A view from the outside at DVinfo.net

Mike Hammond · December 29th, 2013, 12:28 PM

I happened to be at a wedding last night (as a guest - an iphone as my only camera) and had to get a shot of this.

This is the time for the toasts. There are all the photogs (3 + asst) videogs (3 + asst) and DJ. And back there in the halo of light are the B&G and the MOH and BM.

Why do I find this so funny?!

Jeff Harper · December 29th, 2013, 01:24 PM

I've never seen such insanity here in Cincinnati. That is too much. Seems photogs and videographers on the coasts can be particularly aggressive. Was this in Cali? Or east coast? I've seen some snapshots and video taken in LA and it seems to be absolutely nuts out there.

John Knight · December 29th, 2013, 01:43 PM

That's insane! Was that the guest view from tables???

Mike Hammond · December 29th, 2013, 01:43 PM

Northern NJ. It's not usually this bad/funny. But I've definitely been on some weddings where me and my assistant are "battling" a team of 4 photogs and assts for clear shots. This is definitely the craziest I've seen.

Mike Hammond · December 29th, 2013, 01:55 PM

John; Yes.

I was laughing. It was quite a spectacle. I was asking myself if the B&G had any idea at all.

Chris Harding · December 29th, 2013, 08:27 PM

What I would like to know is how they manage to get a competitive costing with 4 people doing a video shoot! Just a fair hourly rate for each of the shooters surely would drive the pricing way over anything that a solo or even two people would charge ..Maybe they sell the concept as a full production team and the bride falls for it (or Daddy has more money than sense?)

8 people all trying to get in on the act seems crazy ... the guests surely must be hardly able to see what's going on with all the shooters blocking the overall view and jostling for a position in a limited space.

Chris

Mike Hammond · December 29th, 2013, 09:01 PM

Unfortunately, most of the guests tuned out immediately.

I understand that the photos and videogs had teams and its awesome as a production to have all those views, but what happened to using zoom lenses LoL?

Glenn Davidson · December 29th, 2013, 09:09 PM

Maybe they were lined up for a drink.

Don Bloom · December 29th, 2013, 10:31 PM

I remember covering weddings as a still photog back in the 70s and early 80s using film....we all remember that stuff shooting by MYSELF! Even as a vid guy I shoot almost all receptions by myself. I can't see the need for more than 2 people at the most to cover a conventional wedding. To have 4 photogs and 4 video people covering like that....Sorry, I don't get it

Adrian Tan · December 29th, 2013, 11:02 PM

Mike, were the videographers doing anything interesting logistically? How did their roles break down?

If they're just going to line up to shoot the toasts, that does seem like amateur hour to me. I would have thought at least one would be circulating amongst the audience getting cutaways and reaction shots.

Arthur Gannis · December 30th, 2013, 10:50 AM

I live in New Jersey and this sort of thing is commonplace. And then the bride asks, when they book, if it can be done in an unobtrusive manner...Yeah right !!
At least in my case I say it's just me and me alone. But then the photogs are are another thing altogether.

Robert Benda · December 30th, 2013, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Bloom

I remember covering weddings as a still photog back in the 70s and early 80s using film....we all remember that stuff shooting by MYSELF! Even as a vid guy I shoot almost all receptions by myself. I can't see the need for more than 2 people at the most to cover a conventional wedding. To have 4 photogs and 4 video people covering like that....Sorry, I don't get it

I can see 3 operators for the ceremony, I suppose. For the speeches? Even if you had 3 guys, why would all three be 1) RIGHT next to the subjects, and 2) all pointed at the subjects?

The benefit of multiple operators is VARIETY. What good does it do to be all clustered together? Does no one own an 85 or 135mm lens? No one is shooting wide?

If I had 3 shooters, I'd have one whose entire job is to get reaction shots away from the B&G. Heck, I can do that by myself (2 cameras with different focal lengths on tripods covering head table, and I actively man a reaction cam).

Warren Kawamoto · December 30th, 2013, 12:00 PM

Thank goodness....nobody was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt!

Cole Prine · January 7th, 2014, 10:36 AM

I'm with Don. I shoot everything but the ceremony by myself and still end up with more footage than I care to dig through. I can't imagine having to dig through 3 camera guys worth of footage! Or having to pay them!

Chris Harding · January 8th, 2014, 07:35 PM

I booked a bride last night and she was telling me about her sister's wedding. The sister was fairly well off and booked 3 photogs and 3 videographers. Apart from having to wait many, many months for the end products my new bride said that the one videographer spend the majority of the reception on his backside taking advantage of the free beer so would have been in no condition to film anything any way.

Maybe it's a "status" thing "I had 3 photogs at my wedding so I'm better than anyone else" ????

Sheesh, I have enough trouble keeping myself busy at a reception when shooting solo so what did all those guys do ?

