So I was shooting a wedding Saturday and all day the videographer was running around behind me with a little point and shoot camera taking pictures of everything - the ceremony, the formals, you name it....he was there with his big video camera and his point and shoot digital camera.

Fast forward to the reception HE PUTS UP A SLIDESHOW of his horrible point and shoot images, when I say horrible....I mean every photo was total red eye, off center, they looked TERRIBLE, they were straight out of his camera, he didn't even take the time to delete the blurry ones.

He put HIS business cards on them but of course most of the people didn't look at that, they just thought "Oh look the photographer put up a slideshow" - I wanted to crawl under a table and die.

He was a really nice guy and I don't think he had a clue that this was a no-no, should I send him an e-mail and explain? How should I word it?

you dont wnat to know how i would word it.....


that is completely rude of him - why would a videographer be taking pics all day and then set up a slideshow? that is bizarro and really out of his league - i would call him, not email him. seriously and i would ask him waht his motives were in doing this.

find his website and see if he has a lot of testimonials - it could be that he is just starting out and just doesnt know better.

He needs to know what his job is, and isn't. Politely tell him about photographers, and how they make a living. also, if you don't have it, include an exclusivity clause in your contract that says you are the only pro there to make photographs. I don't care if all he had was a P&S, he's doing it for money, there fore is a pro, and is cutting into your business.

Tell him you had 3 remote video cameras at the event and you'll be selling DVD's. Watch his expression, and then tell him you're only kidding. He'll get it then.

OH -- you so have to e-mail me his name. I'm gonna see if he's working a wedding with me and I'm gonna walk around with a video camera while he's doing that.

Kelly -- you should also be doing slideshows. How do you think you would have trumped his (stuff) if you had a slideshow set up as well?

If you do e-mail him...you might mention something about a scenario where say the DJ or florist was walking around shooting video over his shoulder. Maybe that will help him see the BIG ASS BRIGHT FREAKIN' LIGHT!!!! (sorry...just a little photographer - videographer humor...)

For me, it was the DJ!! He had a pretty nice camera, nikon something 'er other. I saw him at the rear of the ceremony (outdoor on location), and then taking some inside the reception hall. Luckily he did not follow me around for the formals (it's stated in my contract that no one is allowed).

So anywho... I set up my slideshow for the couple, by the guest book, and when I go over to the groom, I see a PILE of 4x6's printed on a mini-printer of the ceremony. They weren't even the best of the best. It was just every photo that had been taken. Even the groom said to me that those photos were not good, in comparison to the slideshow I'd set up.

I went near the dj booth, since we'd earlier chatted about cameras, and there was his little printer, and the photos were just pouring out of it! WHY???

So I felt kinda crappy that this guy would overstep in this way. He's the DJ, I'm the photographer. Why show me up by printing out photos on the spot. Would it make my client question why I don't also offer this?

And they wonder why they don't get our referrals! lol

I would have told him at the wedding he can't do it and why. So yes, you NEED to email him. I wouldn't have allowed it to happen at all.

You're right I should have confronted him, but I was soooo busy....that reception was just "go, go go" -

He put his laptop on the gift table, when he walked away I pushed it to the back of the table and piled HUGE gifts in front of it, he never noticed and it stayed like that all night

I will e-mail him today!

ummmmm nooooo I would have stopped him from shooting as soon as he started following me around. That is Very Very unprofessional. Do you have anything in your contract that tells them no other photographers are allowed? If not, then you should.

hah. this same thing happened to me with the DJ. A HUGE slideshow at the reception, only this DJ actually went to the ceremony at the church and took pictures there, and posted them up at the reception. What was he even doing there?

Taking pictures for the slideshow, it seems.

I had this happen to me.....the guy was the DJ, videographer and he even offers photography! He was annoying from the beginning...emailing me these long emails as to why he needed to shoot during the wedding and how he would give me the images, etc, etc. I finally gave in and just let him shoot and show the stupid slideshow...all to make the bride happy. He had THREE photographers there shooting and it was really out of hand! And he would put the pictures up and show them off and people thought they were mine! I really hated the whole situation.

I will NEVER work with him again. (knowingly) He even emailed me afterwards and asked for me to critique his work! I never emailed him back.

