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Archive 2014 · Unplugged or not?

  
 
Nickyb21
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Unplugged or not?


A recent thread got me wondering what I should do for my own wedding and wanted to get a feel on what you guys think. I am thinking about having the ceremony unplugged.

I recently went to one of my good friends wedding and she asked me to take some shots as the main photographer was a friend and wasn't charging. I brought my camera and I was just overwhelmed by the other "pro" photoG's that brought their ipads, camera phones, dslrs etc etc.

Please list your reasoning with which you chose.

Sorry if this has been asked before.



Sep 24, 2014 at 08:00 AM
Josh Jones
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Unplugged or not?


While the thought of an unplugged wedding sounds great. I really don't want to have to treat my guests like kids and take away their "toys" at weddings. The truth is a lot of people never think to go back and look at the professional pictures, so sometimes the ones they take are all they really have. Plus they can grab a lot of the secondary photos the professionals wouldn't have time to grab (all the various friend groupings, behind the scenes stuff, ect.).

In short - If your wedding is so boring or poorly setup that guests want to bring out their phones to keep themselves entertained, something is wrong with how you planned your wedding.



Sep 24, 2014 at 08:10 AM
Nathan Padgett
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Unplugged or not?


I think an unplugged ceremony is the way to go. Weddings are a special and usually rare occasion for most people. I think that often leads to guests taking photos more often than normal, but they dont realize the downsides to that. Sure it can be a pain for the pro but also I think there is a small disconnect when looking at real life through a lcd or viewfinder. I hate when i see moms in the front row watching the entire ceremony in an iphone display. Let the guests be fully present. Let the professionals do their job. People are obsessed with capturing every moment no matter how insignificant and that needs to stop.




Sep 24, 2014 at 08:19 AM
myam203
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Unplugged or not?


I can't see it happening for an entire wedding, but it's definitely worth going unplugged for the ceremony.

Funny enough, at my wedding, my dad was supposed to take video once he sat down at the ceremony, but he forgot and no one else shot video or really even pics. Apparently, the love that day was so strong that people were actually more interested in witnessing it than playing with their dumb phones. :P

Still, I wish we had a ceremony video in the end.

Edited on Sep 24, 2014 at 08:49 AM · View previous versions



Sep 24, 2014 at 08:48 AM
D. Diggler
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Unplugged or not?


myam203 wrote:

I wish we had a ceremony video in the end.


Couldn't hire a pro video?



Sep 24, 2014 at 08:49 AM
Nickyb21
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Unplugged or not?


Josh Jones wrote:
While the thought of an unplugged wedding sounds great. I really don't want to have to treat my guests like kids and take away their "toys" at weddings. The truth is a lot of people never think to go back and look at the professional pictures, so sometimes the ones they take are all they really have. Plus they can grab a lot of the secondary photos the professionals wouldn't have time to grab (all the various friend groupings, behind the scenes stuff, ect.).

In short - If your wedding is so boring or poorly setup that guests want to
...Show more

Completely understood, but I'm not sure I really understand your last comment. My question wasn't whether or not people would be entertained, it was keeping them out of the paid photographers way to get prime angles that could be block by a large iPad.

I agree with the secondary shots, you can never have enough pictures, good or bad.


---------------------------------------------

Nathan Padgett wrote:
I think an unplugged ceremony is the way to go. Weddings are a special and usually rare occasion for most people. I think that often leads to guests taking photos more often than normal, but they dont realize the downsides to that. Sure it can be a pain for the pro but also I think there is a small disconnect when looking at real life through a lcd or viewfinder. I hate when i see moms in the front row watching the entire ceremony in an iphone display. Let the guests be fully present. Let the professionals do their
...Show more

100% agreed.



Sep 24, 2014 at 08:51 AM
myam203
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Unplugged or not?


D. Diggler wrote:
Couldn't hire a pro video?



We didn't want to spend the extra money (as if we could afford the wedding in the first place) and didn't think we'd care so much, but it turns out that we did.



Sep 24, 2014 at 08:51 AM
DannyBostwick
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Unplugged or not?


If people with camera phones bugs you that much, you may want to consider a new career cuz it ain't going away anytime soon.


Sep 24, 2014 at 09:04 AM
canerino
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Unplugged or not?


i dont care about cameras/phones during the day. what i have found annoying in a lot of ways are the cell phones with the bridesmaids in the room. the truth is that many of the bridesmaids that i'm shooting these days are in their phones and not interacting with their friend who is about to get married. or if they are interacting, they are doing it through the back of the screen. i actually feel bad for some brides.


Sep 24, 2014 at 09:18 AM
Nickyb21
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Unplugged or not?


