Caribbean Videographer Nightmare

[JoePhoto]

I posted about this on the DWF to get some advise from those with experience in dealing with this sort of thing. Turns out there is not much I can do that would be worth the effort. But I thought I would share my troubles here to help.

The bride has been notorious for her poor planning and communication since I started dealing with her to the point where I really only wanted to deal with the groom when making any arrangements. At the last minute she talked her then fiance into hiring a local island videographer and neglected to tell me. Not a big deal.

I have worked with many videographers and the mutual respect thing works 90% of the time. This was my 5th destination wedding in as many months and I have delt with other local island photographers and videographers to know that it is a second job for many of them. All thus far have been very respectful.

Well, to make a long story short, every nightmare I have read about came true in one form or another at this wedding with him. From being completely disruptive in key moments of the ceremony to blatantly stealing my work. Let me explain. I first noticed the man when he walked and stood blatantly in front of me on several occasions during the ceremony. He was very intrusive to the bride and groom - the groom asked him several times to move back during the ceremony. He answered his cellphone (had ringer on) three times during the 40 minute ceremony. Things got scary when the groom was saying his vows. He made them up on the spot, from the heart. They were beautiful. The videographer ran out of disks on his DVD camera and switched to a MiniDV missing his vows. Ouch... but the wost thing was when he interrupted the pastor and asked the groom to repeat the vows! I was completely awestruck. The groom was visably disturbed... but did say a "part 2" of his vows. He spent the majority of his time at the ceremony floating around in fromt of the parents and guests to the point where I could hear everyone complaining about not being able to see. I was courteous to him, but after a while I stopped asking him to move and started telling him. I usually leave space enough for a videographer in the center aisle when I'm working there, he saw that and took up the whole aisle. I was getting fed up, but I didn't want to say anything until after the wedding.

At the reception he drug out two huge hotlamps onto the dancefloor. I recommended to him in a very purposfully polite manner) that he move them off to the sides so 1) people didn't trip over them, and 2) they didn't wrek the shots. He moved one... and yes, someone tripped (didn't fall thank goodness.) When the first dances came, he may as well have been dancing with them. I don't think he realized that his could zoom the camera lens.

When the bride & groom ate, so did my wife and I. I make sure I eat when the B&G eat so I don't miss much. This clown decided to take a break when the groom gave a speach to the guests after the meal. His mother, in tears... the video guy, eating. Sigh.

Enough of the details, I wanted to make it clear the type of individual I was dealing with. I can work around a bumbling fool like him. I took more than a few shots of him during his schenanagans.

Here's my real issue: During the reception I noticed that he was thumbing through the photo-signature book I made for the couple. He went and got his camera and started videoing the book. Not a huge deal, the flipping pages thing looks cool right? Well he wasn't recording video. He was taking still shots of all my shots in the book! I took photos of him trying to position the book to reduce the glare. I approached him and asked him if he liked the book. He nodded, and asked if the photos were mine. I asked why he was "taking pictures of my pictures" and he just mumbled about it being for their video and walked off.

To say I was mad at this point, is an understatement. I didn't want to bother the B&G about this during their reception, but I will bring it up when they return from their honeymoon. I looked for the wedding coordinator to make a formal complaint, that evening but she had left. We flew out the next morning before she arrived leaving me with a frustrating and helpless feeling.

I wanted to tear this guy's head off. Either physically or legally. I don't want it to be let go or be forgotten. At the same time, I don't want it to turn into a crusade either. I plan to contact the hotel and coordinator listing the infractions, showing photos, and telling them that were he in the states, it would be grounds for a lawsuit. I will tell them that I recommended the B&G to their hotel (Sunset Jamaica Grand,) but after my experience I will recommend against it. But other than that, I don't have many options...

[marokero]

Man, I think I would've snapped too with such bozo messing up my shots! So far I've only had one instance of a videographer getting in my shots, I just gave him a "wtf you doing? move!" kind of look and I straightened him out. But I also had a dj that was interfering with my formal shots, calling out to the bridal party in Italian, which didn't speak English, so they urned just when I released the shutter. I believe I told you guys about this experience, I gave him the same look, but it didn't work, so I told my assistant to clearly and intentionally block him during the formal shots I was taking. These morons should know their place!

[JoePhoto]

These morons should know their place!

Exactly... behind the still photographer!

[Ballen Photo]

That really SUX Joe. Do they have any sort of government agency for tourism? I would try to make contact with them and present your evidence. I'm guessing they dont want any bad press, as they rely on the tourist trade for their main economy. If you and one or two others report what an unprofessional "BOZO" this guy is, I'd bet they would at the very least have a serious talk with Him.
-Bruce

[Vance]

I feel for you Joe.

Seems like that would be a good time to develop a really bad tick in the upper shoulder, causing the elbow to fly uncontrollably in a general upward movement.

Stopping somewhere near his jaw, and/or ear.

[Talvan]

DAMN, that is a nightmare from hell!!! I know that if it had been me, I owuldnt have been able to keep it together. I would have been clobbering him over th e head with that 70-200. Ok, maybe not the 70-200, but clobbering none the less with something long and heavy.

[TonyK]

The tripod John? Its durable!

[Talvan]

hehehehe, I dont think many people could withstand a hit from my tripod, heck I'm not even sure I could swing it to hit somebody.