Wedding photographer’s rant against guests ruining shots with smartphones goes viral
Jul 14, 2019
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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It’s a common complaint of wedding photographers and happy couples alike. Although, with the latter, it’s typically after the wedding when they see how many of their friends and relatives have ruined the paid photographer’s shots by standing in the way with smartphones and even iPads to get snaps of their own. Fortunately, more couples are speaking out and going “unplugged”, but word hasn’t spread to everybody yet.
For photographer Hannah Mbalenhle Stanley of Hanna Way Photography, she faced one iPhone too much recently and posted a rant to Facebook expressing her thoughts. It’s since been shared over 150,000 times, with over 140,000 reactions and has left commenters divided.
The post reads…
To the girl with the iPhone…
Not only did you ruin my shot, but you took this moment away from the groom, father of the bride, and the bride. What exactly do you plan on doing with that photo? Honestly. Are you going to print it out? Save it? Look at it everyday? No. You’re not. But my bride would have printed this photo, looked at it often and reminisced over this moment as her dad walked her down the aisle on her wedding day. But instead, you wanted to take a photo with your phone, blocking my view, and taking a photo that you will not use.
Guests, please stop viewing weddings you attend through a screen but instead turn OFF your phone, and enjoy the ceremony. You are important to the bride and groom, you would not be attending the wedding otherwise. So please, let me do my job, and you just sit back, relax and enjoy this once in a lifetime moment.Sincerely,
Wedding photographers
The responses to Hannah’s post have been mixed, with some saying that the guests are more important and have the right to do what they want, and others backing up Hannah’s position completely. Personally, if guests at my wedding started getting in the way of the person I’d paid to be there and record the day, I’d be pissed.
This one of the reasons why I won’t ever shoot weddings. It’s just too much of a headache for me to want to deal with. But for those of you that do, how do you deal with smartphone-wielding guests? And if it was your wedding, how would you feel if your guests were constantly in the way of the photographer you’d hired to be there?
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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57 responses to “Wedding photographer’s rant against guests ruining shots with smartphones goes viral”
Smart phones, try grandma’s with fricking ipads. I have to Dodge, duck, dip, Dive, and Dodge at almost every wedding now.
Not, my problem. But I can say that only because I’m a wildlife photographer. :p *CHEEZE!*
I turn in picture of them. Especially the ones recording the whole ceremony.
Put the phones and other cameras away, enjoy the wedding, let the official photographer do their job properly.
I had a sign at my wedding for an ‘unplugged’ ceremony. No cell phones or cameras during the ceremony was the request, as we paid good money for our professional photo and video. 99% of the guests complied ?
Lol! I don’t remember seeing the sign at yours, but I think I kept my phone hidden anyways. I caught my aunt live streaming the ceremony and I just had to not look at her or I would have had a tantrum ???
see my post above… with the clause in the contract, and a bride and groom willing to inform people of expected behaviour… the next logical step would be to demand the people who don’t respect your wishes to reimburse you if your photographer can’t do the job becuase of them.
Luckily she didn’t block any shots, but her phone still caught my eye as I was coming down the aisle.
It’s the bride and grooms responsibility to inform thier guests how to behave before the event.
It was always part of my wedding contract that if people interfere or obstruct me from doing my job, I’m free to cancel the shoot and keep the deposit. There’s no point in trying to finish the job if people ruin your shots.
Having that clause in the contract means that the event planner can tell people who pull this crap that “the photographer has the right of way, if you block his shot, he can pack up and go but we still have to pay him” and usually lets the person in charge ask the guest to stop without feeling like anyone else is to blame..,
Packing up and leaving is a bit draconian and comes off diva-esque and is a pretty shitty thing to do to a bride just because you can’t play with your toys the way you want to.
One word…photoshop…
Tommy Pendleton really?
Just kidding, but since there is unfortunately no way to stop every moron cell phone photographer from breaking protocol, you could, for example, go back and shoot the background in the shot they ruined and perform a simple extraction to save the shot and the moment. The client would never know and would like that better than some numb nut who jumped in front of your shot….
