Priest meltdown over photographer at wedding. Ouch!! :O

[cayenne]

Wow...I was amazed to see this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oReLN5nntKw&feature=player_embedded#t=1

I mean, I've heard of officiants getting testy inside of church buildings, but even then, usually setting the rules before the ceremony.

This guy blows up in the MIDDLE of the ceremony, embarrassing the bride and groom....and this ceremony was OUTDOORS.

I read one quote someone made on YouTube that I agreed with. The groom should have leaned into the priests ear and said something like "I'm paying the photographers much like I'm paying you, please continue. And..if you do walk out, I'll sue your ass off, now, please get back to marrying us..."

cayenne

 

[AmbientLight]

This is just sad.

It appears that this priest has some serious delusions of grandeur. If god was actually watching this, the priest failed to notice the resulting heavenly facepalm motion. So much for his connection to his boss.

 

[YuengLinger]

That was a mild rebuke, far from a "meltdown."

Believe me, I've been the recipient of meltdown behavior--at events where everybody was signed off except one hissy-fit prone individual or another.

In this case, the priest was stressed about something, and the clacking of the shutters irritated him. He could have communicated better, being clear about shooting from another location versus leaving the premises, but he doesn't deserve disrespectful derision.

I know, as a photographer, we can think the wedding is put on for our benefit. A reminder now and then doesn't hurt.

 

[AmbientLight]

The wedding should be for the benefit of the bride and groom and their friends and family. Anything else (catering, chauffeur services and the like) is just part of the package.

Both wedding photography and priestly services are services, which should be provided in a professional fashion.

I don't see why a priest shouldn't get along with wedding photographers. I believe it is fine, if the priest asks for photos not to be taken during some parts of the ceremony, when the priest wants to say something meaningful, but generally sending the photographers off, because the priest doesn't feel like getting center stage is going too far, because it will ruin the couple's opportunities for getting those memories and having them preserved in lovely photos. This is as much a part of a wedding as anything else that comes with it.

 

[LSV]

I read one quote someone made on YouTube that I agreed with. The groom should have leaned into the priests ear and said something like "I'm paying the photographers much like I'm paying you, please continue. And..if you do walk out, I'll sue your ass off, now, please get back to marrying us..."

cayenne

I totally disagree with this. So, the groom would add his meltdown to the officiant's over-reaction? You have not seen anything yet until the bride breaks down when the officiant walks away.

 

[Rocky]

Wow...I was amazed to see this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oReLN5nntKw&feature=player_embedded#t=1

I mean, I've heard of officiants getting testy inside of church buildings, but even then, usually setting the rules before the ceremony.

This guy blows up in the MIDDLE of the ceremony, embarrassing the bride and groom....and this ceremony was OUTDOORS.

I read one quote someone made on YouTube that I agreed with. The groom should have leaned into the priests ear and said something like "I'm paying the photographers much like I'm paying you, please continue. And..if you do walk out, I'll sue your ass off, now, please get back to marrying us..."

cayenne

I will not call it a meltdown. The priest is very calm. We only see part of it. We do not know whether the photographer has asked the priest's consent BEFORE the ceremony or not. Even worst, the priest may have announce that no photographer is allow in the alter area and the photographer has ignored it. Most of the priest will not allow photography during the ceremony no matter whether it is inside of the church or outdoor. If the photographer is a professional, he should know better. The priest has the right to ask him to leave whether the photographer is hire by the groom or not.

 

[AmbientLight]

I will not call it a meltdown. The priest is very calm. We only see part of it. We do not know whether the photographer has asked the priest's consent BEFORE the ceremony or not. Even worst, the priest may have announce that no photographer is allow in the alter area and the photographer has ignored it. Most of the priest will not allow photography during the ceremony no matter whether it is inside of the church or outdoor. If the photographer is a professional, he should know better. The priest has the right to ask him to leave whether the photographer is hire by the groom or not.

This is certainly correct in a church or church-owned facility. In the video it appears to be outside an area, where the priest would have any say over such things. In any case priest and photographer should talk before the ceremony and not like this, during the ceremony. This is just awkward.

