What is a wedding uncle bob?

[CanonG]

Hi Kei,

Appreciate your kind help. As you see, he is still trying to mislead. TS mentioned that last 3 was joking so I didnt post, but first 3 he mentioned is serious and are food for thought for discerning readers.

your words have had an impact on the other members, who thought that CanonG is in the wrong. a lot of people skip the part where you said you were just teasing.

no matter how much pride you have, if you have made someone unhappy, you should apologize. leave your pride behind and be humble.

To JasonB

Please see your statement, you mentioned the last 3 questions was teasing. But you said first 3 questions is serious. Did I said anything like that?

PLease don't be angry. The last three questions of my previous post was teasing you. Though the first three questions of the same post is serious and food for thought for discerning readers.

Hmm, wait a minute. If the pro photog was backing up to get a wider shot, he don't have eyes behind him right?
How on earth would the pro knows your friend is 3-5m behind when he is concentrating on his job?
And why must he, while in the execution of his duty - wedding moments happening right in front of him - turn around to make sure your friend, an extra guy, get a clear shot?
Plus, how do you know its 3-5meters? Your friend told you?
Or are you that 'friend'?
Or maybe you are that guy that bro zeehamzah mentioned in post #16 of this thread?

Despite explaining so many times, you continued to make personal attks on me by misleading the readers, inducing them to respond to me based on misconceptions. Tell me a reason why shouldnt I be pissed.

Just when I told myself dont have to scoop low to internet trolls, I saw your last comment.

You are too sensitive and take the discussion way too personal for the experience of your friend. Please take a break from the thread and return, you might have a different perspective later.

You are still misleading that I am pissed cos of my friend's story and said I should change my misconceptions.. even go further to brand me sensitive for telling you not to mislead (for dunno how many times)

You could have stopped but you continued to mislead. I didnt know what I did to incur your attack except that I have slightly disagreed on your point that not all guys holding a dslr on wedding day is a uncle bob.


I hate to type long kpkb replies here but I feel a need to clarify and defend myself.

A simple apology to me and promise not to mislead again is the only thing needed and I will not pursue anymore.

 

[lobsterkia]

For what I said, I disapprove extreme uncle bob as well..

Yes, my friend was new in photography. i dont get it why on earth cant he shoot if he wasnt affecting the main shooter? Please dont tell me given 3-5m is not enough and pros still feel that this will affect their shots.. I simply dont eat this.

He was using a zoom lens shooting from far, significantly far from the main shooter. The joker in order to prevent my friend shooting purposely, back down to block the shots from behind and screwed his composition.

Did I mention many times he wasnt blocking and affecting the main shooter?

Main point, if you want to shoot, can, you dont disturb main shooter, full stop.

Hi , just my 2 cents worth ... even if your friend (YF) went out of his way not to block the paid photographer (PP) by staying 3-5m away from him.
However , this could still affect how the PP shoot because in the back of his mind he have to make sure he do not bump into YF when he is backing to get a shot, or perhaps he have to try to frame YF out of the picture constantly .

One scenario that could happen often despite the best intention of YF to stay in the background .
During group shots , perhaps YF may try to take candids during group shots during the same time as the PP takes them .
The guest may get confused on seeing 2 cameras at the same and do not know where to look . In fact just need one subject eyes to not look at PP camera......

So despite the best effort of YF , its still uncle Bob behavior ..

 

[kei1309]

One scenario that could happen often despite the best intention of YF to stay in the background .
During group shots , perhaps YF may try to take candids during group shots during the same time as the PP takes them .
The guest may get confused on seeing 2 cameras at the same and do not know where to look . In fact just need one subject eyes to not look at PP camera......

So despite the best effort of YF , its still uncle Bob behavior ..

good explanation.

 

[sjackal]

Hmm...

Reading that first 3 serious questions from JasonB, I am wondering how is it twisting and misleading? It does sounds like fair questions in a debate.

Sorry, I try to understand but I don't get it. Maybe it affected you greatly and made you upset, but as a bystander I see it normal.

And the thread had start to grow boring. A pity.

 

[Ian]

Time for some facts:

True Fact: Uncle Bob's are an acute rectal pain
Nasty Fact: Uncle Bob's multiply like locusts
Really Bad Fact: Uncle Bob's now don't just infest weddings, they are causing mayhem elsewhere as well.
Sad Bad Horrible Fact: Uncle Bob's like GWC's should be strangled at birth.

The Ang Moh from hell hath spoken!

