Monday, January 28, 2013

Put Down the Camera

I'm trying to get a good look what the chassan looks like by the badeken, but I am being nudged out of the way by quite a few hands attached to cameras. I don't mean the hired photographers;  I mean the friends or family members who decide the dinky quality of their $90 camera is going to upstage professional photos. 

The brother of the chassan doesn't seem to be aware that he is blocking not only the view of the chuppah to the rest of the room, but the people paid to snap pictures.

If one were to would flip through those "very necessary" takes, one would be greeted by mostly blurry white tulle and red eye. 

A PowerShot should only be allowed in a wedding if they will not be used, at all, on the newlyweds. They've got great shots taken by guys who charge a pretty penny per hour.  
http://callawaygable.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/new-york-orthodox-jewish-wedding-102.jpg
There's a reason why it is left to the professionals
So I entreat you: leave your camera at home. Put down the smartphone; your sub-par photos are not needed. So can you step aside, please, and let me see the badeken? Thank you.

4 comments:

Maya Resnikoff said...

Perhaps at packed moments like the bedeken, I can agree with you. But some of the most touching photographs from our wedding were taken by friends and family members. We had a wonderful photographer, who we really adored, and who did great work- but one man can't take every possible picture that there is to take in a wedding. So I'd say, please, be judicious in taking photos, but don't leave the camera at home unless you want to.

Princess Lea said...

I just find it that when people focus more on taking photos than being in the actual moment, something is lost. There was actually an episode of "Up All Night" about that.

By the dancing, for instance, go to town. But to block off the view to the whole room or wave a camera in my face when I am trying to get all spiritual and whatnot?

Anonymous said...

For chuppah, yes please keep the cameras away. Otherwise though, i agree with Maya. Some of the best pictures the photographers miss. We have a family friend couple who come with their cameras, take a buncha pics and drop off a small album the next day for the newlyweds to have until the professional pictures show up. One of my sister's photographer had technical difficulties so her albums didnt come until after her first anniversary. Until then, I put together an album with the photos i had snapped, which at the wedding she criticized, but was grateful afterwards for.

Princess Lea said...

Like I said, go to town when the revelries kick in.