sunny_w Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>Hello,</p><p>I hope I can get some sincere advice as this has been bothering me for a very long time. I got married about a year ago and I'm completely unsatisfied with my wedding photos. I could write an essay about all the issues I had with my wedding photographer, but my main issue is that the photos are very low resolution. I'm trying my best to make a horrible situation into a better one by considering photoshopping a few pictures together to make a decent one. However, most of these shots are between 100kb to 400kb. One photo that is decent is 358kb and the dimensions are 1000 X 1504. Is this big enough to photoshop or even print? I've asked her to send me the RAW file but she sent an email pretending that she did, but didn't so that if I take her to court she can say that she sent them. In my contract, it said that I would receive "high resolution" photos. Is there any way for me to fix this? I paid $1500 and can't use any of these pictures, I don't think that's fair! My husband said that we will take the photos again, but I just don't see that happening soon. Please give me advice.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomasz_wolosik Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Can we see that somewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunny_w Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>Thank you for the reply! If you could tell me how I can do that privately, then yes. I'm really unhappy with these photos and don't want them online and I also don't want to get sued for posting them online. Do you want me to show the photos that are somewhat decent or the bad ones? Most of the photos taken during my wedding are of our hands (cutting the cake, putting the rings on, dancing, posing, other traditions in my culture)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lex_jenkins Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>I don't know whether anyone can help resolve the problems with your photographer.</p> <p>However files of 1000x1500 pixels in dimension and 300-500kb in file size should make satisfactory 4"x6" prints for albums, assuming the photos were inherently good and the JPEGs adequately prepared. Careful editing and resizing may make for satisfactory larger prints from some photos, up to 8x10 and perhaps a little larger. Depends on the desired apparent sharpness, viewing distance and print medium. Some textured papers and canvas may lend themselves well to photos that may lack some critical apparent sharpness, but which you like otherwise well enough for printing.</p> <p>For much larger prints it would be better to contact a skilled artist with digital retouching and painting skills. I've seen some incredibly good photo-realistic digital paintings done from small, low resolution images taken with web cameras and screen grabs from low rez videos.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunny_w Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>Hi Lex,<br> Thank you so much for the reply! Where would I go to get someone to fix this or what title would they have online for me to search? I just started to look through my photos again and only some are 300 or more, does that mean the others can't be edited (as in photoshopped)?<br> Another question I have is that all of my photos need photoshopping, will that be expensive? Can you recommend someone? For example, the photos we took outside a crowd started forming around us and everyone was taking pictures of me which made me uncomfortable I asked her numerous times if people were getting in the shot and she said not to worry about it she would photoshop them out...now I have all these photos with people's butts behind me. She didn't photoshop anything. Is it worth it for me to get it edited (if they can this one is much lower resolution) or would it be cheaper/better for me to just retake those photos again outside? I'd like to at some point have an album and a few photos printed on canvases whether I retake photos or have them edited. How much would a normal photographer charge for a wedding re-shoot? This was my first experience with a hired photographer. I was actually supposed to get a 2 hour photoshoot with my package but the photographer said that its not included anymore because she spent too much time looking for the lost memory that she lost. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_in_PA Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>Tell the photographer that per your contract, you want discs (NOT EMAILS) of high-resolution photographs delivered ASAP, and you will be happy to come pick them up from them.</p> <p>If you were promised high-res images, you need to get them right away.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomasz_wolosik Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 1500x1000 are not hi res but like others said before u can have a decent print out of it, given the pic is done well. U can privately send one file if u'd like. If the file was not processed or reexported in post op we can read exif values on that jpg. That would help determine some details on what file size you should really expect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunny_w Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>Hi Peter,<br> After asking for discs she sent me a disc with low resolution photos, I emailed her, called her (she didn't pick up), texted her (she felt that it was unprofessional that I texted her) and even had a mutual friend contact her (she was very defensive first thing she said was if your friend wants to sue me tell her go ahead I'm ready) but still nothing no raw files. I'm still confused on what I got in my CD because its not very professional, the pictures are all out of order with a million other issues. Her response to my friend was that her lawyer had told her because I didn't specify in my contract that our faces had to be shown in the pictures that it wasn't her problem. When she asked about the resolution she just ignored the question. Another issue is that she lost one of the memory cards, so I have almost no photos with me and my guests who came from different parts of the country and some from overseas. I'm asking them one by one to see if they have any highh resolution photos but of course I wasn't successful because everyone assumed my photographer would do her job.<br /><br />I'm not sure what to do at this point, Peter, do you have any other recommendations? I've been trying to be patient, so any advice is helpful, because I feel like one day I'll just burst and go to her house to get them. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunny_w Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>Thanks for your time Thomas. I sent you a private message. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_in_PA Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>Does her business have a facebook page? Have the conversation there and I suspect it will happen more quickly. ;-P</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunny_w Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>I've thought about doing that on her Instagram page, but I think she will just block me haha if everything else fails I'll give that a try</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomasz_wolosik Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>No prob. By looking at your jpgs exif I can determine that it was taken in DEC 2013 with Nikon D40 + Nikkor 55-200 lens. Im gonna let the others chime in but IMO approaching a wedding with $150 worth camera is just plain not responsible. D40 is lowest Nikon model. It should not be present in Wedding Pros bag unless very deep 3rd shoother's main backup's backup maybe. Please note that some of us carry 30K worth bags to wedding and while I pbly would charge more than $1500 in NYC (was it NYC? - Im from NJ, seems like post office steps but might be wrong) for a wedding Id say it was not a small amount of money considering this wedding was paid 10x more than the camera used. Also - please note that D40 produces 3000x1500 resolution so u got half of it. The problem is, it was trimmed down in the camera not post. This also indicates at least a lack of knowledge, cant imagine someone would go for half size jps in D40 @ a wedding. RAW files most likely