Professional Photographers at Events

I have been to several weddings and similar large social events in India over the past 8 months. I typically prefer the wedding ceremony itself to the reception afterwards for closer friends and family as one gets to be a part of a smaller more intimate group.

But for the ubiquitous photographers, I really enjoy people-watching at these events. The photographers seem to have decided that since they will be recording the event for posterity, they are the most important persons in the hall. Hence regardless of the seating position, the most prominent sight for you is the posterior of one of these abominations.

And then they turn away from the event itself, only to show their backs to the dais and now click the audience trying to gawk around their girth at the goings-on that they came to see. I have seen the indulgent photographers miss entirely on clicking key events such as the tying of the mangalasutra no less, and then ask for an action replay so that they can provide it for future replays by the families...

I always thought we meet to create memories, and that we part to preserve them...and that photographs are only an aid to memory, not the memory itself!