Do you, AD Photog, mind having their relative to be the 2nd photog (paid or unpaid)?

[sjackal]

More points:

When he is doing photojournalist style during the special moments, solemnisation, cake cut, stage toasting, march in, etc...

Never stand in front of the pro and block him.
Never stand too near behind him, if he back step he might bump into you and loss his shot.
Never follow the pro like the shadow, duplicating his shots, etc. He is going to get very defensive and may think people is trying to secretly learn his workflow.

When he is doing formals and portraits,
Don't also do and slow him down.
Go do candids or creatives instead.
Slip in for just one or two formal shot, when he takes a break to go toilet or smoke.
Slip out when he returns.

When he is doing table to table or group shots,
Never stand beside him and do also, to ensure everyone look at his camera instead other cameras.

I think if the second shooting friend/relative had done his homework and made it a point not to hamper the pro, and the pro still make fuss, then the problem probably lies with him.

 

[davee78]

Good points! I just wished everyone who was a hobbyist and wanted to try out wedding photography would be as "automatic" . There are really good folks like you who respect that the paid photographer has his job to do and has to deliver on his job too. Unfortunately, not everyone is like that!

Don't worry about CH&KP's wedding hah...if it really affected me since I don't use a flash myself, I would've politely told you on the day! You were good to stand out of the way and cover other things *clap clap*

ah! thank goodness..

 

[canturn]

I really won't mind relatives and all shooting, so long they're not in the way. My style is pretty much journalistic, and group shots are handled by my assistant photographer. My only griped when I've got relatives around me is, they tend to draw attention to all of us who are holding cameras, which contradicts my style of photographing subjects who are camera unaware.

For the past few weddings, I never had any problems with relatives getting in the way and getting the emcee to announce it before the church service/mass does help a lot. Just before the wedding itself, we usually sit down with the couple and go through with them and one of the things I raised is photography by relatives, esp in church weddings. At the end of the day, what we want is the common understanding that everyone wants the best for the wedding couple. Some of my couples even put in that in their church invitation card requesting guests to refrain from photography during the service and photos will be made available upon request from them.

Same goes to wedding dinners, we just did a 50+ table banquet. Getting relatives to be 2nd photographer can slow things down a lot especially when they're not very experienced in this. My assistant photographer managed to do 2 shots per table properly for all 50+, completed in 35 minutes because we didn't have to shoot with other guests' cameras and this was made known to everyone in the ballroom just before the start of it.

Some guests, will not be happy with it, but you can't please everyone, for the couple, it means they've got more time to mingle with their guests.

 

[nonchann]

What if this relative is carrying very expensive and better equipments like 70-200s, L-lenses, 1Ds bodies and is somewhat quite good. How do you deal with such people?

 

[canturn]

What if this relative is carrying very expensive and better equipments like 70-200s, L-lenses, 1Ds bodies and is somewhat quite good. How do you deal with such people?

Let them shoot, because relatives don't know how to DI/ Edit the images, so even if you give them a digital back, they will not be able to produce the kind of look or signature, which is what the couple is looking for.

 

[lancey]

What if this relative is carrying very expensive and better equipments like 70-200s, L-lenses, 1Ds bodies and is somewhat quite good. How do you deal with such people?

poke them with a siccor behind their back when they are aiming and then act blur?

 

[sjackal]

Let them shoot, because relatives don't know how to DI/ Edit the images, so even if you give them a digital back, they will not be able to produce the kind of look or signature, which is what the couple is looking for.

Pro. And :thumbsup: for your professionalism.

What if this relative is carrying very expensive and better equipments like 70-200s, L-lenses, 1Ds bodies and is somewhat quite good. How do you deal with such people?

Professionals have to deal with cost. Not always can afford every single L lens or a two point eight for every situation. Hobbyist and enthusiasts are different, its a hobby and people pour money into their hobbies. Think about other hobbies, cars, watches, etc. So such situations are inevitable, what they have is a big lens, what you have is your skills, experience, and professionalism.

poke them with a siccor behind their back when they are aiming and then act blur?

I hope its a joke .

 

[canturn]

What if this relative is carrying very expensive and better equipments like 70-200s, L-lenses, 1Ds bodies and is somewhat quite good. How do you deal with such people?

Actually, these equipment are very common these days...was shooting a chinese wedding in Melbourne and guests were armed with 1Ds mark III and 24-105L for group photos.

Usually, what I do is to go up to them and reassure them what a good choice they've made and all, wow this lenses very good and sharp, the D3 can shoot such clean images at iso 54578457854784784 etc, etc etc...

And when it's time to ask them to move and get out of the way, it's easier for them to digest that, and less likely for you to be perceived as being rude

 

[janshim]

What if this relative is carrying very expensive and better equipments like 70-200s, L-lenses, 1Ds bodies and is somewhat quite good. How do you deal with such people?

Most annoying part about weddings are relatives and guests who, by the dozen, hand you every brand of digital compacts known to man for a snap. And this happens not at a church and there's no MC to pre-warn them. Shooting with an assistant means that bug of having to deal with those requests is passed on to him to deal with. But over time you learn to just say no to these interfering requests as politely as you can.

As for guest carrying pro gear to a reception, it's more common than you think. As long as it's not unlawful, it happens and more so considering the odds of a relative or a guest who is also a passionate or professional photographer is quite good (who is smart not to have turned down the B&G's request to shoot their wedding, esp if they're related)

Personally, as a professional photographer, I cannot stand wedding invitations and thankfully, invites are far and few per year but when I do receive one and am able to attend, my 5D and 70-200 f/2.8 IS (to emphasize its weight) and to stay far away from the hired pro. A recent semi traditional Indian wedding I attended as a guest, I walked away with a nice portfolio where the B&G actually linked my blog post A NIGHT OF BOLLYWOOD FUSION in their thank you emails. Not an hijack attempt but as author of shimworld blog, I have my local and international readership interests and to "feed" so to speak!

Once I'm there I have trouble sitting still and I ended up "working" the night. My wife who usually goes with me is used to an empty seat next to her. Maybe it's because we have this small country phenomenon where people know one another (had its good and bad) but as a known photographer 'doing his thing' people leave me alone and unlike most AD I had shot alone, I enjoyed the journalistic moments from the Indian wedding. No disrespect to the official photog who happened to one of my associates, the invite has given me advertising mileage. Who knows if the official photog views me as the guest from hell but given a choice I'd rather be stay home with the kids than drive 2.5 hours to an event where I barely ate.

 

[mrleech]

Nice to hear the stories from the other side.
Will be going for a wedding dinner this weekend. Will know the grounds on where to tread....

 

[Filbertoh]

Nice to hear the stories from the other side.
Will be going for a wedding dinner this weekend. Will know the grounds on where to tread....

haha hmmm wow good luck to you. =)

 

[Filbertoh]

Thanks to all for the Professional replies and stories =) :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Sorry for the late reply i just came back from overseas =)

all the best to all newbies/hobbyist alike =)

Hope all this info have/will educate newbies/hobbyist alike for your future attempts.

All the :nono: :nono: to be avoided.

Cheers to ALL =)

 

[Legoz]

Actually after so many weddings, I have never been seriously affected by others flashes, small P&S or flash guns. 1/60s v short dah... Perhaps 1 or 2 shots out of 1000 shots can see the other flash.

Yup. Agreed. Its a bit hard to have 2 exposures at the same time on the same thing.
The only prob comes when the other photographer is always in the frame or in the pic. That would totally spoil the pics..