Generic Wedding Related Rants!!!!

just read the last page. ali b's thread on the "r" word rang a bell.
just had an enquiry about a wedding in 2010.
"we want rep*****e coverage." riiight.
"yes, not a problem, but most people who ask for r......... coverage do tend to include a fair few "posed" shots aswell."
" i dont want any posed shots, just natural stuff"
" ok, we'll show you a few albums, and get some opinions of what you like"

wifey shows her three , more laid back stylee, albums.
" oooh, i love those"
then wifey points out how many of the shots are actualy posed.
future bride is gobsmacked, and says.
" i better let you get on with it then hadnt i"
and promptly gives wifey a cheque.
weve given her the usual " request shot/relations shot, list" we give all our clients.
runs through the usual static shots we tend to do.
i bet she wants bloody all of em.
GRRRRRR.
 
Betty said:
This is not another wedding/pro/amateur debate, but feel free to let off some steam if something wedding photography related has hacked you off lately.

Here’s mine…

I have been invited to my mums friends wedding as a guest in July. My mum wants to pay me to take a few shots and make an album up as her present to them, no problem says me. The bride says she doesn’t mind me taking a few discreetly, as her brother is shooting the wedding. He isn't a pro, but he, and I quote, “Has a nice camera”, and doesn’t want to offend him. *screams*

FFS, I cant very well be discreet with a sodding 30D strapped to my wrist. You either want me to take some shots or not. My dads wedding photos were chaos for this very reason, eyes looking in different directions in every shot. I couldnt take the photos and be in them too, the same goes for this wedding.

After I calmed down, I realised that, even if I don’t take any images of the day, I am worried they will come to me afterwards and ask me to process her brothers shots because they wont be up to scratch. My mum also said the brides brother will no doubt be leglessly drunk come 7pm, so I would probably end up taking over then anyway.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand breathe.

See? Was nothing uber, but just annoyed me earlier.
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All that family politics ....... wince:eek:
 
One of my annoyances before I even got my SLR, was when my friend got married and I had a 4mp bridge camera.

I went along, took LOADS of photo's. and did them a little scrapbook album as their wedding present, which they already knew I was going to do.

Turns out the photographer was a "semi-pro" wedding photographer, which by the sounds of it turned out to be a "weekend when he got one" photographer.

The B&G chose the photobook they were having and tbh, it was nice. But nothing that someone on here couldnt have done any better.

Then for whatever reason after they had recieved the photographs, they were preseneted with them all printed out at 6x4 [these werent the proofs] and they were done at ASDA.

To make matters worse.....The brides eyes were on occasion [close up shots] photoshopped onto the groom, as he squinted when the flash went off!!!

Luckily however, they raved about the album that I had done for them. But its photographers "like that" that annoy me. :lol: Bt that was my rant, as a guest, and a friend who was disappointed. Luckily I have a bit more about me but Id never tackle a wedding on my own, not in the near future, I'm too happy bubbling along with the working relatiosnhip DiddyDave and I have! :)
 
so what if hes got a nice camera (whatever it is) sometimes it doesn't matter what you are taking the photos with, it just matters how you capture them and how creative you are with it.


i took some discreet pictures at my sister-in-laws wedding ages ago just using a eos300 and a 75-300mm lenses and was told i had taken better than the official wedding tog.

so what if the brothers the one taking the photos. he might be the one where everyone is looking down the lens, but you'd be able to capture much better candid shots....

if you feel that the wedding isn't big enough for two togs, then just leave the camera at home (or in the car at least) and enjoy the wedding as a guest.

Eoghan
 
dellipher said:
Tbh, I wouldnt have really noticed unless it was pointed out to me. But the fact they have different colour eyes and could still see some of her eye-makeup on one of the pics [on the groom] was horrid!
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Classy PP work there - a Master at work :lol:

DD
 
inaneredstripe said:
wifey shows her three , more laid back stylee, albums.
" oooh, i love those"
then wifey points out how many of the shots are actualy posed.
future bride is gobsmacked, and says.
" i better let you get on with it then hadnt i"
and promptly gives wifey a cheque.
weve given her the usual " request shot/relations shot, list" we give all our clients.
runs through the usual static shots we tend to do.
i bet she wants bloody all of em.
GRRRRRR.
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Oh how do much do I get that!
As well as the obligatory list I now ask the bride to cut out from magazines the kind of pictures that she likes so I can really get a feel for what she's after.

