Don’t Shoot the Wedding, Shoot AT the Wedding
I always have problems getting family and friends to
pose for nice candid portraits.
My son has responded to my attempts to
photograph him with his raised middle finger so many times that a few
Christmas' ago he gave me a coupon book with; "10 photos without the
finger". Most often my subjects don't go to such extremes, but
resort to the usual excuses; “I'm busy”, “Not in these cloths” and the standard,
“Oh, I look horrible”. Frustrating. Now imagine a situation in
which everyone is dressed beautifully, with make-up fully installed. Place
all these people on a happy occasion, in a lovely location, and enfold them all
in an atmosphere in which everyone expects to be photographed. Ok, now you have
a wedding, and there is no better opportunity to capture beautiful candid
portraits.
The Salute |
"Do You Do Weddings"
Over the years I have been asked the dreaded question
numerous times, “Do you do weddings”. Each time I dutifully explain that
I am primarily a landscape photographer and that brides are definitely NOT the
same as trees. I then discuss how wedding photography is a very
specialized art form and that it would be insane to risk the most important
remembrance of their special day on an amateur. Usually By this point I
have convinced the couple to seek professional help and I am off the hook. If
I am attending the wedding I will typically add that I will be bringing my
camera and that they will be welcome to use any of my pictures they like. And
that’s my opening.
Emergencies
On a couple of occasions I have been approached at a
wedding by a distraught bride panicked by the fact that the official
photographer had been suddenly taken sick or had suffered a car break-down. In
those situations I have expanded my portfolio to help capture the event. I
agree to this only on the condition of low expectations and that no money will
change hands. For Matt and Crystal’s wedding I actually photographed
decorations, and a few set group poses. I had fun but these experiences
have only served to reinforce my commitment to never take a formal wedding job.
The Wedding Advantage
No Finger |
A wedding is a great opportunity, but I found that a few simple rules
can improve the experience.
First and most importantly, stay out of the
wedding photographer’s way and don’t steal his/her set shots. Photographers
work hard to get everything right and they don’t need a bunch of leeches trying
to feed off all that effort. Often the key moment lasts only a second
and, if uncle Herb jumps in front to block the magic, the resulting homicide
will be fully justifiable.
Keep things unobtrusive and fun. Know when to
back off. A few people may not want to photographed. Unlike the
wedding photographer you don’t have to get every shot, just grab the ones you
like and are welcome.
Watch your background. Weddings can get pretty
hectic making for excessively busy and distracting backgrounds. Shooting
wide open to restrict the depth of field can help, but sometimes a step or two to
one side or the other can yield a much simpler background.
Game Over |
And finally , don't forget to have a good time. As
you record all the joy and excitement pause, put the camera down in a safe
place, and get crazy on the dance floor.
Jeffrey Newcomer
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