p.1 #1 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
There seems to have been a LOT of threads about Uncle Robert lately, a lot of anger from many parties about the paparrazzi crowds you have to elbow through, and a lot of people on the other side saying to stop being entitled whiners, do your job and work around them.
Tonight has shown me an incident that has cemented my position, so just thought I'd share.
I don't care that I have to fight through the scrum, it comes with the territory.
I'm happy to work with, talk to, even lend my triggers and set up the camera for bob so he can see what I'm doing with lights and why it's so much better than the deer-in-headlights look.
But right now, my bride from Saturday has, on Facebook, as her cover photo and her inset photo, two seperate shots that I composed, that I posed, that I decided on locations, that I directed....but from cameras that were a foot behind and 2 inches to my right.
My bride has already seen my photos, except she's seen them blurrier, more grainy and more badly composed, she no longer has a surprise waiting in 4 weeks when she gets a disc, she just has the difference between seeing the blu-ray director's cut when she's already seen the handycam footage taken in the cinema.
p.1 #4 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
Chris Beaumont wrote:
...
THAT pisses me off.
I completely understand. I keep them away by telling them this is our alone time. This includes portraits of all sorts. The rest of the day they can do what they want as long as they are not over my shoulder.
p.1 #5 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
I had a first kiss at my wedding this weekend ruined because everyones flash went off at the same time and it was such a short peck that I have exactly one blown out photo of them kissing.
p.1 #6 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
Don't let it get to you. Yes it's frustrating but I had the same thing happen to me. It sucks when people piggyback off of everything you're doing. I wasn't worried because I knew when I delivered my images they would be better than what was emailed to her and what she was seeing on facebook. She was so disheartened with everything that was being sent to her from friends and family that she called me crying wondering if my photographs were the same quality. I assured her that she would be pleased and to be patient as I finished editing. When the images were delivered she was ecstatic and thanked me repeatedly.
p.1 #7 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
FWIW. I realize that each wedding is different. I rarely shoot weddings, but was called on at the last minute -- actually a day before -- to photograph a long-time friend's wedding.
The couple provided a hand-out for each person attending. Clearly stated: No flash photography during the ceremony.
"You may take them as the bride comes in and during the recessional."
Yes, I shot from the back with a long lens with no flash. And, yes, surprisingly, no one took flash photos during the ceremony. Yes, I got the kiss.
Occasionally things do go right. This wedding began with the couple's plans for each detail of the ceremony. As an extra touch they returned and ushered people out, giving them a "snack and yack" flyer -- that included a crazy, get-acquainted game that helped the two families become better acquainted during a reception. If you want details on that, pm me.
p.1 #8 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
Oh I totally understand, I've absolutely no worries that my photos are MUCH better quality than the ones posted, it's just, like I said, it doesn't matter how good the sound and picture quality of the blu-ray film you've just seen is, if you've already seen the crappy, pirated footage from the cinema, you already know the story and what happens next, the surprise has gone, the element of it being new, original and interesting.
I'm finding that kinda depressing and demoralising, it feels rather like what we do is ultimately pointless when all I'm doing, at this particular wedding especially, is delivering 500 higher quality versions of shit they've already seen.
p.1 #9 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
Chris, I hear ya! Been there twice in August. Haven't delivered the shots yet because both couples are still on honeymoon but their facebook page is pretty much like you describe.
The sad thing is they DO have a better shot of the kiss on one of them because guy stepped out in to the isle to take it and blocked MY shot from the back. So I have a shot of the back of his head and he has a shot of the first kiss.
p.1 #10 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
It sucks, drink the whiskey.
I know it's a pain in the backside mate and I know you put some first dance ones up but in the future it might help to get one of your portraits up first. At least that way it creates a buzz and makes the uncle bobs feel like sh!t when they see your amazingness.
ps. just fed the puppy some Bruichladdich. She liked it.
p.1 #11 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
Yeah, we had to physically remove someone from the church during the formals after the ceremony for one wedding this summer, as the guy had already walked up and down the aisles and wings of the church during the ceremony, and was ready to start shooting over our shoulders for the formals.
p.1 #13 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
It's getting worse and worse. Since iPhone and all smartphones era, every single guest in the church snaps photos and videos non-stop. It's not only disturbing to the vendors but also IMHO pretty disrespectful to the B&G and sanctity of the place and/or ceremony.
