One of five brides and some flower girl mischief spotted in Sydney on 1 September 2004, traditionally the first day of spring in Australia.
My bridespotting game has three "rules":
- Add, not subtract, to the party atmosphere
I figure if you have planned a wedding in a public park or on the lawn of a resort, you have allowed for the fact that non-invitees will see the festivities. The welcome factor for a complete stranger into the mix varies, and it's pretty easy to read the group to see how closely to approach. Sometimes I grab a quick shot; other times I could wangle an invitation to the reception. Most brides are thrilled with a little extra attention. - Don't interfere with the hired gun
The family may welcome me like the prodigal daughter, but I always respect the working conditions of the hired photographer. He or she has to deliver the goods, and doesn't need my flash messing up the lighting pattern, triggering the remotes, etc. Distracting away from the pro the focus of family in line-up shots is poor bridespotting form too. I wait for the in-between moments, when the family is making the cell phone camera pictures, or the candid moments when no one's paying attention to me, to get my shots. - Give it away
The bride hired a photographer and it wasn't me. It would be contrary to the spirit of the bridespotting sport to try to profit from the occasion.
Am I the only one who plays this game? What's your record number of brides in a day?
