What do AD wedding photographers think about people who...


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hamustar

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May 23, 2007
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...hang around them while they're on the job and start snapping with their own dSLRs.

Recently been to quite a number of weddings, and noticed that nowadays there are many of the groom/brides' friends or bros following the official AD photographer around with their snapping equipment.

Understandably, these friends have new toys and are excited about trying out (for free and no-risk) wedding photography on the wedding couple. Sometimes they may even save a wedding day should something wrong happen with the official photog.

But would the AD photographer be annoyed? I observe that flashes are popping all over the place, and sometimes the subjects do not know which photographer to look at coz all seems so pro with big dSLRs and battery grips and flashes strapped, seemingly professionally, with all kinds of creative bounce material.
In some occasions, they block vantage points.

Would like to hear from AD photographers on this issue...any recommendations...and perhaps all of us can be more mindful of what to do/not to do.
 

Better that the photographers are behind the official one, if they were on the opposite they may be spoiling the official photographers composition.........

But I think if there are not that many, the official PG should allow the others, it is not his wedding anyway.......and if they are Pro enough, they should be able to handle these things. But off course the others must be not in view.....
 

i brought my own DSLR to attend a wedding recently. However i did show respect to the official photographer... i bump up my iso, never on my cam flash (i dun have an external flash anyway), and never vie for spots to take pics of the couple. just shoot from where i am sitting whenever possible when the couple walks past. :)
 

i think they would be quite pissed, especially if the friends produce better shots

after all, it doesn't take much to be an AD freelance photographer these days

the main ingredient seems to be guts and overconfidence rather than good shots. :)
 

Better that the photographers are behind the official one, if they were on the opposite they may be spoiling the official photographers composition.........

But I think if there are not that many, the official PG should allow the others, it is not his wedding anyway.......and if they are Pro enough, they should be able to handle these things. But off course the others must be not in view.....

Not just friends and relatives, I recently also handled a job - 3 photographers & 1 videoman. The bride's side had 2 more photographers supposed to be from their wedding packages, and me and another videographer - engaged by the groom's father - were told to be the official photographer from our boss who handle the groom's father.

On that day, these 2 photographers, while I was taking group shots, suddenly they would pop out of nowhere to take this and that, before I could finish, he said ''look here and smile''... Beforehand, during a briefing, I already told them we were being told we were the more official ones, but as fellow colleagues in this profession, I also dont wanna go thing by the law becos I believe being the official one doesnt make me the boss thus I told them what to note around group shots - in another words, not to mess around during group pictures. I asked them politely to take behind my back to ensure both of us get good group shots, one of them agreed and the other nodded. Then another shot, there comes the joker again. I mean taking group photos from one side again? - Shallow DOF mah, since everyone not in focus, unless he using f29... Resulting some group ones everyone looking here and there. Anyway, we let the matter rests as we told the groom about it, he said its alright as long as anyone is happy. I mean since groom agreed to it, I also ok.

Also another thing to note, the 2 M'sian photographer most of the shots used another camera with fast lens, shooting without flash. During a breaktime, we exchanged talks and views, most of their shots were blur and shakey. I didnt comment anything since they were fellowmen working in this line.

Then came the night banquet. Table to table shoot. One of them, again did that... WTF I finally went up told him politely that he was interrupting the guests in the group, if we wanna make good group, we take together mah. Then he finally agreed taking from my behind - at least the directions are more or less the same. After around 3/4 table to table done, again, he stunned us. He took sideway from the right that time! I was felt up but didnt lost my cool. I didnt know taking group photos from one side is the 'IN' style now... Maybe I lost touch :) But in the end we did have a good talk about photography in the end.

Back at my boss office the follow day, we reflected the issues to our boss, he told us since the groom knew about it, he could explain the the groom's father about the group photo case. My boss told us it is better to let the groom know side effects of having too many photographers than after that then he know the result.

Anyway case closed. I wish these 2 fellow colleagues all the best in everything, cheers.

:)
 

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i think they would be quite pissed, especially if the friends produce better shots

after all, it doesn't take much to be an AD freelance photographer these days

the main ingredient seems to be guts and overconfidence rather than good shots. :)

May I add another good the main ingredient is passion for your job. Without passion, cant delivery, clients not happy affects our images as photographer.

Think if things got screwed up by circumstances, we should come up with alternatives to make better shots.

Just sharing my 2 cents :)
 

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