<p>Hi there, new to the forum! I'm sorry in advance for how long this post may be - I want to be as thorough as possible in getting an honest answer for this dilemma I've found myself in!<br /><br />I am a fairly new wedding photographer in southern California with about 10 weddings and several portrait/engagement sessions under my belt. I've shot alone, as a second shooter, and as the lead photographer. <br /><br />For the last year and a half, I have almost solely shot as my boyfriend's second shooter. He is 10 years older than myself and has a much more established business. We have very similar styles, so it's been great to be myself while learning his business practices and his day-of service. We started working together before dating, but he stills treats and pays me the way he did when I was just a second shooter to him. He typically pays me $200-300 per wedding, depending on how big/long of a package was booked. He collects all the photos and edits both his and mine in his style to present to the bride, but we have an agreement where I can use the photos I shot with my own editing as long as I credit him wherever I post them as well. <br /><br />After many years of shooting, he has sort of taken a more casual approach to photography and isn't advertising much anymore, so the weddings we work on are more spaced out. The lapse in time between shoots has left me antsy, and I decided that I would pursue shooting with others as well to continue improving my skills so I don't get out of practice between weddings with my boyfriend. I posted an ad on Craigslist looking for a lead photographer to shoot with and was contacted by a female photographer my age that liked my work and wanted to see if we could shoot together. <br /><br />We met up for lunch and discussed everything. Our styles, what areas we're each weak/strong in, etc. We agreed on the same scenario I have with my boyfriend where I can use my own photos as long as I attribute her as well. She asked for something unique that I hadn't heart of before - she said she prefers her second shooters to do their own editing before submitting photos. It's my understanding that typically photographers like to edit all the photos to submit a more cohesive package to the bride, considering they hired <em><strong>that</strong></em> photographer, not the assistant, and may not want the assistant's style. Regardless of my views on it, I agreed. We talked about shooting together on sort of a trial basis "to see how we work together." I agreed and we shot together about a month later.<br /><br />The wedding went well. It was an odd experience as a second shooter as she really didn't have me assisting much. I held up the bride's dress for a garter shot and helped shoo kids away from the family portrait background; otherwise, she treated me as just an additional photographer, not an assistant. Other than being the one to suggest poses during the private bride/groom portraits, it was pretty unclear to the guests who the lead was. I loved it as I got a lot of shots you'd typically only get as the lead!<br /><br />A week after the wedding, she asked me to send 50-100 sample photos to show the bride. In casual conversation I told my boyfriend that I was working on sending the photos to her and he seemed pretty shocked that I not only worked for free but also was handing over my (edited) photos for free for her to profit on. I told him that we were testing out how we worked together and he asked why does she my time <em>and</em> my work for free? He asked if it was just to see how we work together and secure my place as her go-to second shooter, and she obviously liked my work, why doesn't she pay me for it? In our conversation on the issue, he had a lot of valid points. As a much more experienced photographer with over 100 weddings, he kinda knows the drill as far as second shooters go and he has always been very good to them. The way he sees it, she's abusing my status as a second shooter and is getting my work for free. Since she found me on Craigslist, how do I know she isn't going around to all the local second shooters and uses their work for free just once so she never has to pay? All his questions got me thinking.<br> <br />I decided to post my preview photos in a gallery hosted by myself with my business name. With downloads disabled, she was able to view my photos but wasn't able to save them. She told me they looked wonderful and asked about downloading them. I'm having a really hard time coming up with something to say about what I feel about giving her the edited photos for free. Not only am I the type that has a hard time standing up for myself, I also have a hard time coming to decisions like this without input. I've got my boyfriend's input, but I know he's probably biased and may be extra protective over me as his girlfriend.<br> I should also add that there was no contract. She also mentioned that her contract with the bride didn't have a second shooter in it (this came up in that she warned me that unless the food was buffet style, we may have to share a plate since she didn't have a second shooter in the contract). Does the lack of contract between us and lack of a second shooter in the bride's contract mean/change anything either way?<br> <br /><br />How would you handle the situation? Would you give her the photos for free? What about other options, like lo-res downloads or having the bride purchase a disk from me? </p>
