What would you have done?

So I was the paid photographer at a wedding back the first week of January. The pastor overlooking the ceremony asked that I not take photographs during the actual ceremony itself as he felt it would take away from the couple and be distracting. I didn't have a problem with this at all. HOWEVER, there was a guy there who claimed to be a profession photographer and who does in fact have his own website, etc., etc. who sat in the back pew of the church and clicked away throughout the ENTIRE ceremony. The church was small, so the clicking of the shutter was very evident. Here I was, the paid photographer not allowed to take photographs, and here he was clicking away. Needless to say, the bride said afterwards that she found it very distracting. He then posted these pics on his Facebook fan page and asked the bride if she would send him the photographs that I took. She didn't hire this guy for a reason and refused to send him the photographs that I took. Being the professional that I am, I didn't want to cause a scene for the bride and groom on their big day and say anything to this guy (hey - stop clicking away jerk). Being fairly new to this business, how would you guys handle someone like this?

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Permalink Reply by Christy Lochner on February 4, 2010 at 9:39pm

First of all, I left names out of it for a reason. You just basically called yourself out. I don't want to get in a public fight with you because this wasn't meant to be that. I was simply asking if I should have gone ahead and clicked away myself or approach you and let you know that the pastor didn't want photographs taken. You were not in my way or disruptive, it was the pastor who had noticed the clicking. As far as me approaching you seeing you with your lens and all, I didn't notice you until during the actual ceremony itself and you couldn't have approached me? I would have gladly liked to have talked with you. I love to meet other photographers and get their advice/input.

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Permalink Reply by Jason Holzworth on February 5, 2010 at 5:30am

No offense here to Kory, but your reply sounds like you are trying to use your act of "nobleness" to make Christy feel guilty.

I have to wonder how many other "professionals" would bring their gear to a wedding, that are guests, and then take photos and up put them up in a portfolio w/ a watermark.

Also an off topic question for you Kory, did you go to murray state for photography?

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Permalink Reply by Michael Stepp on February 5, 2010 at 8:20am

I don't think anyone is the bad guy. If anything maybe Kory could have introduced himself or vice versa. If anything it looks
like the bride was trying to double dip and in the process caused some confusion.

Kory Johnson said:

Not quite sure what you mean by "nobleness", Jason and no I didn't go to Murray state. It's not like I brought a rolling case of gear to the wedding; I sat in my seat with a 2.8 lens and fired a total of 68 shots. The pictures surely aren't in my portfolio, they're on facebook where the bride asked me to put them. I don't put anything on facebook without a watermark... how is that wrong?

I like how I'm the bad guy here...

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Permalink Reply by Brittany Murphy on February 5, 2010 at 9:09am

I've attended weddings where I wasn't the primary shooter, mostly family. I always make it a point to contact whoever is hired to do the photography and let them know that I will be attending, I will have my camera, and I will stay out of their way. I just think it's a professional courtesy. I would expect that if there were any rules that I needed to be made aware of, the primary photographer would let me know at that time.

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Permalink Reply by Shane E. on February 6, 2010 at 3:45pm

I agree with Brittany. As a professional, if I lug my big lens in there, I find the hired photog and say, hey, I'm not compensating with this lens, I'm just taking shots for my bathroom wall, and I will try to stay out of your way. Just let me know and I will spank myself. It's a professional courtesy, but not a state law or anything. Not moving from your seat, I could see how you might not think it is a big deal.

Kory, the guests might have been flashing away in the front row, but most of them probably didn't get 5 shots total, at best, and they most likely waited for the kiss or the like. 68 shots is a lot for a guest during the ceremony.

A pro photographing at a wedding that has another pro photographer probably should contact them and say, "I am , and the bride is a friend. She asked me to take some pictures of the ceremony." And the pro will kindly respond, " what the fuck am I doing here then?!" See? All very professional.

If you posted to your FB fan page for your business, I could see that as being a bit annoying. A pro dude shows up at your wedding, shoots, and puts it on his business page. Regardless who asked him to, bride or God, that is going to get under your skin as a pro photog.

I understand you don't want to be called a jerk and that you don't feel like you did anything wrong. Maybe you didn't. I don't really care, if it makes any difference. However, the post you made isn't professional, regardless of if think Christy was out of line. I would have called her on a phone or emailed her to explain things as a misunderstanding. However, you are trying to humiliate her with information that she couldn't possibly have known. Oh, and it didn't work.

All this does is make people who like her, not like you. And people who don't know you, not like you. I'm sure you're a great guy, but I think you let her post upset you before you actually put yourself in her place for a moment and considered what she was seeing.

Also, "jerk" makes me think Steve Martin was sitting in a pew firing away. Probably had one of those fake arrows through the head. That would definitely be a distraction.

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Permalink Reply by Christy Lochner on February 8, 2010 at 2:29pm

Shane, do you often take wedding photos for your bathroom wall? :)

Shane E. said:

I agree with Brittany. As a professional, if I lug my big lens in there, I find the hired photog and say, hey, I'm not compensating with this lens, I'm just taking shots for my bathroom wall, and I will try to stay out of your way. Just let me know and I will spank myself. It's a professional courtesy, but not a state law or anything. Not moving from your seat, I could see how you might not think it is a big deal.

Kory, the guests might have been flashing away in the front row, but most of them probably didn't get 5 shots total, at best, and they most likely waited for the kiss or the like. 68 shots is a lot for a guest during the ceremony.

A pro photographing at a wedding that has another pro photographer probably should contact them and say, "I am , and the bride is a friend. She asked me to take some pictures of the ceremony." And the pro will kindly respond, " what the fuck am I doing here then?!" See? All very professional.

If you posted to your FB fan page for your business, I could see that as being a bit annoying. A pro dude shows up at your wedding, shoots, and puts it on his business page. Regardless who asked him to, bride or God, that is going to get under your skin as a pro photog.

I understand you don't want to be called a jerk and that you don't feel like you did anything wrong. Maybe you didn't. I don't really care, if it makes any difference. However, the post you made isn't professional, regardless of if think Christy was out of line. I would have called her on a phone or emailed her to explain things as a misunderstanding. However, you are trying to humiliate her with information that she couldn't possibly have known. Oh, and it didn't work.

All this does is make people who like her, not like you. And people who don't know you, not like you. I'm sure you're a great guy, but I think you let her post upset you before you actually put yourself in her place for a moment and considered what she was seeing.

Also, "jerk" makes me think Steve Martin was sitting in a pew firing away. Probably had one of those fake arrows through the head. That would definitely be a distraction.

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Permalink Reply by Shane E. on February 13, 2010 at 3:58pm

Our bathroom wall gets stained a lot. Hanging pictures is easier than painting.

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Permalink Reply by Jacob Zimmer on February 13, 2010 at 4:24pm

Well, I for one am kinda glad to read both sides of the story.

It appears that there was a miscommunication when Kory said he wanted to "see" the photos and the bride told Christy he wanted to "have" the photos. Big difference, small misunderstanding.

I do understand Kory's point that sitting in the back is probably less disturbing than the point and shoots in the front. But I wasn't there.

I agree with Brittany and Shane. When I attended my cousin's wedding, the first thing I did was met the hired photographers and asked what their rules were. When I posted the pics on facebook, I left a link to their site.

And then I totally pissed off my aunts by NOT giving them CDs of my photos. I told them it was a professional courtesy to the wedding photographer and after my cousin ordered the album, I would share them. I tried to explain the difference between lo-res for Internet and full size for printing, but they don't understand. My aunts are still pissed at me about that.