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My Wedding Photography Nightmare.


richardsnow

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<p>This post is in response to the many inquiries I've had regarding the nightmare I am still going through with my wedding photographer, (5 months after the event). This was originally mentioned in my post regarding Wedding Photography Etiquette.</p>

<p>HERE IT IS, MY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY NIGHTMARE!!!</p>

<p>My wife and I got married last September in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The weekend we picked is a particularly busy wedding weekend for local couples due to it's placement between the summer tourist season and the fall foliage tourist season. Because of this, we planned way ahead, booking the hall we wanted and a Pro DJ friend of mine. The only thing missing was our Pro Photographer. <br /> <br /> Unfortunately, the two great photographers I would have chosen were booked for the weekend, (my first choice was in Alaska, my second choice had already booked), so my wife and I started looking for photographers.<br /> <br /> We stumbled upon what appeared to be what I would consider a "diamond in the rough" wedding photographer. Technically, her photos weren't perfect, but her composition was great and she seemed to have an eye for the moment...something you really can't train.<br /> <br /> I was skeptical, but my wife liked her style so we set up our initial meeting. At the meeting, we saw both her portrait and wedding portfolios. You could see in both portfolios a progression from someone with a knack for catching the moment and little technical knowledge of photography to a great technical photographer with a great eye...or so it seemed. I asked for references I could call or email, which she provided; and I asked what type of equipment she'd be using.<br /> <br /> Here's where things get funny...<br /> <br /> When asked about equipment, she responded with:<br /> <br /> 2 Canon Bodies, one with a 24-70 f/2.8 and one with a 70-200 f/2.8. She also mentioned a couple of Sunpack flashguns, which I paid little attention to.<br /> <br />I also mentioned that the ceremony would be outdoors at 11:00am and the formals would follow immediately after, also outdoors. The Reception would follow and it is in a room with difficult lighting due to massive windows along 2 sides of an L-shaped room, one side situated behind the main table (curtains drawn for dinner and toasts to make lighting a bit easier). She said that it wouldn't be a problem as she had shot in difficult lighting before.<br /> <br />My wife and I left the meeting feeling good about the photographer. Everything seemed right, and on top of that, she the type of personality that I wanted out of a photographer.<br /> <br /> After some discussion and meeting with a few other photographers, we decided to go with the one we felt the best about. We set up a second meeting to verify a few details and seal the deal.<br /> <br /> Little happened until the month before the wedding when we went over the final details of the wedding day with our photographer, (over the phone), and went over how final payment would be made.<br /> <br /> THE BIG DAY!!!<br /> <br />Our photographer showed up earlier than expected...a pleasant surprise. She set up camp in the bridal prep room, and popped in on myself and the groomsmen from time to time to snap a few shots of us getting ready. It was excitement, stress, anticipation...everything you'd expect in the groom;s room, so I barely noticed the photographer when she did pop in.<br /> <br />The ceremony started a bit late, but went extremely smooth...15 minutes...short and sweet, just like we planned, (and we both said I DO). Recessional, quick bathroom break, and on to the formals. <br /> <br /> Guests were comfortable having cocktails, so it was just the wedding party, immediate family, and the photographer. (My uncle with my camera was the exception...) It was then it hit me...my photographer is shooting with one camera!!! No second body... maybe it's inside... it'll be fine, just relax. So on with the formal shots we requested...took about a half hour, just like we anticipated.<br /> <br />Then it was just the photographer, my wife, and I. We asked for a few portraits of just the two of us in two nice locations on the property. Then it really hit me...this time there was a violent lurch in my stomach...I saw it...a SIGMA BODY with a SIGMA KIT LENS. I wanted to throw her out right then and there...but I also wanted my photos...and I had to see them...see if they were as good as her portfolio...<br /> <br /> So on went the day, no issues, great fun for all, and the photographer so far in the back of my mind that I didn't even know when she left... (She checked out with the in-laws, who paid her, when all of the major events had ended)<br /> <br /> Then the waiting...it wasn't so bad at first, since we were in Mexico for our honeymoon. Then a month went by...then two...no word or response to many emails and phone calls. With a final email threatening legal action we got a response and two DVDs of our wedding photos a few days later.<br /> <br />Upon receipt of the DVDs, my wife looked at the photos. She then immediately called me at work to let me know they were there. I asked how they were and she, sobbing slightly, said I needed to see for myself. When I got home, I immediately looked through the 2 DVDs, my blood pressure increasing with each passing photo. I was appalled...there were nearly 800 photos and not one was even close to the product she advertised. Out of focus, too dark, too light, shadows in the faces of the formals, formals with eyes closed...poor composition, poor lighting, etc, etc. In a word, it was bad photography. There is no other way to put it.<br /> <br /> I immediately called and emailed her to try to set up a meeting. Surely that was the least she would do. Her response: "please take half of your money back, just don't ask to meet again, I'm too emotional a person and don't take criticism well."<br /> <br />When I refused, but offered to pay her for travel, and time (equivalent to what I'd pay a second shooter for a day), she blankly refused and told me her generous offer of half of our money back was off the table. Currently I am pursuing legal action against her in small claims court.<br /></p>