 

[Kongfu]

Hmm...

Reading that first 3 serious questions from JasonB, I am wondering how is it twisting and misleading? It does sounds like fair questions in a debate.

Sorry, I try to understand but I don't get it. Maybe it affected you greatly and made you upset, but as a bystander I see it normal.

And the thread had start to grow boring. A pity.

Yea me too.. I have been going thru the posts but I still don't see how JasonB's post is misleading

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Yea me too.. I have been going thru the posts but I still don't see how JasonB's post is misleading

Ya lor... I really don't see what the big fuss is about. I reckon CanonG should apologise for all the unnecessary name-calling and generally derailing the thread.

 

[kei1309]

Yea me too.. I have been going thru the posts but I still don't see how JasonB's post is misleading

if you read into what JasonB said, he practically took the words of CanonG, and made it sound like something else. afterwards, it sounded like a fair debate, but other posters thought that what JasonB interpreted/insinuated was what CanonG said. which isn't true.

i'm not siding anyone, just pointing out this fact

 

[Kongfu]

if you read into what JasonB said, he practically took the words of CanonG, and made it sound like something else. afterwards, it sounded like a fair debate, but other posters thought that what JasonB interpreted/insinuated was what CanonG said. which isn't true.

i'm not siding anyone, just pointing out this fact

I believe you are quoting post #30?

Yea I agree he took the words of CanonG but i think the trouble here is it is not an experience of Bro CanonG himself. He only heard it from his friends so there could be some assumption here. CanonG is assuming from his fren story that the PP is try to do this do that purposely. I said assuming bços unless CanonG clarifies that he is on the spot to witness the incident himself, otherwise he can only relate whatever his fren says right? If that is the case then what is wrong of Jason to assume that what the PP did might not be intentional? For eg. when CanonG says that his fren is standing far away from the PP, then what is wrong of Jason to think that the PP might just be backing up to take a wider shot? If CanonG's fren is indeed far away from the PP, I believe just a little movement is enough to screw his fren's composition, no?

I'm standing on a neutral side and definitely not siding anybody and this is how I interpret the whole thing. No offence to either party. If you feel offended by what I've said, I'm sorry.

At the end of the day, I believe we are here to learn something from each other. The better ones hopes to get better, the newbie (I am) hopes to learn something from the better ones. But in the process, there're bound to be unhappiness along the way as I believe the most difficult task in this world is the interaction between human beings as we are born different, think different so wouldn't it be better to just cool it off and move on?

I also have to agree with you that it is perfectly alright to apologise to someone if we make them unhappy with our comments no matter we are right or wrong. In this case, I would really have apologise to CanonG if I make him unhappy.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[sjackal]

The told story.

He was using a zoom lens shooting from far, significantly far from the main shooter. The joker in order to prevent my friend shooting purposely, back down to block the shots from behind and screwed his composition.

The famous 3 questions.

Hmm, wait a minute. If the pro photog was backing up to get a wider shot, he don't have eyes behind him right?

How on earth would the pro knows your friend is 3-5m behind when he is concentrating on his job?

And why must he, while in the execution of his duty - wedding moments happening right in front of him - turn around to make sure your friend, an extra guy, get a clear shot?

I think JasonB questioned the possibility of a different interpretation of what happened. It does not sound misleading or twisting. It sounds fair enough to me.

I believe if you are not in the scene, it is unfair for you to judge.

Likewise you were not at the scene either and your interpretation of the moment is based on your friends account. Perhaps he was told off by the photographer so he complained to you in a stage of bruised ego. Thus not fair to judge that photographer.

Nobody is at the scene, nobody should be judging, nobody need to apologise. So all lets move on.

What we all can learn from the squabbles arising from these past few posts is that hobbyist and amateurs really really should not shoot at weddings when the couple had hired a pro. You see, sometimes the slightest words or actions are so volatile that if people can quarrel and fight and demand apology right here on forums, imagine the damage it can do to the mood of the wedding on the day.

The paid photographer is there for one legitimate main purpose: shoot weddings.
The wedding guests is there for one main purpose: witness the wedding, eat, drink, have fun, pay up (angbao).
The wedding brothers and sister are there for one main purpose: help out and make sure the wedding run smoothly, including discouraging the uncle bobs from turning the wedding into a photoshoot.
Lets stick to each own station.

 

[Ferderico]

Uncle Bob with a DSLR is much better than Aunt Betty with her Nokia Camera Phone....

