Can he do this to me?

[SleepyArcher]

So I went to my daughter's Confirmation Ceromony at the Church and they had hired a photographer to take pictures of the kids. While they go up to the Bishop to get there "anointing" parents go up and take pictures and he tells everyone "no flashes". Now I brought my telephoto lens with my external flash not knowing how far up I could get to take pictures. Needless to say I didn't "great" pictures.
At the end everyone could come up and take pics with the Bishop and we could use flashes at that time but literally has 30 seconds to get a pic in. I think he was very rude. I know he was paid by the church but not everyone wants to PAY for pictures if they have their own camera.
I tried putting myslef in his shoes and I dont think I would have acted that way. They did say we could take our own pictures and if we wanted we could purchase his. So it wasn't like we were forced to buy his. I know he needs to make money.
What would you have done? Would you have used a flash? Taken longer to take pics. I'm not trying to be snobby but I think with me having the same equipment as him why should I pay him to take pictures I am capable of?
steve

[Melkar]

It's not unusual.  Wedding photogs hit this restriction quite often.  And it's not restricted to any religious order/denomination/belief.  It's the presider's decision.  I'm guessing that the church hired the "pro" and he requested ability to use flash and they let him be an exception for the ceremony.

Some presiders are strict NO FLASH PERIOD people, other's are flexible.  What most of them don't want is all the families pop'n flashes like a bunch of paparrazzi and making the ceremony into a disco.   I talked with one of the priests I knew after a baptism where he said, NO FLASH, but pictures OK.  (I wasn't trying to shoot, I was just curious.)  He said (paraphasing) that most of the people don't know what they're doing and you get flashes going off everywhere and it diminishes the solemnity of the ceremony.  I'm not arguing for/against it, that was his take, it's his mass.

I'd go with the flow.  If I don't know the scenario beforehand, I'd bring a flash in case it was OK.  And I'd ask beforehand to ensure it was cool.  But I'd also be ready to shoot no-flash.  I'm used to it (not from church ceremonies, but from belly dance gig's at clubs -- which is almost no-light  ). 

So I shoot ISO 1600, RAW, (M)anual, f/2.8 or faster, take a white balance reference shot, and use fast prime lenses (instead of my slower zooms).   Depending on how big I'm printing the picture I'll do noise-reduction in post with Noise Ninja.    But if it's something for the web, the noise on a Canon 40D @ ISO 1600 will "fall out" and not be noticable when the pic is squished down to 700 pixels on the long side.  Even at 8x10 inch prints noise isn't noticable.  There's some improvement with Noise Ninja, but not a night-n-day difference.  Probably would need NR at 13x19 inches though (I've not tested it that large).

Disclaimer: I'm not a wedding photog. 

[photomike]

Greetings,
                I do shoot weddings & other ceremonies. I have found that no flash during any church ceremony is pretty much standard.  There are exceptions but it is usually up to the person doing the ceremony. The Bishop or other priest is the one that should have given the instructions. Having the photographer do it did make it sound like it was his rules & just to make money.   I understand that it is a busy time but they will usually allow you more time to get your shot after the actual ceremony. That is why most wedding photographers recreate the ceremony after most of the guests leave the church. 
Just my two cents.

[SleepyArcher]

Thanks for the replies.

Just to clarify the Priest told families we could take pictures and DIDNT say anything about no flash use.

It more for this other photographer because they were interfering with his pictures.

[renfairephotog]

Other flashes could throw off his light reading and thus his photos.

[photomike]

Other flashes could throw off his light reading and thus his photos.

Thanks for mentioning that, I was going to say that too but forgot.
I have actually had that problem! 

[SleepyArcher]

Other flashes could throw off his light reading and thus his photos.

Yup totally understand that but...I dont see why he can't take his picture(s) and then family take theirs.

[House]

Coming from someone who has worked in about every form of event production including a lot of stuff at churches the idea of the photographer taking their picture and then the family taking theirs just doesn't work because even though you might be nice enough to follow the rules most people are rude and believe that they are more important than anyone else there.  One of the weddings I worked with a photographer who had a nightmare taking the staged shots after the ceremony because the entire family showed up at the staged shots and would try and shoot at the same time as the photographer even though they were asked not to.

[RenPix]

Their house, their rules. 

[Merlin]

Other flashes could throw off his light reading and thus his photos.

This


At first I thought it was going to be a story about how the flash could damage artifacts or something.
I was taking pictures at St. Patricks cathedral in New York once and when I came upon a certain statue I was told "No pictures" by the security. I turned off my flash and took another picture and he came at me and said "I said NO PICTURES".
This confused me so I asked for clarification ... "You saw me taking pictures all over the church...but no pictures at all right here? In this spot?"
Apparently... they don't want you taking pictures of the Virgin Mary.... not sure why. You can photo EVERYTHING else in the church...just not that statue.