Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/07/15

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Subject: [Leica] Bill Pierce on the Leica today
From: bdcolen at comcast.net (B. D. Colen)
Date: Fri Jul 15 04:13:28 2005

Interesting, Mark. I have literally never had a bride ask me anything during
the wedding that did not relate to specifically to the very brief period in
which we do the formals. Because when the bride is about to walk down the
aisle, if she's asking you if it's okay to walk, whether you realize it or
not, you are being the "director."

And, sure, there are people who see me and say 'take our picture,' or who
notice me and turn and grin. But those incidents are so few and far between
and, more important, irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, that I can in
fact say I can shoot a wedding without being noticed. Because I can be
shooting during the ceremony, and have the priest/rabbi/minister say
afterwards that he/she wasn't even aware of my being there. Or have the
bride look at images and ask 'how did you get that?' because she was unaware
she was being photographed - and I don't mean with a 180 from across the
room either (although there's nothing wrong with shooting that way for some
stuff.)

Obviously we view and do this kind of work differently. But equally
obviously, we both have happy clients, so clearly both approaches work. :-)


On 7/15/05 5:34 AM, "Mark Rabiner" <mark@rabinergroup.com> wrote:

> On 7/14/05 6:16 PM, "Michael J Herring" <creativevisions@verizon.net> 
> typed:
> 
>> I did wedding photography for 12 years. There are two main schools of
>> thought when it comes to this type of photography.
>> One type of photographer wants to be the "director" and he acts
>> appropriately.
>> Theses guys are often many times clowning around - more or less acting 
>> like
>> the "life of the party".
>> Others take a photojournalistic approach.
>> Different strokes for different folks.
>> 
>> Mike
> 
> 
> Those are of course the guys who no sane person would want with in a mile 
> of
> their wedding. I was hired specifically because I could be trusted to not 
> do
> that. I could be trusted to not ruin the wedding. I even had that in
> writing.
> I'm just aware that a wedding photographer does not blend in.
> I just don't buy it. Its great to think positive though.
> But no. People are very aware of wedding photographers during a wedding and
> wedding reception. Leica with no flash and shooting peoples feet. Or
> Hasselblad with Norman on flash bracket getting faces.
> You better not ever scratch yourself in the wrong place.
> 
> You are a "director" during the formal session. The rest of the time you 
> are
> dealing with people going "do I stand here?" with "just ignore me".
> You can say it as often as you like but its not going to happen.
> I've had a dozen brides ask me if its ok to go down the aisle. Or if its ok
> to start the wedding. And I am being low key certainly not "take charge"
> trust me.
> 
> 
> Mark Rabiner
> Photography
> Portland Oregon
> http://rabinergroup.com/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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In reply to: Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Bill Pierce on the Leica today)