Wedding Photography at the Ceremony

Have you ever been to a church wedding and been taken aback by how obvious and unsmooth the wedding photographer is – such as being in very close proximity to the bride and groom and taking pictures indiscriminately as if the finger is stuck to the button and he’s trying to get in as many shots as he can?

Unfortunately, this situation has been seen so frequently that many places of worship now have severe rules and limitations for wedding photography.  Why has this happened?  Because part-time photographers have increased in the wedding photography business and their lack of know-how has ruined things for the professional wedding photography field.

As a wedding photographer, you should be ready to integrate a multitude of limitations, some of which are strangely unnecessary.

This is not to be underestimated because obviously the ceremony pictures are noteable – and can be quite moving.  There are many cool Ministers out there who recognize that we all have jobs to do and when we work mutually as partners everyone benefits:  The marriage ritual is respected and the photographer captures the photos.  But then other Ministers have been tainted by their experiences with wannabe photographers so, understandably, many of them have in for the photographer.

Always make sure to talk with the Officiant before the ceremony so you know the rules.  Despite your own personal feelings, this is his/her domain and that must at all times be honored.  The alternative could spell trouble.  Imagine being reprimanded by a Priest mid-ceremony – not a pleasant experience for anyone..

A good approach is to be as stealthy as possible.  So that afterwards, everyone will say you were practically invisible until the registry signing.  That means you’ve done your job.  At the end of the day, most Officiants just want the wedding photographer to have some common sense – do what you need to do, attract as little attention as possible.  As is the case in life, common sense often comes with shooting a bunch of weddings – and it’s not actually that ‘common’.

Advice for the couple:  Be aware of the wedding photography when finding your ceremony space.  Ask your Priest or Minister about any limitations.  If the pictures of the ceremony are paramount, don’t assume anything because you may be surprised on the wedding day to find out there are significant restrictions that may hamper your photographer’s ability to effectively capture your ceremony.