Photographers & Weddings

5 January 2013

Photographers make me nervous. It is not because I am afraid to have my picture taken or anything like that. It is a particular circumstance that they get to me. It is at weddings. Oh, the places they will go...

I know that what I am about to describe is not true for all photographers. In fact, most do well. Increasingly, though, I find the photographer intruding on the ceremony with so much action that I wonder where the audience's focus is supposed to be.

I was reminded of this again this past Saturday when I was at a wedding in the beautiful small town of Hornell. I was just a guest, mind you, but I was tempted to get up during the ceremony and grab the photographer by the hair and drag her out. I don't think that would have went over well. It is good that I exercise self-control in such situations!

So, let me humbly offer some suggestions for photographers during weddings (especially church weddings):

1.  Know who is in charge and cooperate with them.

Depending on the situation, either the pastor or the wedding coordinator will give you directions of what you may or may not do and where you can and cannot go. Please cooperate.

One time, I had a photographer attempt to come up on stage after I told him that he was not allowed there. I stopped and stared him down. It was an awkward silence as he realized everyone was waiting on him to move back to where he belonged.

I blacklisted photographers who did not cooperate.  That cannot be good for business.

2.  Know your purpose.

The photographer is there to capture a moment of time and preserve it for the future. This is important, but not essential for the success of the marriage.  See number three.

3.  Realize that the images of the past cannot replace the importance of the present moment.

One of my first weddings was marked by a photographer coming around behind the wedding party onto the stage and tripping and dropping equipment all over the place, thus making a huge commotion, just as we were about to enter into doing the vows. It was embarrassing for all that were involved.

It happened because there was an over-value placed on capturing the moment in time, and forgetting how important that moment in time was!

4.  Weddings are fundamentally a sacred act.

If this is a church wedding, or being done by clergy, the religious beliefs should be honored as they are being done in such way to bring honor to God. It is my view that wedding ceremonies are essentially acts of worship. When a photographer brings attention to him/herself, they are focusing the attention away from God and to what is being said over to what they are doing.

5.  Do not block the view of the audience (especially the parents).

Yes, this is why I wanted to grab the photographer's hair and pull her out. She stood in front of the groom's parents, fully blocking their view of the exchange of rings. C'mon man!

The audience is invited to be witnesses of the vows. So let them hear and see them.

6.  Be invisible.

The best photographers are unseen and unheard. They are not a distraction.


Now, if I have been offensive, I guess that is the way it goes. But don't think I am at the end of the stories of photographers gone wild!