Ceremony shots - religious

For this shot in a very dark church late on a December day, I was tucked away behind the choir, and I know that very few people noticed either of us taking pictures during the ceremony.

The bride and groom certainly didn't, and this picture is typical of what we can do in most churches even under adverse conditions - if we're given the chance.

So here's a very brief explanation of the real deal on photography during religious services in England. Ann says I have to keep it brief so it doesn't turn into a rant about a pet peeve of mine.

We've never had the slightest problem at a Jewish wedding, however Othodox. We've never had a problem at a Catholic wedding either. Nor at a Humanist ceremony. Or a Pagan one. But when it comes to Protestant churches and photography during the ceremony, it's a complete lottery.

We get literally everything from "As long as you're discrete I'm happy for you to get whatever the couple wants" through to "I will not tolerate photography in my church and if I see you so much as try to take a picture during the ceremony I will stop it until you leave". And Old Grumpy Trousers who came out with that last quote meant it: he'd not long previously stopped a ceremony to rebuke a guest who had the audacity to raise a camera to her eye during it.

Unfortunately there often seems to be no connection between what the vicar told the couple about photography in the first place and what we get told on the day, but we're well used to this stuff. And there are ways and means of making the best of things ...

However, if we're taking your wedding photos and ceremony shots are important to you, do please talk to us about this as early in your planning process as possible. Especially if it's a Church of England ceremony.

There.

Not the slightest sign of a rant ...