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<p>Hello Richard, sorry to hear about all this. Have you persued the refrence contact to see if it was legit? If this person said the photographer in question shot their wedding when in fact they have not, there would also have to be consequences for that. </p>

<p>Also, you seem to bring up she told you she shot with canon, but came with a sigma. I think you should drop that argument all together, there could be any number of legitimate reasons for different bodies. I wish you luck. I'm not sure if you own the copyright to those photos but if possible could you post what you think are the best 30 in a gallery somewhere?</p>

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<p>That is a really bad situation. I wonder if your photographer went through something profound after your wedding that would make her change so much. I hope that you have a copy of the contract in hand. Is there anything in there that worries you? Did she go over it well with you? Hopefully you get this resolved as easily as possible. Good Luck.</p>
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<p>I only looked at the sample portfolio...shame on me.<br /> I did, however, do the diligence of calling and emailing some of her past clients.</p>

<p>There is no "buyer beware" clause in the contract. It has been reviewed by a lawyer and she stated that there is an "implied agreement" regarding quality when it is not spelled out in the contract.</p>

<p>Here is a link to a directory I just put up of some of my favorites. They are unaltered except to resize for web viewing. <em>Link removed by moderator.</em></p>

<p>I do have a signed Photographer Release from her, although, other than for this purpose, I don't believe I'd ever use it.</p>

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<p>Too bad. If the rest are like the sample, it is really bad work. You did not say how much you paid her. Maybe small claims court is worth the effort, but small claims court has its own hassles, and collecting can be even more difficult. And in the end, you will have no photos that are any better. If court will give you a sense of closure, by all means pursue it. For some people, it generates more aggravation and little sense of closure. No amount of yelling at her (in person or in court) will change the outcome. I might use the 1/2 refund to hire a Photoshop guru to help select and do the best possible with the best and most important 25-50 images.You will leave a bit of cask on the talbel but you will be able to put it behind tou, get the best that you can out of what you have, and enjoy being married.</p>

 

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<p>You know, I never understood the concept of asking photographers for references and then calling them ( same thing applies to like asking a job applicant for references and then calling those ).</p>

<p>Of course they going to give you someone that like their work. It is kind of pointless if you ask me. For all you know they simply gave you names of his drinking buddies.</p>

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<p>@ Konrad<br>

Apparently...although who knows if they were really clients...</p>

<p>I want everyone to know that I tried damn hard to settle this out of court. I even asked if there was some problem with her equipment that may have caused the inconsistent metering and poor focus... I could have understood that, but I again would refer to her response to my question about the equipment she used.</p>

<p> All I got was a big runaround. That's my reasoning for pursuing legal action.</p>

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<p>Sorry about this again Richard! I clicked three photos at random. Sorry to say, they are horrible -- something my 12-year-old nephew or niece might shoot. then I clicked on 4 more... clearly she had no idea what she was doing.</p>

<p>A Sigma SD14 ehh? What a piece of JUNK. She was (is) as far from a Pro as it gets and you've a solid case in small claims court I'd wager. I'd like to see you awarded the actual damages including punitive and the shooter's "license" taken away. There is NO EXCUSE for such shoddy work -- essentially you were lied to.</p>

