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Amanda
Super August 2018 Alberta

Second Guessing Our Photographer...

Amanda, on November 16, 2017 at 10:33 Posted in Plan a wedding 0 18
Hey ladies... I need some advice...
So FH and I had decided on our photographer... We had met with him, seen some of his work, agreed on a contract, put the deposit down, and everything. We were quite happy.
So we had our engagement shoot at the end of September and he was really nice to work with, a really nice guy. But when we got our photos back, we weren't exactly happy with them. He had us pose, as photographers do, but we posed one way and I think about half of the photos we got back were in that pose, and it kinda looks really stupid. And some of the pictures, he's at such a funny angle that you can't even see FH's face. There isn't a single photo of us kissing, which we thought was kinda weird for an engagement shoot. And I went in after we got the photos back (2 weeks after he said we would get them) and I edited most of them myself.
I'm currently talking with a friend of my moms who does a little photography to see if she would do a "couples shoot" with us because we didn't like our engagement photos...
So I'm kinda stuck with what to do here... do I continue with this photographer and just let it go, or do I forfeit the 30% deposit and try and find another photographer...or what?
I'm at such a loss of what to do. My heart was kinda broken when we got our photos back and we didn't like them. Photography was #1 on "my list" and so far, it has been the biggest let down... Smiley cry

18 Comments

Latest activity by Amanda, on December 16, 2018 at 20:59
  • Amanda
    Super August 2018 Alberta
    Amanda ·
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    We wound up sticking with our original photographer, and I think it was a mistake. Don’t get me wrong, he got some beautiful shots of our wedding day, but I wasn’t exactly over the moon with our photos. The lighting in some of the photos is just horrible. We even ended up missing some of our “must have photos”... including family shots... I definitly regret not switching photographers...
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  • Lauren
    Newbie June 2019 California
    Lauren ·
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    I am in a similar situation. Can I ask what you wound up doing and how it turned out? T
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  • Jen
    VIP June 2018 Ontario
    Jen ·
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    I would speak to him and tell him how you feel. You need to get what you pay for. He provides a service and should be giving what he promises to deliver.

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  • Vanessa
    Expert August 2018 Manitoba
    Vanessa ·
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    There's always speaking to him to tell him your not happy with the work and see about getting some of the money back. If your still not happy with the answer than I would of course forfeit it and move on to finding the one. My Future Mother in Law for her wedding once upon a time ago does not have any wedding photos as she hired this amazing photographer SHE THOUGHT to find out he had ruined the film and had destroyed all the negatives. To this day I have never seen one photo and my future in laws hate there photos taken and I've grown on my FH and he still hates his picture taken but will do it for me. Thank goodness. But don't settle for any less. Do what matters the most. Our photographer for our engagement photo session was amazing but he's only up here on vacation as I understand which is unfortunate. Otherwise I would so book him for our wedding hands down. For an hour he charged us 75.00 which was a special price as a local photographer whom i liked her work also charged that price. But we just wanted something to capture our special moment. Good luck! I hope everything turns around.

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  • B
    Super August 2017 Alberta
    Bethany ·
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    I love economics so I would say your 30% deposit is a sunk cost and to not invest any more money into something you're not getting enough return from.
    On the contrary, you could try working with your photographer more and see if he'll do a reshoot for no additional cost, if you're happy with the second shoot then continue on.
    I would also like to point out that you can make more money but you can't make more wedding photos. I know you prob want to be budget conscious but in 10 years I'm sure there'll be money in the bank but what will be in your wedding album. I would invest in your photos and make you get what u want.
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  • Jennifer
    Frequent user September 2018 British Columbia
    Jennifer ·
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    I would forfeit the deposit. If you are already feeling that way, I would hate to see you upset with your wedding photos

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  • Erin
    Master September 2017 Ontario
    Erin ·
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    I think you need to speak with the photographer to let them know what you didn't like so that it doesn't happen to another couple. I would then consider forfeiting the deposit and finding a new photographer. You don't want to spend the next 25+ years not wanting to look at your own wedding photos.

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  • Lisa
    VIP May 2018 Ontario
    Lisa ·
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    Sorry to hear that! A bit of a let down for sure. Have you tried asking for the deposit back? Maybe he could consider giving you a portion of it back? Always worth asking! Otherwise I would suggest forfeiting! You don't want hate your photos for the rest of your life!!!
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  • Amanda
    Super August 2018 Alberta
    Amanda ·
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    Thank you ladies for all of your advice!! I think I might just have been caught up on the idea off losing my deposit... but I am now in talks with another photographer! Here's hoping everything works out!
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  • Daphne
    Super July 2017 British Columbia
    Daphne ·
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    Forfeiting the deposit is a small price to pay to find a photographer that will provide pictures you love and cherish.

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  • Kaytee
    Devoted September 2017 Alberta
    Kaytee ·
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    Sometimes it is just the style of the photographer as well so I think the best thing to do is just to talk to him about what you like and what you are expecting. Our photograph doesn't like to do poses at all, all moments but I definitely wanted some poses and such in there and we just told him and he was totally okay to do that and work with us doing that.

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  • Sasha
    Super October 2017 Ontario
    Sasha ·
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    I'm so sorry to hear that that's super annoying!
    If it were me I think I would look into getting a new photographer. When booking our photographer it was a little more expensive than i wanted but when we got our photos back it was totally worth it. You want to have something nice to look back on and I think years from now you would be so glad you switched!
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  • Ashley
    Super June 2018 Alberta
    Ashley ·
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    The pictures are one of the most important details of the wedding. Definitely switch.

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  • K
    Newbie July 2017 Ontario
    Katherine ·
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    I would switch if I were you... I know it sucks losing out on your deposit but do you want to be upset with you actual wedding photos too?

    I got married this past summer and LOVED my photographer and videographer! She just signed up on wedding wire (we found her through a friend- she shot their wedding too). Her name is Katie and she and her team were awesome!!! Hands down would hire her back in a second! Her company is Katie Lynn and Co and she is a blast to work with!

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  • Chelsea
    Master August 2017 Ontario
    Chelsea ·
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    I know it will really suck to give up your deposit, but if you aren't happy with your engagement photo's, the wedding photos wont be very different. And if it were me, and photography was a top priority, I would be looking elsewhere. It was a top priority for me because it is something I will look back on for the rest of my life, and I wouldn't want to be looking back on something that makes you feel negative emotions because it didn't turn out the way you planned. It is your wedding, and you shouldn't settle for anything less then the best!

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  • Stephanie
    Master July 2018 Alberta
    Stephanie ·
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    That sucks!! I would probably cry if that happened to me! I would recommend switching photographers. The engagement shoot is a good indication how the photographer shoots, so if you don't like the engagement photos, you probably won't like the wedding photos either. Since photos are very important to you, look at other options. It will cost more in the end, but sometimes a little extra is worth it for your priorities. Also, check the cancellation policy in the contract, if you haven't already done so.

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  • Chloe
    Super May 2018 Ontario
    Chloe ·
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    I think that if photography is a priority for you, you should probably forfeit the deposit. It sucks because weddings are expensive and that was probably a lot of money, but you're going to have your wedding photos forever and you want to absolutely love them!
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  • Maegan
    Super July 2018 British Columbia
    Maegan ·
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    Unfortunately If you arent happy with the engagement photos you likely wont be happy with the wedding photos. You only get one chance at wedding photos and you cant redo them. I would absolutely forfeit the deposit and find a new photographer., eapecially since photography is your #1! Theres no point in paying a lot of money for work you wont be happy with.
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