, knowing I shot the wedding, assume it is my fault. The brides want the negatives, so they can get them printed for less than they would pay you. Again, it is like asking an author for the copyright on his book so you can make copies and sell them to your friends.
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Kerry L. Walker |
Jon, your reply came in while I was typing mine, and it seems we agree.
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Bob Cammarata |
I agree that "No Cameras Allowed" would never fly. If you are having trouble getting your formals, you have every right to politely ask Uncle Fred to hold off until you've gotten what the bride and groom want ... YOUR photos. For ceremonial shots during the reception - such as the cake cutting - you can solicit help from the M/C or manager of the banquet hall. When he or she announces the cake cutting, you can ask them to announce: "Please leave room for our professional photographer ... Thank you." Most banquet managers will work with you, as they are committed to insuring that everything runs smoothly and everyone leaves happy. As far as your candids, and anything on the dance floor, you are pretty much on your own.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Uncle Fred's going to another wedding.
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Christa |
I am not a wedding photographer, but the "no cameras allowed" is not a good idea. I've been to a lot of weddings, and the photographer made an arrangement that he shoots first and then anyone else. And people respected that. Mostly the bride and groom set a time for the photographer to do his thing before the reception, usually at a different location, and when they arrive at the reception they mostly got the intimate photos nobody else will ever take, because it was only them and the photographer. Maybe you could mention this to the couple getting married, if it won't interfere with their plans. Just a thought.
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Diane Dupuis |
Greg - doesn't everyone have an Uncle Fred?
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- Bob Cournoyer Contact Bob Cournoyer Bob Cournoyer's Gallery  |
I went to high school with a guy named Fred. When my son got married last September, I asked the photographer if she minded if I followed her around, bumped up my iso, and took pictures over her shoulder as it were, without using my flash. She didn't mind at all, and a lot of my pics turned out better than hers :-) ... at least according to my son and new daughter-in-law.
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Gregg |
Not allowng mom or dad or grampa to take a shot is an insult. Rules being they must stay n the pews, no more than 10 seconds, and when you are shooting, their cameras must be held down to waist level. As far as selling the negatives, why not? Structure your packages so that all possible enlargements are included and prepaid. Add the negs/digital files as an add on option for $500 or more. With the most expensive package make the negs/files free so they would hopefully buy up. As far as owning the rights and copyright to images, you know their scanning behind your back anyways. I have beeb doing this for 27 years and the negs I have stored have taken up too much space. Re-orders years after the wedding are not too many. Make an extra buck by selling them and clear the house of years and years of storage.
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James Frowner |
For my wedding I will discuss a picture package that includes a photo cd of all the images and without. The reason resason behind that is I will only maintain images for 90 days then they are deleted. I find that is easy to sell the images with the package and most clients are willing to pay that extra cost to have the rights to images and you do not have to worry about a image this month or and image 8 months from now. Now as for the other photographers out their I have no problem with them as long as i'm able to do what i've been hired to do. Remember those other photogrphers are sometimes family member who are trying to get in the act.
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- Greg McCroskery Contact Greg McCroskery Greg McCroskery's Gallery |
CJ, You shouldn't be worried about wedding quests shooting with their point and shoot cameras. However, you need to explain that during posed shots such as altar return shots, you cannot wait for folks to take photos due to the bride and groom's time limitations. I tell guests to be ready to shoot as soon as they see my flash fire -- I don't wait on people. You should however, stipulate in your contract that no other professional still photographers, or guests with professional level cameras will be allowed to photograph at the wedding. I have a very clear addendum to my contracts that stipulates this and states that if such occurs, the bride and groom will be asked to clarify this policy to the offending party. If the photographing continues, my obligation under the contract is considered fulfilled and I will cease photography and leave with no further obligation to the contracting party. This sounds rather harsh, but I photographed a wedding where the videographer also brought a pro level still camera and at times was shooting over my shoulder. At the time I had no prohibition against this in my contract, and needless to say, it did cost me some sales. Hope this helps. God Bless, Greg
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Scott Pedersen |
When Iv shot at family weddings I paid attention to what photographer was doing so I wasnt in the way or having the flash go off at the same time. The balcony is an excellent out of the way place. I know its a considration that others arent going to think of.
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Jerry |
I shot my first wedding in December of 1969 and am still doing wedding photographer. Over these years I run into the "uncle Freds" The way I have evloved over years has been the full package sale, you know you are getting paid a nice sum even if others are shooting. I have found in hundereds of weddings that requesting no shots is like sweeping back the tide. Move as fast as you can and tell people that the bride and groom need to get to the reception and other cameras will slow this time down.
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Ken |
People that think they can shoot better then others such as the professional that their Bride and groom hired should perhaps offer their services to the bride and groom first and be the professional photographer, rather then tryimg to upstage the person who set up the shot. After all it is the person who sets up the shot that is responsible for any of the shots from any camera coming out good or not. Think about it. If You do all the set up work and get someone to take a self portrait of you by merely squeezing the shuttter who is the author of that shot? I am pretty sure it would be you the photogrpher, not the shutter squeezer. Sorry if I got off topic a little but I think we should show some respect for the photographer that is hired or at least to the person who made the decision to hire that photographer. If that were the case perhaps this whole question wouldn't even need anwsering.
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