The shot list is always one to get in writing though, even if it is tickbox then there is absolutely no arguement about "But I wanted....."

The best thing I have read in years about it though is actually Damien Lovgrove's contract. He has it on his website so folks can see how he does it, which is very generous of him.

It has a section on "artistic licence" In plain English it spells out that Damien and Julie have artistic licence to shoot the wedding as they see it. I'd love to see someone try to take them to task having signed that.

Needless to say something rather similar is included in mine :)
 
I could write a book. One of my best was turning up at the bride's house which I used to discourage and charged extra for, to find everyone sitting around in dressing gowns eating toast and so laid back you wouldn't believe. We ended up pinning all the button holes on them ourselves, getting a few shots, and just scraping into the church on time by the skin of our teeth.
 
If the main photographer is confident in his ability he should not be threatened by another photographer. If he isn't confident he should not be doing the wedding because it is unfair for the bride and groom to have substandard pictures on their special day.

Too many people think just because they have bought a big camera that they can jump into the highly responsible task of shooting someones wedding.
 
qualar said:
If the main photographer is confident in his ability he should not be threatened by another photographer. If he isn't confident he should not be doing the wedding because it is unfair for the bride and groom to have substandard pictures on their special day.
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But surely if the B&G made their choice based on the fact that its a relative, then its their own fault!

On another note, what if the guy turned up with like a 1ds MKIII or a D3 :lol: Too often we are at the asumption that the "nice looking camera" is crap!
 
MJ Stebbings said:
On another note, what if the guy turned up with like a 1ds MKIII or a D3 :lol: Too often we are at the asumption that the "nice looking camera" is crap!
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I don't think that's the assumption at all rather the ability to actually use it! :D
 
dellipher said:
To make matters worse.....The brides eyes were on occasion [close up shots] photoshopped onto the groom, as he squinted when the flash went off!!!
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That just nearly made me choke on my coffee :lol:, i know i shouldn't laugh but i couldn't help it, it's just so unbelievably bloody outrageous, still maybe he/she should get points for creativity :lol:
 
I've done two weddings.

#1 for my niece. A Freebie because they couldn't afford a pro and I like the challenge. The agreement was @I'll do it but what you get it what you get. I had a great day and they loved the pictures.


#2 a colleague came to me and said you photographed a wedding didn't you?'

yeeees. Why?

The photographer they had booked 5 months previously phoned 3 weeks before the wedding claimed she had 'double booked' for the day. and this was the day after she had had a site meeting with them. The groom reckoned she got cold feet after meeting the bride and her mother.

I agreed to do it and after meeting the bride and her mother on a site meeting decided he was probably right.

Got a list as long as your arm of formal shots she wanted.

Bride asked groom before the wedding if I could be 'creative'.

The ceremony took place on 29th December at 1.30!!. this gave less than an hour of useable light after the ceremony as the trip from the church to the reception was about 20 minutes. The only outdoor shots really were arriving at and leaving the church. and I don't think I took a single shot that wasn't at least fill-in flash.

1hr after I arived at the venue I got a call from the hospital saying my cousin, my only living relative, who had been put into a coma over Christmas was going to be brought out of the coma next day and they needed my permission as next of kin to give him a tracheostomy. necessary to keep him breathing. I took about 5 calls through the reception on the various legal and medical implications of this.


Because I did this for friend I worked the whole day 10 in the morning until 9 at night.

It was one of the most tiring days I have ever done.

I did them a slide show so they could choose which shots they would like processed for printing.

Because a couple of shots appeared to be missing they asked for them all (650)

Gave them to them on a disk.

Last I heard the groom said she had chosen 340 she would like. (these were just mine. The groom's brother took about 600 odd as well. I don't know how many of his she wants).

Haven't heard any more.

I told him if he wanted 340 RAW files processing he was out of his mind.