When you e-mail him...you should also specifically state that his still image slideshow "creates confusion" among the guests (i.e. they don't know that the videographer did the slideshow instead of the photographer)...and also puts the bride and groom in a contract violation with you.

Okay, that's beyond lame the videographer imposed in such a way, he would surely hear from me. Same for all these "Dj PhotoMan" horror stories above; very lame. My last fellow-vendor-drama, if you even want to call it that, was when the videographer expected some of my photos for free to put into his video. Pffft. Okay.. narf narf. -.-

Anyway. While I do include an "Exclusive Photographer" section in my contract, I've never actually had to refer to it during a wedding (yet). My question to those that have dealt with this situation, how did you confront and explain your conditions, face-to-face, to the person taking the pictures?

I'd imagine this kind of confrontation could easily become awkward/ugly if handled the wrong way. Not to say that such a level of unprofessionalism from a fellow vendor isn't awkward/ugly to begin with though!

Geeze, are people so lacking in common sense these days? I'm all for giving people the benefit of the doubt but this is just plain ridiculous. I've never heard such a thing and I'm glad I have now so that I know how to handle this kind of thing if it happens to me.

I have in my contract that I'm to be the only sole professional photographer on hand, if another vendor puts up a slideshow w/ pictures and puts their cards out then that to me is another pro photographer which would be a breach of contract... may have to add this to the contract sheesh.

Anyone have an "Exclusivity" clause they would like to share?

Here is mine:

______________________Photography will be the sole professional photographer at the event. No outside cameras, those of other vendors or family members, will be allowed during the formal portrait sessions. Vendor images will be made available by request of the vendor.


simple and easy--I have asked people to stop shooting before, but I am pretty nice about letting aunts and uncles get a few shots in. I don't mind. Sometimes i will even say "if you would like tot shoot pictures you may shoot from the side"

Yeah, that's what I was thinking -- because I don't care if Uncle Bob takes pictures, but other vendors? No.

And I wouldn't want anybody putting up a slide show. No way. I have turned down several gigs in town because of a particular videographer who does this very same thing. Whenever I know he's going to be at an event where I would be, I don't take the job. People have no clue whose pictures are whose, but they assume they're the photographer's every time.

I've had to say something a few times! Arg.

Usually I explain to the couple that they must deligate someone to A. gather people for group photos and B. Prevent other photo-takers from intruding.

At times, I have had to take the person aside and mention that it is very distracting and this time is for the three of us, alone. Other times, during the family formals, I will yell out loudly that everyone in the photo must look at me, and I put one hand in the air, I take my shot, then I put my camera down and step away and say, ok, now everyone else have your turn. After that shot I take the best man, or the groom to the side and mention that we will not be able to get through all the photos if everyone continues this way. Knowing that I had mentioned this problem at the initial meeting, in the contract, at the engagement shoot and in the final review email, he knows exactly what I am saying... and quickly gets everyone to stop. Usually I hear someone say, "let the photographer take the photo, you can get a copy later" or "we're running out of time, everyone please let her do her job"

Other times, I have my assistant approach the "follower" and mention to him (or her, but usually him) that he cannot go along for those private portraits.

With all this said, I guess I should also email the DJ that I had to deal with and let him know how undermining it was for him to print out photos at the reception.

Check out the Photographer's Tool Kit. Highly recommend it.

A similar thing happened to me... I'm surprised that it's happened to so many others.

the videographer had a point and shoot camera with her and took snaps throughout the day. At the end of the reception she put cards on every table labeled "photographer".

I was mortified.

I e-mailed her quite a nasty e-mail and we fought for a bit. Then I met her at another event and she explained that they were very new to videography at the time. I said sorry, she said sorry- she's changed her business card too. She turned out to be a great person- she just didn't know.

Yeah, your Dj PhotoMan story from earlier is too much. I'm surprised he didn't go ahead and bring free meals and floral decorations to the wedding as well. He takes "owning the crowd" to a whole new level.

I'll be trying your remedial approach next time I find myself amidst the family formals chaos, thank you for that. My main concern are the "followers", like the Dj you mentioned and the videographer the OP had to deal with. I like the idea of delegating a (reliable) person to handle intruding "photographers", it would be one less distraction.

