I'm so upset...our engagement photo's look horrible!!!

jaime4012

I'm not sure what to do...we have a little less than 5 months till our wedding but I'm thinking about finding another photgrapher (even though I'll lose my deposit).  Out of about 50 pic's taken last week for our engagement session none of them look good.  I don't want want any of them...there are a couple of them that are OK...but most are awful!  I don't think I'm being a baby or overly critical...my Mom and sister both said they were pretty bad.  I am really bad at confrontation....do I tell them I hated the photo's...what if they say let's try again...do I still work with them?  My wedding day photo's are important to me...I dont' want to risk having them be awful too...am I overreacting?  Either his eyes are shut or mine are shut or we aren't looking at camera...my heads cut off in one them...light on my face and arms unflattering...I'm not an expert but I expected more. 

Anyone else ever been in this situation? 

Rosie109

Can we see them?

bridebombing

What is bad about them exactly?

Never mind...

I would be super frustrated if they all turned out bad too.  Can you discuss it with the photographer, see what his/her thoughts are on how they turned out?

AdeleDazeem

Holy incorrect use of apostrophes to make plurals, batman.

I'm sorry you don't like your photos.  What is it that you don't like about them?

J&K10910

They let you see photos with your eyes shut?

Normally I'd say if it was a style thing, try talking to them to see what to work out, but if you can afford to eat your deposit, I think you'd be better off trying to find someone else.

Like...H and I loved our e-pics but we hated the way we looked in them (we'd both recently gained a good amount of weight) but we recognized that was an us problem, not a photog problem.  We both lost some weight and were much happier with our wedding photos.  However, it doesn't sound like it's an issue like that (or that you wore the wrong makeup, or the wrong clothes or something) for you.  It sounds like a crappy photog.

sarah0725

I second Rosie. Looking at them will make a big difference on how to respond.

I was kind of uncomfortable with my e-pics when I first got them, because I wasn't used to looking at professional photos of myself and all I could see were my flaws, but these ladies were really wonderful about getting me to see them in a different light.

Rosie109

I also think that if they were BAD pictures, bad meaning really crappy pictures that were blurry and not well done.. then I would look for another photographer. Did your photographer have pictures that he/she had taken previously of other couples that you liked?

Blueyed228

Did you talk to him about what you were looking for when it comes to style etc?  Were the pics that far off from the ones he shows on his site?

I found with  my photographer that he was really open to hearing what we wanted as far as the "look" is concerned.  Maybe you can show him some example pics.  Im sure he would be glad to re-shoot if it will make you happy.

jaime4012

I don't have the CD here at work, I'll post a couple when I get home.  We had them shot outside in a garden at a local college.  Great setting,  it was sundown and beautiful day.  Some of the poses were awkward but the majority would have been OK but either his eyes are closed or mine are closed.  They told us to act natural which is fine with me but they took the photos from different angles that look strange to me.  Some of the lighting is really bad...glaring on my face...in one there is a tree branch blocking part of my face but you can see my fiance's face OK.  2 photographers were taking pictures so maybe we didn't look into the right camera.  One of the pictures would have OK but there is a shadow over my left eye and it makes it look closed.  Overall I thought it went OK when we were there but when we saw the photos on the CD none of them looked right us.  I have photos from trips and holidays that look really good so I don't think we take bad pictures.  I guess I'm just disappointed that there isn't even least a couple that I like.

jemmini6

If it was a style difference, I'd say talk to them, do a reshoot and see if you like them any better.  However, if the pictures themselves were just bad, I'd probably look for a new photographer.  That sounds like a major rookie mistake to even give clients bad pictures and I'm not sure I'd want to entrust them with my wedding day pics, because you can't just reshoot those if you don't like them....

jcatherman

I would definitely look into getting another photographer. If you were unhappy with these, I don't think much will change for the wedding. If you are worried about losing the money, tell him/her you are unhappy and want to try another engagement shoot.

jaime4012

I don't think it's a style issue...I loved the location and while yes we were uncomfortable in some of the poses we werent' against doing them.  I wanted their suggestions because I liked the photos on their website of other couples.  None of the pictures were blurry it was more our eyes shut or my head cut off (the angle of where they took the picture) why would you not keep taking the photo until both of our eyes are open at the same time or photo shop it to make our eyes open.  I don't think it's a style issue.  I like what we both wore and my hair and make up were good. 

All of the pictures on their website are good...they have a good mix of natural shots and shots of the couple looking at the camera.  None of our pictures look anything like the other pics on the website. 

jaime4012

Thanks for the feedback ladies!  I'll post a couple of pictures when I get home tonight and see what you all think of them. 

I think I might try to look for another photographer and see what I can find.  A friend of mine just had family shots taken and hers are awesome. 

NuggetBrain

We got a new photographer after our epics because our original one didn't deliver on the style he said he would, and I'm SO glad that we did. 

TheCranberry

You should let the photog know that you're not happy with the pictures, and give him sepcific examples.  Then tell him what you liked about the pictures on the website.  He should re-do your e-pics (for free).  Do this ASAP so you have time to book another photog if necessary.

It's very unprofessional that he showed you pictures with your eyes shut and heads cut off, etc.  I'm sure there will be many of those in any photo shoot, but part of his expertise comes in taking enough pictures so that there are also a lot of good ones.  And those are the ones he should show the client.

HBaker82407

The same thing happened to me, and we had them re done by the same photographer. they looked a lot better the second time...but i hear your frustration...we had paid the whole thing(stupid mistake of ours) but i know hell do a great job otherwise i will find a way to get my money back. if you can afford to book another photographer maybe you should...

noodle_oo

It is really hard to give you advice without seeing them.  The things you are describing could be 2 things:  1) he did just take badly composed photos or 2) he has a particular style that doesn’t match with what you want.  What you describe sounds like a more creative, photojournalist type look.  What you want sounds more traditional, portraiture style.  Our photographer was more photojournalistic and she took a lot of photos at different angles and a bunch where one of our eyes were closed or we were looking at each other.  It was less posing, more candid.  We loved it because that is what we wanted.  But it sounds like you prefer more posed pictures, both of you looking at the camera, much more traditional stuff.

 

So here’s the question:  do your photos look like the samples you saw?  If so, than his style probably doesn’t match what you want.  If not, then maybe he had a bad day.  Either way, I’d suggest you talk to him and ask for a reshoot.  He doesn’t want to lose your business, he wants you to be happy, so he will probably be bummed you aren’t happy but should offer you a reshoot.  (if he doesn’t I’d cancel because he obviously doesn’t care much, which is a bad sign).

 

I’ll also mention that I find that people are *always* more critical of their own photos vs. other people.  I know for me, everyone will tell me I look great in a photo but my eye immediately just goes to the one flaw I find.  You should definitely post a few, the girls here can objectively tell you if they are really bad or if you just don’t like them.  We love our photographer, but even then, we didn’t love *every* picture.  Out of say 50 e-pics we got, I’d say we loved about 3 and liked about 10.  The rest were just okay.  Other people loved them all, but I never like how I look in pics and most of the other ones were okay, but I’d never put them out because I just didn’t love them.

 

Good luck!  I know how stressful the pictures are.  Everyone has such high expectations and wants them to be perfect, but that very rarely happens!