A Million Flashes

 
We see it every week-------------- and in churches and at events across the country it is usually the same. The flash from a million cameras, camera phones and the like all zeroing in on the subject at hand, wanting to take their own photo. It can be a small annoyance or an enormous problem. The subject of the photo, often a bride and groom has paid a professional photographer a good sum to capture their wedding for generations to come. To artfully and to the best of their experience create a photograph that will be pleasing, memorable and tell the story of the event itself.

What the armchair non-professional photographers do not consider is that they often interfere in the professional photographers duties. They get in the way. They slow down the paid professional and they often irritate or confuse the subject of the photograph. Flashes and flashes go off and what happens? It interferes with the photo that is the record of the day, the keepsake of the event, the legacy to the story. The resulting photograph might not come out as intended because a flash popped at a "bad" time, and a photo was not its optimal.

Professional photographers understand that people love to take photos! It is fun to have a quick snapshot on a cellphone, or a picture to send to missing family members or friends. Hopefully, those non-professionals will remember that they are not the primary or professional photographer and that their photographs come second to those that have been paid for. Be aware, ask permission, show kindness and concern for the people who have invited you to their event. Simple respect goes a long way in making sure that things happen as they are intended, and that nothing is really messed up. THINK before you take that photo.