Wedding photographer's nightmare

MelindaG · Oct 16, 2013

We were really excited to shoot this wedding. It is at a new venue. This was only their second wedding. We arrived early to the house where the bride was getting ready. Their car broke down so they were an hour late. Then the hair/makeup artist took two hours, making us late to arrive at the venue for bridal party photos. My husband (and primary photographer) had already taken the groomsmen photos and detail shots in the time it took for the bride to get ready. The ceremony was outside in direct sunlight. We then had to try to take advantage of the remaining sunlight to do bride and groom photos first. The family didn't understand that and kept telling people we were doing family formals. Seeing as we were at a barn and there was no where to go, we had no privacy with the bride and groom. We had maybe 10 minutes with them before the family formals. And then my husbands camera broke. There is a defect with the canon 5d where the mirror can come loose due to adhesive failure. We did have a backup camera. Soon after I accidentally dropped a lens on the ground. Thankfully it is not broken and is working. My husbands foot broke the fall. Then it was time for the reception which was not favorable for photography in the dark. Only one small section had Sheetrock on the ceiling. And it was so dark we could barely focus. We set up our strobe and umbrella to get some decent shots. It was in a narrow barn so there was hardly any space for it. Most of the ceiling was bare rafters and OSB. So using speed lights to bounce off the ceiling just created and orange hue to the photos (nothing Lightroom can't fix). To top it all off, the venue owners daughter is a photography student so she just showed up and started taking photos. She posted them on her Facebook page claiming them as portfolio work. Of course the venue and parents of the bride have been sharing the photos. We have only posted a few previews because we want to surprise them with the photos when we meet with the bride. And the wedding planner (also the brides aunt) took hundreds of photos with her phone and posted them all on Facebook. I guess we didn't even have to be there. I feel disrespected. There's nothing I can do or say. I have to be the professional. We were paid and hired. We will deliver our work and that will be that. Thank you for letting me vent.

Big Mike · Oct 17, 2013

Welcome to the forum.

Wedding photography can be the best...and it can be the worst. Chalk it up to experience and move on.

GDHLEWIS · Oct 17, 2013

Welcome, sounds like a nightmare

ronlane · Oct 17, 2013

Welcome to the site.

Braineack · Oct 17, 2013

and when you give the couple back their photos once you are finished they'll know why they paid you the big bucks....right?

Steve5D · Oct 17, 2013

I've shot one wedding in my life. The bride and groom (and I, frankly) were ecstatic with the results.

I'm battin' a thousand. I don't wanna' screw that up...

Designer · Oct 17, 2013

Exactly right, Braineack.

The professional photographs should be so much better that the wedding couple and all their friends will be glad they hired the pros.

Majeed Badizadegan · Oct 17, 2013

And

Part of being a pro is being ready for all circumstances and challenges. Sounds like you were for the most part.

The deck was stacked against you this time. But I wouldn't worry about Grandma's cell phone pics on Facebook. Your pictures should outshine them, no problem, or what did they pay you for?

I don't like the sounds of this other chick with her DSLR posting stuff to her Facebook and calling it "portfolio" work. You need to have an "exclusive photographer" clause and you and the B/G need to be on the same page before the wedding takes place. If you saw this happening, you needed to politely, but firmly, take control of the situation and ask this person to back off. You are the hired photog. Everybody else is second string. That's how it has to be for you to insure that you do your job correctly.

astroNikon · Oct 17, 2013

Welcome to the site

I've never done a wedding but the ones I've been too there's always camera phones, bridge cameras, etc there but they are usually in the audience but do wander around.

Doesn't the pro get all the pre wedding, post wedding, wedding specific photos all to their self to capture the moment - ie, asking the bride/groom to pose for a second before the first dance, etc. So there should be a BIG difference between the pro and someone just taking some pics. but I've never done a wedding ....

gsgary · Oct 17, 2013

Looks like you had a normal wedding to shoot nothing unexpected, most weddings are like this you just work round it

MelindaG · Oct 17, 2013

The good news is we are pretty happy with all the photos. I am not worried that our photos aren't better. I just wonder why the planner and the venue felt like they had to take photos all day. We are going to give them professional photos.

And yes we plan to add the exclusive photographer clause to our contract. We have a clause about intrusive wedding guests.

Also canon is fixing our camera for free because it is a somewhat common defect in that model.

Yes I know that most weddings don't go perfectly as planned and we are prepared for that. This is just one of the worst ones. And one of the worst with people posting horrible photos on Facebook.

Thank you for welcoming me to the forum and your comments.

kathyt · Oct 17, 2013

MelindaG said:
The good news is we are pretty happy with all the photos. I am not worried that our photos aren't better. I just wonder why the planner and the venue felt like they had to take photos all day. We are going to give them professional photos.

And yes we plan to add the exclusive photographer clause to our contract. We have a clause about intrusive wedding guests.

Also canon is fixing our camera for free because it is a somewhat common defect in that model.

Yes I know that most weddings don't go perfectly as planned and we are prepared for that. This is just one of the worst ones. And one of the worst with people posting horrible photos on Facebook.

Thank you for welcoming me to the forum and your comments.

I have noticed the guests are getting more and more invasive as my second shooter and I try to get our job done. I really think it is a sign of the times, but it is also really sad too. The bride and groom pay a lot of money for us to be there, and then they have every Aunt Sue and Uncle Joe standing in our way. Yes, it gets really frustrating. I felt this at my last wedding as well. I don't mind the FB post though, because I know our quality will shine through in the end.

merk102 · Oct 17, 2013

Melinda, I was wondering if you could PM me your intrusive wedding guest clause... I'll be honest I've never heard of such a clause before and would be interested in possibly adding it to my contracts. Would you be ok with this ?

rexbobcat · Oct 18, 2013

ronlane said:
Welcome to the site.

This made me laugh for some odd reason

Majeed Badizadegan · Oct 18, 2013

merk102 said:
Melinda, I was wondering if you could PM me your intrusive wedding guest clause... I'll be honest I've never heard of such a clause before and would be interested in possibly adding it to my contracts. Would you be ok with this ?

Google "sole photographer clause"