Sad to say my cousin died on Jan 9th.
 
Welcome to the world of the wedding tog Greywolf. Sorry to hear about your cousin, that's an awful time.

Like you, one bride demanded everything that I shot on the day so I just deluged her with over 700 files! OK I was nice and batch processed them to JPEG's other wise she's never have been able to see them. Funnily nearly two months later and I'm still waiting for her decision on what she wants in the album. Last I heard was that she, the Groom and her mother are all argueing over it.

No doubt they will want it turned around in 4 days, I've made it plain that delivery will be two months. :)
 
MJ Stebbings said:
On another note, what if the guy turned up with like a 1ds MKIII or a D3 :lol: Too often we are at the asumption that the "nice looking camera" is crap!
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It happens more than you might think, it's not at all unusual for some guests to have pretty impressive top end equipment and they're not always as competent as the kit might imply - far from it in fact.

I remember one wedding where a guest opened a large metal case containing 2 Hasselblad bodies, lenses, and a load of other bits. I remember thinking "Uh oh... this guy is going to be a problem!", but far from it, he came over, intriduced himself and assured me he'd be keeping well out of my way.

He was as good as his word, and from what I saw of him he was more than competent too.
 
I thought the easiest way to deal with camera totting relatives is to always have the biggest flash, shoot into the sun where possible and keep everyone behind you. :D
 
dazzajl said:
I thought the easiest way to deal with camera totting relatives is to always have the biggest flash, shoot into the sun where possible and keep everyone behind you. :D
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:lol:
 
CT said:
It happens more than you might think, it's not at all unusual for some guests to have pretty impressive top end equipment and they're not always as competent as the kit might imply - far from it in fact.

I remember one wedding where a guest opened a large metal case containing 2 Hasselblad bodies, lenses, and a load of other bits. I remember thinking "Uh oh... this guy is going to be a problem!", but far from it, he came over, intriduced himself and assured me he'd be keeping well out of my way.

He was as good as his word, and from what I saw of him he was more than competent too.
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I'd have mugged him and done a runner :lol:
 
LOL @ Daz. :lol:

I've seen togs really getting out of their prams when they've set up shots and guests crowd around them. It never bothered me in the least as long as they didn't actually get in my way .I used to sometimes point out that they were all taking the same shot and they'd do better to shoot from different positions and possibly give the couple something different, but it always seemed to fall on deaf ears.
 
CT said:
LOL @ Daz. :lol:

I've seen togs really getting out of their prams when they've set up shots and guests crowd around them. It never bothered me in the least as long as they didn't actually get in my way .I used to sometimes point out that they were all taking the same shot and they'd do better to shoot from different positions and possibly give the couple something different, but it always seemed to fall on deaf ears.
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Thats because they want to take the shot that the pro had set up, because that is obviosuly the only way to get a decent shot from that set-up. :lol:

The last wedding i shot, people were taking pics from other angles as i was taking the main group shots. I dont mind at all, however i would say something if there were lots of flashes going off or they were distracting the people in shot, or getting in my way.

At the end of the day, its all part of being a wedding tog, no point getting arsey about it is there :lol: Its gunna happen at most of the weddings you do, so find a way to deal with it!
 
CT said:
LOL @ Daz. :lol:

I've seen togs really getting out of their prams when they've set up shots and guests crowd around them. It never bothered me in the least as long as they didn't actually get in my way .I used to sometimes point out that they were all taking the same shot and they'd do better to shoot from different positions and possibly give the couple something different, but it always seemed to fall on deaf ears.
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I suppose thats where a second shooter would come in handy to take them all away for a group shot - or does it not work like that? I am allergic to weddings so have no real idea how the photography works :lol:
 
To be honest it was never really a problem for me - you need a sense of humour for wedding togging. It was far more important to keep everyone in one place so you get the shots you wanted. There's really only three people remotely interested in the photographs - you and the happy couple. The groom is probably doubtful! :D

It's become quite a trend now for people to get wed at posh country clubs with several bars running and once people disappear it's a struggle to get 'em back.
 
