Upset.. Pictures

akmackay · June 2010

So I get my pictures back and I'm extremely upset/disappointed. I just think I was jipped of so many pictures. He spent forever taking pictures of my dress hanging in a tree, which he said he was going to make the plastic hanger look like a wooden hanger and never did. There are no pictures of me around my house, hardly any of my getting ready (besides the posed ones of my mom zipping my dress etc). He specifically asked me to be the last to get my makeup done so he could get pictures and he took one. My mom prepped and prepped the house for the wedding pictures and he didn't take pictures anywhere that we wanted, even though I told him where I wanted the pictures.

On the other hand, the 2nd photog took a ton of pictures of DH getting ready and of him and his family/groomsmen at his house. She even made them wait longer to take more pictures, making the limo late to pick me up. Then, they took the same pictures again at the church mainly of his family.

Because of their tardiness to the first picture location we couldn't take pictures on the beach, which was a complete upset, and even moreso now that I see the pictures.

I just feel so upset by this, and I don't know if it's my hormones or if I'm right. I know there are a lot of nice pictures... but who needs 50 pictures of the BM flowers at the church? Or maybe I'm just being a bridezilla... but I just see everyone else's pictures on here and mine don't come close to comparing in my opinion. Or again, maybe I'm being too critical. They just aren't what I was hoping for, or what I envisioned at all. Talk me down from this, or tell me if I am right that there are 75893467362782 pictures of DH and his family and hardly any of me and mine.

http://www.allisonjustin.weddingherald.com/index.php/view_event.php

akmackay · June 2010

So I get my pictures back and I'm extremely upset/disappointed. I just think I was jipped of so many pictures. He spent forever taking pictures of my dress hanging in a tree, which he said he was going to make the plastic hanger look like a wooden hanger and never did. There are no pictures of me around my house, hardly any of my getting ready (besides the posed ones of my mom zipping my dress etc). He specifically asked me to be the last to get my makeup done so he could get pictures and he took one. My mom prepped and prepped the house for the wedding pictures and he didn't take pictures anywhere that we wanted, even though I told him where I wanted the pictures.

On the other hand, the 2nd photog took a ton of pictures of DH getting ready and of him and his family/groomsmen at his house. She even made them wait longer to take more pictures, making the limo late to pick me up. Then, they took the same pictures again at the church mainly of his family.

Because of their tardiness to the first picture location we couldn't take pictures on the beach, which was a complete upset, and even moreso now that I see the pictures.

I just feel so upset by this, and I don't know if it's my hormones or if I'm right. I know there are a lot of nice pictures... but who needs 50 pictures of the BM flowers at the church? Or maybe I'm just being a bridezilla... but I just see everyone else's pictures on here and mine don't come close to comparing in my opinion. Or again, maybe I'm being too critical. They just aren't what I was hoping for, or what I envisioned at all. Talk me down from this, or tell me if I am right that there are 75893467362782 pictures of DH and his family and hardly any of me and mine.

http://www.allisonjustin.weddingherald.com/index.php/view_event.php

cvl105 · June 2010

Out of curiousity, who was your photographer?

As long as you have a few pictures that you love, don't be too upset. I know, easier said than done! Just think about the fact that you will only be able to put so many in an album and will only put a few out in your home. All the others will be hardly ever, if ever, looked at. So cherish the ones you love and forget about the ones you don't have.

I think everyone probably wishes they had a certain picture that they didn't get...I can think of some. But then I tell myself that I have all of these other pictures that are fantastic and love and not everything can be captured that day and there will be certain shots missing you wished you had.

peaches85 · June 2010

I just flipped through really fast and I think it just SEEMS like there are more of your FI and his family because all of those pictures are grouped together, whereas the ones of you getting ready, your family, etc. are mixed in with some of the ceremony shots.

Personally, I think they look great and you and FI look so happy and beautiful together! And I agree with what Chelsea said in pp.

uppereastgirl · June 2010

From a VERY brief and cursory review I can see where you're coming from. You want to be thrilled with your photos, which is fair. 844 honestly seems like a small number of shots from 2 photographers, particularly because there are some in that set that I would think a photographer should have edited out (91 and 95 and 158, for example). How many hours did you have them for? (We got over 1600 from 2 photographers, for comparison).

I would think a professional photographer wouldn't have to take forever to get a great shot of the dress in the tree, particularly not at the expense of other shots? Event photographers are supposed to be able to take great shots quickly and move on -- that's necessary in their field.

