Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Anything you can do, I can do better!

First off, let me start by saying congratulations to my fraternity brother, Austin as he starts his new life with his new wife Anna. We had a great time at their wedding in the Dominican Republic. It was a great being around my chapter brothers and their spouses/girlfriends and it was exactly the reinvigorator that my wife and I needed. We were able to leave the little one home for 5 days and have some adult fun (you know I'm a big proponent of 'adult fun').

This is the second wedding that I have been invited to that I was not the photographer. I have already come to terms with the decision as to whether to bring my equipment to a wedding that I'm not working. This weekend I found myself wrestling with another conundrum though.

Photographers see the world in a different light that most people. We see the world in frames and pictures and what may seem to be boring tends to yield interesting pictures in the eyes of a photographer. That's even more true when the environment is beautiful and the layman can see how they can create a great picture. In those situations, a good photographer can create a phenomenal, one of a kind image. So here I was, at a wedding, with a gorgeous background, and with all the necessary equipment to create an iconic photograph. But that wasn't my job at the time! My job was to be a guest! So there I sat twitching, wanting to get in and pose the couple the way that I thought would result in the best shot. I just KNEW that I could take a better picture than the guy that was assigned to work that day. I bit my tongue and let the guy work because that the respect that I would like when I'M working but it was torture!

The next day, we were able to see the pictures, edited and stylized (I WISH that I could have that fast of a turnaround time!!) and they were gorgeous!! The photographer did a great job and I felt stupid for doubting his ability. After all, he works for the resort and this is what he does every day! Oh course, he know the right angles and what composition to use for that scene. That's HIS gig!

I made me wonder if other artists had the same issue. Did musicians go to concerts and feel like the band would suck after hearing their warm up session or their sound check? Do chefs go to other people's restaurants and criticize the potential of the meal from just the list of ingredients? Are directors hypercritical of other directors when they learn of the cast of characters and feel like they could do it better than they could before open night? I don't know the answer but I DO believe that photogs struggle with this all the time. The funny thing is that I don't feel that way when I'm shooting an event with dozens of photogs around taking the same shot. Maybe weddings just make EVERYONE crazy!

Just another thing to keep in focus...see you in the next frame.

7 comments:

LeonX said...

Artists are always sensitive about their sh*t. © Erykah Badu. I have sat in the audience of many shows and wonder why the actor made a choice to do so and so or why did they play that music at that moment. It's a difficult task to sometimes just enjoy the moment as opposed to analyzing it.

Anonymous said...

Hayden maybe you were not needed for the wedding pics, but WE all needed you and I will be looking for my pics homie.

Thanks for bringing the BIG camera and being our personal photographer for the week. The models appreciated it!!! Koren

Larnel | Soul06 said...

I know exactly how you feel. I VERY often feel that way. I majored in Art with a Concentration in Graphic Design. While pursuing that degree I had to study everything. Many times I've seen a two-bit photographer and thought to myself, "that's the angle your taking???" Or I will see some magazine ad and think, "Are you kidding me???"

Hayden said...

Pictures are coming Koren. There's a huge work pile up ahead of it though but I will get to them.

Larnel and Leon, I always feel like a jerk though and I wonder if people are saying that about me! Turnabout is pair play, ya know!

Aisha G of HartlynKids said...

Really great blog. Appreciate the humility. NOW HURRY UP WITH THOSE PICS... LOL.

Hayden said...

and now there are pictures!!

THE NEW MRS WILLIAMS said...

WHAT??? ONLY 6 PICS....THIS IS WHY I HAD TO GO HIRE THE MAN AT THE RESORT....LMAO

HAYDEN I AM SOO GLAD & TRULY HONORED THAT YOU HAD THE OPTION AT OUR WEDDING AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO TAKE PICS. YOU WORK EXTRA HARD ALL YEAR LONG I WAS GLAD YOU HAD SOME DOWNTIME & TIME TO ENJOY YOURSELF. YOU TOOK PICS CUZ YOU WANTED TO. BESIDES YOU WERE TOO BUSY BECOMING MY OTHER HUSBAND! :) YOUR PICS ARE AWESOME BY THE WAY & SOMEONE CAME TO THE HOUSE YESTERDAY & COMPLIMENTED THE PIC YOU TOOK OF ME & SOSO.