Should pro photographers learn to work around amateurs at events?

Question

This issue is most prevalent in Wedding photography. An example would be when a Wedding photographer has to avoid family members or other guests who are aggressively taking pictures around them during a wedding. Is finding a way to make your way around other people taking pictures part of being a professional photographer or is this simply something that should be set up beforehand (for example, in the contract stating something like "no other photography should take place during event").

So again, should maneuvering around other people taking pictures be a skill that a professional photographer learns or is it simply an administrative task that should take place beforehand as part of the original agreement?

Answer 1

Yes and no.

I'm a professional event photographer and I run into this fairly frequently. I don't work a lot of weddings but I do many conferences and other less formal events where there are often other amateur/attendee photographers during an event.

A skilled professional will be able to maneuver amongst a crowd including a crowd that involves other photographers. For many events, there are many possible photo angles and I rarely run into an issue where I have a conflict over physical space with other photographers.

That said, my contracts always address the issue of exclusivity / priority. The contract specifies whether I'm the exclusive photographer, or perhaps it will specify that I'm the sole professional photographer but there is an understanding that other persons may have cameras. I have a discussion with the client and we come to an understanding that if needed, I may ask attendees or amateurs to move so that I may perform my job. Being able to do this discreetly and with some tact is a great client relations skill.

Answer 2

I'm not a photog pro (let alone a Wedding photog pro), but I think that in a world where every phone is a camera, and almost every camera around is a phone, it is non-realistic to put such a phrase ("no other photography should take place during event") in the contract.

Answer 3

Sometimes you can piggy-back on a guest taking a photo to get something a little bit different yourself. At the last wedding I shot, I noticed one of the guests taking a portrait shot of the bride and groom on her point and shoot.

With my long lens on, and over her shoulder, I focused on the LCD on the back of her camera and, with a wide aperture, took a picture of her picture, with the bride and groom nicely blurred out in the background. Worked quite well.

I think working around the guests at an event like a wedding is largely inevitable, but I do make a point when taking any group shots is to ask people to look not only into the camera, but into MY camera (in case there's anyone standing beside me I haven't noticed)

Answer 4

I shoot a lot of events and weddings.

These are times when family and friends will want to also take photographs. This of course is not a problem. I have been in their shoes a few times and who wouldn't want to take photos at this time.

Normally guests taking pictures is not a worry for me. Firstly most people with a point and shoot just want a quick snap and nothing more. But every now and then I will get someone following me around standing in my shadows which can be annoying, or I get people standing in front of me when I am taking group shots and or bride/groom posed shots.

At this point I will speak to the person, and say

"The bride and groom have asked me to take these photographs, would you mind stepping to one side until the official one has been taken, after that point you can take as many as you like"

They will normally stop and do as they are asked, the tip here is to say that the bride and groom/ event organisers have asked you to do the job, so it sounds like the orders are coming from them and not you/me the photographer. It makes for a good resolution to people in the way without causing friction or tension, which rather spoils the occasion for the people involved.

It can be hard sometimes to remember that a wedding day is special for everyone there, even if you are not involved or know the guests, it is still a special day, and every wedding/event should be treated in that way

Answer 5

Set and Enforce Expectations

My experience of shooting weddings is limited, but I have never had a problem with guests getting in the way. On the contrary, I find that guests are very respectful of me (or whoever is the official photographer).

If there is a problem, I find that simply asking respectfully but confidently is enough to get things moving again.

A couple of ideas:

• Discuss the issue with your clients during the planning stages
• If there are any problems on the day, address the crowd and say something like: "I need 10 minutes to get these shots, then you can have your turn".
• You can increase engagement with any troublesome guests while getting them out of your way by saying "if you stand just over there, you'll get some great shots that I won't get, cos I'm over here"

On a practical note, putting something in a contract won't make it happen per se, but it might make the clients think about it so they're not totally surprised when you ask guests to move.

A suggestion for weddings: work smarter - get the ushers to do crowd control for you; it's what they're there for. (do you have ushers in the rest of the world? we have them in the UK, and they're very useful).

Answer 6

There was a tip I heard from a podcast (Photo Focus) that seems to work well in these situations. If the amateurs are getting in the way, have a game of sorts with them. Let them take as many pictures as they want for, say, a minute, then you take charge for a minute. When you are in charge, they aren't to be taking pictures. This will help keep any feelings from being hurt, but will still allow for you to get the shots you need.

Answer 7

I'm not a professional photographer, but I do have this to say: In general, the primary concern here is interference with the pro's job. I did run into a professional photographer who had put up a sign requesting that no one else take photographs in the area, but I spoke with him and he said that as long you don't disrupt what he's doing, it's okay to take pictures.

Something like this in the contract would be a good idea (note that IANAL):

The Professional Photographer has priority in taking photographs at the event. Guests may take their own photographs at the event, as long as you take reasonable measures to ensure that such photography does not interfere with the Professional Photographer's activities. You understand that the Professional Photographer may request that guests yield to him/her, as necessary.