do not exist but I might be wrong. This jpg was created in a complete AUTO mode. D40 doesnt even make RAW files in P modes. As far as the picture itself - the composition is not terrible however people in the background are not acceptable. Photoshop work on this file alone to fix it is very time consuming (doable). (A wedding photographer should never mention a word Photoshop during the wedding BTW). With this given scene one might try to blur the background opening the lens to max, but this can be achieved with somewhat expensive lenses not this dark 55-200 kit zoom. Concluding this (Id like others to chime in). I say this, I never try to bad mouth other photographers based on their toys since there is a golden rule that the camera is not important - the photographer is (Plus im making judgements only base on 1 example). However in this case equipment was on a very low low end. Seems like you hired an amateur. Solution - well try to get as much as you can in a monetary value (Id say all of it) and get yourself a nice photo shoot + some fixes on those pictures. Do not ask this particular photographer to fix anything though , this I think would be wasting your time. Photoshop on those pics? Yes - possible. Cheap? - not quite - but have him pay for it. For you reference I can tell you that fixing this photo (ppl in the back) would cost maybe around $100. You can live with 1500x1000 though considering. Sunny - your dress was amazing :)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_h.1 Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <blockquote> <p>"if I take her to court she can say that she sent them. In my contract, it said that I would receive "high resolution" photos.</p> </blockquote> <p>So what? A judge is unlikely to buy that and, even if they did, the probable response will be to order that they be sent again (at a nominal cost) or there will be a substantial refund forthcoming.</p> <blockquote> <p>"she said was if your friend wants to sue me tell her go ahead I'm ready"</p> </blockquote> <p>So what again? Most likely the photographer will yield when push comes actually comes to shove. While there should be no rush to sue in general, this instance says small claims court all over it. If it turns out there are no hi res images (I'm guessing this is so and that the camera settings were wrong), then ask for a partial refund. You're getting nowhere. Don't waste any more time and effort trying to reason with them. Bring it on or let it go.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William Michael Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <blockquote> <p>Bring it on or let it go.</p> </blockquote> <p>+1.<br> From what you have disclosed, it is time to move to a finality that is 'enforceable' - or walk away.<br> My guess also is, that you won't get the 'hi res' images that you seek, because they probably don't exist.</p> <p>WW</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmowery Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>Basically what she gave you were 5x7 images at 200ppi is is considered high resolution which is able to make a print. You seem to have two separate issues here. One you just plain don't like the images which has nothing to do with resolution and second is the obvious resolution factor for which no retouching or photoshop will increase the resolution. I assume your photographer did not offer an album package? If you just wanted the files it should have been made clear the size of the files and what print size they could make. If that was not explained to you then you might have a case.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmowery Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>The photographer knew it was a dead sale at that point so she should have tried to up sell you on higher pixel size files or at least let you know your options</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmowery Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>The person who commented on your photographers choice of camera used is invalid and only throwing coals onto this fire. I can shoot a wedding with an iPhone and get great shots. Just saying.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_in_PA Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>Michael,</p> <p>That last point is categorically untrue. You can not get the kind of shots in low light that are necessary for a professional wedding shoot. Please say you are using hyperbole.</p> <p>And if I were getting married and shopped photographers, the one who was shooting with an iPhone would most certainly not get a call back.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomasz_wolosik Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Michael i disagree on ur comment bud. U can do some with iphone and i made that point but there are certain standards imo. Id like to see other ppl comments on this one. I could shoot a wedding with d40 if i had no other choice but id rather not have that. Iphone is crossing the line. Maybe pinhole out of shoebox ;) lol. Lets be real... the bride wanted to know our opinion. Mine was personal of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmowery Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>Peter, Yes, I assumed the Nikon D40 would do the job even though it is a 6mp camera. I went from film to digital and had the latest digital camera which was a 6mp and I got great images. My point with the iPhone was its not the camera its the photographer that makes the great shots. Why this woman has bad images is not because it was from an inferior camera but rather an inferior photographer. The file size that the photographer sold her is a different matter.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmowery Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>By the way the higher megapixel cameras does not mean better pictures. It only allows you to crop into your image more or make a bigger picture. Wedding photographers sell albums for the most part so they don't need a 21megapixel camera because most pages are made up of multiple images. Not like in the old days where it was one picture to a page. That said I only shoot with a 21megapixel camera because of the points that I have made. LOL <br /> The only thing that will improve the quality of the image is the glass in front of the sensor. Better glass equals better images. Medium format digital camera is another story all together.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmowery Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>Last thought.. Whether i have a $60,000 Hasselblad or a $600 iPhone my talent as a photographer is still the same. I think Terry Richardson proved that point already.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomasz_wolosik Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Michael. Its all true. Good photographer can do good with iphone. But should a wedding pro show up with an iphone at the wedding? I think a point i missed here. The bride asked also about a solution. What is ur take on this then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmowery Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>That is the question and I feel horrible when people get taken advantage of. Number one is there a contract? If not then there is not much here to say. We don't even know if the photographer shot it in raw or at the very least Large jpeg. We will never know so there is no point to go on. Lesson learned for clients is to get everything in writing and educate yourself with file size if that is what you are purchasing.<br> Photographers should also be transparent and honest with the clients and educate them about file size and let them know exactly how big of a print they can make. If photographers feel they are loosing money by offering the files then they should charge more money to compensate but just don't try to be sly and use the word High resolution without giving the dimensions of the printable size.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomasz_wolosik Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 <p>Michael - we do know bud. The bride provided a jpg with exif metadata. No raw. All shot on P mode. Quality cut to 3MP as per camera settings.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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