Erin Gilmore Photography

So you have been invited to a wedding….we’ve all been there and it is an exciting day to be a part of.  If you have been invited as a guest, that means that you are important to the couple and they are important to you.  In this crazy age of digital, we all want, and are able to, capture every life changing moment with ease and so i can understand the desire to capture every moment of a wedding of a friend or loved one.  It is exciting right?  It is almost like a challenge to see if you can get “the shot”.  You have to get the shot of all those family members together..i mean how often does that happen?  What if the photographer doesn’t catch the shot?  I hear you….I get it…but………the couple has hired a photographer to do exactly all those things and more…in most cases, the couple has worked very hard to select the perfect photographer for them and paid a pretty penny to have them there.

For many people the job of the wedding photographer seems easy…I mean how hard can it be?  Show up, snap some photos of a pretty girl in a pretty dress and then go home right?  Let’s get real…you can even see the pictures on the back of the camera can’t you?   With digital  cameras being so accessible and wonderous celebrities advertising how easy it all is (thanks Avril & Ashton!), respect for the work of the photographer seems to have almost disappeared all together.  There is so much more to it than just showing up and clicking a button. So much more.

There is the timeline, the coordination of dozens of people, the rules of the church, the lighting, the locations, the checklists, the creative styling, the consideration of families, the lugging around of tons of gear, long hours, no breaks, and hours of editing, just to name a few of the responsibilites of a wedding photographer.   In fact, wedding photography is arguably the most stressful type of photography there is.  There is no “redo”  We cannot ask the bride to walk down the aisle again because we missed the shot.  It is our job to “get the shot” and not just that one “money shot” that guests are seeking…we have to get the “money shot” hundereds of time over in a day.  It is no easy task.

It used to be that the official photographer was usually one of the only people at the wedding with a camera but now the photographer’s camera is one in a sea of LCD’s and flashes snapping wildly throughout the day.   After countless encounters with guest paparazzi’s that have ranged from mildly annoying to outwardly disrespectful,  I have comprised this list of guest do’s and don’ts to hopefully educate guests on what we do and help make the wedding day and the job of the wedding photographer in the digital age just a little easier….

DO’S

1. come and enjoy the wedding.
2. spend your time figuring out what to wear…not what camera gear to pack
3. the ceremony is a special time…sit back and experience it
4. mix and mingle with guests…meet new people and reconnect with old friends
5. smile…you never know when you will be caught on film
6. take photos while the photographer ISN’T there…the couple will love you for it!
7. share the photos you take with the couple…after all it is their day
8. ask the photographer if you have questions about taking photos on the day

DONT’S

1. don’t tell the photographer that their camera must take really great pictures…it’s the photographer that captures the image…the camera is just a tool to record it
2. don’t ask the photographer photography questions…we love to share knowledge but we are extremely busy during a wedding and have to focus on the task at hand
3. don’t stand up or move around during the ceremony to take pictures…it is distracting for everyone and ruins the official photographs the couple wants
4. don’t stand in the aisle during the procession or recession…once again…it ruins the official photographs
5. don’t try to get the bride and groom to pose for “a quick picture” after the ceremony…they are on a tight timeline and it’s not fair to everyone else
6. don’t stand behind the photographer to take photos while they are shooting…they are getting the exact same photo from their photographer
7. don’t take photos during family photos…it makes it very hard for people to know which camera to look at and the result is terrible family photos
8. don’t stand in front of the photographer during the cake cutting or first dance…i know you WANT that photo but the photographer NEEDS that photo

I know that most people that engage in some of the above mentioned dont’s, do so with no ill intent…they are simply caught up in what is an exciting and amazing time.  It can be easy to get lost in the moment and forget that there is someone there trying to do a very important job for the couple.   Just try to consider them and respect the job that they are trying to do and all should go smoothly…the result will be better photos for the couple and a more enjoyable day for you the guest…and trust me…the photographer will be so greatful..  I know I am!

XOXO ~  Erin

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 15th, 2010 at 12:26 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.