Home Forums Let’s Talk Photography Could've, should've, would've

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  • #53609
    no one special
    Participant

    I don’t even shoot weddings, but this missed opportunity kind of pissed me off

    https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=970437093026101&id=673664349370045

    #53896
    EyeDocPhotog
    Participant

    What was your missed opportunity?

    #53973
    no one special
    Participant

    not my missed opportunity. The photog really fucked this up, so i guess a it’s a real photographers opportunity, or the wedding guests.

    #54179
    EyeDocPhotog
    Participant

    I don’t see what the photographer missed – IMHO, from the description, it appears that the father’s actions were completely extemporaneous, taking everyone by surprise. I’m not sure how any photographer at a ceremony could be prepared for such an eventuality.

    As a hobbyist, my eyes do not see a missed opportunity capturing the moment, and neither did quite a few hundred thousand others.

    But seriously, do wedding photogs run into such situations at the ceremony usually? Serendipitous, fast-paced moments at a carefully choreographed – normally slow-moving – wedding procession at which most families will say “Thank heaven he caught that!”

    #54189
    cameraclicker
    Participant

    Lots of squinting people.  Lots of racoon eyes.  Some white balance issues.  But if you can’t get a good shot, at least get a shot.  Preserve the memory.  That happened here and it got almost a million likes!  Probably the likes are for the story rather than the photos, though the photos confirm the text.  Lucky bride!  Two caring fathers and mothers.

    True, weddings have a fairly slow wedding procession.  Everything else can move quite quickly and unexpectedly.  Everyone deviates from the script and there are a lot of moving parts.  Expressions often last less than a second.  Shutter lag is a pain!  Weddings are draining to shoot because there are many hours of continuously paying close attention to everything around you.  You try to anticipate and position yourself, then someone jumps in front of you at the critical instant.  It can be hard frustrating work.

    I think wedding photographers and event photographers generally, would all admit to themselves if not to others that opportunities were missed regularly.  Most don’t show sub-standard photos and you can’t show the photo you didn’t take, so others don’t notice the missed shots.  They only see the successful shots and if you have enough of those then everyone is reasonably happy.

    #54294
    picstop
    Participant

    The shots were technically a bit “meh” but at least there is one.  No excuse for the white balance issue though and there really never is in my book.

    In any case, weddings really can be a challenge.  With experience much of the day is routine but boy, all the things that go sideways are loads of fun.  What many people don’t realize is that I (and other wedding photographers) have to do more than just take technically decent shots of the day as it unfolds (expected and unexpected) and what we direct.  Ultimately, the couple must end up with an album that gives the illusion that NOTHING went awry when in truth there is always something that did.   As for the unexpected moments, that’s what second shooters and sixth senses and as much communication and prep you can fit in are for.  It is indeed very draining as you’re always hyper aware of events around you even as you are focusing on something else.  And in the end, when the couple gets that album and say, “I don’t believe you got that, I’m so happy”, you’re supposed to act as if it’s nothing when it was hard work added to experience.

    The only misses I’ve had were generally from people not being where they should have been.  For example, ring bearers rarely bring the rings according to plan and will step behind the minister and so forth.  Enter the second shooter.  Saved my butt a few times I’ll tell you.  Other than that, I hope I don’t jinx myself but the only other thing that comes in the category of near misses is the first kiss.  I’ve had more than a few that would be misses for sure if not for rapid fire shutters.

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