Knowing when to take the shot BEFORE the moment happens is a great skill to have if you want to be a wedding photographer. Appropriate, professional behaviour would be more important though, wouldn’t you think?
During the past season I worked with a photographer who said all the wrong things. With the bride, groom, and the bride’s family lined up for a group photo, the photographer felt it was OK to say “Ok, everybody say (more…)
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I’m just a DJ who is also an MC with over 20 years of “entertaining” experience - so what would I know about photography? Having been around as many weddings as I have, a confused, uncertain, casual photographer stands out for all the wrong reasons. Let me explain without sounding biased or naming names…
If you’re looking at a photographer who “has great pictures but is much cheaper than everyone else”, ask yourself WHY that is.
It’s one thing to use a friend or reliable source to capture your wedding day on film, but when you PAY someone and they can’t direct the photography, that’s just wrong. Over the past 12 months, I’ve done a number of weddings where the photographer was unable or unwilling to control the group/family photos which usually happen right after the ceremony.
Whenever I’ve been involved as the MC, it’s been my job to call the names, get them in place, and everything else “every other photographer” should handle, and even call “cheese” on one occasion. While I don’t mind helping make things happen, this is what you pay a professional photographer for.
When a photographer is asking me - the DJ/MC where to take the photos, where to take the bride and groom after the ceremony, who will accompany the bride and groom, and so on, it makes me wonder if I should be charging the more whenever this specific company is involved. After all - I’m doing the work any other photography company would NORMALLY do.
If the photographer is unfamiliar with how a traditional wedding is done simply because they haven’t attended many, that should be a red flag for you.
For what it’s worth, I get get the job done and do what needs to be done to help my clients. I can move guests, help set up family shots and so on, but I’m not a professional. I don’t do it anywhere near as efficiently or quickly as the real pros.
The family photos if left alone will drag every time, and that takes up the time you could be spending enjoying your reception, not to mention bad lighting eating into the photo time too.
Using a family friend or an associate who knows how to take great photos doesn’t count in this discussion. When you’re paying someone who is selling themselves as a professional photographer, then they should do their job, not me.
Talk to the pros! Chris Dillon and Simply Photos, Momentz Photography, Gerald Shacklock, Brett Lees and many more. Let them explain it, they’re better at it than me.
That was all. 
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March 29, 2008 - Kerryn and Samuel got married. I saw a couple of special things at the reception later at the Pukekohe Indian Association Centre which I’d like to share here.
I was the master of ceremonies that evening, and near the end of the speeches, the guests were all surprised when I introduced (more…)
