p.2 #1 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
ricardovaste wrote:
Is it really worth trying to beat them to this game though? People are uploading at the wedding, while you're shooting...
I don't think so... they're going to continue doing it and as mobile devices get smarter, it's going to happen even quicker. There could be a shot of the confetti or first kiss on facebook within seconds of it happening, so merely getting it right in camera and uploading that night is still going to be way behind.
Honestly, I don't know the answer, but it's certainly getting worse, a lot worse and it's starting to make me re-evaluate lots of things. No conclusions to share yet though
p.2 #3 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
Thanks for the input Stu, but again, I have no worries at all that my photos will be much better than the ones shown, I felt really "on it" that day, and I know they absolutely love my style, the problem, as I said before, is that it doesn't matter how many X% better the stuff I'm showing is, it's already a moment, an event that they've seen, it's not new anymore.
p.2 #7 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
Chris Beaumont wrote:
Just accept that all we're doing is giving sharper versions of things they've already seen?
Accept that the guests will always be the first to upload, will always create some sort of duplicate of the main events - yes. So with that being the bit we can't control, we can look at what we do ourselves, and look for the moments and emotions that are often missed by the passerby.
Generally speaking, I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit either Chris. You work is a collection of images together, not just a few individual images that might appear a little sharper to some. Your eye is far more trained and creative than auntie Anne with the SLR she got for xmas.
p.2 #8 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
I know my composition is going to be better, but when I've found a location, posed the bride, directed the scene, decided where I'm going to stand for best impact, then someone shoots over my shoulder, how much different can the results possibly be?
p.2 #9 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
How far from the venue are you at this point? I wonder why a guest is anywhere near you if you're doing portraits, unless you're very limited for space at the location.
p.2 #10 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
One of them was from phenominal window light that I spotted in the church and posed her near, dad shot over my shoulder.
The other was he has a really nice car, so we took down the drive at the venue, parked in a field with the sunset behind, lined them up.....best man followed me down the road.....and shot over my shoulder.
p.2 #11 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
I don't understand why people are upset about this. Guests have the right to photograph and the ability to get them posted faster than we do. So what - is our value related to how fast we upload? If so we've already lost so we ought to rethink our value proposition. Thinking that a moment doesn't matter if they've seen another photo of it first is sort of like lamenting that you're not the first person your significant other has had sex with - I think you're worried more about it than they are.
Plus, what does it matter - you were hired to photograph the event, not the other people. Those photos will be the record (or however you look at it) of the event going forward, not the random Facebook uploads. WE have a role to play - play it and don't worry about not being able to play the other guy's role.
p.2 #12 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
Chris Beaumont wrote:
One of them was from phenominal window light that I spotted in the church and posed her near, dad shot over my shoulder.
The other was he has a really nice car, so we took down the drive at the venue, parked in a field with the sunset behind, lined them up.....best man followed me down the road.....and shot over my shoulder.
Anything with interesting or challenging lighting needs someone with experience to make it actually work. Someone who knows what I light meter is. There is no way their photos will challenge yours.
And, I agree with the poster above, it's really out of our control. We can't win that battle. Your photos are the ones that matter, and will be valued by the people who care.
p.2 #13 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
TRReichman wrote:
Thinking that a moment doesn't matter if they've seen another photo of it first is sort of like lamenting that you're not the first person your significant other has had sex with - I think you're worried more about it than they are.
I love this analogy...it drives home the point quite nicely.
And, if its something that really bothers you, make it a point in your initial consultations and discussions with the client that they need to leave plenty of time for you to get away from the crowd and get those shots. Just you and them. A good wedding planner helps with that too
p.2 #14 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
Todd, I entirely agree, whether from a philosophical, financial, moral or business point of view, it's entirely irrelevant, I know that it's a fact of life, I know that they'll love my photos, I know that they've already been pushing some of their engaged couples to book me.
But I just feel there's more to things than quantifiable equations of whether it does *ME* and my business harm.
Like I said, I now get twice as many people photographing the confetti toss as being in it, so while I entirely agree that it's not really a massive problem for me/wedding photographers/my reputation etc etc, I still see it as a problem, something I wish from an ideological point of view that I/we could change in some small way, that I could just drill it into these guests "look....photos? I got it, for Christ's sake ENJOY YOURSELF"
p.2 #15 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
90% of consumers don't know the difference between good, great or excellent photography. They don't buy your "quality". Most of what we offer as photographers is for our customers to be accepted by their peers, to feel equal (or better) to their friends. It's vanity.
So, she got what she wanted through a photograph that wasn't taken by you. Uncle Bob was just quicker to give her what she wanted, or that it meant more to her coming from "Uncle". Who knows. You won't lose business over it. Society likely isn't going to change how they view weddings as photo opportunities, so these opportunities will also likely not change.
p.2 #16 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
Our bride from a few weeks back announced after the ceremony (small crowd of about 30 guests) that she didnt want anyone posting any images on FB. I was actually surprised to hear that. And I think everyone respected her wishes as far as I can tell.
p.2 #17 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
Chris Beaumont wrote:
Like I said, I now get twice as many people photographing the confetti toss as being in it, so while I entirely agree that it's not really a massive problem for me/wedding photographers/my reputation etc etc, I still see it as a problem, something I wish from an ideological point of view that I/we could change in some small way, that I could just drill it into these guests "look....photos? I got it, for Christ's sake ENJOY YOURSELF"
Maybe this is how they enjoy themselves? I know a bunch of weirdos that take pictures for fun.
"The second thing that struck me was frightening. They were all photographing themselves. In fact, that's all they seemed to be doing. Standing around in expensive clothes, snapping away with phones and cameras. One pose after another, as though they needed to prove their own existence, right there, in the moment. Crucially, this seemed to be the reason they were there in the first place. There was very little dancing. Just pouting and flashbulbs."
p.2 #19 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
I understand the OP's frustration for the posed/formal shots. If the B&G don't notice the quality differences in composition, lighting, sharpness and DOF, don't let it bother you: some people see quality, and others don't. Rest on the fact that as whole, your overall record of their whole day, including bride/groom prep shots, detail shots, candids/PJ-shots, etc., will surpass anything anyone else can provide -- unless your uncle Bob is there with several high quality lenses, lighting setups, etc., which if he/she is, you should point the B&G to your "I'm the sole professional photographer for this wedding" contract clause, right? The B&G will be happy to see that full set and know you delivered a consistent, high quality product, especially when you take into account the way you uniquely process your photos.
p.2 #20 · Why I personally get so damned angry with Bob
So, this same sort of thing came up last night as I was sitting at my computer already finished culling and starting to edit my wedding that ended at 10pm on Sunday night. In other words, I'm 1/4 of the way done with my work less than 24 hours after the wedding.
As I was going back through the pictures people had already posted to Facebook, there were a few that were similar to mine, even in composure (probably because they shot over my shoulder, after I staged, set up, and posed, and positioned the shot). But they were blurry. Out of focus. Poorly lit. And people weren't really looking at them. But my images? Focus is nailed. Exposure good. Editing? To my liking. Wall hangers? Tons of them. So I let it go.
But what does bother me, is even after I deliver my images, I see brides keeping their crappy cell phone pictures of them in their wedding dress in a mirror in an ugly, poorly lit room. Why? Hell! Use one of my pictures and don't even give me credit! Just use an image that does you some justice!
