Help Please! How do I tactfully fire my photographer?

faerylvr27 · September 2011

Has anyone else maybe been in a similar situation???

I have a HUGE problem with confrontation, and I feel incredibly guilty, but I'm seriously NOT happy with our photographer and we're planing to hire our first choice. FI swayed me into hiring this guy for budget reasons, but now he sees where we went wrong and luckily our first choice is still available on our date. I'm excited beyond words to be able to work with our original choice, but now we have to let the other guy go. I'm almost 100% sure we won't get our deposit (half *gasp*) back, but we did a reallyyyyy long (4.5hrs!) engagement shoot. So even though it hurts the pockets, I feel like he is being paid for services provided. I just don't know how to actually go about doing it. What do I say? I'm so afraid to hurt his feelings, even though I know it's business, but I just can't help it. I know writing an email would be soooo much easier, but it's not the right thing to do... (right?? lol) TIA for your help ladies... any suggestions would be MUCH appreciated!

peterdemuth · September 2011

just be honest.

[Deleted User] · September 2011

let him down easy, just let the photographer know that the e-shoot just did not click. let him know that you would like to go in another direction. hope this helps you and hope you did not leave a large deposit.

angybanez · September 2011

Hi! Speaking as a former Destination Knottie Bride, I feel yoU!!! Speaking as a photographer, make sure you read your contract! Most contracts do state that if the client is the one that defaults and doesn't fulfill the contract then you lose the deposit or whatever was agreed to. Be very careful and hopefully it's just the deposit you'll lose. Getting the best pictures you wanted in the first place is worth it! Best of luck!

[Deleted User] · September 2011

just so you know, i am a wedding photographer, and fellow bride. so, if i can be of any help at all let me know.

lana2007 · September 2011

What does your contract say about the deposit?

A simple: "we wont be requiring your services any longer for our wedding day, how do we go about canceling the contract." should work.

You dont need to explain yourself.

faerylvr27 · September 2011

thanks everyone for your help!

faerylvr27 · September 2011

thank you ladies... the contract says the retainer paid is not refundable if we postpone or cancel, so at least i won't owe the rest of the balance. i think i'm gonna let FI do the dirty work on this one after we receive all our pics back... he doesn't mind! lol

LilCrumpet · September 2011

OMG I feel you.. my ex-husband and I hired this guy because we loved the photos he had on display at a bridal fair. We did our engagement shoot and were not happy at all. I am a VERY picky person, and I'm all about everything being semetrical or at least not cut off in photos.. I think it's tacky when people are standing and half an arm is cut off or what not. All I asked was to get everything in the shot. He did not do this at all. We had given him half down as well.

We went to go talk to him and tell him we wanted to go with someone else and he got all defensive and combative. He started cussing at us and talking about all the awards he had won.. then my matron of honor who was with my fiance and I told him she was surprised he won awards with the quality of the work he did for us. That angered him SO much that he started calling her names and said that he would "never want to photograph someone as fat and ugly as her" and he was glad he wasn't doing our wedding. We were so shocked at how rude and unprofessional he was that we reported him to the Better Business Bearu. They helped us to get back our half deposit. However, when he wrote the check out to us in the subject area it said "to shut you the f*ck up" ..I couldn't believe this guy!

Moral of the story is.. be careful.. they might not take kindly to your going with someone else! I hope everything goes well for you though!

GruberPhotographers · September 2011

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davisphotos · September 2011

Agree with those above, just tell him nicely that while you like his work, the engagement session wasn't exactly what you were looking for, and your circumstances have allowed you to hire a different photographer, or something like that. Be nice about it, and as a professional, he should understand. I'm a photographer, and as much as I wouldn't like to lose a client, I also want my clients to be happy, and working with a couple with a style completely different from my own would be tough.

Also, if your wedding date is still a ways away, the odds of your photographer booking another couple are pretty decent.

Help Please! How do I tactfully fire my photographer?

Re: Help Please! How do I tactfully fire my photographer?

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