Really dissapointed in my engagement photos

kliberti · August 2010

Hi All,

I had engagement photos done by Catlin Smith Photography- they were horrible! I should have expected so, I found her on the Alb Craig's List. The cost was $100 which was why we went with her. She took a couple houndred photos but only edited 14. It took a few weeks to finally get the photos and I just let her know we were disapointed. She asked what she would do to resolve the problem and when I told her what I wanted she said she reconsidered and "was happy with her work".

I'm on a tight budget and just wasted money

Of all the photos there are TWO that we like... TWO!!! about 5 or so are OKAY... the rest are horrible... bad angles, bad lighting, bad poses... (see below)

I wouldn't be so upset if she was willing to work with me but she isn't... I guess this is my bridezilla moment...

I'm not really sure what else to do other then find another photography and eat the $100... I guess you get what you pay for....

Any suggestions?

Soon to be Mrs. P, · August 2010

That sucks but unfortunately I dont think there is much you can do. It wouldn't even really be worth your time to try to fight her on it. If you are that unhappy the best thing you can do is just tell other people about your experience. Look on the bright side, atleast it was only $100 and it wasn't your wedding pictures.

My FBIL & FSIL got married last year and their pictures came out horrible. They spent THOUSANDS on a local photographer who didn't realize that she had sand on her lens as she was shooting their wedding. Most of the pictures had large grey spots on them (for example - all of my FSIL's solo bride pictures had a huge grey spot right on her face). My FSIL hated how she looked in all the pictures so she had put off ordering them (even though they were already paid for - stupid, I know). Apparently they waited too long ad now they can't get their pictures at all. What a waste of money.

burtcheryl · August 2010

what do you expect when you hire vendors off craigs list and hokey sites like that?
CHEAP vendors are not good deals
$100 !!!
What do you expect for that?
come on ladies understand that you get what you pay for and there is NO such thing as a deal with vendors;
Pay 300 bucks for a DJ and get a terrible one or pay a good rate and get a good one same goes for a photographer or any vendor - get away from this good deal idea there is no such thing

TeacherGal10 · August 2010

Sorry you don't like your pictures...that is such a bummer:( Is she shooting your wedding?? You should have someone who's style you like shooting your wedding day because it's a really important day! I would say make sure that they at least have a website if you hire off of craigslist!!

notquiteblushing · August 2010

I'm sorry this happened to you but at least it was only an engagement session and you have time to find a better photographer before your wedding. I would just consider the $100 a lesson in buyer beware. Did you see a portfolio of he work before you booked her?

kliberti · August 2010

Well, she is "new" into wedding photography- I have heard of people hiring vendors who are just starting and they are great but just trying to make a name for themselves. That was what I was hoping to accomplish. Luckily I used my engagement session to see how she was to work with.

I'm not so upset that the photos were bad, it was the way she acted after the fact. For instance, I wore a strapless dress for the photos but the straps to hang the dress up kept showing so I was fussing with them, she told me during the session to leave them alone because she could edit them out. She didn't do that in ANY photos.

Also, we had photos taken at sunset and the sunset was kinda- blah... so I asked if she would be able to enhance the colors, she told me she could and said "you've seen my work I do crazy things with colors". Then we got the photos and she had done nothing, when I asked her about it she replied "I can't control the sky".

Also, we took photos at a beach, kids were swimming behind us and she told me she could photoshop them out. Surprise! She didn't do it!

When I originally told her I was disappointed in the photos she asked what she could do to help make me satisfied so I mentioned the above items, I also asked her to take care of a stubborn zit I had that day. How difficult is it to remove a pimple from a photo? Not every single photo but the few photos that I liked...

Her response was that she reconsidered her offer to work with me as she was content with her work and her style of photography was photojournalism- she captured raw beauty and was not going to do any additional editing.

I can't really complain about getting shitty photos from someone I found on CL or someone that was so cheap- you do get what you pay for. However, I was really upset by the way she treated me as a customer. Shocked almost... She just seemed lazy...

