Birding Saves the Wedding Photos!

[kenpossum]

Last weekend I was the photographer for a wedding held at the Cloverdale United Church. All was well until the itinerant minister informed the bride and I that photographers were not allowed near the ceremony. We (myself) could only stand at the back of the church or up on the balcony! In over 600+ weddings, I had never been given such a restriction. What to do?

Fortunately, I had stopped by Campbell Valley Park en route to the wedding to photograph Chestnut-backed Chickadees, and just happened to have my Nikon 80-400mm lens (120-600 mm on my camera body) with me. I know of no other wedding photographer who keeps such a lens in their wedding photo kit, but this was this bride's luck day (and mine). I was able to capture many of the images I usually take closer up with the birding lens and tripod from the balcony.

Unretouched photo.

[oldfulica]

Mar 8, 2011 12:45:58 GMT -8 kenpossum said:

Last weekend I was the photographer for a wedding held at the Cloverdale United Church. All was well until the itinerant minister informed the bride and I that photographers were not allowed near the ceremony. We (myself) could only stand at the back of the church or up on the balcony! In over 600+ weddings, I had never been given such a restriction. What to do?

Fortunately, I had stopped by Campbell Valley Park en route to the wedding to photograph Chestnut-backed Chickadees, and just happened to have my Nikon 80-400mm lens (120-600 mm on my camera body) with me. I know of no other wedding photographer who keeps such a lens in their wedding photo kit, but this was this bride's luck day (and mine). I was able to capture many of the images I usually take closer up with the birding lens and tripod from the balcony.

Unretouched photo.

Good story Ken. Birding saves the day ;D
Good shot too.

[Gord]

Ken, not many wedding photographers carry that kind of firepower.

Wow, if a reason to buy such gear for weddings (and, of course, other uses) ever needed to be justified, I think you just found it!!!! ;D ;D

[kenpossum]

Very True. I have never carried a lens to a wedding longer than 200mm. Now, thanks to this minister, every wedding photographer in Canada can justify for Revenue Canada the need to buy a birding telephoto. Never know when you might have to rely on it for income purposes.