<p>Oh yeah -- I can tell you married a great looking gal but this tyro shooter is a complete disaster.</p>

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<p>@Mark</p>

<p>I have an extensive Photoshop background (started on Photoshop 3). I worked at a small shop and did some major jobs repairing old photos and old, discolored negatives. That's how I originally got into photography. I found that knowing more about how photos are made gave me more insight into how to fix damaged photos.</p>

<p>I found out when I first got into digital photography that it is very much like shooting slide film.<br /> Under expose a stop and you can compensate with small adjustments.<br /> Overexpose a stop and the detail in the highlights is gone...forever.</p>

<p>Oh...and when a photo is shot out of focus, I've found that there's not much that can be done.</p>

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<p>Okay, okay, I'm not about to take the photographers side on this, but I will chime in with a little bit of an alternative at least towards understanding this person.</p>

<p>1. She's embarassed by the work she did. She can't take criticism and won't talk to you because she knows it's bad.<br>

2. I'm not sure about her geographical location to yours, but in the U.S. it is always considered best to try and settle before the court date.<br>

3. It's my feeling, just a guess, that she would love to give you all the money back, but feels that she should (this person is a "she" right?) get something for the day.<br>

So, what can you do? I'm not sure, but I can tell she feels backed into a corner, and I am going to bet that if it took as long as it did to get your images, it was because she has another job, and couldn't find a way to make these pictures work.<br>

So, if I could suggest.<br>

You send a certified letter, not an email, not a phone call..unless she will pick up, explaining calmly, that you really don't want to go to court. That you want to salvage everything you can from the pictures because you are a romantic at heart......I'm serious, include that last part....<br>

Then include that you would really like to just get as much of the original data as possible, to make your own edits and so forth. Don't talk money at this point, you already said you wanted to drop the suit, if she meets, or talks, I'm sure she will offer up something, probably 1/2, but if you can get her into a come to jesus moment, you may find she is willing to offer a refund in total.<br>

Let's face it, she knows if you go to court, it's public record, and her reputation is trashed. Out of court redemption is possible.</p>

<p>Like I said, if she is a person who retreats when stressed, going full tilt will not get her out, and I would lay even money she wouldn't show up at court (which is when?) and let the judgement against her be filed.<br>

By the way, I'll bet you that an artistic eye could make very interesting abstract for the wall and album from even these. The formals???, yeah, they're toast...but the rest...a case could be made.<br>

betcha!<br>

daniel</p>

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<p>I have to be honest. At first I thought this was going to be another client nitpicking about his/her photos over small details. I was wrong. These are so bad I can't help but wonder if there wasn't a problem with her gear. Implying canon bodies at your meeting and showing up with something else may be a clue. The EXIF data shows every pic was shot in auto. I was looking for at least some fill flash to kill that sun. Her shadow is even in one of the portraits.</p>

<p>Again, I seldom criticize pics so openly because I too have made many mistakes but this is horrid.</p>

<p> </p>

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<p>First of all, you and your wife make a handsom couple, and your wife was a gorgeous bride on her wedding day. I have to agree with Anthomy Zipple in this matter...Choose your favorite images and work them. Try really hard to get half the money back from her if you can, but I doubt she will bother to refund you. If you can get your attorney to send a letter to her, it may prompt her to send it to you right away and you can both move on before a suit is filed.</p>
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<p>Daniel,</p>

<p>You're probably right. I probably could do some work and use a few of the photos artistically to make something abstract for an album. Unfortunately, until this is settled, I don't intend to use any of the photos.</p>

<p>Also, in my area, arbitration is required before it goes in front of a bench judge.</p>

