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Not in Love with our Photographer

akayersakayers member
First Anniversary
in Wedding Etiquette Forum
My fiance and I booked our photographers because our friends were using them for their wedding. We saw their engagement photos and liked what we saw. We recently had our engagement photos but now, I'm not so in love with our  photos and we've also booked them for our wedding. Since then, I've viewed their other albums online and am becoming less enchanted with them the more I see. Everyone has given them great reviews but now, I'm second guessing myself. It's a huge day and I want the photos to be captured just right. Am I just being crazy or has anyone else encountered this? What did you do? HELP!
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Re: Not in Love with our Photographer

  • Jen4948Jen4948 member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 25 Answers
    Unless you have a contract with your current photographers, by all means feel free to change them if both you and your FI aren't happy with them.
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  • Lauderdale PinkLauderdale Pink member
    250 Love Its 500 Comments Second Anniversary First Answer
    But, if you do have a contract, this is the time to have a conversation with them and let them know what you don't like and what your expectations are.  
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  • JoanE2012JoanE2012 member
    5000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 5 Answers
    How much will it cost to break the contract?   If I was not in love with the photographer, I would probably eat the deposit and find a new one.
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  • Ven&RadioVen&Radio member
    1000 Comments 250 Love Its Third Anniversary First Answer
    It sounds like you didn't do your research before booking. For a photographer or videographer, you want to see as much of their work as possible before committing to them to be sure you like their style. Booking based on your friend's engagement pictures alone was a big mistake on your part. If you have a contract, there should be a clause about cancelling - read it and find out what you're in for if you want to book someone else.
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  • emmyg65emmyg65 member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers First Anniversary
    What don't you like about their photos? Are there some you like more than others? 
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  • phiraphira member
    5000 Comments 500 Love Its Second Anniversary 5 Answers
    I would actually sit down with them and talk about your engagement photos. Not because you deserve another session, but because you haven't had your wedding photos done yet. You should give the photographer (politely!) your feedback.

    Honestly, great photography is important for your wedding, so that you can have documentation of the day, but I think a lot of folks are falling into this trap where they think their photos need to be the kind that end up on Pinterest or something. There are lots of staged photos with models that end up on Pinterest and look like they're "real weddings," but aren't actually real. So a lot of people feel pressured to have these VERY pretty photos that'll get pinned and repinned.

    I'm not suggesting that the OP has fallen into this trap, but I do think that a lot of people have very different expectations of wedding photos now that Pinterest is a thing.
    Anniversary
    now with ~* INCREASED SASSINESS *~
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  • SomethingBeautiful08SomethingBeautiful08 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Love Its 100 Comments Name Dropper
    If you don't have a contract and can get someone else you like better, by all means change.  Call them up and explain that you have chosen to go with someone different.

    If you, read it and see what it would cost to get out of it, it might be nothing if it is far enough out, but you will likely loose at least the deposit. If you can stomach that then go for it.  If not, I'd suggest meeting with the photographer before the wedding, looking over as much of their work as you can and show them what you like and what you don't like.

    Also keep in mind that while everyone wants the photographs to be a great as they can, most folks have 1-2 photos that they have on their walls and the rest end up in an album that you probably won't look at more then once or twice a year after the first year.  Do what you can to get the best photographer you can, but keep some perspective on this too.
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  • easilyunamusedeasilyunamused member
    100 Love Its 100 Comments Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    phira said:

    I would actually sit down with them and talk about your engagement photos. Not because you deserve another session, but because you haven't had your wedding photos done yet. You should give the photographer (politely!) your feedback.


    Honestly, great photography is important for your wedding, so that you can have documentation of the day, but I think a lot of folks are falling into this trap where they think their photos need to be the kind that end up on Pinterest or something. There are lots of staged photos with models that end up on Pinterest and look like they're "real weddings," but aren't actually real. So a lot of people feel pressured to have these VERY pretty photos that'll get pinned and repinned.

    I'm not suggesting that the OP has fallen into this trap, but I do think that a lot of people have very different expectations of wedding photos now that Pinterest is a thing.
    On my phone so I can't bold the Pintrest wedding photos. Unbeknownst to me, this is all the photos my photog wanted to do and then was MAD at me that I didn't want to do any of them. This came out of the blue on the day of the wedding. She pretty much checked out before I even put on my dress.

    I gave her a very detailed list of photos I wanted. She didn't bring the list with her. (I know it's my reponisbilty too but honesty I forgot)

    Our photos suck.

