Photographers Opinion

joebloggs123

Hi, I am currently trying to organise parts of a wedding and have been looking for a photographer of late. They all seem to want €X up front as a deposit and then €Y 2 weeks before the wedding. This seems crazy to me. If i was creating a website for some one, I would ask for an initial down payment and then would receive the final settlement when the site was finished. How can photographers expect the money to be paid before they have even taken a photo? I would understand if they were charging €1000 and the deposit was €200 and they had to get €400 on the day of the wedding and €400 when they give me my photos but to get it all before the wedding seems crazy to me. Am I wrong to feel like this, whats the opinion of people who are actually taking the photos?

smelltheglove

If I accept a job I take a security deposit as the last thing I want is to lose a days work for a window shopper. Also when I do a days work I want guaranteed payment, not only will I be working the wedding day but a number of days after also. After the wedding couples don't always have an urgency so I wouldn't want to hassle them to view and pay. I did once agree to majority payment after the big day and ended up with sob stories about how they did not receive enough cash gifts to pay the bill. Months later a meeting was arranged, I turned up and they didn't even have the decency to answer the door, left me standing in the rain while I could hear them hush the kids!

After that I want guaranteed payment for my work, I don't have the time to be chasing people to pay for my services, if they book me and I do the work I feel I am entitled to prompt payment. All other suppliers are paid on the day so why shouldn't we be?

Sorry for any errors as I'm typing on the phone

sheesh

I can understand both sides if you feel that iffy about the photographer ask for references or do not use.

God you would feel like an awful eegit if you gave some randomer a load of money and never saw them again..:D

I would feel worse if i had done the job and had it all ready to go for them and they had just lost interest in getting their photos because they had spent all their money. especially if i had to spend the whole day being nice to them.

CabanSail

I have heard of many stories like smelltheglove told above, but very few of a Tog taking the money and not doing the job.

If you are worried why not suggest using an Escrow service. There will be a fee that would be added on to your bill but then both parties are covered.

Borderfox

I ask for a security deposit and then payment of the balance on the day, I have allowed clients to pay on delivery of completed photos but this can put me in as bad a situation if I was to demand payment before the event

.Longshanks.

Our wedding photographer looked for 1/3 upon booking, the next 1/3 on the day and the final 1/3 will be paid upon collection of album.
With me working for an engineering company where we request 50% upfront and the balance upon completion, I thought it was fair enough

smelltheglove

If a client was in anyway concerned about it I would allow for partial payment afterwards but it is very few and far between when this is requested. Also for the Graphi albums I allow my clients to pay for the album after the wedding, less stress on them on the day and I dont have to worry about complicating things by keeping certain amounts aside for certain clients. I havent hear of any requesting payment before the wedding just on the wedding day.

Another thing I have agreed with clients upon request though is payment installments before the big day, I have 2 clients paying as they go and every other month would lodge 1/200 into my account, this works for them and at least I know I have been paid for the work but it is only upon request.

joebloggs123

thanks for the opinions. I might discuss it with the photographer we chose and see if we can come to an agreement that suits both.