Been at a church wedding and been amazed by how clueless the wedding photographer is - such as being way too close to the bride and groom and shooting/photographing willl-nilly as if the finger is stuck to the button and he’s wanting to get in as many shots as possible?

Unfortunately, this situation has been seen so often that many Priests now have strict rules and restraints for wedding photography.  Why has this come to pass?  Because recreational photographers have proliferated in the wedding photography industry and their lack of knowledge has made things difficult for the professional wedding photography field.

As a wedding photographer, you prepare yourself to integrate a multitude of limitations, some of which are strangely unnecessary.

This is something to consider because obviously the ceremony shots are significant - and can be quite moving.  There are many cool Officiants out there who know that we all have jobs to do and when we work in concert as partners it’s a win-win situation:  The marriage ritual is respected and the photographer gets the shots.  But then other Ministers have been scarred by their experiences with aspiring photographers so, reasonably, many of them will not take any risks when it comes to the wedding photography.

Always talk with the Officiant before the ceremony so you know what not to do and where not to go.  Despite your own personal feelings, this is his/her domain and that must at all times be honored.  There’s no choice really.  Imagine being castigated by a Priest during the proceedings - an uncomfortable event..

Be like a ninja.  So that afterwards, most will say they didn’t even notice you in the church until the registry signing.  That means you’ve done your job.  Basically, most Officiants just want the wedding photographer to have smarts - do what you need to do, without stepping on their toes.  As in life, common sense invariably comes with experience - and it’s not actually that ‘common’.

Advice for the Bride and Groom:  Take into consideration the wedding photography when choosing your ceremony space.  Ask about any limitations.  If the pictures of the ceremony are important to you, don’t assume anything because you may be shocked on the wedding day to realize there are significant restrictions that may hamper your photographer’s ability to effectively capture your ceremony.

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