And it seems weird that there was video equipment in so many church pictures -- not sure why he didn't take shots that didn't include that stuff.

And the second shooter should not have messed up the timing of the day. That's unprofessional.

What do you think about the photos overall, excluding your day-of issues? How many unique photos do you really love? (Meaning, counting only one of the BM flower photos, for example).

If you really aren't happy, I'd complain. They can't redo your wedding day of course, but they may be able to add things to your package or give you a refund if you really aren't happy. You may want to add that you have lots of friends who are planning weddings and you really want to be able to recommend your vendors to them, but you just can't based on the experience/quality. That may convince them to make you happy.

I'm interested to hear what User thinks about the technical aspects...

akmackay · June 2010

I would like to get Users comments too, as a lot of the pictures I think he would rip apart...

Heather822 · June 2010

Aw Allie... I am so sorry you are upset.
I would feel the same way. As a picture is being taken, a make a mental note of it and EXPECT to see it again later on.
Definitey ask the photog about shots you think they are missing... maybe he only shared a certain number?

USER876 · June 2010

I don't think the pictures look that bad. There seems to be plenty, maybe lacking in the prep, though How many of those pictures would of made it into the album anyway? There seems to be a good amount of bride and groom to choose from.

If you want more "pop" ask if they offer retouching for final selections for albums. How many pictures will make it into your album? 100?

If you think about it that isn't many pictures from each event on the day of....

prep
ceremony
family
photoshoot
reception
cake cutting
first dance
bridal party
parents
etc
'
EDIT: The dress pictures are not great, but I am sure something could be salvaged for the final album. The question I have is if the pictures were taken at all, or taken but throw aways.

I don't think 844 is light on quantity. It is definately not below average. You figure for 9 hours, 2 people that is one picture every minute and a half each. I think the people that get 1600 pictures have a ton of the same pose.

Laurms15 · June 2010

I'm so sorry you feel that way. I love my pictures but of course there are one or two others that I wish I had. I didn't get a picture with each of my grandmas and I wish there were some more of me and my girls but that was because I was running late so I am partially to blame. However we had a terribly hard time narrowing down pictures to put in the album!! We could only pick 100 so that was a difficult task. I think you ahve some really nice ones and keep in mind his promise to turn the hanger into a woden one might be something he would do when its time to create the album.

Edit: BTW you do look fantastic!!!

smw42 · June 2010

Aw sorry to hear you're upset Allie.

As a follow-up to User's point- do you know if there are other photos he took that he just edited out? I'd want to make sure that you're seeing everything and that the ones that you are seeing as missing he just didn't deliver.

I agree with Chelsea's points, but I know at this stage in the game it's a hard bullet to swallow.

DMLJ · June 2010

I agree that I think the reason it seems like your DH and his family have so many more is because they are all at the beginning. I think you have plenty to choose from, but I get how you are feeling.... I'm kind of having 2nd thoughts about my photog too- her work is great (IMO) but i feel like we are being cheated on the number of pics in our album (users estimated 100 and we only get 50 edited... )

cvl105 · July 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_upset-pictures?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:31ed7c1b-f191-45ef-8849-ae6601561b94Post:35ab7434-455e-4103-baa9-04be165020b8">Re: Upset.. Pictures</a>:
[QUOTE]I agree that I think the reason it seems like your DH and his family have so many more is because they are all at the beginning. I think you have plenty to choose from, but I get how you are feeling.... I'm kind of having 2nd thoughts about my photog too- her work is great (IMO) but i feel like we are being cheated on the number of pics in our album (users estimated 100 and we only get 50 edited... )
Posted by DMLJ[/QUOTE]

I only get 50 (actually 51 counting the cover) in my album too, if it makes you feel any better :o)

Faith2730 · July 2010

I think the pictures that you have are amazing. You look beautiful!! Who did your makeup?I t looks great!

DMLJ · July 2010

chelsea- it does!

