When John and I went to Ireland earlier this year, I looked over at him at one point (okay, lots of points) and saw this for the umteenth-billionth time.
and this....
It happened over and over and over and over and over again.... it got me thinking.
Is he enjoying our vacation, is he taking all of this amazingly beautiful scenery in, is he really seeing this 15th century ruin that "who knows" walked on this same stone, touched this place, prayed in this place? Or is his face stuck behind that big black box?
{at this point you are probably asking yourself... is she ever going to get back to weddings.... yes, hold on...}
So, I asked him to take a step back with me, sit his butt down and look, look at this 15th Century Castle Ruin with me, and think about the history. And how blessed we are to be standing here.
{afterwards he thanked me...later}
This happens at weddings all of the time! Guests are so excited to be there, and there are so many pictures that I see, where there are lots of guests have their faces behind a camera, and it makes me sad. I know everyone carries a camera now-a-days, and of course everyone wants to have a wonderful photo to remember the day.... but like a Photographer Friend of mine said once, during the best moments of the day, all they see are a sea of camera's in a crowd and no ones face.
And I can't help but feel a little bad for the couple because you can't actually see your guests and their emotions and people aren't actually participating they are too busy documenting. I really wish folks would put them down for most of the day and really spend their time with their friends, family and the couple.
They have already paid a very expensive photography really good money to run around, take photos and do the "heavy lifting", and most of the time they'll even be happy to take photos for the guests if they want special groupings or portraits.
Just a thought.
{Last 2 images by: Scott Chester}
Here, Here! Can I second that motion?
ReplyDeletePeople are often surprised when I show up at events (personal ones) without a camera. I'd rather enjoy the event and experience it sometimes than spend all my time documenting it.
I tell all my couples, you should never spend more time documenting your day than you do experiencing it.
I'm so tickled that you mentioned this Melissa!!
ReplyDeleteIt really is true, I have some photos that you just wouldn't believe. Instead of a sea of sweet faces all I have a photo of for the bride and groom are obscured faces and hands holding mini-cams and camera phones- ick.
Our job as professionals is to work our tales off to capture your friends and loved ones participating in your day, don't let the couple's hard-earned money go to waste by covering up those faces. :-)
What surprises our friends, is that when we go to weddings we very rarely get the camera out of my purse... after all that time behind the lens we want to experience things. Yeah, we were those two fools you saw on the dance floor!