Photographer Disaster (xp)

Knottie1439960789 · March 2016

Hi Everyone! I had a great great wedding DESPITE my photographer. Basically I had a 10 people wedding and hired the photographer who had shot my DH brothers engagement photos who he shoots for at DH brothers hospital. Anyway the shots he took for him were great! We had full confidence in the photographer. Anyway, the whole day the photographer was yelling at me and ordering me around. We were doing first look picts but then he went into a full session outside and was dragging me around in the dirt.. my dress got ripped a few times and the bottom was filthy. My mom was so upset and didn't appreciate that. Anyway.. all day he seemed to rush and pressure us. So Ok.. I await the photos. We get them. So I'm watching the video and he has photos of the venue.. nice. He then has a series of DH brother and his fiance. Around 8 shots in the video beautiful. Then no one else. Then me and i'm black and white with my mom on the floor looking down ... shot on an odd angle. All of me are black and white. Anyway none of DH getting ready.. none of my matron of honor .. none of my matron of honor and her husband. Tons of DH brother beautifully shot. We even had 5 of DH brother doing his reading and none of my matron doing hers. Photographer told me the best man is always most important. HUH? Anyway.. no shots of DH and his parents.. just one shot of me. Anyway I requested all photos and he told me he wouldn't release those because ppl looking away or blurry or whatever. Anyway I informed him I Just found out from DH his brother had called him with news that he received the photo and video link. WHAT WHAT WHAT .. DH told him to only send to US!!!!! Now I have to have DH brother removed from intro.. because my parents asked us why was it 20 seconds of them before u see my DH and me or anyone else?? Anyway.. so I get all teh shots FINALLY and i'm looking through. All close ups of me were in black and white and he had from what it looked like retouched 1 images. .. apparently that must have taken time because he decided to nix that idea and just go b/w with no retouch. I LOOK AWFUL. In every photo i'm sweaty, bags under eyes, no retouch. He retouched DH brother. He didn't retouch anyone else. What do I do???? DH brother plans to hire him for his wedding. I'm afraid I might jump on the photographer if i see him in person? Seriously DH mom took better shots than this IDIOT?? NO RETOUCH ON any of me or DH or us together or mom or dad or his mom and dad? HELP!??? What can I do at this point?

Knottie1439960789 · March 2016

btw.. when i spoke to photographer he told me it was my fault. He told me DH walked out of dressing room and was dressed so thats why he had no pics. He told me my matron had no pics cause she wasn't dressed until it was to late???She was with me all day and the photographer trying to keep my dress off the ground. He never told her to get dressed? He never told any of us what to do when? He just kept yelling at us and bullying?

thisismynickname2 · March 2016

I'm sorry you're experiencing this. What does your contract say? Mine said something about retouching, so if yours does too, you may have recourse to have him do more work on the photos.
Is there anything else in your contract about general satisfaction?

If not, you really don't have anything you can do besides leave tactful reviews on sites like Yelp, here, Wedding Wire, etc. You could try to argue for money back but it's just that so much rides on your contract contents.

Knottie1439960789 · March 2016

I'm checking with my DH on that but he did say the contract said we would receive all photos. It never said only ones we approve to give you etc. Also we never approved of him sending the photos and video to the DH brother. That was never agreed to.. is this breech of contract? We have all emails should we need to go to court etc.

thisismynickname2 · March 2016

There is breach of contract if something doesn't happen that was explicitly stated in the contract. For example, my photographer breached contract. She was there from 2pm to 10pm and had 60 days to provide the photos. She provided photos 90 days later and only sent what was taken basically from 2pm to 7pm. So, I knew that photos were missing and was able to file, and win, a consumer complaint against her due to that. (I tried a lot of other recourse prior to filing my complaint though.)

So, if you know for certain photos were taken that you did not receive, and your contract says you receive ALL photos, then you have grounds for a complaint.

But! Don't go straight to a lawyer. You catch bees with honey. Talk this out with him more. Request more photos, request retouching. Say politely you're not yet satisfied. As a professional, he should satisfy your needs as a client as his reputation is on the line.

Knottie1439960789 · March 2016

Ok just spoke to DH .. the contract says studio services include "photo editing and enhancements."

JediElizabeth · March 2016

I'm sorry that this is going to come off as snarky...but I think your photographer may be a bit in love with your BIL. His preoccupation with this married man sounds a little creepy. Just saying.

Now that that's out of my system...

I'd go over the contract WITH your husband and write down bullet points (with exact wording) of each thing promised. Then compare it with your grievances. If the honey @thisismynickname suggested doesn't work, I'd reference those exact phrases in my emails to him as a second strategy. For example "The contract specifies 'photo editing and enhancements,' but I notice that you didn't apply any enhancements to X, Y & Z picture of me."

But if that doesn't work, I'd definitely look into legal action.

Knottie1439960789 · March 2016

Thanks so much for the feedback!! Well tonight DH and I went through all the originals we were finally able to get ahold of despite the photographers hesitation and telling me this is not what he does. There were some great shots of the family that I had missed. We got so emotional viewing the photos me and DH started to cry out of happiness. Anyway I don't know why the photographer would keep these pictures from us. He told us they were blurry and bad etc but when we reviewed most were great! He even had a shot of my MH doing her reading! YAY! Even if in a few pics there is a lil blur on one person many others in the shot were fine and the expressions were priceless! They captured the day.

Some will need retouching particularly the close ups of me and my DH but overall we are just happy to have more to chose from. So not sure why the photographer pretended like there just weren't many others.. unless he didn't want to retouch them?

thisismynickname2 · March 2016

Glad it seems to be working out!

I have to say, @JediElizabeth
I was wondering the same about the fascination with the brother...

anidorikiladra · March 2016

All I can think of is the videographer from Love Actually, with the fascination of the BIL.

Knottie1439960789 · March 2016

hehe.. I haven't seen that.. must rent now.

mollybarker11 · March 2016

Yeah based on what you've said the photographer seems to be way over-attached to your BIL... I get that he's the one who referred the photog, but assuming he wasn't involved in actually hiring or signing the contract it's completely baffling and unprofessional that your photo & video link was sent to him!! Totally does sound like Love Actually haha!

I'm glad you finally got the remaining pictures! I second @JediElizabeth's suggestion to go through your contract point by point and lay out what parts of his services were not provided (eg the retouching). I'd make sure all your contact with the photographer is in writing so that you have a record of what was discussed.

Knottie1439960789 · March 2016

Thanks Molly for the tips.. will do for sure. Can't wait to get it all worked out.

Photographer Disaster (xp)

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