I can't wait for one of our clients to enforce no-camera rule during the ceremony. We are educating all of them at every consultation, but still waiting for the first ones to go by it. I'm sure it would be easier for the officiant/priest to announce it.
As far as the formal photos, every time we have "company" we tell them in front of the couple, to have a blast, and we will wait for them to finish. This creates very unwanted attention and they back out immediately. So far we never had to resort to asking someone to leave or asking Bride to intervene.
p.1 #14 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
Diluting the impact and creating duplicates is the thing that perhaps annoys me the most as well. These people should be... Being people. Not living through an VF or LCD. In you situation, I would have thought it would be easier to control though? If you're doing set up portraits, you're likely away somewhere, and I'd not easy to justify why you need them to go... Do they just ignore you?
On the weekend I had two people, who were snapping through the entire day, follow me to positions for the more traditional movements... Eg cake cutting. To be honest, there are a hundred other people with cameras, and the cake cutting isn't really an integral part of the day. BUT it really annoyed me, for some reason. Empty room, they come stand right by me. Both with their 70-200. Would I have felt different if they were using their phone? Probably. Does that make me paranoid on some level? Probably. But still, I believe some people take it too far, need to get a life. I told these two that they were in the way, could they shuffle. They were fine. She said "you can't stop us taking photographs"... "you're just creating duplicates, you could just enjoy the event". I usually wouldn't snapped back, but it had been a long day, and a BAD dy before. There was no response, and I'd already killed the atmosphere a little in our corner. Oh well. I'm guessing she has seen lots from them and everyone else via Facebook already too, oh well...
Chris Beaumont wrote:
I'm finding that kinda depressing and demoralising, it feels rather like what we do is ultimately pointless when all I'm doing, at this particular wedding especially, is delivering 500 higher quality versions of shit they've already seen.
Oh, totally feel the same here :-(. I guess this is universal though. If it isn't Bob, it'll be the hundred phones uploaded to Facebook. Theyve basically relived the entire day whatever happens... I guess this is a benefit to taking a few weeks to deliver... Hopefully they might have forgotten by the time I send them! :/
I actually had a young girl, couldn't have been more than 8-9 step out in front with her iPhone while they were exiting the church on Saturday. The world is INFECTED.
p.1 #17 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
Morning guys,
This one was a particularly bad one, the bride and groom have both posted over 200 shots each from their own iphones, let alone the guests.
Alex - the main reason I've not posted a couples shot is because the 20 minute "golf buggy safari" we went on around the venue is the ONLY period of the day when I DIDN'T have 6 people over my shoulder, those shots are the only ones that will be a surprise to them, so I'm storing them up.
What makes it all the harder is that the majority of the guests, the people posting the photos are all lovely people, with good intentions, all so excited by their friends day and being part of it that they wanted to share.
How do we as an industry convert all that good will into getting people to put down the iPhone and actually participate.....I swear I get twice as many people photographing the confetti shot as throwing the stuff, something's gone horribly wrong in the dynamic, we're all watchers rather than participators.
p.1 #18 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
The only real way I see around this is to make sure our photos out of camera are perfect. The next step is to immediately add our own special processing for a select few key moments of the wedding and upload them either that night or first thing the next morning. It is very difficult because of all of the instant upload apps for phones. At least we can deliver the only quality a lot faster with the above in mind. Though I have a long way to go with getting my SOOC images perfect
p.1 #19 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
cordellwillis wrote:
The only real way I see around this is to make sure our photos out of camera are perfect. The next step is to immediately add our own special processing for a select few key moments of the wedding and upload them either that night or first thing the next morning. It is very difficult because of all of the instant upload apps for phones. At least we can deliver the only quality a lot faster with the above in mind. Though I have a long way to go with getting my SOOC images perfect
Is it really worth trying to beat them to this game though? People are uploading at the wedding, while you're shooting...
p.1 #20 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
When shooting in a group atmosphere you'll never be able to "surprise" the client with photos since there will be a plenthora of other people shooting in the same scene and settings. I've found the key to beating off the masses is composure. Get compositions that the normal iPhone/P&S photographer wouldn't think of getting because they have a few too many beers/wine glasses in them. That is what will set you apart in the eyes of your clients.
Plus you also have the time alone with the bridal party to really "seal the deal" and make them glad they hired you.
