Why you should take your camera to family Weddings

[DCM1024]

My sincere Thank You to those who took a moment to congratulate me on my daughter's recent wedding. They are so obviously in love that it was a time of great joy that will be remembered forever.

Let me add my congrats on your daughter's wedding and advise you to ignore some of the "less generous" (I'm trying to be nice and civil) comments posted. My nephew and niece recently got married a week apart and I didn't bring my camera to either and my kids complained.  They were hoping I'd take pictures of them and their spouses and SO's since they were all dressed to the nines!  I won't make that mistake again.

Thank you. It is precisely because of some of the "less generous" comments that I will not post any of my daughter's pics here. Congratulations on your niece and nephew's recent weddings and certainly take your camera next time!

After asking me to relax and enjoy, my daughter looked upset when I put up the 5d2 and got out the RX100, but I promised her it takes good pics, too. Facebook feedback hasn't indicated that anyone noticed a big difference in quality, though a trained eye can certainly see the difference.

[sanj]

Inexcusable!!! I shot a wedding last weekend. Just before the ceremony, my 5D3 was reporting I still had 160 frames of open capacity on my 8GB card. I still changed cards just before the processional started. Unless the photog faints during the ceremony they should capture everything from start to finish. If not, you deserve some kind of rebate for failure to deliver.

Absolutely.

[RLPhoto]

Nice. When I've been invited to weddings, I would usually just take my 5Dc (my FF camera before my 5D3) + 50L. It got some really solid photos the primary photog couldn't achieve. Yes, I was that Uncle Bob. 

[studio1972]

Just got back from my daughter's wedding in Brooklyn and so glad I took my camera! She told me she wanted me to just relax and enjoy the fun, but I took the camera and got shots of the family events and pre-ceremony, when the paid photographer wasn't there. In addition, I got the shots of her coming down the aisle, which he missed completely. Said his card filled up (persnally I always change cards immediately before the ceremony). He had a 5d2 and a 5dc, so I'm not sure why he didn't switch to camera 2, perhaps it was too tight due to a telephoto lens.

Personally, I would say the number 1 reason for missing that shot, is a relative stepping out into the aisle to get the shot with their iPhone/point n shoot/cheap dslr and standing right in your view.

Of course their camera is usually totally incapable of getting a decent shot in that situation, but by their selfish actions they block your chance to get a really great shot for the bride and groom.

I think this happens much more often than the pro messing things up and a relative saving the day with their snaps.

[tron]

Personally, I would say the number 1 reason for missing that shot, is a relative stepping out into the aisle to get the shot with their iPhone/point n shoot/cheap dslr and standing right in your view.

In that case the pro could take a snap to show how a relative/friend has spoiled the picture. Otherwise it will seem that it is the pro's fault.

[gary]

DCM, had you been at my first wedding it may have been my only one.

I had a personal friend take the photo's, he was quite talented and very excited about being asked. Some two weeks after the wedding I asked how long the photo's would take, he sheepishly backed away whilst telling me that he hadn't had enough money to buy any film ( 1980) so there were none. I asked the obvious questions, he explained he was too embarrassed to ask for money for the film and yes we did all the shots you would have expected. I then spent days calling everyone who was there trying to scrounge up some pictures and we ended up with around 10 or so. Needless to say the marriage ended as it started in disappointment and upset, so my advice would always be, if you have a camera, take it as you just never know what might happen.   

[magic koala]

I have to admit, I feel for both sides. The pro on his/her job, and the friend/relative wanting to capture the best moments. I'm not a pro but I shot my first wedding this Saturday. The situation was such: the wedding party's hired/committed photographer canceled a week prior leaving the bride and groom in a bind. They asked my cousin if she could shoot as a favor. My cousin readily agreed and said she'll do it as her wedding gift (which was very generous, I thought). My cousin doesn't have wedding photography experience nor did she have the enough gear so she asked me for help, advice and equipment.

I was willing to give her tips (again, I'm just an amateur), loan her equipment but I was really concerned that she might not produce the "great" (suitable for framing) photos everybody usually expects from the photographer so I said I'll shoot the wedding with her just so we can double our chances.