Ladies beware... you really do get what you pay for...

Soon to be Mrs. P, · August 2010

She seems like a total tool. If I were you I would be posting my story on every local board I could find. Though, maybe I'm a little more vindictive than you are. :-)

I am happy I came across this post. We are meeting with a photographer that we found on CL next month to see about him shooting our wedding. His online portfolio looked great but now I'm not too sure. Maybe we should cough up the extra $200 and get an engagement session just to test the waters.

burtcheryl · August 2010

pro photographers do not photoshopthings out come on!!!!!
There is a sign right there!

burtcheryl · August 2010

don't trust websites either they are made using templates and many of the photos you see are bought from online photo stores and not the work of the photographer...nice websites look nice and can be fake and many are with NO photographs that the photographer ACTUALLY took - but ASK a photographer when the next wedding they are doing or a few dates and ask for REFERENCES to speak to brides that have used them before and call or email them and ask if they were happy...and go and pop in unexpectedly on one and ask where their office is and also ask if they have references references references - contact past clients and if 10 of them say awesome then your onto a good thing - do not listen to excuses about them giving you contact info of past clients that is a red flag right there

kliberti · August 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-york-upstate_really-dissapointed-engagement-photos?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:124Discussion:216b47e7-7531-4eb9-8927-ca931e36db18Post:b4f6f24a-e202-46e6-a919-fc13e485ae01">Re: Really dissapointed in my engagement photos</a>:
[QUOTE]pro photographers do not photoshopthings out come on!!!!! There is a sign right there!
Posted by burtcheryl[/QUOTE]

I didn't know that... lol this has been an interesting learning experience....

iamjoesgurl · August 2010

I'm really sorry that you had this awful experience.

We only paid $150 for our e-pics and our photographer traveled from Albany to northern Lake George to do the pictures. The contract said he would stay as long as we wanted, but we only wanted to do the pictures for an hour. We loved our pictures. I'm just sharing this because paying $100 in my opinion does not equal bad pictures. Unfortunately you just had a bad experience.

I would let her know that you will not recommend her based on the promises she made on the day of the pictures and then your contact with her after you received the pictures. I think that is the most you can do.

ericaonley · December 2010

I read this and was shocked, honestly.

I've been working with Catlin since 2008 and have never had an issue with her. She always edited out "stubborn zits" or temporary imperfections like bruises, etc. I've never been disappointed with her.

She just shot my second wedding this past Sunday (my husband and I were already married but wanted to have a bigger celebration), and the photos came out great.

The woman that took the photos at my first wedding (when we actually got married) was HORRIBLE. She rushed, she didnt care what we thought, never asked for my opinion or likes/dislikes, and barely edited any of the photos aside from making them black and white. That is what I call a horrible (and over priced) photographer. I will let her remain nameless, I'm not in to humiliating people.

The ONLY time I have ever disliked photos taken by Catlin, had NOTHING to do with her. I looked "bigger" in some of my photos (at least in my opinion), but that's not her fault- I'm pregnant! She completely listened to everything I wanted.

She has tons and tons of example photos on her page(s). Her style of work and how she edits is displayed for all to see, and like I said, there are many, many examples. It's easy to get a clear vision of what she offers, there was no guessing necessary. And you stated she told you she was new to wedding photography.

Although I did not read the conversation between you two, I'm surprised that she would refuse to edit out a zit. If she did refuse, that is unlike her...because it does literally take 5 seconds.

If you were not happy with how you looked (as I was in some of my photos because of the baby belly I have right now), then that is not a problem Catlin or any photographer can fix unless you want yourself photoshopped to death, and to look nothing like yourself.

