Olympus E-P3 vs E-P5

Alex Ethridge wrote:

It's not bunk. It is common in contracts. In the days of film, I included such a clause in my contracts. There were no cell phone cameras then so preventing people shooting setup shots over my shoulder was much easier. Besides, I shot medium format (6 x 7). 35mm and smaller could not compete anyway.

Of course it's up to whatever is agreed upon between you and your client, but I still feel it it is a little over the top to ask people, or require people to leave their upscale, so to speak, cameras at home. I good photographer who's worth his skills shouldn't feel threatened in anyway by others who have decent cameras.

My contracts also put the onus on the bride or her designee to keep everyone on hand for group pictures. I had seen too many situations where brides were upset because "Aunt Minnie" or "Grandpa Jones" was not in the pictures and died soon after. They always blamed the photographer. Keeping everyone together for those shots sometimes was like herding cats. I did have to remind a few brides of that term.

Of course, someone, and who better than the bride or groom to make sure nobody is missing. How can the photographer possibly know all that should be or not be included in the photographs.

I had an assistant also who faced the crowd to guard against such as I faced the subjects for the set up shots. My assistant was fabulous at setting it up then posting herself as "guard".

You were fortunate to be able to have/afford an assistant. I was only small potatoes compared to you, and only took a few weddings anyway.

I didn't tell people what they could bring; but, I did tell them to not raise their cameras.

Yes, I agree with that one. When your ready to shoot, it's only fair to ask others to hold off.

Point being this: The photographer can put in anything s/he likes and if the bride signs it, it becomes "law" for the duration of that wedding and reception.

Yes, like I mentioned, you can make any stipulation you want between yourself and the bride and groom, but, I honestly feel that asking people to leave their nice cameras at home is a bit much.

Wayne