DannyBostwick wrote:
If people with camera phones bugs you that much, you may want to consider a new career cuz it ain't going away anytime soon.


I'm talking about me getting married and what paid photographers prefer during a ceremony. I obviously want the best photos possible. Photography is just a hobby of mine.



Sep 24, 2014 at 09:23 AM
NYstyles
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Unplugged or not?


Just let your friends and family take pictures unless you think they will be obnoxious with it! ha ha. Only you know your friends and family.

Just dont worry, plan your wedding, then enjoy it.

Im my personal experience, I dont have issues with guests/family and cameras/phones like some seem to have...



Sep 24, 2014 at 09:46 AM
dhp_sf
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Unplugged or not?


For every other part of the day, your friends will probably be a lot more comfortable in front of other friends' cameras rather than the hired professionals. They will be goofier and probably more cooperative. During the ceremony however, the main event is up front and the main photographer is the only person who has access to the best views so imo, having the audience being captivated not only puts them more into the moment of what's going on, but allows the photographer to capture a scene of genuine interest on the part of the guests (ideally).

It doesn't bother me that other people are taking pictures from a capture standpoint, but it does somewhat make me sad when I include guests during certain events and they are glued to their screen in the photos instead of participating in the wedding. But that's just the way society operates now for the most part.



Sep 24, 2014 at 11:05 AM
Nickyb21
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Unplugged or not?


NYstyles wrote:
Just let your friends and family take pictures unless you think they will be obnoxious with it! ha ha. Only you know your friends and family.

Just dont worry, plan your wedding, then enjoy it.

Im my personal experience, I dont have issues with guests/family and cameras/phones like some seem to have...


my friends and family are fine, its the future wifes family that I'm wondering about! They all tend to bring their ipads to family functions and snap photos with them. It's hilarious but I don't know if I want a wall of ipads at my wedding haha!



Sep 24, 2014 at 01:09 PM
glort
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Unplugged or not?



I think If I got married again I'd definately go the unplugged route.

All these people sitting round holding things in the air concerntrating on them and dodging one another leaves me cold. And lets face it, 99% of what they get is total crap. They will be too far away to see what's actually going on looking at the pissy little screen, bugger all people ever transfer them off their phone or print them out, which is probably a good thing in reality given how most look, and you probably won't hear whats going on if they video it either for the background noise no matter how quiet.

And aside from everything else, I'd want to look back and see the faces of the people I wanted there to share it with me not see a bunch of little ( or chunky) bits of plastic gaudy covers obscuring the people with arms held hight to get over the person in front.
Yeah, the very thought of that makes it a definate " Unplugged" deal.

I wouldn't be worried about the pro not getting their shots, I'd be ticked off about the overall stupidity of everyone sittling there like morons holding their phones in the air.
It's Dumb no matter how prevelant it is these days or the fact it's not properly labled as stupid simply because 90% of people are guilty of doing it.

Funnily enough, thinking of the last wedding I just did, I didn't see one phone being used all day. It was definately not by request, I'd say rather that the guests were more respectful and Mature. I had a lot of interaction with everyone before the ceremony and being a small group of close friends and relo's maybe they realised they would all get to see the pics and get any they wanted anyhow.

When I got married over 20 years ago I warned everyone there was a dress code and if the guys did not turn up in a suit, they wouldn't be getting into the reception. If they Couldn't pay me the respect of dressing properly, then I didn't want them there, simple as that. Everyone was happy to do that for me except one of the bridesmaids Boyfriends and when I spotted him I DID have his pot smoking hippy dreadlock torn jeans covered arse thrown out of there.

Would be the same with the phone and crap. My wedding, I'll have this simple thing how I want and if you respect me, then you will honour the reasonable request I make so I can have the day the way I want it.

Not like I'm telling them they all have to turn up in a Rolls Royce or I'm putting them to any trouble or huge expense.
Just act like mature and dignified people for 20 min.



Sep 24, 2014 at 09:44 PM
NYstyles
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Unplugged or not?


Nickyb21 wrote:
my friends and family are fine, its the future wifes family that I'm wondering about! They all tend to bring their ipads to family functions and snap photos with them. It's hilarious but I don't know if I want a wall of ipads at my wedding haha!



If they are like that you may want to! ha ha People are funny with those ipads!



Sep 25, 2014 at 06:44 AM
D. Diggler
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Unplugged or not?


dhp_sf wrote:

your friends will probably be a lot more comfortable in front of other friends' cameras rather than the hired professionals


So true, duy. I see the couples' friends pose and cut up and have a good time posing for other friends but when the pro comes around people hide and scowl.





Sep 25, 2014 at 08:39 AM





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