I'm also a photographer and there are some things we cant control. However, I speak for myself (and 99.9% sure Catlin feels the same), we do our best to find the most flattering ways to photograph each individual person. We cannot control genetics. I'm not trying to sound rude here, and I dont know what you look like, but if (and I emphasize the IF) you were unsatisfied with how you looked in the photos, thats not something you can blame a photographer for. We do our best to find flattering angles for each person.

There are some angles I do not like to be shot from, and Catlin has always respected that. She put up with my many, many requests with grace. Like I said, I didnt read the whole conversation between you two and have not seen the photos. But knowing her and working with her for 2 years, I've never experienced anything like what you say you have, nor do I know anyone that has had a bad experience with her either.

I dont wish for any bride (or fiance) to feel unhappy with their photos. I'm just highly surprised by your total disgust with Catlin, as I've never seen a glimpse of any sort of attitude from her, nor have I seen a lack of respect for her customers in the 2 (almost 3) years I've been working with her.

Here are some examples of the photos Catlin took for me at my wedding. And like I said, the only thing I'm not 100% happy with is the weight I've packed on since becoming pregnant, which has nothing to do with Catlin.

Typically I wouldn't give involved in this type of thing, especially months after it happened, but like I said, I was shocked...and I feel horrible that Catlin has been torn apart over this.

CourtAndDoug · December 2010

I too am a VERY pleased customer of Catlin's services. She was my "getting ready" photographer (an assistant if you will) as DH's uncle took care of a majority of our day-of pictures, both did an amazing job. My husband has been friends with Catlin and her husband since they were in middle school and I don't regret a single choice I made with her. She is a pleasure to work with and takes direction easily. She also directs groups well.

READER BEWARE:
I was with Catlin at this photo shoot and the OP was not clear at any point about what she wanted. Catlin continually asked what further shots she wanted and OP said "Oh, well, I think we might like to do something like this..." I think they all of the pictures came out wonderfully and you wouldn't have a leg to stand on. In fact, if you continue to slander Catlin as well as using (and editing) her pictures without her permission, she could have a VERY good case against you. Catlin continued to ask OP what she wanted while I was there and pausing to let her look at the pictures and OP simply said "ok" and "that's nice", never giving an indication of her or her FI's displeasure.

When OP said to Catlin that she was displeased, Catlin was more then egar to help, until OP said she wanted almost EVERY picture edited which if you ask me is ludicrous, especially at the $100 price tag. Catlin made the offer to me for our pictures but I always understood that these pictures were to be kept to a minimum as she works HOURS on just one picture, which by the way which is why she took "weeks" (which was closer to two weeks, a more then acceptable time period) to complete the pictures, if you think she is going to take the time to edit every little imperfection you see in 200+ pictures you need to be committed.

Look at Catlin's page and judge for yourself before you decide to not use her services as she does a wonderful job and I couldn't have asked for a better, more relaxed, kind photographer: www.facebook.com/home.php#!/CatlinSmithPhotos

And feel free to take a look at my own pictures, taken and edited by Catlin Smith (I have MANY other great, even unedited, ones but as these are already on her Facebook page, I'll post these as they are already there for the world to see):

Picture of flowers and our wedding bands

Me putting my makeup on

Mother and MOH tieing up my dress

Me and my flowers (I was unsure about this at first but it came out AWESOME!)

Me and my ladies! LOVE IT!!!

Me and DH

emilyandshawn11 · June 2011

OK, I get your point, but I gotta side with the Kliberti on this one. No, no one should expect every photo to be" edited", but when you specifically ask about specific concerns?The photographer needs to follow through on what she told her customer. I highly doubt this woman is making up the fact that she spoke up about these concerns rather then "she was not clear about what she wanted". I don't think she'd take the time to write all the examples . Besides, she's the customer and come on, taking people out of a picture and things like that should be done regardless. Editing" or re-touching takes time, but anyone could have done what this photographer has done. Let this be a lesson: When selecting a photographer clarify what "editing" and retouching is. My photographer "edits" every single picture, but only "retouches" 10 or 12.

Really dissapointed in my engagement photos

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