Do You Shoot It Or Not?

When is it appropriate to photograph something and when is it not?

At weddings, I encounter many strange things... people fainting, falling on the dance floor, potential fights breaking out, you name it.

Is it appropriate to photograph these events?

As a photojournalist, everything gets photographed. It doesn't matter if it's frowned upon or not. But do you want that at your wedding?

My training in documentary photography has taught me to shoot first and ask questions later. Often you only have one chance to photograph something and if you don't do it, it's no longer available to be done. That's great for crime scenes. But what about weddings? There are times when it may not be appropriate.

For instance, I was at a wedding where the father of the bride had a little too much to drink and he took a nasty spill on the dance floor and hit his head on the floor. The impact was so loud that even with the DJ's music blaring and with my earplugs in place, I could hear his head "pop" as it hit the floor. Everyone rushed to his aid and he was in MAJOR pain. I opted not to photograph the fall. Why? I had a flash on my camera and I thought that flashing away while he was in pain was not appropriate. It was a judgement call.

At another wedding, I photographed a bridesmaid fainting during the ceremony. As this was an outside wedding, I did not use a flash and felt that my continued coverage did not detract from the event as it was unfolding. I still got a few concerned looks from the guests though. Later, the bride and groom told me that they were hoping I had captured that in photographs as it was part of the day. Again, a judgement call.

During one wedding reception, while getting ready to take off the garter on the bride, a chair was brought out for the bride to sit on while the groom took off the garter from her leg. After it was done, the bride got up and the DJ moved the chair. Well, the bride didn't know that and proceeded to sit down again. Well, down she went. I caught it all with my camera. Everyone had a good laugh about it and again, it was appropriate to photograph it.

The decision as to when to shoot or not to shoot is an individual one. I will shoot unless inappropriate. But you can let me know if you want everything shot whether inappropriate or not. It's your decision. Many of my clients know my background in forensic photography and tell me to shoot away. Some others tell me to make my own decision on what to shoot and what not to shoot.

Some people think wedding photography should only show the joy of the event. Others think it should show the event as it is... even if some events spoil the joy. What do you think is right? Be sure to let me know your choice before your wedding day!