While Ryan is taking candids, I shoot the table shots. I usually ask people to get together with the people they know. I take two shots of each group or couple and the best one makes the cut. Our bride's and groom's appreciate all the photos of their guests.
We'll do them if the couple insists, but we try to steer them away from that idea. If we have to do them we find it takes most of the night to complete the tables because someone is invariably in the bathroom or at the bar and we have to come back. Plus guests tend to get annoyed when you ask them to stop eating and gather together for a shot, and then you have half-eaten food on the tables. It's just a bad idea and we've never sold one picture from table shots. If there is a next time, I like PwrRENJ's idea and I may suggest that as an alternative.
ive stopped doing them. when this is brought up after they sign the contract, i highly suggest that the table take a group shot with the B&G before they get served or before the go to the buffet line. that way youll get close to 100% participation.
going table to table you'd have to worry about positioning people around tables, high centerpeices, chairs getting in the way, etc.
A trick of the trade to make more in print sales: If someone asks you to shoot table shots, offer to go around and shoot the individual couples at a table instead. In most cases table-neighbors don't always know each other, so you're more likely to sell prints to separate couples.
Why everyone on FM isn't making a gazillion bucks with advice like this is beyond me.
We get some tables...especially one with the parents and possibly close friends but they are not ordered often and people are often away doing something else. We try to stay away from lists as they really are a pain in the butt and slow us down enormously. We tell the bride that we will get all of the common pictures during the reception and wedding but lists slow us down. We tell the B&G they may have a wedding host/hostess have a checklist and if she detects that we have missed an important group or important shot, tell us and we will take it. This satisfies almost all brides.
Saad Syed wrote:
I refuse to do them. ...The tables always look like a mess and people aren't in their most photogenic phase. It's pointless to me as none of these pictures have EVER made it to the albums.
there goes your answer. tell them you are shooting with final album in mind and these are not contributing to the process.
i'm sure it's partly geographical/cultural - in some part of the country or certain clientele will want them - even though they may not know why
Tony Hoffer wrote: I've never done them... A trick of the trade to make more in print sales: If someone asks you to shoot table shots, offer to go around and shoot the individual couples at a table instead. In most cases table-neighbors don't always know each other, so you're more likely to sell prints to separate couples.
Sam Hassas Wrote:
Why everyone on FM isn't making a gazillion bucks with advice like this is beyond me.
When we do table shots, most of the time this what we do. Tony is right! Most people at weddings don't know everyone at the table and really won't buy a shot with people the don't know. Only time I do an entire table is if is the family table with grand ma, grand pa, aunts, uncle etc. And gotta get it BEFORE the start serving the food
I love the "I refuse to do them because I have a vision" crowd. Saturday night 2nd shooting with Tony Schreiber I tasked myself with gathering the people for some group shots on a list that the bride had provided (wasn't a tremendously long list, if that matters). At any rate... as Tony and I are heading back into the reception hall with the last group shot members, one of the ladies thanked us profusely for making sure the list the bride had given us was done and for how we had gotten it done (she had been impressed that I had it on my ipod touch and was shuttling people in and out to maximize Tony's time and minimize the guests' time waiting for shots when I first gathered her for the shot).
Anyway... she said Her Wedding photographer had refused to shoot a list she had given him and that she was pissed about that to this day.
I leave it as an exercise for you to answer the following question:
When the chick in question is asked by a friend who comments on how great her Art Album is about her photographer's contact info for her own wedding (we're assuming here that her photographer was a good artsy photog, ok) what do you think is most likely:
1. She'll say "Sure... his name is Art Istbutasshol, let me fish out his business card"
2. She'll say "Yeah the album is great, but he was a prick... call Patricia and take a look at her album, it's just as nice and Tony Schreiber was awesome and accomodated her however he could"
With that I do not wish to discourage anyone out there from dissing clients... I think it's a great plan... please keep it up... I needz your potential referrals' business
