Something happened at two recent weddings that upset me greatly. Both involved videographers, which I’ll deal with in part 3 of this series of posts. For the time being, it’s the individual instances that concern me here, as they are indicative of a rot that is setting in among videographers and wedding photographers alike.

Instance 1:

Imagine this: you are the father of the bride. You will only get one opportunity to see your daughter in her wedding dress for the first time – that moment on her wedding day that she appears in front of you, utterly magnificent, before you set off for the ceremony.

Imagine what must go through your head. Your little girl, whom you most likely cradled in your arms straight after she entered the world. You have seen her grow and flourish. Now, you are on the cusp of giving her away. Here she is, an adult and more beautiful and confident and vulnerable and amazing than ever. This is what she will look like as you walk her up the aisle. And you are seeing it for the first time.

This is a very special moment.

Recently, I saw that moment ruined before it had even happened. The father was waiting at the bottom of the stairs and the videographer jumped in the instant the bride’s foot appeared at the top. I can still hear his voice: “Come down to him now. Step towards your daughter. Give her a kiss. Tell her she looks beautiful. Look at the camera.”

I think that is very disturbing.

A moment of that significance obliterated so that he could record a fake, staged, utterly meaningless version. Worse still, he deprived the father and his daughter of the genuine experience of the moment.

Instance 2:

The most important part of a wedding day is the marriage rite. It is the fulcrum of the entire occasion. It is the couple’s single most significant act.

It deserves the utmost respect.

I don’t think that recording the rite a foot away from the bride and groom is respectful:

The wedding videographer. (c) Roger Overall 2010

I’d like to be blunt and tell you what I think about the particular videographer in the photo above, but upon reading what I’d written, my legal department (ie. my wife) informed me that I should delete the text and burn the computer the words were written on.

Instead, I’ll merely say I think it is disappointing that the videographer decided to film the marriage rite from the viewpoint he did. By doing so, he encroached upon the congregation’s view of ceremony, hiding it from many of them. Certainly, the groom’s parents’ view was blocked – their memory of the instant of their son and daughter-in-law’s marriage is the videographer’s rear end. Some of the guests will have traveled great distances to see his behind.

Sadly, both of these instances are also indicative of how some wedding photographers approach their task. You can see it in the photographs they take.

They too choose to be right up with the couple on the altar, climbing all over the scene like an altar monkey, either blocking (part of) the congregation’s view or forming a considerable distraction.

Or they’re producing photographs of meaningless moments that they stage-manage to the detriment of real moments: the groomsmen dragging the groom into the church, the lads all looking at their watches as if the bride is late, the Reservoir Dogs walk up to the church (sunglasses and all), the list is endless.

I think these photographers have lost the run of themselves. I think too many wedding photographers place their photography above the occasion and the genuine memories.

My own opinion is that this is awful and that the altar monkeys should all [REMOVED AT THE BEHEST OF OUR LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE]. We hear a lot about how the business of wedding photography is in crisis and I think a lot of it is due to the behaviour of wedding photographers themselves.

I’ll explain why in part 2 of this series of posts.

***NOTE*** So, why didn’t I move from my position at the back of the church (my favoured spot for the marriage rite)? Firstly, I initially thought the videographer was just going to pop in for a quick shot and then back off again. By the time I realized he intended to stay put, I didn’t have time to go round the side and up to the front to join the pack on the altar. Even if I had, I would have been a major distraction. Lastly, while I would have had a better view of the rite, I would also have been on top of the couple.