Battling cameras????

PonyMaid

Our photographers have asked that no one else take photos during the ceremony and reception as both of them will be taking photos the entire time and other flashes may mess up theirs.  I want to make sure we have good photos but I also don't want to step on any toes.  Our guests will be able to order photos from the website or I thought maybe they could ask us for a photo outside or away from the action as to not interfere with our photographers??? I am not sure about any of this...could you help!?

aerinpegadrak

I was taking pictures of my friend's first dance alongside their pro photographer.  I wasn't using the flash so I wouldn't interfere, but the photographer told me that the chances of our two flashes going off simultaneously were extremely slim.  If you have several dozen people right on the dance floor, then I can see it being a problem.

No flash photography during the ceremony is a very reasonable request, though, and many venues, especially churches, prohibit the use of flash.

pandasquishy

Put a note in the program and/ or have ushers mention it as they seat people.

TMarie2010

You can put in program or ask someone to make an annouce explaning why...but I do think it's important that you explain your reasons....otherwise people might think you're being snobbish, or ultra privta, or whatever...but if they know it's b/c you don't want your professional photos to get messed up, they will be more inclined to NOT want to do it.

IBut in the end, you'll still have some people do it anyways.....  and you have no control over that. 

MyNameIsNot

I would talk to the photographer and try to work something out.  No flash photography during the ceremony and formal pics is fine, but during the whole reception seems a bit much. 

I always take my camera to weddings, but unless I'm super close to the couple, I'm taking pics of totally different people than the pros are.  Our photogs took nearly 1000 pics, but my co-workers were in a total of 2 pics.  They brought their own cameras and took plenty of pics together having a good time.  Even with 2 photogs, they are still going to be on you and your FI pretty much the whole time.  Your guests will want to be able to take pics even when you aren't in the shot. 

goheels05

That's pretty bold of your photog.    Sounds to me like they want to be the ones taking all the pics so that they can get people to buy them.  I was in a wedding and the only time the photographer asked that no one else take pictures using their flash was during the posed group shots, and she just politely made an announcement and then said that after she was finished, the other guests could take as many pics as they wanted.

doolittlebride

It's not just about "making money".  It's about a professional trying to do their job and worried that something might interfere and then who will you be upset at when the photos don't turn out?  Most of the time, pro photographers just want the guests to respect the job they were hired to do.  I've seen guests at weddings I've attended body slam a photographer to get a shot that they were perfectly lined up to get and then they missed it.  Now days more than ever, guests bring cameras and sometimes it's blinding watching all those flashes go off (one of my friends got a headache at her reception from all the flashes!).  I think mostly what the photographers are concerned with is just being able to do their job well and when a well-meaning guest gets in their way, it can be so hard.  I've seen it before.  And especially during formals - when a million cameras are going off it's distracting!

SarahPLiz

I'm with heels on this one. It stikes me as a money making deal. I have been to plenty of weddings, and have seen the photos later, and never did I see an instance that a perfect, must-have shot was ruined by another person's flash.

The photographer was hired by the couple to take the pictures they want. Perhaps family members want different pictures of their own choosing and don't want to hire the photographer to take them. Maybe mom wants to post a  pic of her and her sister at my wedding on FB but she doesnt want to wait 3 months and purchase the high-res file in order to do so.

I can understand how flash photography during the ceremony can be distracting from the solemnity of the ceremony itself, but then the pro shouldn't be using a flash either. At the reception, I say go for it and take pics of whatever you want.
 
Perhaps you can negotiate with your photographer on this. Just because they request it doesnt mean you have to go for it. Push back. If I was your guest I'd think you don't want me to remember your wedding if you don't let me take my own pictures.

reddy123

I think requesting this for the ceremony is reasonable, but the reception is very unreasonable, I agree with PP in that there's no way 1-2 photographers can capture every person or even know every person who is important. Also, at a friends wedding I was the only one who took a good pick of the cake un-cut, she was so happy to get my copies.... there is just way too much going on a reception, let everyone take pics!

meredithl618

I too agree with pps that it is unreasonable for the photographer to expect no one to take pictures at the reception. That is just NOT going to happen.  I think that its fine for specific photo ops just for the pro photographer, where they indicate that they'd like others to stop momentarily, but the entire ceremony and reception... i'd be really annoyed if I was a guest. The photographer should have experience enough and good enough equipment that this is not a problem.  

So yes, I think it's unreasonable to ask your guests to take no pictures... it def. seems like a money thing to me too, they want to monopolize the pictures at your wedding so you can only buy them from the pro photographer.. Try talking to your photog about it.  Chances are even if you told the guests not to, you'd still get photographs taken anyways... lol. 

PonyMaid

Thanks for all the advice.  Also, this was just a request of the photogs, not a demand.  I think I will foolow with most of the advice and ask that no flash photos be done during the ceremony and just let it all go at the reception!  As much as they get paid then it is their job to get good pictures!  I also agree that many people will be taking different pictures of other people and different times during the reception!  Thanks again for all the advice!!!

banana468

I think PPs gave great advice.

