Wedding Photography...

Okay, first off NO i am not a professional. Yes the weddings i have done people know this.
I'm learning as I go, but I would like to pick your brains.

Gawd, it is frustrating as heck trying to shoot portraits when other people have their camera's out. I guess I have to be that "bitch photographer" and ask that they don't take pictures while I am?!!!!
What do you think? What is your suggestions? Advice? Tips?

Secondly, can ANYONE get to the frickin session ON TIME before the ceremony? 45 minutes late is NOT acceptable. I schedule an hour for each (groom and his men, and then bride and her girls) then that still gives me an hour before the wedding ceremony to prepare, etc...
Suggestions? More than an hour session? I feel like if i schedule them any flippin earlier then i'm sitting/standing around for hours before the wedding. SMH

I let people know that they are welcome to take pics after I get the shot. Most people listen, you can also ask the mc to announce your request.
I think you have to keep in mind that this is an extremely busy day for everyone and having pictures done is only 5% of what they have to do before the wedding. I go to where they are getting ready, rest of shots are done before reception.

I'm noticing that sometimes people make a significant point in the first sentence or two of their post - you said you're not a professional and people know it. Maybe they're more lax about things because they see you as a friend more than as 'The Wedding Photographer'. As Darrell said, maybe you need to think about how you're taking charge and directing the picture taking.

I do have to say I have a hard time understanding people doing weddings when they still consider themselves amateurs and still learning. Although it's true that everyone has to start somewhere, and I don't know what you've done up to this point, but maybe it would be worth thinking about how you can practice your photography skills, get info. from professional photographers, find a pro that you can 'shadow' etc. Or if you've done that maybe it's more a matter of how you're presenting yourself, meeting ahead of time, doing a contract, and more of the business related aspects.

Maybe too it just will take more time and experience to figure out how to handle various situations that arise.

I've assisted on several weddings and you know? We've NEVER had this problem of other people taking pictures during portraits. Every time we have ever done bride and groom portraits we went somewhere away from the crowd. Either around the garden or building or area while all the other guests head to cocktail hour.

Are you having issues where guests are following you while you do go off and do portraits? Or are all your portraits like....in the same area as the guests? When and where are you doing your portraits at?

Anyway! It kind of depends on how you work.

A lot of my own photography, and the photographers that I have worked with, use a considerable amount of lighting in their portraits. So even if people ARE taking photos over our shoulder, there is no way they're getting anything close to the way we are.

If you've got one person just bugging the shit out of you? Hand them a light and ask them to help. Oh look they're involve now! They feel good and you get another light holder.

mconnell09 wrote: ...it is frustrating as heck trying to shoot portraits when other people have their camera's out. I guess I have to be that "bitch photographer" and ask that they don't take pictures while I am?!!!! What do you think? What is your suggestions? Advice? Tips?

Discuss the problem with the couple during planning meetings. Possibly the photos can be scheduled at a time when their are less people around. Some photographers specify no one else photographing while the work. I'm not sure how they enforce that. Everyone has a camera now. My best advice is figure out how to get the job done even with the other photographers, because I doubt it's going to change anytime soon.

mconnell09 wrote: Secondly, can ANYONE get to the frickin session ON TIME before the ceremony? 45 minutes late is NOT acceptable. I schedule an hour for each (groom and his men, and then bride and her girls) then that still gives me an hour before the wedding ceremony to prepare, etc...
Suggestions? More than an hour session? I feel like if i schedule them any flippin earlier then i'm sitting/standing around for hours before the wedding. SMH

No, 9 out of 10 couples will be late in my experience (350+ weddings). Count on it, and plan appropriately.

I think that diplomacy can go a long way in wedding work. I usually do the formal portraits directly after the ceremony. ( everyone is on time then) and ask/instruct guests to not photograph while I am working but to wait until I finish and then shoot away. That way the family/guests get their chance at the shots and I already have mine.
2) Improvise- bring along a slave to trigger one of your flash units and show the other shooters that they may inadvertently trigger your flash if they don't wait till you have your shots first-this works like a charm because NO ONE WANTS to screw up the couples big day.
3) for before ceremony shots have the wedding party meet you at a local park/arboretum/etc. to do their formal portraits. No crowd to get in your way then.

Thank you for your responses. I would like to say that the reason I started my original post the way I did, is because I notice a familarity with some responses on the "wedding" subject. Other's are more concerned with throwing the fact around that the poster ISN'T a pro, shouldn't do weddings, yada yada. I just wanted to throw it out there, get it out in the open, and hoped that the responses would just answer my questions instead of offering other advice.

The advice, suggestions, and shared experiences have given me more to think about. Yes the first wedding I did the portraits were taken a walk away from the reception (before the ceremony) I didn't choose that location, the bride did and wanted that area. So of course, family members that were setting up for the reception came over snappin photo's. I learned the hard way from some prom pictures a month before that, to tell my subjects that I have ONE rule. No matter how many camera's are in their face, when mine is up their eyes and faces STAY ON ME! It worked. I had alot less of ruined shots because of that rule. Let's see, I ran into with both of these weddings is kids in the weddings. Fine. that fine, i work well with kids, but those EXTRA family member's behind me DISTRACT the kids. Grrrrrr. The second wedding, for after the ceremony pictures, there was a few extra family members clickin away. While it's not that they are messing up my pics, or my lighting, they are distracting. sometimes distracting the key subjects. again grrrrrr.
both times have been after ceremony frustrations.
i do meet with the couple weeks before hand. I know they cannot control other family members. i understand the majority of the time the party will be late for pre ceremony pics, i will adjust myself then.

But then what should i try to shoot before ceremony and shoot after ceremony? Isn't the point of the after ceremony to be the "shorter" session so they can proceed to the reception?

I have been in a service/public profession for ages. I have NO problem deligating or firmly and politely suggesting/telling people, "I need you to wait until I'm finished with my pictures." or "i'm sorry, i need you to stay here while i take this group and take pictures over there."

I guess i need to remember, that in the end, I'm running the session, not other's.

If it was easy I guess everyone would be doing it, wait, everyone is doing it...