Tommy Pendleton all good, as long as the clients are prepared to pay for the additional work, editing time, etc.
Tommy Pendleton the people with the smart phones and cameras are guests of the couple getting married. As such the couple, with whom you have contracted, are responsible for their guests.
Tommy, “no way to stop every moron cell phone photographer” great respect for your clients and their guests!
Johnny Martyr sorry, but there is one in EVERY group. And it doesn’t show much respect if you are the one who does it…
One word. Monopod.
Works wonders with Chinese $0 tourists too
After a few problems like that, I had to add it in my contract that I’m not responsible for missed shots due to inconsiderate guest keeping me from doing my job.
It hurts seeing the bride walking by the guests, and all you see in the photos are rectangles where their faces should be.
Smart. Cellphone photos and video.
Selfish and rude!!!
If your smart you ask your guests to please refrain from tapping and doing photos.
Its YOUR DAY AND MEMORIES!!!
You are paying a professional for a reason.
It not a bar or concert.
It just plain selfish, rude and stupid to ruin the couple’s day.
So you can win the big prize for the first like of the event.
The big WINNER!!!!
“If your smart” Yes, if.
The only rule during the wedding is ask the groom and the bride “Have you banned the smartphones?” If not don’t get the contract.
Move on… that’s the best way to deal with it. Ranting on social media only helps if you make money ranting, read political punditry.
Let people take their own photos!
While I can sympathize with being an uptight, high-strung, opinionated, narcissistic artist type, as a professional event vendor, we are hired to provide a service to our clients, not turn their event into our personal portfolio piece. Sure if a guest gets in our way, this should be addressed and can be frustrating. But if I’m to choose between sacrificing my shot for the happiness of clients/guests on the day-of, I’m always going to side with clients and guests.
I note in my contract that I am not to be held responsible for images that are missed due to interference from guests. Simple as that.
In the meantime, I try to take advantage of moments when guests use their personal devices by taking photos of them doing so. A good photojournalist documents what is actually happening in a scene uses all available elements to tell the story as it really happened.
It’s 2019, everyone wants to take their own photos. Let them. They’re no threat to my years of experience and knowledge. They are entitled to enjoy the day as they see fit.
Johnny Martyr
I feel the same way. Whenever the guests take such photos, I know they’re happy, and it’s their own photo so they will share it directly with their friends. The photographers can just get closer or move sideways in order to prevent other objects or people from blocking the view, they can easily deal with it with some creativity and good gear. Anyway, the photos themselves are certainly less important than the emotions during the event or even after the event, and by complaining like that, the photographer certainly destroyed some of those good emotions just for the sake of a few missed photos. Not worth it.
Yes ?? Same approach I take and actually some of my favourite wedding shots have been those ones of people taking selfies etc!
So you’d be OK with someone going into a restaurant kitchen and getting in the cooks way because it makes them happy? Dude, you’re there to do a professional job, it’s not a backyard BBQ, it’s a hopefully once in a lifetime event. Fuck the guests, the only people who matter are the bride and groom. The guests can have their own special parties if they want to be accommodated, they’re there to share in a special day that wouldn’t exist without the bride and groom, they can sit down and shut up lol.
“Fuck the guests”
You are clearly not a professional event photographer, nor do you dine at nice restaurants!
Lol, ooh I used a bad word so I’m a bad person. Did you know it’s scientifically proven that people who swear more are more honest? It’s 2019, not 1819, we’re not all puritanical peasants. This isn’t a professional platform either, it’s a comment section on the internet, what do you expect.
Say fuck all you want. That you miss or avoid my point due to a presumption that I’m as preoccupied with adult language as you apparently are is what’s really funny here.
I’m talking about your attitude problem.
No professional wedding or event vendor would or should ever approach with the attitude “fuck the guests,” however its worded. Each guest represents another potential client and another opportunity to make the current clients happier with your work. Only egomaniacs who feel an obsessive drive to prove their work and don’t shoot often enough, value a single photograph above having positive relationships with those around them.
Additionally, as I’ve alluded to, you’re a poor photographer if you unable to work around people and even work their cell phones into your shots. If you can’t handle the chaos of event photography, you should leave the work to more proficient shooters.