CT said:
It's become quite a trend now for people to get wed at posh country clubs with several bars running and once people disappear it's a struggle to get 'em back.
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This is why I always do any group shots first and end up with the couple last, that way we can let the drunkards sod off to the bar and concentrate on the people that matter

:D

DD
 
LOL Good idea. :D I'd rather just be one of the drunkards these days.:beer:
 
I think you should all collaborate your stories into a book. Some of them have had me laughing so hard my sides hurt.

Rather you than me, that`s all I`ll say!
 
Betty,

I think you should go and do the ceremony, and as soon as you have enough for yourself and your mum, find that your battery has gone/memory card is full/camera is broken/trigger finger is sore and you can't take any more photos.

Then get Possed!
 
minky_monkey said:
I think you should all collaborate your stories into a book. Some of them have had me laughing so hard my sides hurt.

Rather you than me, that`s all I`ll say!
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The best one I heard of was the bride who berated her photographer because he did not have any pics of her father crying........"that's because your father didn't cry!" :suspect:

Or the one who wanted a beautiful sunset as a backdrop (A la bahamas) but chose to get married in November :cuckoo:
 
AAAAAAAARGH.
WE WANT IT YESTERDAY. NO WE DONT. NO WE WANT THIS PICTURE NOT THAT ONE.
no actualy, we'll wait a bit.

ive just been out to see a client with a cd of the layout for their album.(wifey's out on a job.)
wifey only had the shot selections for a week or two.
and a queue of other brides waiting.
this lovely bride rings on monday.(she is a very nice lady)
she needs the album for friday. she's going away to see a load of the relatives. can she have the album to take with her.
wifey says, she'll try her very best.(lots of other work on besides albums).i wanted her to say, no chance.
finishes the layouts this Afternoon.
i take em round. 8 PM.
they want a slightly different layout.
ok.go onto the online proofs and substitue some different pics.substitute a couple of b & w shots for colour , move a cpouple of shots etc.

ok. job sorted.
explained AGAIN that we cant always get ALL the shots they want into a particular album layout
anyway, thought we had it sorted.
wifeys got to get up early tommorow, print and mount the pages, so i can deliver em friday morning..
bit of a rush , but can be done.

rings ten mins after i get home.(9.30 PM)

sorry , can we leave it till they get back, theyve changed their minds.
some shots weve left out, they want in.
of course dear, thats not a problem.you want to be 100% happy with your layout , rather than rush it.have a nice time.
AAAAARGH. .
the customer is always right.
sigh.
 
And breathe............

Look at it this way though, it's a better decision to leave it till they get back and get it nailed down properly rather than rush the job.

And wifey gets a bit more time in bed which is never a bad thing :naughty:
 
as for second shooters and crowd control. i have a big gob. shut up diddy.
i know what you mean about the country clubs and bars.
get the group shots STRAIGHT AFTER THE CEREMONY.
then take the b&g of for the lovey dovey shots.
then later , when theyre all pished, you can get the funny shots of uncle albert trying to do the lambada , with his shirt tied round his head.:nuts:

yes , we had a bride complain that there wasnt a shot of great uncle Doris.
we pointed out that she hadnt asked for that shot.
then her mum pointed out that uncle Doris wasnt AT the wedding.
HE DIED THE YEAR BEFORE.
OOPS.:lol:
 
ali b.
chance would be a fine thing.:'(
i gotta get up in the morning and sort the daughters car.pads, number plate and a cv boot and a couple of bulbs.for the MOT.
failed yesterday.
yeah, we would rather the b&g wait till they come back, and make sure theyre happy with their album choice.
my mrs is too soft sometimes.
i'd have told em it wasnt possible to have the album ready.
we aim to please etc.
 
six years ago my mum's wedding was coming up and when the big day arrived i borrowed a fujifilm 2mp camera and took some shots and apparently they were some of the best!!(i was only 9 lol)
 
inaneredstripe said:
yes , we had a bride complain that there wasnt a shot of great uncle Doris.
we pointed out that she hadnt asked for that shot.
then her mum pointed out that uncle Doris wasnt AT the wedding.
HE DIED THE YEAR BEFORE.
OOPS.:lol:
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:lol: :lol: :lol:
 
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