Photoshoots in public spaces are never without hurdles, particularly if they inadvertently involve members of the public. Case in point: the family whose wedding photo story is making headlines after they complained a female sunbather “ruined” their pictures after refusing to move out of shot.
Mark Ling, 49, and Mandy Cripwell, 35, got married on Saturday before heading to a nearby park, Tessier Gardens in Torquay, England, which happens to be a local hotspot for wedding pictures.
The groom’s son, Marcus Ling, recalls:
I went up to her and asked her to move and she pretended to be asleep. Later she was asked to move again by the limo driver and she did but she left her stuff in plain view. It's a well-known wedding spot where you have photos taken, so she would have known it goes on there. Half of Torquay have their wedding photos in that garden.
Another of the groom’s relatives, Natalie Ling, added, “She was surrounded by wedding guests, the couple were behind her and the photographer kept calling different people over for pictures — so she knew what was going on.”
According to the family, the predicament continued for 10 minutes before the sunbather decided to relocate, although apparently she decided to leave all her belongings where they were.
Naturally, we’re all aware how frustrating it can be when members of the public happen to be in shot. On the one hand, most sunbathers would have moved instinctively had they been surrounded by a camera crew and wedding party, intimidated by the size of the party and the prospect of being in shot. However, it seems the approach the wedding crew took of asking her to move rubbed her up the wrong way, and instead she decided to stay put. Noting the importance of their day, do you think the bride and groom had the right to take over the park? Or was the sunbather entitled to the space since she arrived first? Who was in the right here?
Lead image by Hisu lee via Unsplash.
That's a one sided view if you look at it. So, the sunbather, who was there first at this public park should be thinking about other people? Where's the consideration and thoughtfulness of the sunbather by the wedding party? Why is it assumed by some that the wedding party trumped the rights of the sunbather? Because it's supposedly a special day?
What makes you think he is siding with the wedding party?
Because his rant is directly related to the posts on here, and how the vast majority are in support of the sunbather.
So,… you jumped to a conclusion, without actually asking. That was my secondary, minor point.
My major point was that all which he said applies both ways. (I.e., it does not matter with whom he was or was not siding). The wedding party could have been more considerate, the sunbather could have been more considerate. He starts by saying that it is not about who is right, (probably from his rant, the sunbather), but why don't we all, “consider others better than yourselves,” (including the wedding party).
I think his rant was a general rant about human behavior, and not about taking a side on who is right.
4 days later...
…because I don't live on the Internet. I had a great weekend with my son.
Duuuude. If someone interrupted my nap in a public park because of wedding photos... that would be infuriating. I wonder what's going to happen when she (the sun bather) finds out that this video of her chilling in a bathing suit is making the rounds on the internet. Bad form, wedding peeps, bad form.
if she gets upset for being filmed practically naked, that's her problem. She has no expectation of privacy in a public park.
But being bitched about is quite different from simply being photographed.
I just liked a bunch of comments here. Maybe they asked politely but she refused. Maybe. Let it go.
People can be slightly selfish and slightly inconvenience others. If they do not do harm to others or cause risk, just let it slide right.
The wedding party did not let it slide.
Meh. Clone stamp - problem solved.
Nothing is ruined in this digital age. There are several ways to remove an object or a person in Photoshop. Note: Even if I was there first, being the sunbather, I would have moved plus taken belongings. That would have been a common courtesy for the Bride and Groom. And as leaving given Congraduations!
I feel so sorry for this sunbather. It sounds like anyone trying to enjoy this park has to contend with wedding parties ruining the peace for a free backdrop.
Having shot a few weddings myself and have encountered similar situations I would have said to the Sunbather "I am awfully sorry but I am just going to shoot a few photos in the gazebo, I won't be long and will try not to disturb you. I hope you don't mind".
Most people respond favourably to humility and politness.
If the sunbather didn't want to move I would have worked around them. No problem. I do get a negative "vibe" from the wedding party. It is irrelevant whether the location is popular, it is a public area and the public has a right to be there. What would have happened if the park had been full of people or an event going on there?
Wedding Party - get over it. You don't have the right.
The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.
Why not just offer her 100 quid to move? It's not like they paid for the location.
There are people who hold the door for you and other people who let it slam in your face,
This sunbather is a door slammer.
A photographer with talent would have just worked around the sunbather. A wedding party consisting of decent, humble people would have asked nicely. A sunbather who was polite and understanding would have moved for a few minutes, then moved back.
Frankly, this is a mess.
Simple. Start taking loads of pictures of the sunbather, its likely she will get upset and leave or claim the photographer "can't do that". If she leaves, great. If she gets pissed, great.
Sunbather. We all share outdoor locations and odd as it is that she didn't move right away it's her right so shoot around her. At NASA I'd set up 6 hours ahead of time to get my space. I'd ask the Network video guys if I was ok next to them and they'd say as long as you're not in the shot. A minute before launch other NASA photogs would set up literally inches from me to the side and in front of me (after my waiting in the sun for 6 hours). But as long as they weren't in my shot we all shared.
well did anyone ask her to move? or did they just start shooting around her?
«…would have moved instinctively had they been surrounded,… intimidated… and the prospect of being in shot.»
Right. Most would have moved after being harassed to do so. …And she did.
«She was surrounded by wedding guests….»
So they all came and saw her, and carried on like she wasn't there.
Now this is the UK, and I do not keep up with their laws, but in the USA, the laws on public parks is, without first obtaining a permit, photographers are not allowed to interfere with other users of the park by preventing, obstructing, or restricting their access to all the normal amenities. A photographer can ask someone if they would be so kind to move, but if the answer is no, or no response, the photographer just has to work around them.
That being said, if I saw some wedding party trying to take photos, I might choose to oblige. OTOH, if I was sleeping and awoke to a bridal party all around me, I would feel disrespected, and less prone to oblige.
The photographer was not up to much looking at the video shown on the site shooting into direct sunlight without fill in flash or use of a reflector, I doubt very much if he was a professional. The Gazebo was used as a backdrop without any thought to what the images would like. Probably paid more for the limo than the images.