Livingface Blog

Advice for Fellow Photographers

28 March 2009 | Wedding Photography Toronto | Tags: camera bag, camera gear, church, Wedding Day Advice

I photographed a wedding this past Saturday, March 21. The day was proceeding well. The Bride and Groom were lovely. We actually had too much time before the ceremony. So, we arrive at the church. I introduce myself to the only church official there at the time, a very friendly twenty-ish lad. Immediately upon identifying myself he spots an attractive guest in the church and asks, with great excitement, “who’s the hot blonde?” I didn’t know who she was, but I should have realized at that point he was easily distracted, especially for someone whose title was ‘the master’ – the Priest’s right hand man. Not sure if he realized he was in a Catholic Church and that if he was on the path to becoming a Priest, he had better get a handle on his horniness.

Meanwhile, I couldn’t find a plug to charge a battery – until I found a plug in the office at the back. With about 10 minutes to go before the ceremony I became concerned that I may forget the battery in the room – in the post-ceremony hubbub. Here came my fateful decision to put my camera bag with all my gear in the room, but only after asking ‘the master’ if that door is ever locked. He said no and again mentioned the hot blonde and how he thought he might be able to take her boyfriend, the largest of the groomsmen. Alas, I believed him – you know what’s coming. At the end of the ceremony we did family pictures on the altar – which took too long. Our original timing for the park pix was a little tight, now we were in a big rush. So, I run back to the room to get my gear. Not only is the door locked but there is not one single church official around. They have all disappeared. Additionally, and perfectly, my car keys are with my camera bag (I keep my keys in my bag so if I suddenly have to leave the church I don’t leave my bag, which might be easy to do when I have my camera in my hand). Funny, all the things I’ve always done to not get caught out – things that have worked for 8 years. Until Saturday.

So, I’m at the church in Pickering. Couple and Wedding Party Pictures are happening dowtown at Allan Gardens and the reception is in Woodbridge. I had no choice, so I rolled with it. I left my gear and my car at the church and hitched a ride. Mercifully, I estimated I had enough space on my memory card (thank god for my 8GB card, which I wouldn’t have had 2 years ago), and I had put fresh camera and flash batteries just before the ceremony – I shudder to think what I would have done otherwise.

Retrieving my car and gear was also quite the hassle. I had to make my own way home from the Reception and then I had to get a ride to the church the next morning.

The moral of the story – which I thought I already knew: Keep you gear close-by at all times – and don’t trust anyone anywhere if it involves putting your gear in a room that can be locked. Fortunately, in this case, despite the irritation and stress, the gods were with me and the final product was not affected.

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