If you are attend a friend's wedding with a DSLR........

[Dylan & Marianne]

DO
- give credit to the Bride and Groom (your friend) for hiring a photographer. As much as you may disagree with their taste, there are probably good reasons why they hired someone else instead of you.
- they may want images presented and taken in the style of said hired photographer
- they may actually want you to enjoy yourself and be in the pictures rather than trying to snap them
- they may actually want you to be in pictures without a camera pose
- Take pictures of the setup poses from behind the photographers
- Try to have an awareness that if you're in a compromising position at the base of the B&G's feet trying to get a unique angle, there's a high chance you'll end up that way in the hired photographer's shot

DON't
- Jump in front of the hired photographers mid shoot and end up with your head and flash unit at the bottom of a wide angle shot
- Jump out of a 'whole wedding group shot' at the last minute so you can get your angle and be conspicuously absent from the final group shot
- Jump in the middle of the aisle as the bride is walking down because the photographer isn't there (he may actually be with the celebrant using a long lens)
- Practice shots for your upcoming trip to Peru at the expense of missing out your duties (like being MC!)
- Presume that your shots for facebook are going to be better than the hired photographer's
- Take pictures of the setup poses from in front of the photographers

These were some experiences on the weekend where there were mostly very good natured photographers in the audience, but two noticeable exceptions including the MC of all people! Feel free to add to the Do's and Dont's :)
A few years ago before we started shooting weddings, we were guilty as charged very frequently!

[ricktas]

Maybe we need a thread titled 'you bombed my shot' for all these wedding photos where a 'photographer' stuck their head into the official photographers shot?

[Lance B]

DO
- give credit to the Bride and Groom (your friend) for hiring a photographer. As much as you may disagree with their taste, there are probably good reasons why they hired someone else instead of you.

Not me, I'd thank them for not asking me and therefore putting me under all that pressure. I would not shoot a friend or relatives wedding as the official photographer regardless of how much they pleaded or paid me. Just not worth the problems associated if you don't do a good job or one that they are not happy with your style. Also, wedding photogs generally have a back up camera and many of the "budding wedding photogs that want to take their mate's wedding to get experience" don't have a back up camera in case something goes wrong. Now that would be a big problem!!


- they may want images presented and taken in the style of said hired photographer
- they may actually want you to enjoy yourself and be in the pictures rather than trying to snap them
- they may actually want you to be in pictures without a camera pose
- Take pictures of the setup poses from behind the photographers
- Try to have an awareness that if you're in a compromising position at the base of the B&G's feet trying to get a unique angle, there's a high chance you'll end up that way in the hired photographer's shot

All good points.

DON'T
- Jump in front of the hired photographers mid shoot and end up with your head and flash unit at the bottom of a wide angle shot

Having been the family member asked to do secondary shots to "back up what the official photog misses", ie the more candid shots, before every shot, I would look around to see where the official photog was to make sure I was not in his/her way.


- Jump out of a 'whole wedding group shot' at the last minute so you can get your angle and be conspicuously absent from the final group shot

I always made sure I was in all the required photos. :)


- Jump in the middle of the aisle as the bride is walking down because the photographer isn't there (he may actually be with the celebrant using a long lens)

see above.


- Practice shots for your upcoming trip to Peru at the expense of missing out your duties (like being MC!)
- Presume that your shots for facebook are going to be better than the hired photographer's
- Take pictures of the setup poses from in front of the photographers

These were some experiences on the weekend where there were mostly very good natured photographers in the audience, but two noticeable exceptions including the MC of all people! Feel free to add to the Do's and Dont's :)
A few years ago before we started shooting weddings, we were guilty as charged very frequently!

At a recent wedding I was at, the official photorapher came over to me asking (seriously) for any advice as he had seen my gear and said that my gear was better than his! (which it was). However, I did say that he was the hired experienced wedding photog and I was just here to get some candids and I would not get in his way. We had a good understanding and his shots were generally excellent considering the conditions, ie harsh midday sunlight and shadows.

[Rattus79]

another big do:

DO make sure to give only your BEST shots of the day to the B&G as soon as you are able. Email them to them, or dropbox if you can.

Most wedding togs will take from 2-4 weeks to present their images to the B&G, so it's nice for them to have some half decent shots from the day for Facebook etc.

I got my sisters shots, which were mostly centered around the nieces and nephews a day after the event and they were a bit of a counterpoint to our togs shots because of the content. It's so very nice to have second or third view of the events.

[Bear Dale]

Go to your friends wedding and leave the camera at home, enjoy the celebration!

[Lance B]

Go to your friends wedding and leave the camera at home, enjoy the celebration!

Couldn't agree more. This is what I did at the last wedding I was at on the weekend - had a great time! :)

[Dylan & Marianne]

liberating to do that isn't it Jim! hehee
The grooms brother last weekend was a keen photographer and we had a good chat about things -he basically told me to tell him to move any time we felt he was in the way as we were meant to be getting 'the' shots for the day.
The couple of 'togs who were the annoying ones, never once said anything to us , just came along even on the 'location' shoot part of the day....

[wedgtail]

you forgot to mention Iphonicus Ignoramus Saying this in my best ( David Attenborough voice) normaly come out and hunt in packs when any professional gear is displayed. Some think they may be deaf as well and come in all shades of colour and adornment :lol2:

[Fruengalli]

I've done 2 for friends & found it a really trying experience.Never again.I'll just poke around in the background somewhere or leave the gear at home