Needless to say, it was very difficult. Thankfully, I read through all your posts and advice on wedding shoots and consulted many books and albums on how to shoot a wedding. But yes, many of the guests did block our paths (walking the aisle, cake cutting, etc.) and us noobs obviously didn't have hands-on experience on proper positioning and jockeying for the primo spots. Also when doing group shots, many of the subjects were looking at the other cameras (not ours), so we have group photos where all the eyes are askew. We quickly learned to bark instructions and do hand movements to direct them where they should be looking at. I would say guests with other cameras do create a distraction and are obstacles for the designated photographer.

However, I also feel that since my cousin and I did this as a favor, we also feel that as non-pros we also did a very good job in producing the shots, and had we been guests with SLRs, we probably would've made a good showing shooting from our seats (except of course we'd be annoying to other guests).

In the end, the bride and groom were very happy to receive very great photos of themselves at no cost to them. My cousin was happy to have come through and her wedding gift was much appreciated. And I was happy that my cousin was able to deliver what was promised. My reward? Chicken or Beef.

P.S. I refused to do any post-processing and said that somebody else can do the post-processing.

[DCM1024]

I see this thread became active again, so just to clarify: the pro reported to my daughter that he hadn't gotten photos of her coming down the aisle due to his card filling up. In his defense, he offered to recreate the scene and was refused by her as the emotion of the moment had passed. I didn't learn of any of this until I had already left the wedding. I live out of state and sent them money to help out, but was not involved in any of the planning whatsoever.

I have also had the issue of friends and relatives blocking me during a (paid) wedding. I have been known to tap them on the shoulder and then point to my camera. Luckily no one has decked me yet. I'm not normally rude or pushy, but I do it because I feel I have a duty to the bride and groom to get the photos they are paying for. In the case of my daughter's wedding, I packed away my 5D2 once it was time for us to meet up with the pro. The photos I got were shot with the RX100, which has now saved memories from two weddings (a different story). The pro was in position, at the front, center aisle. I didn't know he was experiencing a problem at the time. My photos were shot from the first row, second seat. I'm not claiming they're the best wedding photos ever, just the only ones of she and her dad coming down the aisle.

[preppyak]

In that case the pro could take a snap to show how a relative/friend has spoiled the picture. Otherwise it will seem that it is the pro's fault.

They do, but, it's not a shot most will deliver to the client unless there is a funny back story to it or its in a LOT of photos.

That said, there are a few hilarious ones in this thread. The b+w photo towards the end is sad though, because its a great shot without the woman and her p+s: http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1113623/0

[willhuff.net]

If for some bizarre reason you feel compelled to bring your camera to a wedding you are not paid to shoot, please do not be like any of the "Uncle Bobs" in that thread. It makes it more difficult for the paid professional to do their job.

[PackLight]

If for some bizarre reason you feel compelled to bring your camera to a wedding you are not paid to shoot, please do not be like any of the "Uncle Bobs" in that thread. It makes it more difficult for the paid professional to do their job.

I usually take my camera and 70-200 to weddings. Not so I can capture the importan shots, I may not take a single picture. But it is fun to take it just in case the hired photog is a bit insecure. Intimidation by your presence.

[Daniel Flather]

What did this guy do when it was 36 exposures a roll?

[PackLight]

What did this guy do when it was 36 exposures a roll?

He probably never shot film.
With the new Canon DSLR's you can set your camera to P "pro" mode and go right to work with little or no experience.

[acafinecon]

i CAN'T TELL U HOW MANY NUMBERS I'VE GOTTON FROM ATTRACTIVE WOMEN B/C I ASKED THEM TO GIVE ME THE nUMBERS AND EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR ME TO SEND THEM THE PHOTOS.!

[Northstar]

DCM, had you been at my first wedding it may have been my only one.

I had a personal friend take the photo's, he was quite talented and very excited about being asked. Some two weeks after the wedding I asked how long the photo's would take, he sheepishly backed away whilst telling me that he hadn't had enough money to buy any film ( 1980) so there were none. I asked the obvious questions, he explained he was too embarrassed to ask for money for the film and yes we did all the shots you would have expected. I then spent days calling everyone who was there trying to scrounge up some pictures and we ended up with around 10 or so. Needless to say the marriage ended as it started in disappointment and upset, so my advice would always be, if you have a camera, take it as you just never know what might happen.

What a crap friend