Photogs making guests uncomfortable?

[meresal]

This could definitely just be me... but I hate don't like everywhere I turn, I'm being flimed/documented, and don't want my guests to feel they like have to preform. I feel like quantity can definitely diminish quality when people are always being watched.

At what point are there too many photographers and videographers? Can there be such a thing? What are you going with and how big is your wedding, guest wise?

ETA: We are having 2 photographers for a wedding with apprx 250-300 guests.

 

[lliang_chi]

I honestly thing people expect to see photographers at weddings. FOr the most part the photogs will be taking pictures of you. And the few times they''re snapping at the guests, the guests aren''t expecting it (e.g. dancing, watching your ceremony etc). I don''t think that 2 photographers will be too many at your wedding.

 

[Clairitek]

I personally HATE being videotaped. I don''t mind being photographed at big events like this. As as wedding guest I expect to see at least one, of not two photographers. I think two photogs AND a videographer would be a bit much for me personally but I tend to be like you where I am a little weirded out by constantly being documented.

 

[Inanna]

It isn''t just you... I hate it too.

I went to one wedding where there were so many photographers and videographers in the isle and around the bride/groom/bridal party that I could not see the ceremony at all (I''m guessing 10 photographers + 4-5 videographers, HUGE obtrusive cameras). It was preposterous! That same wedding, during the reception, it seemed every time I loosened up and started having a good time there was a camera literally in my face. I was pretty appauled at the whole thing.

Two photographers for your wedding sounds great - classy. Personally I will be having about 45 guests (beach wedding at a beach house) and one photographer. I''m not sure if I''ll be getting a videographer, and its very important to me that if we do have one that he/she not be invasive at all.

 

[Sabine]

I think it has to do more with the style/skill of the photographer than the number. At my brother''s wedding, there was a photog. and assistant, but they just always seemed in your face, awkward, standing out, and in the way. After that, my entire family couldn''t help commenting on how much they DIDN''T notice my photog. and her assistant. They were stunned at the difference. I would ask for contact info. from former clients to ask about this.

 

[neatfreak]

I really think it depends on the photographer. Everyone was so surprised that my photog got such great shots at the wedding because she was so stealth that no one even noticed she was snapping away the entire time. In contrast, at my best friend''s wedding her photog was in the way the entire time and I felt very self conscious since he seemingly always had his camera in my face.

So I don''t think the number matters as much as how unobtrusive they are...

 

[Haven]

Good friends of ours had four photogs and two videographers. Everyone kept joking about "the paparazzi". They definitely made me uncomfortable, that was too much IMO.

Of course, I wish that we had gone for two photogs instead of one.

 

[honey22]

Ditto, if the photogs are skillfull, they won''t even be noticed, but I think with that many guests, you are probably not even going to notice 2 photogs

 

[meresal]

I figured I couldn''t be alone. I completely agree with you all about great photographers not being seen...

I can''t believe the amount of photogs you all have experienced. What I don''t understand, is with all those people filming, how are they NOT in each others pictures and film??

 

[bee*]

I definitely think that it''s down to the photographer. At some weddings we''ve been to we haven''t even noticed them, at others they''ve been totally in our faces. I hate being photographed so it''s one thing I definitely notice.

 

[katamari]

I hate it, too!

A friend of mine had a videographer and 4 photographers at her wedding of about 120. The videographer set up all kinds of staged events to keep the photogs out. They actually performed the ceremony twice (once after the guests had left the venue), so they could document it once with the video team and all their lighting and equipment and then again for the photos. The cake cutting took about an hour and they did two first dances (no joke). FI and I actually left the ceremony early because we were so sick of all the pics. I say no more than 2 photographers are ever needed unless it is a 500+ person affair.

 

[Rhea]

I had 2 photographers and 20 guests at the wedding. They were not noticed. Photographers making the guests uncomfortable has much more to do with photographer skills than how many of them there are.

 

[meresal]

Date: 1/1/2009 5:10:25 PM
Author: katamari
I hate it, too!

A friend of mine had a videographer and 4 photographers at her wedding of about 120. The videographer set up all kinds of staged events to keep the photogs out. They actually performed the ceremony twice (once after the guests had left the venue), so they could document it once with the video team and all their lighting and equipment and then again for the photos. The cake cutting took about an hour and they did two first dances (no joke). FI and I actually left the ceremony early because we were so sick of all the pics. I say no more than 2 photographers are ever needed unless it is a 500+ person affair.

Holy cow... that's ridiculous.

"and here's where we exchanged our vows... well technically we were already married, this was the second cut..."

 

[oobiecoo]

We had one photographer and about 100 people. She was really great as far as not posing people or getting in the way. Alot of people commented on how they hardly noticed she was there so I think it just depends on the photographer.

 

[Nocturnius]

We had one photographer for 25 guests (total including the wedding party and us). Our photographer was very swift and actually, aside from the obvious times like the cake cutting and first dance, no one even noticed her. There were TONS of pictures that people were like "....wait, when was that taken! I don''t even remember SEEING the photographer there!"

Discuss it with your photographers, try to get outside testimonials about how discreet they are. Let them know it''s important to you that your guests don''t feel like they''re being tracked by paparazzi.