Photography Woes- What to do when the one I think I'll love ends up being a dud?

CuriousKat6

Hello all! I need some help. I'm obsessed with photos. I have been all my life, so it goes without saying that I want my wedding photos to be amazing, and I'm willing to spend for them. Realistically speaking, though, we're on a budget here, so I can't spend a fortune. I found a photographer I really like so we met up, and I was basically ready to book her. I asked her to send me an entire wedding she's shot, and she sent me the pictures from a reception and a few of the after-ceremony photos from a wedding similar to what I'm planning. Let's just say I was under-whelmed.

The after-ceremony pictures are pretty good, but the reception photos were....blah. I've tried explaining to my fiance' what I'm looking for, but we're not speaking the same language there. Effectively, I thought this woman's reception photos looked like something one of my friends could take for me, with no training or know-how in photography. By dilemma here is that I really like this woman and she knows it. I think she's counting on me to book her, because I was pretty sure I would. Now I'm feeling like she may not be a good fit but I'm not sure. I've asked for more photos from that wedding, and she wants to know exactly what I'm looking to see. I'm worried about asking her for more and more photos only to possibly turn her down in the end. I realize this is a business deal so I have no obligation to use her, I just don't know how to deal with the situation from here.

Anybody ever had this problem before? Any advice on how to handle this?

JoanE2012

CuriousKat6 said:

Hello all! I need some help. I'm obsessed with photos. I have been all my life, so it goes without saying that I want my wedding photos to be amazing, and I'm willing to spend for them. Realistically speaking, though, we're on a budget here, so I can't spend a fortune. I found a photographer I really like so we met up, and I was basically ready to book her. I asked her to send me an entire wedding she's shot, and she sent me the pictures from a reception and a few of the after-ceremony photos from a wedding similar to what I'm planning. Let's just say I was under-whelmed.

The after-ceremony pictures are pretty good, but the reception photos were....blah. I've tried explaining to my fiance' what I'm looking for, but we're not speaking the same language there. Effectively, I thought this woman's reception photos looked like something one of my friends could take for me, with no training or know-how in photography. By dilemma here is that I really like this woman and she knows it. I think she's counting on me to book her, because I was pretty sure I would. Now I'm feeling like she may not be a good fit but I'm not sure. I've asked for more photos from that wedding, and she wants to know exactly what I'm looking to see. I'm worried about asking her for more and more photos only to possibly turn her down in the end. I realize this is a business deal so I have no obligation to use her, I just don't know how to deal with the situation from here.

Anybody ever had this problem before? Any advice on how to handle this?

It doesn't matter if you like the photographer.....you have to like their work.  And it sounds like you're not really impressed.  I would look around at other photographers until you find what you're looking for.  Good luck!

ameraznhuney

I met with two photogs before booking..  I really liked the first one I met, I clicked with her way more than the second.  However, that being said, the second photog's work was much better and we ended up going with her (the more I worked/talked with her the more I liked her).  You should find someone you can work with and who does amazing work, you shouldn't settle for mediocre just because you really like this woman.  Like you said, this is a business transaction, she's a business woman and she'll understand.

Trust me, I hate letting people down, but it has to happen.  This is going to be your perfect day, do you want to look at your photographs and wish you had someone who could capture the joy, love, and fun that you felt that day..or do you want to look at your photographs and feel them again?

theretamaragoes

I think that you need to trust your gut. If you are already feeling that she won't be a good fit, then I don't think you should ask for any more work. Simply tell her that you really appreciate all of her time thus far, but you and your fiancé have decided to go in another direction. 

AprilH81

I think reception photos are hard to take.  Everyone is in the same room, dancing to the same music, and eating the same food.  If you want "live action" or candid shots there isn't going to be a lot of time to get great photo composition before you lose the shot.

Can you give her examples of pictures you like?  What is it about those pictures that speak to you?

jimD

JoanE2012 said:

It doesn't matter if you like the photographer.....you have to like their work.  

jimD

WHAT?   this is just not true!    (I'm a pro wedding photographer for 40 years.)  It's just as important to like the person as it is their work!  You're going to be directed by this person for several hours on your wedding day so you better get along and like his/her personality!

Equally, you must like their style and work too.   You could hire solely on quality and style of work only to find out the guy is a bossy jerk and you don't want to be around them!

Bubbles2014

jimD said:

WHAT?   this is just not true!    (I'm a pro wedding photographer for 40 years.)  It's just as important to like the person as it is their work!  You're going to be directed by this person for several hours on your wedding day so you better get along and like his/her personality!

Equally, you must like their style and work too.   You could hire solely on quality and style of work only to find out the guy is a bossy jerk and you don't want to be around them!

THIS. We had engagement photos with a photographer who had a beautiful portfolio. We didn't click at all, and as such the photos all felt forced.

3Design

I am a wedding photographer as well and she is showing you what she thinks is her best work. If you don't like that then you are not going to like her work. There are a lot of good and likable wedding photographers out there. Since you really care about your photographs take the time to really find one that you love. You will not regret it.

JoAnne1027

Most of all, you have to LOVE the work not just like it because you're going to have to live with it forever and every time you look at it you'll be reminded of the choice you made.

You have to LIKE the photographer but not love the photographer because every time you look at the photos if the photographer was anything less than a great professional, you'll be reminded of that too.

It's very hard to tell from looking at a complete wedding if the photographer's good because every wedding is different and who knows what happened at the wedding you're looking at is missing things you would have, things you would do, the way you would personally be, and so you don't see it in the photographer's coverage.

Here's a good article from Huffington Post Weddings about what kind of traits to look for in a photographer.