 

[bleephotography]

Wow...I was amazed to see this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oReLN5nntKw&feature=player_embedded#t=1

I mean, I've heard of officiants getting testy inside of church buildings, but even then, usually setting the rules before the ceremony.

This guy blows up in the MIDDLE of the ceremony, embarrassing the bride and groom....and this ceremony was OUTDOORS.

I read one quote someone made on YouTube that I agreed with. The groom should have leaned into the priests ear and said something like "I'm paying the photographers much like I'm paying you, please continue. And..if you do walk out, I'll sue your ass off, now, please get back to marrying us..."

cayenne

I will not call it a meltdown. The priest is very calm. We only see part of it. We do not know whether the photographer has asked the priest's consent BEFORE the ceremony or not. Even worst, the priest may have announce that no photographer is allow in the alter area and the photographer has ignored it. Most of the priest will not allow photography during the ceremony no matter whether it is inside of the church or outdoor. If the photographer is a professional, he should know better. The priest has the right to ask him to leave whether the photographer is hire by the groom or not.

I wouldn't call his reaction "very calm." A calm response would have been to simply and politely ask the photographers to remove themselves. I don't know what kind of weddings you've been to, but all the ceremonies I've been to, even the ones in churches, have allowed photographers to do their thing. The priest's reaction was obviously tacky, whether warranted or not, and what it comes down to is that it was the bride and groom's day, not his...so if they wanted the photographer there, and he wasn't interfering with the ceremony, then what's the problem?

 

[surapon]

Wow...I was amazed to see this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oReLN5nntKw&feature=player_embedded#t=1

I mean, I've heard of officiants getting testy inside of church buildings, but even then, usually setting the rules before the ceremony.

This guy blows up in the MIDDLE of the ceremony, embarrassing the bride and groom....and this ceremony was OUTDOORS.

I read one quote someone made on YouTube that I agreed with. The groom should have leaned into the priests ear and said something like "I'm paying the photographers much like I'm paying you, please continue. And..if you do walk out, I'll sue your ass off, now, please get back to marrying us..."

cayenne

I will not call it a meltdown. The priest is very calm. We only see part of it. We do not know whether the photographer has asked the priest's consent BEFORE the ceremony or not. Even worst, the priest may have announce that no photographer is allow in the alter area and the photographer has ignored it. Most of the priest will not allow photography during the ceremony no matter whether it is inside of the church or outdoor. If the photographer is a professional, he should know better. The priest has the right to ask him to leave whether the photographer is hire by the groom or not.

+ 1 For me too.
Yes in The Large Church, The Wedding in North Carolina, No photographer allow at the Altar area or the Church Sanctuary/ Main Floor level, Except at the Balcony area of the Sanctuary , where we set the Tripods and the Big Zoom Lens or The Big Telephotos Lens, for the Main Photographers, And Let the support photographers shoot from the back of the sanctuary----YES, the Shutter Sound, if Close to the Priest , will interrupt the Ceremony and Priest's speech---Special some new/ Spring chicken - wedding photographers might use continuous shooting mode--That One in a life time ---That are Formal Ceremony.
Yes, As the Wedding photographers, We must have the rehearsal 1 day before the real ceremony, and we will learn the rules from all the people involve. No, We, as the good , Professional Wedding Photographers, We will not screw up the expensive ceremony, and Lose our face and lose future job, for the future $ 20,000 US Dollars Fee. for two day works.
Surapon

 

[paul13walnut5]

ok. DSLR1 is shooting the video.
DSLR 2 unseen is clicking away. We can hear it. If we can hear it, the preist can hear it. The couple can hear it.
clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick

And as the video DSLR walks away we see the third photographer beside the bridesmaids.

There is also a tripod on the lawn behind the seats.

Emmm. I'm with the priest.

 

[dtaylor]

I read one quote someone made on YouTube that I agreed with. The groom should have leaned into the priests ear and said something like "I'm paying the photographers much like I'm paying you, please continue. And..if you do walk out, I'll sue your ass off, now, please get back to marrying us..."

