Missed shots

[kate_klein]

<p>Posting questions as a client to the wedding photographers here. We just had my son's wedding. When the pix came back, it was clear that the photographer only photographed one side of the room. There were no shots of our side. He did get some pix of people on the dance floor which included a few of our friends but most were missing. He always shot the dance floor pointed towards one side of the room too (not ours) so we don't even have friends in background shots. He took beautiful table shots of the one side but none of the other.<br>

But worse than that are the missed formals that I specifically requested. I should have realized that they weren't being taken but was so busy and frazzled that i didn't. My daughter had to ask him to photograph her with her 2 brothers. That was one of the requested shots. <br>

So since I can't turn back time, is there any recourse? What do you think? This was especially important to me because one family member lives overseas and who knows when we'll all be together again? I think it's inexcusable.</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>What does your contract say?</p>

[peter_cohen]

<p>And did you provide him with a shot list? Was he working alone or with an assistant? Did you ask him where the other images are? If so, what was his response?</p>

<p>As Jeff hints at, if you don't have a signed contract, you might be completely out of options for any kind of recourse.</p>

[Marcus Ian]

<p>Have you asked about the discrepancy? Was he working by himself, or did he have a 2nd?</p>

<p>Obviously if your Son and Daughter-in-law are his clients (who he contracted with), it is certainly true that his <em>primary</em> responsibility is to cater to <em>their</em> wants, not yours. In addition, many photogs default to 'Bride-centric' coverage of an event - especially when working alone. <br /> This may have led to him prioritizing the 'bride-side' to such an extent that he failed completely to deliver any of the pictures that he took of the 'Groom-side'. ie. it's possible he took some (obv. not as many) pictures, but didn't deliver them in the final product.</p>

<p>I think your course of action should be to ask your Son to (ie. the <em>actual</em> client) contact the photog and request any shots of the 'groom-side', making sure to point out that a minimal number were included in the deliverables, also have him ask specifically about the 1 missing formal shot you requested. The photographer will likely have an 'ah s**t!' moment, and then go back and look through the images and try to dig some more out. However, it may be that many of 'yourside' were cut because the images simply didn't meet his standards for delivery.<br /> ... Certainly there are quite a few images of your side of the family (although not as many as of the other). And, as time travel is not yet a practical possibility for wedding photographers, if pictures weren't taken, they simply weren't taken. There is no recourse. -except to ensure that next time a more experienced photog is hired.</p>

<p>On a side note, if the photog comes back and says 'I'm sorry, but I don't have anything else that turned out." Try not to take it personally, and don't beat a dead horse. There's simply nothing that can be done, and rehashing the issue again and again could do damage to the new interfamily relationships. Enjoy your Son and DIL's joy, and look forward to lots of pictures of grandkids...after they owe you one ;) </p>

[rick_m.]

<blockquote>

<p>So since I can't turn back time, is there any recourse? What do you think? This was especially important to me because one family member lives overseas and who knows when we'll all be together again? I think it's inexcusable.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>I am sorry you did not get the pictures you want. I clearly do not know this photographer and have no intention of trashing him on this thread. With that said, a general comment for others who might find this thread looking for advice in advance of choosing a wedding photographer.</p>

<p>I do not know who your son hired nor have I seen his work. He may be a consummate pro who simply had a lapse. Here is the thing though. Back in the days of film, wedding photography was extremely demanding from a technical standpoint. This fairly well limited those engaged in wedding photography to experienced photographers who had apprenticed under an experienced pro. Not so much these days.</p>

<p>There are a whole lot of wedding photographers out there who truly lack the experience and training to do it to what you and I would call professional standards. They shoot one or two, extract a few good shots, put them online and declare themselves professional wedding photographers. You should see the number of threads we get here from so-called professionals who are about to be paid to shoot a wedding, asking for our advice on which lens to borrow. It is a shame. </p>

<p>I completely understand that it is hard to overlook a $500.00 photographer when the shots on their website look really nice. The thing is though that your experience clearly illustrates the rest of the story. IF this is not just an easily fixed oversight it may well point to a lack of experience all to common these days. There is a whole lot more to professional wedding photography than buying a nice camera, putting together an acceptable website and making a proper exposure. True professionals need to understand the importance of each shot. They need to know how to anticipate events and cover all of the important ones. They need to know who's-who at the wedding, when to catch them in-character and in a flattering way. They need to know how to do this in a variety of religious, social and geographical situations. They need to know how to capture the event but not dominate the B & G's time. In other words, perhaps the greatest and most hard-won skill that a wedding photographer possesses is to know how to tell the<em> story</em> of the wedding in pictures. </p>

<p>So I post this for others who may be learning from you. <em> I have no idea if you were a victim of inexperience and sincerely hope you were not.</em> But for those who are considering hiring a wedding photographer, there are a whole lot of questions to ask the candidates in addition to looking at his/her portfolio. A portfolio, by the way, that ought to include shots from a number of weddings illustrating a depth of knowledge equal to the task of covering the most important event in your life. Sometimes there is such a thing as false-economy. </p>

<p> </p>

[michaelmowery]

<p>Well said Rick!! I was going to comment but you said it all very nicely.</p>

[savagesax]

Not too long ago at a wedding someone asked me why I carry a list of the shots to take! He asked if this was my

first wedding. He was on the younger side so I asked him how old he was. He said he was 23. My first response

to him was I've been shooting weddings longer than he's been on this earth. I then told him that a lot of the guests

were from other states and some even flew in from other countries. It would be a shame to not photograph these

very important people.

 

Before anyone gets married tell the photographers to take down detailed notes.

[ricardovaste]

<blockquote>

<p>I think it's inexcusable.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It's a great shame, and is saddening, but thankfully not life and death.</p>

<p>From what you described, your son & his partner hired someone who wasn't very well regarded. They weren't the best at what they do. People don't rush to get them to photograph their wedding because they do something incredible, but because they do it for very little. So it somehow felt easier for them to spend very little, and leave it aside. They maybe just didn't care so much about the photos at all, seemingly not as much as you and I do anyway.</p>

<p>Inexcusable? If you weigh up all the facts (which only you and your family will have), maybe you'll say it's "expected", given everything. Hypothetically, for a photographer to not photograph the family at a wedding, that doesn't rate highly in my books, nope.</p>

<p>Sounds like all you need to do is move on. Maybe throw a family celebration in a year or two, and hire someone of a higher caliber.</p>