So often I have to ask everyone to slow down what they are doing just for Aunt Betty's 8bit Camera Phone to focus and shoot.
Of course with a smiley face...

 

[NeTHaCk]

Let me share my take.

Being young, close to mid 20s, people sometimes do tend to take me for granted, especially "Uncle Bob"s.

What i can say is , as the photographer, you have every right to tell him nicely, if he is really blocking and in the way. Otherwise, ignore.

As the photographer, if he really is in the way, i believe, the worst case scenario is to talk to the bride and groom in private during breaks and inform them. What i normally tell them is : " Hi XX, YY. I hope you're having a great time. Im sorry if bringing this up is a bit weird but honestly, one of your uncles whose shooting is a bit going out of the way. I can still deliver you the pics but it might restrict some creative shots that can come up at the spur of the moment and he might be in the way of the shot."

Not so hard right? The important point is that the client must realise and know whats happening. Dont after the wedding the client see and not happy and you give the excuse.

ALso, when posing the bride and groom, i make it a habit that im the only one shooting. if someone else wants to shoot i will quickly change their pose ; but sometimes even if they do take, how sure their angle and composition are the same? just my 2 cents.. i dont intend to start a flame war or anything

 

[Shizuma]

A suggestion to the Pros:
Pros to wear a HUGE vest with <insert preferred camera brand> emblazoned on the back or embroidered and make sure it is in the same color as safety vests ie bright dayglow orange, green or yellow. Have a 2nd space on the back set aside for adding velcro sign: "OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER" in case Uncle Bob's don't get it.

Lastly attach blinking bicycle lights (red) on rear. In case uncle Bob's cannot get out of the way in time, they had fair warning!
:bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie: cheer up all photographers! pros: love your work (hate the clients and bobs if you like!) non-pros : love your hobby! good evening!

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

A suggestion to the Pros:
Pros to wear a HUGE vest with <insert preferred camera brand> emblazoned on the back or embroidered and make sure it is in the same color as safety vests ie bright dayglow orange, green or yellow. Have a 2nd space on the back set aside for adding velcro sign: "OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER" in case Uncle Bob's don't get it.

Lastly attach blinking bicycle lights (red) on rear. In case uncle Bob's cannot get out of the way in time, they had fair warning!
:bsmilie: :bsmilie: :bsmilie: cheer up all photographers! pros: love your work (hate the clients and bobs if you like!) non-pros : love your hobby! good evening!

hehehe... Didn't a camera manufacturer have some ad campaign with the slogan "image is everything" ?
A wedding couple pays to hire a professional photographer, not a clown

 

[Shizuma]

I have a feeling that many uncle Bobs want to out pro the professional hired photographer. hence expensive gear, flash etc. but hard to top the outfit I mentioned

 

[vcsh88]

I had an uncle Bob at my wedding. I was very happy with him. What if the main photographer didn't catch some scenes?

 

[kei1309]

I had an uncle Bob at my wedding. I was very happy with him. What if the main photographer didn't catch some scenes?

you mean most likely the ugly ones?

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

I had an uncle Bob at my wedding. I was very happy with him. What if the main photographer didn't catch some scenes?

If the main photographer didn't capture some scenes that a wedding guest did, then most probably the guest was photographing something else (e.g. candid moments amongst the other guests at his own table). This is not a problem. After all, it is a fact that paid photographer cannot be everywhere at once.

The problem is when wedding guest tries to 'compete' with paid photographer for same shot (e.g. posed group shots, significant moments like walking down aisle, etc), that he becomes "Uncle Bob", and this behaviour is to the detriment of the paid photography.

 

[Blur Shadow]

I had an uncle Bob at my wedding. I was very happy with him. What if the main photographer didn't catch some scenes?

If Uncle Bob is truly skilled in photography and knows how to position himself at the right and/or creative angles, then sure.

But all too often, Uncle Bob is unskilled and positioned himself in the worst possible way, not only hindering the photographer, but possibly the wedding itself.

Getting good photographs by pure luck is very rare.

It is more likely that the photographer already has a good understanding of the situation, lighting conditions, his equipment, and deploying them in the best possible way to achieve the photos. If your uncle Bob did that, you should be pleased. Top grade photography that is free of charge too.

 

[Zeisser]

1. [url=http://gallery.clubsnap.com/showphoto.php/photo/192394/title/img-00593/cat/500][/URL]

At my niece recent wedding am I an 'Uncle Bob' ?