How would you feel about a 'Guest' photographer on a job you are covering?

If you are covering a wedding and another photographer shows up as a friend of the bride and groom and starts to cover the wedding as you are.  Would you be OK with this or would you say something? 

My wedding gig from last weekend had just that, and this guy was following me all over the place.  With a Canon 5D IV, and a Canon 5D III around his body.  This guy was no amateur.  

This person ended up being the brides brother.  

I can almost see what the up sell print sales are going to look like after this job.  

Regardless of whether he was a pro or not, I probably would have stopped him and explained that his shadowing you was very distracting, and making it difficult to do the job you were hired to do. Any push back, and I would have gone with, "you appear to be knowledgeable and experienced regarding photography. What you're doing is interfering with my work, and also very uncool. Please stop."

I then would have sought out the wedding planner or whomever was coordinating, and explained that this guest was interfering, which (should be?) a violation of the contract, and grounds for you to stop and leave. No refunds.

If your contract doesn't address that issue, it should.

As for up-sell, you've already sold a package right? That should be adequate, with no expectations of anything else. While you don't know what kind of photos that clown took, you don't know that they're any good.

This is an excellent point to be aware of; thank you.

I would have a big problem with that.  I would have let the bride and groom know that this photographer was going to get in my way of getting the shots that they paid me to get. 

A "professional" would never had done that. Getting the one that hired you aside and having them make a choice is correct and its too late now.

garyrhook wrote: Regardless of whether he was a pro or not, I probably would have stopped him and explained that his shadowing you was very distracting, and making it difficult to do the job you were hired to do. Any push back, and I would have gone with, "you appear to be knowledgeable and experienced regarding photography. What you're doing is interfering with my work, and also very uncool. Please stop."

I then would have sought out the wedding planner or whomever was coordinating, and explained that this guest was interfering, which (should be?) a violation of the contract, and grounds for you to stop and leave. No refunds.

If your contract doesn't address that issue, it should.

As for up-sell, you've already sold a package right? That should be adequate, with no expectations of anything else. While you don't know what kind of photos that clown took, you don't know that they're any good.

This is an excellent point to be aware of; thank you.

1000% good advice!  

I would have a big problem with this.  I don't want to be tripping over someone else while I'm trying to work.  I would pull the person that person aside and have one of those 'talks' and let them know how important this day is, and what would happen if I couldn't get the shots I need because I'm bumping into them.  

Cara Wilkins wrote:

LMAO, hey Cara, did you know this guy is a doctor in real life? 

garyrhook wrote: Regardless of whether he was a pro or not, I probably would have stopped him and explained that his shadowing you was very distracting, and making it difficult to do the job you were hired to do. Any push back, and I would have gone with, "you appear to be knowledgeable and experienced regarding photography. What you're doing is interfering with my work, and also very uncool. Please stop."

I then would have sought out the wedding planner or whomever was coordinating, and explained that this guest was interfering, which (should be?) a violation of the contract, and grounds for you to stop and leave. No refunds.

If your contract doesn't address that issue, it should.

As for up-sell, you've already sold a package right? That should be adequate, with no expectations of anything else. While you don't know what kind of photos that clown took, you don't know that they're any good.

This is an excellent point to be aware of; thank you.

Agree, not only distracting, it's very professionally inappropriate 

With out a doubt, I would pull them aside and let them know they need to stand down so I can do my job. 

How rude.  I would let them know, or remind them why I was hired and that what they were doing was preventing me from doing my job and for them to stop.