    OP, make sure you love your photog and please discuss EVERY detail about their expectations, not just your own. Good luck!
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  • phiraphira member
    5000 Comments 500 Love Its Second Anniversary 5 Answers
    @LuvBird29 That totally sucks! It sounds like she was very unprofessional. It's one thing to not LOVE your photographer, or love every single photo they take, but she should have brought the list and tried to fit your vision of YOUR day.
    Anniversary
    now with ~* INCREASED SASSINESS *~
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  • rvg22rvg22 member
    Second Anniversary 25 Love Its 10 Comments Name Dropper
    We did not love our engagement photos either. And I know why...I was so nervous and awkward. Not saying this is what happened in your case, but engagement photos are a weird thing. You are wearing nice-ish clothes and hanging all over your FI, possibly with lots of strangers staring. I hardly ever kiss my now-H in public, but I was being "forced" (not really forced but you know...) to kiss him lots and lots and stare adoringly while someone held a large white reflector thingie over my hea. The people walking by were certainly staring.

    It was just so abnormal to me that my body positioning was awkward looking and I had a crazed, forced smile on my face. Because we are both poor (didn't want to lose the deposit) and lazy (didn't want to find a new photographer) we stuck with our guy and trusted him to do a good job for the wedding. Our wedding pictures turned out wonderfully! There was too much going on the day of to notice the photography team. Plus, no strangers staring and only one short kiss :)

    I'm not saying you should necessarily stick with your photographer, but it would probably be just fine if you did. 
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  • TeddiD34TeddiD34 member
    100 Love Its 100 Comments Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    A glass of wine (or two) is a must pre-engagement photo shoot ;) 

     Wedding Countdown Ticker

     

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  • EverAferEverAfer member
    100 Love Its 100 Comments Name Dropper
    Make a list of the photos you want, describe the style you want and write down what you expect from your photos. Sit down with the photographer, and show them photos you like and don't like.  If you still don't get a sense that they can deliver the photos the way you want, consider other options.

    What's the clause in the contract?  If you cancel, are you willing to lose your deposit?
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  • photokittyphotokitty mod
    Moderator Knottie Warrior 5000 Comments 500 Love Its
    phira said:
    I would actually sit down with them and talk about your engagement photos. Not because you deserve another session, but because you haven't had your wedding photos done yet. You should give the photographer (politely!) your feedback.

    Honestly, great photography is important for your wedding, so that you can have documentation of the day, but I think a lot of folks are falling into this trap where they think their photos need to be the kind that end up on Pinterest or something. There are lots of staged photos with models that end up on Pinterest and look like they're "real weddings," but aren't actually real. So a lot of people feel pressured to have these VERY pretty photos that'll get pinned and repinned.

    I'm not suggesting that the OP has fallen into this trap, but I do think that a lot of people have very different expectations of wedding photos now that Pinterest is a thing.
    Totally agree! I'm a photog (not wedding) but as a result my expectations were super duper high - and I'm not even swooning over the pintrest stuff. I carefully picked my photog based on having a similar style and a solid portfolio and still found myself disappointed when I saw the final disc of images. There were ones I was sure would be in there that weren't, ones I posed for and weren't taken the way I envisioned them. They were still great, but my expectations were too high.
    On the other hand, I have seen loved one's photos and I thought they were terrible and they LOVED them. Some of us unfortunately have expectations that are way too high...not saying this is the OP. But social media is really making hard for bride not to think they will have an album full of images that are worthy of gracing the cover of Bride magazine.

    Ask yourself these questions:
    Are the images blurry? Grainy? Is the lighting or color off? Framed properly? Various shots - close, medium, full body? Are they "technically" good?
    If all of these questions are answered in a positive manner...
    What don't you like? Your face? The way you are posed? 
    What did you like about your photog's images that you now don't?
    Then ask yourself what I had to ask myself - are you being too picky? Would you be happy with anyone?
    It's tough. In the end I felt better knowing the only person who could have made me happy shoot them was myself and that wasn't possible. So I chilled out and went with it :) GL!

    :kiss: ~xoxo~ :kiss:

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  • easilyunamusedeasilyunamused member
    100 Love Its 100 Comments Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    phira said:
    @LuvBird29 That totally sucks! It sounds like she was very unprofessional. It's one thing to not LOVE your photographer, or love every single photo they take, but she should have brought the list and tried to fit your vision of YOUR day.
    Thanks, I am still confused over what exactly happened. And she still hasn't sent my finished photos to me. I've emailed her repeatably the past 6 weeks and she says they'll be ready in a day or two. But they never are. 
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  • PrettyGirlLostPrettyGirlLost member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its First Answer

    http://www.crushable.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Kim-Kardashian-Mermaids.gif


    "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."


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