Wow - shooting a crazy restrictive wedding ceremony

[Tom]

Photographer is only allowed in the entryway (area behind the
glass wall) during the ceremony. The ceremony begins with the
seating of the mothers.
I. Photographs taken prior to the ceremony must be concluded
minutes prior to the ceremony itself.
2. Photographs may he taken beforere and after the ceremony; a flash
picture may be taken (a) of the bride and her father in the entryway
before going down the aisle (b) of the bride and groom coming
out or the church down the center aisle. IN NO event is the
Photographer to actually enter the church itself for these
photographs.
3. The Photographer should be instructed that flash equipment
must never be used at any time after the bride enters for the
ceremony or during the ceremony itself. One or two time-
exposures (not requiring a flash) from a tripod in the rear aisle or
the church (from behind the glass wall) may be taken during the
service as long as there is no distraction. These time-exposures,
however, should not be taken during any periods or prayer within the marriage rite.
4. Ushers should be asked to remind guests arriving with cameras,
that they are not to lake photographs inside the church and
especially after the entry of the participants has begun. [hahaha, yeah right, like you can tell Auntie Point and Shoot what to do
5. A limited number of flash photographs (not to exceed those
which can be taken within a fifteen minute period) may be taken of
the wedding party after the service. Posed photographs which
attempt to re-create portions of the service are not considered
tasteful or appropriate. Photographs taken after the ceremony
should be limited to the wedding party and families. The candles
will be extinguished at the conclusion of the ceremony and will not
remain lighted during the photography period.
6. The Photographer may not go behind altar rail at any time to
take photographs. In general, the Photographer should never be in
front of any seated guests. [I don't get this, they said I have to stay behind the glass outside the church.]
7. The Photographer is a guest at the wedding ceremony and IS
expected to observe the rules adopted by the church.
8. The ceremony may be videotaped, if you desire. The camera
must be unmanned and set. up only at the approved location. The
microphone must he on the camera only. Contact the wedding
coordinator beforehand concerning the location of this camera.

The church also has a contract I have to sign to be able to take the pictures at the church.

I've shot a lot of weddings, but have never been required to stay behind the glass in the cryroom.

But they allow unmanned cameras, so maybe I can use pocketwizards to trigger unmanned cameras. Still, this is absolutely ridiculous. It isn't even a high-mass church.

[SpeedRacerSlots]

You forgot the sections about:
* must remain blindfolded
* must remain handcuffed
* "glass wall" is actually located in another building on the other side of the campus...

Let me guess.... Christ Church Cathedral - Houston?

[Tom]

Nope. I think Christ Church lets you in the choir loft at least (I could put my 300mm 2.8 to work, which I had to do at Tallowood Baptist a few weeks ago.)

[SpeedRacerSlots]

I said Christ Church because of the very similar sounding restrictions in this:
http://www.christchurchcathedral.org...tomary_web.pdf

[texkam]

Freak them out by Photoshoping flames on the extinguished candles.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by SpeedRacerSlots

I said Christ Church because of the very similar sounding restrictions in this:
http://www.christchurchcathedral.org...tomary_web.pdf

Looks like we know where this church plagiarized their rules form.

[Supermanny]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

...Posed photographs which attempt to re-create portions of the service are not considered tasteful or appropriate...

That is so cute that they set you straight on what is considered tasteful and appropriate.

[ngoduyviet]

Does the church name starts with "First"...? I never got to go anywhere but the rear of these churches.

I sometime wonder what the person or persons were smoking when they wrote these rules. Also this very reason that caused me to have a clause in my contract that I'm not responsible for missing shots because of ridiculous rules like these. I just take what pictures allowed, then go outside to take a break. If I stayed, 10 out of 10 times, it frustrated the hell out of me seeing shots I really wanted to take, but couldn't.

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

Photographer is only allowed in the entryway (area behind the
glass wall) during the ceremony. The ceremony begins with the
seating of the mothers. ...snip....

[Tom]

Not a "first" church.

Explaining to the church that I understand the need to be respectful in a church can be evidenced by my missionary trips on 4 continents didn't get me anywhere.

I want them to be able to forever celebrate the holiness of their marriage ceremony through constant reminders of these pictures. To remember their vows and words to each other - their covenant before God through pictures.





Bottom line is that some real idiot photographers must have done some really stupid things to have churches not let photographers in the church to take the pictures.

[AndrewCCM]

Well at least you get paid for doing nothing.

:)

[texkam]

Ahhh, the politics of religion. :)

[BWangPhoto]

Why you so worried. I know many that have rule such as this. It is a precious ceremony, not a photoshoot. I am sure the Bride and Groom know about this restriction in the beginning.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by BWangPhoto

Why you so worried. I know many that have rule such as this. It is a precious ceremony, not a photoshoot. I am sure the Bride and Groom know about this restriction in the beginning.

Not necessarily. I've had brides who were frantic because they didn't pay attention to the church who had given them a handful of information all at once, and they didn't read all of it. If a crying bride can't get the church to relax the rules, there's no way a mere photographer is going to have any clout.

I don't understand how they can allow video cameras to record the "solemn" ceremony but not still cameras. Unless of course, previous aggressive photographers have made a shamble of the ceremony.

[Gateruner]

It isnt always stupid photographers that lead to this. Alot of times yes but not always. At least they are allowing you this much. Some churches just say "to bad no photos in the church period". This is something that we cover in our initial consults and we advise our couples to check with the church immediately to determine the rules and then they still have time to make a change if necessary. Had a couple do that once when they didnt realize the Episcopal church they were going to use did not allow photography period. NADA. They moved the ceremony. The best thing you can do for your brides is to get the to check the restrictions early so they have time to make a decision on what is important for them.

[BWangPhoto]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

Not necessarily. I've had brides who were frantic because they didn't pay attention to the church who had given them a handful of information all at once, and they didn't read all of it. If a crying bride can't get the church to relax the rules, there's no way a mere photographer is going to have any clout.

I don't understand how they can allow video cameras to record the "solemn" ceremony but not still cameras. Unless of course, previous aggressive photographers have made a shamble of the ceremony.

Ah, maybe so. But is it my problem that the bride and groom did not read or know the rules of the church they choose? I think not. I can do lot of things but I cannot make decisions for them.

It isn't the camera that causes problem. It is the individual behind the camera that causes the problems and thus the restrictions.

Wow, you must be the owner of the forum? 11K posts...do you have a job, I mean, other than posting here?