Julephenia · July 2010

I'm sorry you're so upset. I think people have covered what I was going to say - but I really, really agree with going back and asking if there were some shots not included in the online album.

jgido · July 2010

Ahh allie I am sorry you are upset!

but you did look amazing! I hear you on the photo thing, i am still waiting on mine which are about a week late (although I am trying not stress out too much)

J

akmackay · July 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_upset-pictures?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:31ed7c1b-f191-45ef-8849-ae6601561b94Post:179c6014-20a6-446b-b6f7-ff87713b9a46">Re: Upset.. Pictures</a>:
[QUOTE]I think the pictures that you have are amazing. You look beautiful!! Who did your makeup?I t looks great!
Posted by BridetoBe730[/QUOTE]

Thanks- Cristina Pignataro did it. She was a last minute booking b/c my other makeup artist pretty much screwed me... and I couldn't have been happier. She was great day of and made everyone look amazing.

And I have looked through the pictures again... there are a bunch they took that aren't in there so I am going to wait to see if they are in the DVD he sends. If not, I'm going to be bugging for them.

And to answer the question of whether it was that the pictures weren't taken or if they were just excluded... it's a mixture. The getting ready pictures/ones around my house were never taken even though I made it clear that's what I wanted. Beach pictures were never taken b/c it took the photogs like 20 minutes of talking etc at the first location (NO idea what the heck was going on there) so we didn't have time. Then, there are some that I know were taken that weren't included...

Peacefield · July 2010

I see where you're coming from and why you'd be at least disappointed if not actually upset. I'm an amateur photographer (nature, etc.) and know a thing or two about photography and would be very disappointed if these were my photos.

Here's the bad:
- It drives me crazy that the images aren't put in order. I know there are two photographers working with multple cameras, but for the money being paid, the least they can do is put them in order.
- 800 images is not a lot for two photographers. It's especially not a lot when I see how many should have been edited out. You're right, why are there so many shots of the BM's flowers during the ceremony; they should've picked just the best one or two. When you consider the unnecessary or duplicative pictures, it seems like maybe you get less than you might expect. I don't know what anyone would ever do with more than 800 images, but 800 images should cover the day better than these do.
- They most certainly are light on the you-getting-ready shots (which I know are important to me).
- Many don't look like they were processed well. White balance is frequently off (your skin looks a little green in a few of them), cropping or composure is poor, etc.
- Maybe my biggest problem was with artsy/romantic shots. For such a lovely setting, they seem uninspired. Nice enough and you should be happy with them, but they were all pretty basic. And what's with all the shots of the koi?
- FInally, I have to say their gallery site is obnoxious to navigate around. It is very slow and cumbersome.

On the positive side,
- They got a lot of good detail shots at the reception
- A good variety of group and family shots.
- In general, the photography is pretty good. There are times they made the mistake of shooting you in speckled sunlight which never looks good. Or they weren't careful about things in the background, etc. And as expressed, they didn't alway do a great job processing them (which is fixable). But in general, these images are all pretty good from a technical perspective.
- It looks like they did a great job of capturing the fun of your reception, though white balance looks to be off a number of times again, and they completely blew the lighting for the bouquet and garter toss shots.

My first reaction when I saw your post is, gee, how much did she pay for photography? Did she hire someone from Craigs List for $1k and now is surprised that it didn't go well? I don't know what you paid, but $35 for an 8x10 is pretty rich so I assume it's up there. I think you reasonably could/should have expected better.

That said, what can you do about it? You can go and express your disappointment and maybe they'll offer you a discount or some extra product, but the reality is that's not what you want, you want more and better pictures. Possibly, there were some that they didn't give you (like maybe more of your prep shots). But if they had them, why would they not have given them to you other than that they did not turn out well for some reason.

I don't mean to sound like I'm piling on and trying to get you riled up, just sharing very candidly.

kwilkinson14 · July 2010

i'm sorry to hear about the pictures. i can see how you are disappointed but the ones that you do have are nice! i think the suggestions everyone made are good ones. i'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything will work out for you!

Danes983 · July 2010

You look really beautiful! I def understand your feelings. There aresome great ones, but I feel like there could be more of you with the girls. I know I really want some of those for memories. I think your thought about waiting for the DVD is correct. if its not what you want I would have a conversation with them about how you feel and what is missing. The good news is that the pictures of you and your H are great and those are the most important ones to have. It stinks that this happened, I hope it all works out.

tbrose16 · July 2010

I think your pics look great. I actually wasn't happy with mine either so I know how you feel. My guests captured such great shots that I was expecting the photographers to be 10x better but they just weren't. I feel that mine missed some of the shots that I really wanted or they got some of the shots but there was shade in our faces so we can't use it. I only got 500 proofs so you're lucky you got 800!

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