Yep. Completely unprofessional behavior on the part of the priest. No one has a right to do what he did except the bride and groom. Doesn't matter if we think the photographers were or were not over stepping their bounds. That's up to only two people, and only those two people have a right to say anything.

If the bride and/or groom are not visibly annoyed or saying something, keep it to yourself and keep the ceremony moving smoothly forward.

 

[dtaylor]

I will not call it a meltdown. The priest is very calm.

No he wasn't. His tone and jarring interruption of the most important part of the day were anything but calm.

We do not know whether the photographer has asked the priest's consent BEFORE the ceremony or not. Even worst, the priest may have announce that no photographer is allow in the alter area and the photographer has ignored it. Most of the priest will not allow photography during the ceremony no matter whether it is inside of the church or outdoor. If the photographer is a professional, he should know better.

Irrelevant. If the activity is not upsetting the bride and groom or otherwise wrecking the ceremony (and by wrecking I mean the priest literally cannot continue speaking), then you deal with it afterwards. You don't air it out in front of everyone drawing attention away from the wedding.

The priest has the right to ask him to leave whether the photographer is hire by the groom or not.

Nope. It's not about the priest.

 

[unfocused]

Should the photographer had discussed the ground rules with the couple and the priest beforehand? Yes.

Should the couple have discussed their expectations with the priest beforehand? Yes.

Does that justify the priest acting like a complete jerk and ruining the ceremony for the bride and groom. Absolutely not.

 

[GMCPhotographics]

This is just sad.

It appears that this priest has some serious delusions of grandeur. If god was actually watching this, the priest failed to notice the resulting heavenly facepalm motion. So much for his connection to his boss.

Most Vicars and Priests are pretty cool, but I usually get one per year who is completely unreasonable, although I've only ever had one who was this rude. I've very very unobtrusive and nearly silent but even then, I get the odd power mad minister of unrighteousness. Hey, photographers have souls which need saving too!
Unfortunately not every man in a mitre is a man of God.

 

[bleephotography]

Should the photographer had discussed the ground rules with the couple and the priest beforehand? Yes.

Should the couple have discussed their expectations with the priest beforehand? Yes.

Does that justify the priest acting like a complete jerk and ruining the ceremony for the bride and groom. Absolutely not.

+1

/end thread :-X

 

[ablearcher]

Establishing a good connection/mutual understanding with a priest BEFORE the ceremony is essential. Any wedding photog has to know this. Getting that close to the priest's back is always asking for trouble. At the same time, I'd say that to some extent both the photogs and the priest are responsible for the situation. If the priest thought that an outside wedding should have the same rules as a wedding in church in terms of freedom of movement for the photogs - then he had to mention that before the ceremony. You can't mess up someone's ceremony by things like that. Look at the groom's and bride's faces in that video. So yeah, I'd say both - the photogs and the priest are responsible. I doubt both will be recommended by the couple to their friends (unless the photogs managed to get amazing shots done). But nobody wants a ceremony with an angry priest...

 

[paul13walnut5]

I counted 3 cameras (the recording cam, the guy next to the recording cam firing off his shutter non-stop. NON-STOP. It's not downhill skiing he's shooting. But there he she is with their motordrive. NON-RUCKING-STOP)

The video guy invaded the priests space. Do you like folk creeping up behind you? No.

Then there is a third photographer next to the bridesmaids.

It's a bit much.

Perhaps the Priest could have handled things better, but I wouldn't have.

Here's the rub.

Wedding first. The couple are there to get MARRIED. Thats kind of important to everybody.

Photo video. 2nd or maybe even further down the list. Whats the point of having every moment documented if every moment is ruined by the process of the documentarians?

I hate to be the anti-photographer here, but I read all the time stories about the infringement of photographers rights because of idiots taking photographs of other folks kids in public or on private land etc...

I get fed up with it, because these guys, like the MORONs in the video, are giving each and every one of us a bad name.

Will the priest now think about prohibiting photos at future weddings? I would If I were him.

