Wedding..."legal"..issues

At least it wasn't people with cell phones... This happened to me at the last wedding I shot.

Edit; Also one of the cousins had a T1i or something shooting on Auto.. but luckily got out of my way when I was shooting.
 
You guys are all right. My pride just hurts a bit. I intend to deliver pictures and do the best I can with what I have. I didn't trust my gut, when asked to shoot her wedding. I knew I wasn't ready for that big of a step in the photography world. But when the cousin posted all of those pictures from her business facebook page and tagged everyone in them, I was so friggin butt hurt. I live in a small valley and every time someone likes one of her images, in theory is a client I've lost for possible referral. Not to mention, her watermark was so very similar to mine, I worried people would think assume her photos were mine and not notice the watermark difference. I know I'm being an ass, I know I'm irritated for no reason, I know that if I was confident in my work I would be assured that my images would out shine hers. I feel like a dick, but man...common curtousy, some manners and a little logic (you'd think) would have come into play when the bride and groom realized she used this "shadowing" as a stunt just to advertise her own business. What a jerk. I'm over it. Time to move on. Lesson learned...the hard way. I've got a lot of learning still to do. I fell in love with photography and the politics muddy up my passion something fierce. Must grow thicker skin.

A lot of second shooters hand the memory cards over to the main photographer at the end of the day.
What should have happened here, is you allow the second shooter, but they sign a contract as well.
You take the cards, you process all shots to meet YOUR vision, and post them, and finish the sales transactions with the client.
THEN you give the raw images back to the second shooter, and let them do what they will, for their portfolio (but you don't even have to do that).
 
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the help. I spent hours trying to find some form a rights I could read up on, in regards to her contract and this chicks assumption that I'm "verbally abusing her". Last time I checked, asking someone to remove their images was not harassment. I was just so freakin shocked that she went this route. Now the bride and groom are mad at us both and told me that I need to deal with it and figure it out with this cousin of hers. How about no. SO...I'm going to finish editing their wedding. Package it up real nice. Ship it out and get back to boudoirs, which is what I fell in love with in the first place. Weddings blow. Lesson learned. If you're not in a corset and partial drunk from nerves, I. do. not. like. you.
I don't even care how pervy that sounds
.

:lmao: This is funny. I like you. I think you should stick around.
 
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the help. I spent hours trying to find some form a rights I could read up on, in regards to her contract and this chicks assumption that I'm "verbally abusing her". Last time I checked, asking someone to remove their images was not harassment. I was just so freakin shocked that she went this route. Now the bride and groom are mad at us both and told me that I need to deal with it and figure it out with this cousin of hers. How about no. SO...I'm going to finish editing their wedding. Package it up real nice. Ship it out and get back to boudoirs, which is what I fell in love with in the first place. Weddings blow. Lesson learned. If you're not in a corset and partial drunk from nerves, I. do. not. like. you.
I don't even care how pervy that sounds
.

:lmao: This is funny. I like you. I think you should stick around.


Yup.. no need to worry about all the other folks she's said that too that subsequently disappeared under very mysterious circumstances. Total coincidence I'm sure.. lol
 
I'm sure many of us would be peeved (to say the least) at this situation too. So it's not just you.

And probably us other weddings newbies wouldn't quite know what to do at that point either. It's one of those live and learn things. At least it sounded like the wedding went okay and you didn't have a bridezilla .. or Mother-In-Law-Zilla

Everyone keeps talking about Zillas, but no one seems to care about the eminent danger of an unsuspected visit by Godzilla.

Not at all. He's always very polite, calls ahead or RSVP's.
 
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the help. I spent hours trying to find some form a rights I could read up on, in regards to her contract and this chicks assumption that I'm "verbally abusing her". Last time I checked, asking someone to remove their images was not harassment. I was just so freakin shocked that she went this route. Now the bride and groom are mad at us both and told me that I need to deal with it and figure it out with this cousin of hers. How about no. SO...I'm going to finish editing their wedding. Package it up real nice. Ship it out and get back to boudoirs, which is what I fell in love with in the first place. Weddings blow. Lesson learned. If you're not in a corset and partial drunk from nerves, I. do. not. like. you.
I don't even care how pervy that sounds
.

:lmao: This is funny. I like you. I think you should stick around.
Yeah, he can post his boudoir shots for C&C. Do people really have to drink to get up the nerves for that ??
 
Hahaha! Yes, many Fireball shots are typically required. With that being said...a nervous, partially drunk, naked chick, is hilarious. Lots of laughs to be had and at the end of the day, great relaxed pictures.
Here's one of my favorite sessions... $1098421_353860544745477_1976731587_n.jpg$1157651_353872914744240_407213441_n.jpg
 
Lovely shots! Very sexy. Well, the boys - and some of the girls - will definitely want you to stick around now. :)
 
"Prior to the wedding, the bride had call me up to ask if her cousin could "shadow" me, as she was a new photographer and wanted to take a few candids as a gift to the bride and groom. I said sure."

This is just weird to me, since it sounds like you had the same experience as the cousin, and besides, wouldn't need the distraction.
 
It doesn't matter now. Never let someone else with more expensive gear intimidate you just because they have more expensive gear. I've seen plenty of people with loads of kit set up a shot that won't work well with the light, not that I'm that good but just to set up a shot to eliminate basic errors. Other times you just need to pick your spot and not move, other times just get yourself in front. Sometimes you need to think on your feet and go for a different shot too.

Or if they are being a complete @sshole get in all of their shots till they get the message. Start shooting wide and close up if they are really difficult.
 
Here's one of my favorite sessions...

Wow! Those are gorgeous! If you do ever decide to tackle more weddings, you could grow that into a very high-paying gig if you can produce images of that caliber, under the severe time constraints and pressures of a wedding. I just shot my first wedding a few months ago, and I knew going in I was going to have both, an Aunt Mary and an Uncle Bob also shooting (actually, the bride's former teacher and her boyfriend). Thankfully, it wasn't nearly as bad as your experience. I was able to take control of every set-up, and the Mary/Bob team politely deferred to my instruction. Also, in my case, I was the one that brought $20K worth of gear, and they each had only a single Canon 7D body, one with a 50mm f/1.8, the other with a 70-200mm f/2.8, and zero strobe equipment.
 
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