Chris

December 29th, 2013, 12:28 PM	#1
Mike Hammond Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: West Orange, NJ, U.S. Posts: 163	A view from the outside I happened to be at a wedding last night (as a guest - an iphone as my only camera) and had to get a shot of this. This is the time for the toasts. There are all the photogs (3 + asst) videogs (3 + asst) and DJ. And back there in the halo of light are the B&G and the MOH and BM. Why do I find this so funny?! Attached Thumbnails __________________ Mike Hammond http://www.yourcinematicwedding.com \| http://www.storyboardgroup.com

December 29th, 2013, 01:24 PM	#2
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: A view from the outside I've never seen such insanity here in Cincinnati. That is too much. Seems photogs and videographers on the coasts can be particularly aggressive. Was this in Cali? Or east coast? I've seen some snapshots and video taken in LA and it seems to be absolutely nuts out there.

December 29th, 2013, 01:43 PM	#3
John Knight Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 588	Re: A view from the outside That's insane! Was that the guest view from tables???

December 29th, 2013, 01:43 PM	#4
Mike Hammond Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: West Orange, NJ, U.S. Posts: 163	Re: A view from the outside Northern NJ. It's not usually this bad/funny. But I've definitely been on some weddings where me and my assistant are "battling" a team of 4 photogs and assts for clear shots. This is definitely the craziest I've seen. __________________ Mike Hammond http://www.yourcinematicwedding.com \| http://www.storyboardgroup.com

December 29th, 2013, 01:55 PM	#5
Mike Hammond Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: West Orange, NJ, U.S. Posts: 163	Re: A view from the outside John; Yes. I was laughing. It was quite a spectacle. I was asking myself if the B&G had any idea at all. __________________ Mike Hammond http://www.yourcinematicwedding.com \| http://www.storyboardgroup.com

December 29th, 2013, 08:27 PM	#6
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: A view from the outside What I would like to know is how they manage to get a competitive costing with 4 people doing a video shoot! Just a fair hourly rate for each of the shooters surely would drive the pricing way over anything that a solo or even two people would charge ..Maybe they sell the concept as a full production team and the bride falls for it (or Daddy has more money than sense?) 8 people all trying to get in on the act seems crazy ... the guests surely must be hardly able to see what's going on with all the shooters blocking the overall view and jostling for a position in a limited space. Chris

December 29th, 2013, 09:01 PM	#7
Mike Hammond Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: West Orange, NJ, U.S. Posts: 163	Re: A view from the outside Unfortunately, most of the guests tuned out immediately. I understand that the photos and videogs had teams and its awesome as a production to have all those views, but what happened to using zoom lenses LoL? __________________ Mike Hammond http://www.yourcinematicwedding.com \| http://www.storyboardgroup.com

December 29th, 2013, 09:09 PM	#8
Glenn Davidson Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Nevada City, California Posts: 499	Re: A view from the outside Maybe they were lined up for a drink.

December 29th, 2013, 10:31 PM	#9
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Re: A view from the outside I remember covering weddings as a still photog back in the 70s and early 80s using film....we all remember that stuff shooting by MYSELF! Even as a vid guy I shoot almost all receptions by myself. I can't see the need for more than 2 people at the most to cover a conventional wedding. To have 4 photogs and 4 video people covering like that....Sorry, I don't get it __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

December 29th, 2013, 11:02 PM	#10
Adrian Tan Trustee Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 1,149	Re: A view from the outside Mike, were the videographers doing anything interesting logistically? How did their roles break down? If they're just going to line up to shoot the toasts, that does seem like amateur hour to me. I would have thought at least one would be circulating amongst the audience getting cutaways and reaction shots.

December 30th, 2013, 10:50 AM	#11
Arthur Gannis Major Player Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: New Jersey USA Posts: 504	Re: A view from the outside I live in New Jersey and this sort of thing is commonplace. And then the bride asks, when they book, if it can be done in an unobtrusive manner...Yeah right !! At least in my case I say it's just me and me alone. But then the photogs are are another thing altogether.

December 30th, 2013, 12:00 PM	#13
Warren Kawamoto Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,435	Re: A view from the outside Thank goodness....nobody was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt!

January 7th, 2014, 10:36 AM	#14
Cole Prine Regular Crew Join Date: May 2011 Location: West Monroe, Louisiana, USA Posts: 27	Re: A view from the outside I'm with Don. I shoot everything but the ceremony by myself and still end up with more footage than I care to dig through. I can't imagine having to dig through 3 camera guys worth of footage! Or having to pay them!

January 8th, 2014, 07:35 PM	#15
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: A view from the outside I booked a bride last night and she was telling me about her sister's wedding. The sister was fairly well off and booked 3 photogs and 3 videographers. Apart from having to wait many, many months for the end products my new bride said that the one videographer spend the majority of the reception on his backside taking advantage of the free beer so would have been in no condition to film anything any way. Maybe it's a "status" thing "I had 3 photogs at my wedding so I'm better than anyone else" ???? Sheesh, I have enough trouble keeping myself busy at a reception when shooting solo so what did all those guys do ? Chris