Lmfao, you avoided my point so why should I address yours? The attitude problem is with you my dear. I stand by my point, but you seem to think I’m telling the guests to fuck themselves to their face. You’re silly.
THE GUESTS ARE NOT THE FOCUS OF YOUR WORK. THEY DO NOT MATTER. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PLEASE THEM. THEY ARE NOT THE ONES PAYING YOU.
Don’t be rude, of course, that’s stupid. But don’t go out of your way not to hurt their little feelings if it’s preventing you from doing your profession. NO OTHER PROFESSION WOULD ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. What other employment position willingly lets people get in their way of working? Please tell me, as I cannot think of a single one.
Also, you should have called me out for saying bride and groom in 2019 instead of loving couple, must not have seen that one slip by from atop your high horse.
You keep laughing about everything. This does not lend any credibility to your remarks. Nor does typing in all caps or advocating for cursing about and demeaning guests behind their backs or making comparisons of photography to other professions to which it bears no relation. You can’t support your viewpoint because it is not valid and only stems from your personal lack of respect for people as oppose to any care or concern for providing quality service.
I’ll say it again, if you can’t recompose to include or avoid guests and their devices, you’re a poor event photographer. There’s nothing disputable about this.
Have fun laughing your head off.
Oh my god, you are dense. I’m done here. Nowhere did I say to demean guests behind their backs. You absolutely refuse to see my point, either that or you should take a course in reading comprehension. I am having fun laughing my head off at your idiocy, thank for the good times buddy.
“Nowhere did I say to demean guests behind their backs.”
“Fuck the guests,”
“you seem to think I’m telling the guests to fuck themselves to their face.”
“don’t go out of your way not to hurt their little feelings”
Wow you’re good at cherry picking.
Time to cash in that last name buddy, if that is even your last name.
Excuse me get out of the way followed by elbow nudge should do it.
I let the person know I’m doing a wedding for that smart phones may be an issue during the wedding. If they don’t mind them in some shots than no worries. If they do… make signs or let your guest know. For the most part cell phones dont get in the way except the ceremony. When they are getting ready it’s easy to have your time with the bride and groom. During cocktail hour… its normally just you and the couple for a bit and then their close family. It’s easy to ask to put the cell phones away. And during the toasts, dinner and dancing it’s easy to work around those cell phone people haha. But the ceremony… that can be a pain. Especially if they go in the aisle or stand up. But for me it’s not really an issue. But I do mention it at the first meeting it’s something to be aware of. This way if it’s a wedding filled with cell phone photographers.. I’m covered if they pop up in one too many shots.
You really can’t put your phones away for a few hours to respect your friends wishes. How sad.
Yes it is up to the bride and groom but I certainly point out the possibility of problems then they can decide how to handle.
Photo shop don’t think so!!.
If they want to let their friends use there phones.
It is what it is.
You want to fix it after you where WARNED now time to show the
$$$ since they couldn’t take the advice.
Advice free work is time is money!! Sorry that’s life!!!
“You really can’t put your phones away for a few hours to respect your friends wishes. How sad.”
What’s even sadder is a paid vendor who has this little respect for the friends and family of his clients and who, also apparently lacks prowess at his chosen field to get shots despite natural interruptions that occur during live events.
Johnny Martyr absolutely. Messes up people’s eyes causes confusion.
Jason, no. You have misunderstood my point. I am saying let the guests shoot till their hearts are content. A good photographer can work with cell phones everywhere.
Tks.
Honesty, the shot of the phone in focus is more original and represents the current photography Zeitgeist. If she is using a high res, large sensor camera, there should be enough detail to crop in and enlarge for an interesting wedding photo. Even if it’s just for a portfolio. Realistically the bride and groom only need a handful of beautiful shots, and this wouldn’t have been one of them.
Can you imagine if the photographer who took the Tiananmen square “tank man” photo wanted to just capture the tanks and was frustrated by the protester? “You’re ruining my shot, tank man!”
The photographer is there to do their job. Would they jump in between the person officiating the wedding and the marital couple to take a phone photo, probably not!