I was photographing a firewalk last night and the organisers were intially very unfriendly, obstructive even. Now I do video work day and daily and deal with police, security and jobsworth day and daily. It's a fine art.

I turn up early, talk to the person in charge. Ask what the timescale is, the geography of the situation and anything I need to be aware of or anything they want to ask me.

I'll offer to set up nice and early to see if they have any problem.

Don't turn up just before with a huge flash and barge your way to a good position and start ruining the event for everybody else.

It really is common sense.

We do have rights, often misunderstood by a minority of cops and majority of private security folks, show a bit of respect, stand your ground if need be, calmly.

It's not your wedding. Granted, neither is it the priests.. but he is higher up the pecking order.

 

[Joe M]

I've been fortunate never to have experienced this but I think it's because I always, and I mean always make the time to meet the officiant whether it's an outdoor or indoor ceremony. I ask about any "off limits" and depending upon their demeanor I'll ask for leniency when they are a little stricter than I'd like. Sometimes I get it, sometimes not. I may not like it when it gets strict but if an officiant were to ever have a little meltdown like this, it would not be due to me or my assistant. That said, I'd love for one to give it to the guests for a change. I've had many many weddings where I've been banished to the "back" while guests circle the couple with video and still cameras.

Something that ministers (and I know a few who thankfully agree and with respect to me at least, they are lenient), have to realize is that while he is being paid to marry them, I too am being paid to do a job and the couple have certain expectations of what they'll get from me. I think that some photographers have simply ruined it for those of us who are considerate while at the same time doing what's needed. I think if more could use silent shutter, pause during prayer, walk quietly and stay away from the couple (that's what the big white ones are for), we wouldn't run into the issues that we do.

And that all said, I have no idea what the full story is behind this clip. However, just going by this clip, I think the minister could have handled it better. We also don't know if there was more irritating behaviour before this clip. In any case, I realize the minister was a little miffed but the look on the bride's face and even the groom's is something the photographer and minister have to live with. One of my favourite ministers would have been irritated, sucked it up and told the photographers later that they are banished. He now also asks couples coming to him for a wedding who their photographers are and if they are on his "black list" won't do their ceremony or asks them to reconsider. I sort of like that approach.

 

[takesome1]

The photographer in this instance is clueless.

As photographers we think about things like composition. This guy only thought about his own composition.

This wedding had an arbor set up that frames the priest, bride and groom. Sitting in the audience you see this arbor with its beautiful backdrop and a goofy photographer that doesn't realize he has injected himself in to the composition of the wedding. He is completely clueless to his surroundings or what he is doing. He even asks where he should stand. The answer is he should be standing some place where he is not the center of attention and is un noticed. Then he is doing his job.

Do not put yourself in the scene.

As for the priest, if this were a religious based forum I would point out his flaws. It isn't so why reward this photographer for his own ignorance.

 

[dtaylor]

Perhaps the Priest could have handled things better, but I wouldn't have.

Here's the rub.

Wedding first. The couple are there to get MARRIED. Thats kind of important to everybody.

You just contradicted yourself. If the bride and groom are really what's important, then you as the priest would either a) keep your mouth shut until after the ceremony, or b) calmly and quietly ask the photographer to move (i.e. no one else in the audience should have been privy to what was going on). Look at the bride and groom before and after the priest blew up. They were not bothered by the photographer. They WERE bothered by what the priest did.

Agreed that rules and expectations should have been established before hand; the photographers setup the situation; the photographer got too close and that bothered the priest; the photographer injected himself into the scene (idiot); etc.

But if any person except the bride or groom is upset about something and has it within their power to keep quiet until afterwards, by God you keep your mouth shut and keep the ceremony progressing smoothly for the bride and groom. This applies to relatives, friends, in laws, kids, hired help, etc, etc. You better be dying if you interrupt a ceremony like that priest did. Because if you're not and you're working for me, you will be dying later.

To be fair to the priest, when he turned around and said move the photographer should not have responded at all. He simply should have moved. "Where should I stand?" The unemployment line buddy.

I'm going to bookmark this video to show it to any future assistants as an example of what you never, ever do.