What would you do about a preggo photographer?

khovdesven · September 2012

I just checked in with my photographer to give her the final timeline for the wedding (which is in less than 3 weeks) and she told me she was pregnant! Great congratulations, except that she is 9 MONTHS pregnant and due in like 2 weeks. Which means that we'll either have to tear her away from her newborn and the hospital possibly to shoot our wedding or she might pop the day of. Am I over reacting? I've never been pregnant but I hear due dates don't mean a whole lot. Anyways, not only did she just spring this on me, she also told me I needed a second shooter just in case which will cost me an extra $300 then she goes on to change my timeline (which has already been sent to all my vendors) and says she can't leave at 10 because she has to drive an hour and a half home after that. She needs us to move our exit time to 9...
Ok I understand that at 9 months you can barely stand much less work for 8 hours straight and then get home at midnight but I've already paid her thousands and this is MY wedding day...how should I go about this? I don't want to offend her and then have her not put her full effort into our photos. We are on a very tight budget and totally splurged on photography because it's one of the most important things for us. I just need some advice from my snarky knotties!

yoshijo · September 2012

Does she have a partner or anyone else who can substitute? One of the reasons why we chose our photographer was that they always have someone on call in case of an emergency the day of where the photographer can't make it. What is her backup plan if she can't make your wedding ?

kd.joseph · September 2012

Well you can start by not using the words preggo and snarky in a post.

As for the photographer, talk to her, find out what her back up plan is. It's not complicated.

achiduck · September 2012

This is her business, I highly doubt she has no backup plan. Give her a call and congratulate her and casually ask what the back up plan is just in case she has the baby a few days before the wedding.

Wiscisbliss · September 2012

I worked right up until my water broke. Three days before I worked an 8 hour day on my feet at a career fair. It wasn't a big deal. I wouldn't make a big deal out of her being pregnant.

I would discuss the issues with the extra charges and changing the timeline. If she cannot meet her contractual obligations (for any reason) then you shouldn't have to pay. She should arrange for a back-up photographer and her transportation.

Blueyed228 · September 2012

I wouldnt change my timeline and I certainly wouldn't pay for a second shooter "just in case". That is on her not you to deal with. I would have no problem asking her what her back up plan is.

J&K10910 · September 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_what-would-you-do-about-a-preggo-photographer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:55a89d9b-b5c4-4da8-b0bb-09f1843a0a00Post:38b65bea-2561-44de-a576-3e7746587655">Re: What would you do about a preggo photographer?</a>:
[QUOTE]I wouldnt change my timeline and I certainly wouldn't pay for a second shooter "just in case". That is on her not you to deal with. I would have no problem asking her what her back up plan is.
Posted by Blueyed228[/QUOTE]

Yup, this.

I would be upset about just finding this out too. I feel like this is something she should have told you, along with her backup plan. And she certainly should not be requiring you to pay for a second shooter "just in case" unless there is a clause written into your contract.

Check your contract. There should be a clause which lays out how she will take care of stuff like this.

J&K10910 · September 2012

and also, It sounds like she DOES have a backup plan: $300 extra for a "second shooter." IMO, that's not an acceptable back up plan. A back up plan for something like this should not cost the client extra money.

kd.joseph · September 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_what-would-you-do-about-a-preggo-photographer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:55a89d9b-b5c4-4da8-b0bb-09f1843a0a00Post:07359e01-04a8-47c9-ba61-d2e9fdba0d91">Re: What would you do about a preggo photographer?</a>:
[QUOTE]and also, It sounds like she DOES have a backup plan: $300 extra for a "second shooter." IMO, that's not an acceptable back up plan. A back up plan for something like this should not cost the client extra money.
Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]

Ditto this. I'll be damned if I'd pay extra for someone to go have her baby.

LetsHikeToday · September 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_what-would-you-do-about-a-preggo-photographer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:55a89d9b-b5c4-4da8-b0bb-09f1843a0a00Post:07359e01-04a8-47c9-ba61-d2e9fdba0d91">Re: What would you do about a preggo photographer?</a>:
[QUOTE]and also, It sounds like she DOES have a backup plan: $300 extra for a "second shooter." IMO, that's not an acceptable back up plan. A back up plan for something like this should not cost the client extra money.
Posted by J&K10910[/QUOTE]

<div>yeah, this</div>

amanda1611t · September 2012

A second shooter means two people photograph your wedding, not you have to pay for someone to cover her,

i am a photographer, no one can tell you that you NEED a second photographer...thats an upsell. I always say if you would like a second shooter its available. if i know i need a second shooter i dont charge extra for that

Loopyseven · September 2012

I agree with the others. Her back up plan for having her baby should come at any additional cost to you. She should have notified you as soon as she went public with her pregnancy to allow you the option to find a different photographer if the need arose. There are some photographers on my birth month board who have been posting that they're shooting their last weddings before baby in the last coiuple of weekends. And we're not due until December - they just didn't take bookings and/or cancelled existing ones once they learned they were pregnant in order to have time to finish all the editing and stuff before their babies arrive and to not go into labor at anyone's wedding.

Even if she does manage to shoot your wedding before having the baby, I highly doubt she'll look at your photographs and do the editing and get you proofs in the first who knows how long after brining home a newborn and sleep deprivation and adjusting to this major life change. And if she does do it, I'd be concerned about the quality of her work, or the amount of attention she'd give to it/you with so many new distractions going on in her life.

I'd check your contract and see what you can do to get out of it if i were you, and see if you can't find a whole new photographer. It's last minute so pickings will be slim, but it'd be worth it to me to sacrifice a little for the peace of mind I'd get from having someone in a more stable life place doing it.

chelseamb11 · September 2012

The biggest bottom line will be in your contract that you signed with her. Does it state what happens in the event that she can't make it/emergency? I DEFINITELY wouldn't pay $300 MORE for a backup/second photographer at her request. If you want it yourself, go for it. But don't do it just because she said so.

Our photographer's wife went into preterm labor 2 days before our wedding. He called me the day before to let me know that she was in the hospital and had no clue if he could shoot the wedding (she hadn't given birth yet, they were giving her stuff to stop contractions). He immediately told me the backup plan which was another well known photographer in the area. It would have been no cost to us. Thankfully he ende dup making it, but it was nice that he had such a sold backup plan.

ElleB87 · September 2012

I would absolutely not be paying for an extra photographer. I'd contact her, congratulate her on her pregnancy and tell her that her back-up plan is not acceptable and you need to negotiate a better plan. She has known for months when her due date is and it's unprofessional to lay this at your feet at this point. If she's not willing to budge, tell her you want your deposit back and hire someone else.

weiidii · September 2012

As a photographer and someone who had a pregnant photographer, I would say it's not right for her to charge you extra for a second shooter or any back up plan (unless you agreed to it in your contract). Our wedding photographers were a husband and wife team who worked with assistants, and we only paid for two photographers to be at the wedding. However, seeing as the wife was pretty far along in her pregnancy, they brought a third photographer as well, at no cost to us. If she's not following the terms of the contract and you still have some time before your wedding, you might want to consider finding a different photographer.

What would you do about a preggo photographer?

Re: What would you do about a preggo photographer?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards