Sooooo unhappy with my photos

GJones27 · June 2011

I have a question for you girls... did your photographer get photos of your guests at your wedding? Did he do tableshots?

I just got my proofs in the mail. And I'm upset at the job my photographer did. There is not a single photo of my guests, except the wedding party and the ones I insisted he take with family. But those are so few, and DH only has a couple with his parents as his hair is completely messed up. The photographer didn't bother to take any more!

This is really frustrating, as he spent the reception editing photos to show off on his iPad after dinner. But then he ended up taking no tableshots, no photos of guests, nada. Like, what am I paying him for?!?!

Not only that, but he sent me the proofs. They are soooo tiny, they don't even fit in a picture frame! He is asking another $800 for the CD of photos, and he stilllllll hasn't put up our album yet online. Meanwhile, all of you girls who have gotten married after me, and yet you have your albums already. Am I right for thinking this is ridiculous?

sessionswedding · June 2011

I think you're justified in thinking this is ridiculous. Have you tried to express your displeasure to the photographer? Do you have any grounds to revoke payments or demand a refund for poor work based on your contract?

joie424 · June 2011

While I have not gotten my album yet I find this ridiculous. The proofs need to be bigger at least or be large and have a watermark on them. Tell your photog how unhappy you are.

iamjoesgurl · June 2011

It took our photographer about 6 weeks to get the DVDs to us with the digital photos (we did not get any prints - just digital files). He took some table shots which I thought looked kind of strange (it was his camera angle or some special effect), but I felt that overall he did a good job of photographing our guests during the reception. We also asked him to take a bunch of pictures (like us with DH's mom's family, us with my dad's family, DH with his friends, me with my friends, etc.) so I was pretty happy with his work.

I'm so sorry that you aren't happy with your pictures. Instead of looking at the proofs, can you just wait for the CDs? Did your contract specify that you would need to pay extra for the CDs? Were you planning on getting them anyway?

mrandmrsbrist · June 2011

I'm so sorry you're unhappy!

That's probably one of the worst feelings ever.

I would talk to your photog, for sure. Express how unhappy you are. Review your contract for grounds for refund like sessions suggested.

GJones27 · June 2011

Lisa, the CD does not come with the package I got. I signed up for his cheapest one, well knowing they weren't included. However, he told me verbally that if he blogs about our wedding, we could use those digital photos. But he didn't blog us, which I know he didn't do because we got his cheapest package. I figured I didn't need the CD of photos as I could just scan the proofs. But they are so small and hard to make out, even that is not a possibility. I'm just frustrated that they can't even fit in a frame, so I have to buy that $800 CD.

Anyways, I could put up with all of that, as it's fixable. But taking no pictures of my guests is really inexcusable. You can't fix that. That was probably the last time we'll have some of those people all together with us, as I know some people are very old. It breaks my heart.

DramaGeek · June 2011

I'm sorry the photos didn't come out the way you hoped! Unfortunately, ethically you really shouldn't scan the proofs and use those since you didn't pay him for the right to do it. I'm surprised you're even able to keep the proofs; we had to return ours. How small are they?

We didn't get a ton of photos of our guests, but that wasn't what I wanted from the day. I have a guest book and video for that. However, if you asked for table shots, then you should have gotten them. Did you every specify with him, or did you just assume he would do it?

ravenray · June 2011

I am so sorry Gjones! That really sucks. I would complain to him. Tell him you want bigger proofs. I would also threaten to give him a bad vender review if he doesn't give you what you want. Grrr...

GJones27 · June 2011

Our proofs are 3 x 5, but they look even smaller because they have a border. The problem is that I tried several times to talk to this photographer to go over stuff, but he always blew me off. I do have a vague memory of asking him about tableshots the week of the wedding, but now that I look back, his answer was evasive.

Another frustrating example from him... on the day of our wedding, he brought an assistant. He never told me this in advance, and it never came in our contract or discussions. Yet I had to pay a meal for this person, and all she really did was carry his cameras and drive him on the day of the wedding. This guy doesn't communicate what he plans to do...

I've given this problem to DH. I'm burnt out trying to deal with him. DH is going to try and fix this. I'll also be writing a bad Yelp review afterwards, though.

DramaGeek · June 2011

Aw man, that's really frustrating. I'm sorry he was a poor communicator :-( It doesn't change the bad job he did, but I bet you can get some of those photos you want. Spread the word amongst your guests that you'd love copies of the photos they took and I'm sure you'll get a ton!

sprtychick10 · June 2011

I am so sorry this didn't turn out! Hopefully DH can resolve this for you. I like the suggestion of contacting your guests, seeing if they have any pics they can share with you.

kellya01 · June 2011

Aw, so sad

The others shared some good suggestions on what you could do ... In any event, I'll sympathize for the situation and the disappointment. Maybe there are more photos on the $800 cd... positive thinking maybe? :-?

FaithCaitlin · June 2011

Sounds like your photog is really unprofessional. I'd express my dissatisfaction with him for sure and see what comes of it.

In his defense, if you two didn't discuss taking table shots of the guests, most photogs don't do it because they typically think the bride probably doesn't care.

Regardless, his behavior (iPad related) and tiny proofs as well as his lack of communication definitely warrant your unhappiness and a bad review.

I'm so sorry, girl!

[Deleted User] · June 2011

I was upset with my e-photos. I had a pimple and the photographer didn't take it out of any pictures, and when I asked about it via email he got upset and said he did touch them up, and now I can't get ahold of him to ask any questions about the wedding in less than a month. FI is going to try contacting him now, too.

sorry to hear about your photos. I'm scared about my wedding photos now, after this mess with the e-photos.

SuMmErKuTiE · June 2011

It took about a month for us to get the rights disc with all of our photos on it. We were slackers and didn't choose what photos we wanted for our album and the parent albums until close to the holidays, but once we did we received everything a few weeks later.

Our photographer did do table shots of each table and was out on the dance floor with us all night so we have a ton of great pics of our guests dancing and having a good time as well. I love all our pictures, I just wish our photographer had done more of an artistic job than he did, but I'm not going to complain.

I'm sorry your photog missed most of the guests and your proofs aren't even big enough. I wouldn't pay that last $800 until you sort this out with him for sure.

AshNoel8 · June 2011

Sorry about this! That is unfair that he blew you off when you tried to talk to him about your shot list. Do you have a video that has your guests on it? Or maybe guests have taken pictures themselves and can e-mail them to you. It's not ideal, but it would be better than nothing.

Sooooo unhappy with my photos

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