I saw this video on CNN today – and thought that it was very funny, but also a bit scary: A wedding is a constantly moving event. There are so many things that you just can’t control, and even the best photographer is going to miss something, every once in a while. Now, hopefully, a good photographer will know that they have missed something, and if I ever do, for whatever reason, I always try and re-create the moment that same night.
For instance, at a recent wedding I photographed, I could not get a good shot of the kiss or the exchanging of the rings. This was because there were two pastors at the event, and both of them were standing right in front of everything! And yet, I had also been asked not to go behind the bride and groom so that I wouldn’t be distracting. I had a choice to make: I could ignore my instructions and walk behind everyone and just shoot away, being rather distracting, or I could, in good faith, shoot within the constraints I had been given, and then figure things out later. So I shot what I could, and then made sure I grabbed the bride and groom a little bit later, explained the issue to them, and we took 5 minutes and re-created several important shots that I missed. They understood completely, and there was no issue at all later on, and I think that they were very happy with the photographs.
However, I consider myself very blessed, because I have never had an issue with a couple like this, or had anyone come back to me with unreasonable requests. Especially years later, as in this case. Frankly, this guy’s actions are very suspect, and I hope that he doesn’t win his lawsuit of a breach of contract. But if his photographer really did miss some important shots, then maybe he is entitled to something, but with all of his other requests, and the timing of his requests, I think that this lawsuit is, like Anderson Cooper states in the video, rather ridiculous. And more than anything else, I feel for the photographer in this case, too. I just hope he can laugh at this like we are, and I hope he doesn’t lose too much sleep over it all.
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