Dear Devlin: I need advice on working with obtrusive videographers.

DEAR DEVLIN…

I need advice on working with obtrusive videographers.

Dear Devlin

I need advice on working with obtrusive videographers. Rocking up to a wedding with videographers who had tripods everywhere. Total overkill on tripods plus cameras in their hands also. Took all and I mean all the main vantage points for the ceremony so I had to stand half way down the aisle and had to try to AI the huge tripod in front of me. Not great. No space for me down at the front as it was a smallish venue and they had camped out in the corners.

Come speeches, same tripods out plus clamped cameras behind the couples head for the view of the guests but my main quirk was they had huge lights beaming onto the couple. Totally threw my exposure and AWB, hot spots all over the place and I couldn’t shoot in my style like I always do. All day I felt inferior like I had to just pick out shoot sports of what was left. No team work or respect. I know they have to get their shots but isn’t 6 cameras a bit much?
The main videographer was always in my shots up close to the couple and in a bright coloured top.

I wanted to love this wedding so much but felt so far removed from it and it broke my heart.

There is only so much AI can do and I’m gutted.

Little Miss Frustrated

“Introduce yourself to the videographers as early as possible on the day of the event. Discuss vantage points and try to agree on positioning that allows both of you to capture your shots without getting in each other’s way. ”

Dear Little Miss Frustrated,

It sounds like you faced a really challenging day, and I’m sorry to hear that these circumstances impacted your ability to capture the wedding as you normally would. Collaborating at weddings where both photographers and videographers are present should ideally involve teamwork and mutual respect, something that seems to have been missing from your recent experience. Here’s how you can approach future events to ensure better collaboration and avoid similar issues:

1. Pre-Event Coordination

Make it a habit to establish communication with the videography team before the wedding day. Reach out once you know who will be working the event and suggest a quick coordination call. This can set expectations early and help both parties understand each other’s needs and working styles.

2. On-Site Communication

Introduce yourself to the videographers as early as possible on the day of the event. Discuss vantage points and try to agree on positioning that allows both of you to capture your shots without getting in each other’s way. If you notice issues like overcrowding of equipment or intrusive lighting, it’s appropriate to suggest adjustments that could benefit both parties.

3. Discuss with the Wedding Planner

If the wedding has a coordinator or planner, keep them informed about any concerns regarding space and interference. They can often help mediate and organise the setup more effectively, ensuring all suppliers have the space they need to work effectively.

4. Post-Event Feedback

After the event, consider sending a polite and professional email to the videography team, expressing your concerns. Frame it as feedback aimed at improving future collaborations rather than as a complaint. It’s possible they were unaware of the extent of the inconvenience caused.

5. Reflect and Learn

Use this experience as a learning opportunity. Consider what could be handled differently in future interactions and perhaps include a clause in your contract about coordinating with other suppliers at the event to ensure a harmonious working environment.

6. Educate Your Clients

Inform future clients about how extensive videography setups can affect photography. This will set expectations and can prompt them to discuss the setup with others on the visual team to ensure a balanced approach.

7. Recommend Trusted Vendors

To pre-empt similar issues in the future, consider recommending other wedding day suppliers with whom you have a good working relationship. Building a network of trusted suppliers not only ensures smoother operations but also enhances the overall quality of the wedding visuals. Maintain a list of preferred videographers who understand the importance of collaborative work. This not only helps in managing your workflow but ensures that the couple receives the best possible visuals from everyone involved.

8. Direct Communication with Clients When Necessary

If you’ve attempted to communicate with the videographers during the event and found them uncooperative, and there’s no planner to mediate, it may be necessary to inform the clients directly about the impact on your work. This isn’t about making complaints, but rather about ensuring the clients are aware that the videography setup is making it difficult for you to meet their expectations for photography. If possible, show them an image from the back of your camera to illustrate the issue.

I would explain that the presence of six cameras and excessive equipment is not just overwhelming, but it’s also encroaching on your ability to capture the event as they might have expected from your portfolio. Additionally, all the extra retouching needed to edit out intrusive tripods and equipment from your photos will be time-consuming and could potentially incur additional costs. If it feels that nobody is considering your perspective and the setup continues to hinder your work, it’s reasonable to mention to the clients that there may be extra charges for extensive post-production work required to remove these visual obstructions. This step should be approached delicately, ensuring the clients understand that your primary concern is delivering the high-quality images they expect and deserve.

Navigating these challenges is part of working in a dynamic, event-based environment, but with the right strategies and communications, you can significantly improve your working conditions and the quality of your final images. Keep your chin up – you have the skills and the right to ensure your professional needs are met just as much as any other supplier even if they outnumber you. I wouldn’t be surprised if this company is perfectly aware that they have an intrusive approach as I’m sure you are far from the first photographer that they have caused an issue for.

A final word of advice on how to prevent working with them again is to ask at the time of booking if someone has a videographer. If they don’t then consider informing them that there is a highly obtrusive team that you would prefer not to work with again.

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