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<p><strong>Moderator Note:</strong> G.E.--that was nice of you to fix up one of Richard's wedding images. However, posting an image that isn't one you've shot is prohibited on photo.net. While taking another's image, editing it and re-posting is permissible with an image originally posted by a photo.net member (which he or she shot), the image you edited was taken by Richard's photographer, and originated from a linked site. Sorry. You may want to e-mail Richard directly. Also remember that Richard is currently involved in a lawsuit against this photographer.</p>
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<p>Your story sounded a bit one sided and very hard to imagine as correct or true. You really sounded like a groomzilla, however after seeing the samples, I truly beleive everything you said. It didn't sound real! The photos look worse than the ones taken with my casio snap happy! I don't know where or how you got this so called photographer, but in court you should be able to get all your money back and hopefully more for all your trouble. Any photographer who doesn't take critisism well and is too emotional to deliver good quality work after taking your money, doesn't belong in business. Good luck to you and your wife.</p>
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<p>Wow- those are bad. Sounds like you made the right decision in going to small claims court if she isn't interested in refunding all your money. If you don't mind, would you update when you get a resolution from the court? (or if she settles in the meantime) It is always interesting to see how lower courts handle these situations, and they usually don't get widely reported because of the amount of damages. Good luck.</p>
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<p>You know, something odd is going on with the exposure and DOF of these images. Lets concentrate on the last 5 images.</p>

<p>These were all shot outdoors on a nice bright day, no shade, so the "Sunny 16" rule applies perfectly. The camera reports that these were all were shot at an ISO of 200 and shutter speeds of either 1/400 or 1/500. The Sunny-16 rule says that a reasonable f-stop for these would very close to f/11. The EXIF data confirms that the camera thought they were all shot around f/11, yet, they all look to be overexposed by at least a few stops.</p>

<p>Next, look at the focal lengths used: The camera reports that these shots were taken at focal lengths ranging from 36 to 56 mm. The last photo, the next to last, and 5th from last were all taken at FL=36 or 38 mm and, I would estimate, distances of around 15 feet. Using dofmaster.com, everything from 9 feet to 52 feet should have been in focus. Clearly, this is not the case. </p>

<p>The strong overexposure and reduced DOF leads me to suspect that the diaphragm on her lens probably was stuck wide open for some reason. Yes, this can happen to anyone. However, if the photographer had been a pro, she would have most likely looked at the LED display every dozen or so shots, noticed that the histogram was way out of kilter, noticed the poor focus, and if the problem couldn't be immediately solved by remounting or switching lenses, immediately switched to a backup system. If she had done this, she would only have lost a dozen or so shots. Rather, all she did was set the camera on auto and mindlessly push the shutter button like any amateur.</p>

<p>I feel very sorry for you and your wife. The previous comments in this thread were reasonable, particularly, the psychological insights of Daniel McG. However, if I were you, I would send the photographer a short, factual, registered letter stating in a straightforward and cordial manner that:</p>

<ul>

<li>(a) No reasonable person would consider her images to be acceptable; </li>

<li>(b) You understand that this problem could have been caused by equipment malfunction, but a pro would have noticed the problem almost immediately and switched to a backup system. She did not do this. </li>

<li>© You plan to have the formals re-shot; </li>

<li>(d) (assuming this to be true) You plan to re-stage parts of the ceremony next summer; </li>

<li>(e) This will cost you at least X thousand dollars above and beyond the cost of simply hiring another photographer. The additional costs include transportation, venue, lodging and other expenses for just the bridal party, not the guests. </li>

<li>(f) Unless we come to some agreement within the next X days, you plan to take her to court to recover the sum you already paid her plus these additional expenses.</li>

</ul>

<p>I hate to be a hard-a$$, especially to an aspiring pro, but while she almost certainly is embarrassed and wants to hide from you, you need to get her attention and try to avoid the expenses and hassle of going to court. I personally think you are being way too nice by only asking for a refund since her incompetence could easily cost you additional expenses that are well beyond the cost of simply hiring another photographer.</p>

<p>Just my $0.02,</p>

<p>Tom M.</p>

<p> </p>

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<p>Tom,</p>

<p>You're right, I noticed something "off" about the formal photos, too. The outer edges of the photos almost look like they'd been shot with a LensBaby or something. In full sunlight like that, there should have been more than ample light for a deep depth of field, while keeping a very fast shutter speed. I'm also suspicious of some sort of equipment malfunction.</p>

<p>Richard, those photos really are pretty bad, I'm very sorry for the situation you find yourself in. Good luck with your case, it looks pretty open-and-shut to me.</p>

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