I had to stop shooting weddings because of these kinds of things. It’s very stressful to shoot a wedding and this on top of if?! Couldn’t pay me enough!
Good for her for speaking up but I doubt people will listen.
“I had to stop shooting weddings because of these kinds of things.”
The photographer controls what is in the frame, not the guests. Try photographing a political rally and getting mad when protesters block you. The photographer has to be in control. You step around, you re-frame, you allow the unexpected to be part of your shot. That is how you get photos that tell the whole story, not by blaming the people around you whose story are supposed to tell.
EMP blast works well.
Anyone who shoots weddings deserves what they get. ?
I admit I’m a company type photographer rather than independent so my financial stake isn’t the same great and while I haven’t shot a wedding since film was the only choice, I have photographed a lot of events and awards ceremonies. Family wants there photos. I get it and don’t have a problem with it. I politely ask them to let me get my photo first (direct the recipient(s) to look at me). Click, click, click. I step out of the way. Family takes their pics. I even offer to allow them to be in the photo and take a picture with their phone–I also get one with my camera. Its a win for everyone. If someone jumps in and gets a photo, so what? If a phone, arm, whole body is in the way, so what? I wait, move, or politely ask the wall to move.
My jackhole cousin took pictures at my fathers funeral, while we were at the casket, with a shitty flip phone WITH the sound of the camera click on. He ruined our last moments with our father with his selfish ineptitude. Yes Jay, I am talking to you. And he wonders why I have never spoken to him since. As far as I am concerned, people ruining the moment with their selfish photo taking should be buried as well. Bozos.
I am not a professional photographer, but I feel for what they go through. Next year I will shooting my sons wedding. I have already told him to set people straight concerning cell phones/cameras. I won’t bother with niceties, block my shot and you get shoved out of the way.
I don’t see how people can defend it and say guests can do what they want. If the photog showed this shot to the couple, do you think they’ll just say it’s alright that one of their guests ruined their moment?
For godsake photographers, COUNCIL your couples. Use YOUR EXPERIENCE to make them aware of this situation ahead of time. About half my couples take my advise and UNPLUG their wedding ceremony so that their guests are guests and not cellphone photographers. HELP your clients get the best photos possible. Don’t rant on the internet after the fact because you failed to get the shot you wanted.
mobile and ipad cannot be avoided in wedding nowadays
experienced wedding photographers have to how to work with them.
Warning, rant ahead: I did a wedding today, wherein 3 of the guests brought their own DSLR’s and would seemingly follow me and find my angle/shot and try to replicate it, or take other guests and the bride and groom to go take snapshots together. One of the friends of the family also brought an entire setup for a photo booth and had them announce over the PA that if anyone wanted their photo taken, the photo booth was all set up and they should go there for pictures. In my contract, the first sentence states that my company is the “exclusive and official photographer retained for the event”. I normally let cell phones slide, as I know I’m not going to be everywhere and get every photo opportunity at an event, but why even hire me if every shot I take has someone else peering over my shoulder to get the same image? When the bride asked me to take a photo of her group of friends, and the lady with the cell phone and the man with the DSLR came and stood next to me to get the same photo, I just stared at them and asked “why am I even here?” To which the bride replied “we hired you to take photos so take our photo.” and then followed it up afterward with “anyone can take whatever photos they want”. I took the photo, made it through the cake cutting ceremony, packed up, and left. Reviewing that particular image, two of the people in her group of friends are staring at one of the other people beside me with a camera. They hired me for 200 unique photos, and if they complain about the photos I send them not having enough variety or the people are staring at the wrong spot, I plan on telling them to add up all the other photos that I could have taken but didn’t get the chance to because their friends took them instead, and mention the fact that the contract was broken, and hope they enjoy their friends’ photos.
If you are paying a professional to do a job for you, why would you let amateurs interfere with their ability to do that job? If someone hires a mechanic to fix their car, would they want an amateur tightening and loosening bolts on one side of the engine while the pro did the other side? If someone hired a pest control professional to come get rid of a hornet nest, would they really want mom to take a whack at it as well? If you hire a professional, let them do their job!