Had the same DJ issue at a recent wedding. First time ever actually that I've had a DJ do the couple's slideshow of their photos from being little all the way up to their wedding day. Best man came up to me right afterwards and told me what a kickass ring shot that was in the slideshow. I smiled and told him that wasn't my photo, that it was the DJ's photos at the very end. Mine ended at the e-session photos that were just before the wedding day ones. "oh! Ummmm sorry man" was his response/reaction.

I now have a clause about it in my new contract.

We just spent an hour discussing this at the NYC Pug and here's what we came up with in a nutshell:

1. TALK ABOUT THIS WITH YOUR CLIENTS well before the wedding. Make sure to mention how DJ's and others have been known to do slideshows in the past and the photography looks awful and reflects very poorly on your work s a photographer. Let them know that DJs sometimes just bring that sort of thing to make extra money at the wedding and they should be careful to make sure their DJs don't do that...plus it looks TACKY! (No one wants a tacky wedding)

2. If someone does start selling photos or putting up slideshows at the wedding, it is well within your right to discretely walk up to them and mention you have a contractual agreement with the bride and groom prohibiting other vendors from shooting and/or showing photographic work. Be humble and lowkey. No need to get into a scuffle. If this doesn't solve it...

3. Go to the most powerful member of the family who is running the day. It may be the M.O.H., Dads, M.O.B. or (if absolutely necessary) the B&G. Let them handle it. If they are loving it or whatever, just let it go. It's not worth getting into a fight with your B&G about.

I've seen two weddings now where the DJ's set up 2 40" monitors and were projecting photos the whole time. Not my weddings or I would have accidentally knocked over both of the stands, but wow. Ick.

DEFFINATLY talk about this with your clients. We do with every client at the final details meeting prior to the wedding.

We had a VENUE bring in their hired photographer to photograph the event. He INSISTED on meeting with us prior to the wedding to show us where we should shoot, angles etc (because he's a photographer, dj, caterer too you know, and CONTINUED to try and the bride and groom to cancel their contract with us so he could shoot the wedding as well as everything else) He mentioned at that meeting that he's like to take some photos for his books, we told him then about our exclusivity clause, but that we'd be more than happy to share any photos with him for his book.

Fast forward to the wedding day, the bride's sister went up to him as soon as she saw the other photographer and told him (the venue owner) that the photographer needed to quit as it put the bride and groom in breach of contract. He told her if we had a problem with it, we'd need to come find him. When I said something to him, he fought it, there was some miss communication between Chris and I so we let it slide. However when the brides family found out (mom & dad) they were FURIOUS! They called him and told him how inappropriate it was, and what a bad situation he put the bride in groom in. The mom even went so far as to tell him, that because of his actions, he could have caused us to leave the wedding or fine them for the breach. That thankfully we didn't, however, his breaking the contract knowingly was unacceptable and unprofessional. He didn't get it, and refused to listen. He went on to whine about only wanting photos for his book, which she reminded him we had told him we would share. But he complained that photographers only take photos of what they want during the wedding day, and that's not good enough for him.......................

It's too bad, because the venue is really a beautiful location, but because of his behavior (not to mention the unprofessional way he handled the rest of the day) we will not refer brides to his location, and really hope we don't have to work there again. Some people................

Someone posted their contract clause for formals, but I have one that covers the whole wedding:


"Similar images from the same wedding on two professionals’ websites may cause confusion among potential clients concerned with authenticity. It is therefore understood and agreed that no other professional photographers will be allowed to take pictures at the wedding while the Studio is working. A fine of $500 will be incurred and no products will be released until the balance is paid in full should another studio cover the event."

Put that in your contract and you probably won't even have to *talk* to the person in question if this happens again...chances are the bride or groom will see what's happening, jump out of their chairs and tell the person to GTFO. If they don't notice or don't remember that clause, you just have to politely remind the couple that you're the exclusive photographer. Usually people do this (vendors or cousins or uninvited guests) without the b&g's permission, so it's an easy choice for them to make when it comes down to them giving the person a reason to stop vs. the b&g paying their pro photographer $500.

The inherent problem with these clauses is that of enforcing them. The client is party to the contract not the DJ or Videographer.

I don't how far you'd get with the $500 fine but how many people are really going to 1) use it and 2) enforce it if it came up?

Can you imagine doing this during the actual wedding day? The kind of impression it would leave?

Just FFT