Wedding photographer accidentally flies drone into groom’s face (VIDEO)

Eric Pfeiffer
·Reporter

When it comes to a successful wedding, memorable photos are a big part of the package. But one cameraman provided a unique matrimonial memory when the he accidentally flew his drone helicopter into the groom’s face, all of which was captured on video.

The photographer, Davey Orgill, was using a DJI Phantom quadcopter, a popular drone helicopter that can fly several hundred feet in the air and capture stunning images with a GoPro camera.

“I did practice a lot, probably not enough,” Orgill, co-owner of Pointe Digital Photography, told local TV station KSL.

However, as an owner of a DJI Phantom, this reporter can attest that for all the great visual opportunities the drone provides, it often makes just as much news for the many crashes it incurs thanks to questionable flying techniques employed by an army of newly equipped, amateur drone pilots.

Writing on his YouTube account, the Utah-based wedding photographer explains what happened before the Wyoming wedding:

“This was two days before the wedding at their bridal shoot. This happened towards the beginning. I had done one successful fly by and I brought it around for another pass to make sure it was smooth,” he explains. But it was on the return pass that things went astray.

“I underestimated the lift time and it hit the groom on the side of the face. He had a cut on his cheek and the side of his head.”

Amazingly, the good-natured couple went on with the shoot and took it all in with good humor.

“He’s fine,” Orgill told KSL. “He’s like this tough cowboy. They are the coolest couple in the world.”

“I felt horrible,” he explains on his YouTube channel. “At the request of the bride and groom I put the video online. Although it sucks that this happened. I have decided to own up to what I did, instead of try to hide it from the world.”

So does Orgill think the video, which is nearing 1 million page views, will be good for business?

“I think any exposure is good,” he told KSL. “Although the aerial work isn’t a big part of our business.”