FWIW, some of my favorite shots came from our photographer but we also loved the shots family and friends took.

IMO, it's really dictatorial for them to request no other shots.  However your guests should understand that you did hire the photographer so the photographer gets priority over Aunt Edna's shots.

goheels05

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_battling-cameras?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:d9c28ca5-0a9a-4498-b8f0-3ba533a0d328Post:9368cf1c-9002-49fd-ab7b-728465b0dfb4">Re: Battling cameras????</a>:
[QUOTE]It's not just about "making money".  It's about a professional trying to do their job and worried that something might interfere and then who will you be upset at when the photos don't turn out?  Most of the time, pro photographers just want the guests to respect the job they were hired to do.  I've seen guests at weddings I've attended body slam a photographer to get a shot that they were perfectly lined up to get and then they missed it.  Now days more than ever, guests bring cameras and sometimes it's blinding watching all those flashes go off (one of my friends got a headache at her reception from all the flashes!).  I think mostly what the photographers are concerned with is just being able to do their job well and when a well-meaning guest gets in their way, it can be so hard.  I've seen it before.  And especially during formals - when a million cameras are going off it's distracting!
Posted by doolittlebride[/QUOTE]

I get that, I really do, but<strong> no</strong> photos?  None?  Sorry, that's BS.

megk8oz

I'm to ditto most of the PPs,  no other pics during the ceremony is one thing, but getting the monopoly on the reception is completely unreasonable. If your guest bring cameras, it's because they want their own pictures from the day. Plus, it's absolutely impossible for just one or two people to get every. single. shot. worth taking. As professionals that have [I'm assuming] done weddings before, they should not only understand that other people are going to want to take pictures, but also be able to work around that. You hired them to be there, they're getting your money to do a job. Your guests are their to enjoy themselves and I'm sure lots of them will enjoy taking pictures.

A friend of mine got married 2 years ago. During the couple's first dance, there was a moment when the couple's toddler ran up to the both of them on the dance floor with her arms wide open and the biggest smile in the world on her face. Anybody who saw it immediately burst into tears.

Their photographer missed the shot.

It wasn't even like there was a "bad" shot of it, he just completely missed it ... to this day, nobody knows what exactly he was taking pictures of at the time, since there were only 2 pictures of their first dance in the bunch.

However, many of the guests DID manage to get the picture. And the couple was thrilled that somebody managed to get those pictures, because that was one of their favorite moments of the entire day.

Since they aren't "requiring" it, I wouldn't say anything to anybody about it. If it was something that they were "demanding", I'd be telling you to find another photographer.

lyndausvi

I would put something in the program about the ceremony.  I think that is a resonable request.  Actually a lot churches (if you are having it in a church) request that anyway.

The reception.  Hell no.  That is not a reasonable request and I would not even entertain the thought.

PonyMaid

Thanks again! And just to clarify for the photogs, they have never asked that absolutely no othe photography be done during the entire time!  If that was the case I would not have hired them.  They simply suggested this and I wanted to know if it was acceptable.  I, again, agree with the reception being open to everyone.  Thanks for everyone's advice and thanks for being kind about it!

NBVitamine

My photographer asked that he be the only photographer for our formal shots with immediate family and WP. Everyone else will be treated to a cocktail hour/catering during this time. I did hear of other professional photographers having problems with non-professional photgraphers getting in the way of the shots, the flashes could interfer with their shots.
But to go the extend and monopolize every opportunity for pictures? I'm sorry, that's just wrong and unfair to your guests. No flashes during ceremony and being mindful of the photographer's movements yes. Anything else, no.

Jaymarx

Our photographer asked the same thing during the formals. She explained that with so many people taking pictures that people don't look at her and the photo can get ruined because when the flash goes off the people stop looking at her because they think the photo is already taken etc I have also been to a wedding that when someone took a flash photo the photographers flash went off and drained their batteries so the pro pics would suffer, he was telling everyone this but no one was listening and he got really upset. I thought the same thing about the money making etc but since the bride & groom got all the photos anyways it wasn't the reason.

HOLSTANG

So, I never even thought about this, until my wedding.  I WISH I would have put a note in the program, had the minister make an announcement, something.  Almost all of my ceremony pictures have people standing behind us taking pictures.  I was so p!$$ed off.  I couldn't believe it.  Who does that?  And to make matters worse, the lighting was terrible in the ceremony location, thereby making all the pictures that people took look terrible and utterly useless.

If I would have known what they were doing (I was so nervous standing up there, I only looked at two people- the minister and my hubs) I would have said something myself.

Funny thing is, I know I will never see any of those pictures either. 

I told them if I had wanted everyone standing around us taking pictures, I wouldn't have had chairs out and just would have told everyone to gather around.  WOW!!!!!

I'm still heated, asd you can tell.