When Wedding photography goes wrong

foamcutter

Seems like there are plenty threads relating to photographing Weddings.
Don't do it like this.

http://www.u.tv/News/Couples-left-heartbroken-by-wedding-snapper/1df92be6-d13d-4d64-82e6-a468030a2d78

steelydan99

When you pay £300 for a wedding photographer, what do you expect???

Shocking to think he is getting away with that kind of photography.

RachaelVO

I'm inclined to agree! How do you expect a photographer to operate for just 300GBP, it would be financial suicide for any photographer. I got a cheap(ish) photographer that included the album for e900 (a good few years before the recession hit), and he was superb and he was the cheapest quote we got, if I got a quote of 300gbp I'd be instantly suspicious!

mehfesto

I just don't get how the pictures are that bad?
Surely shooting in auto, or checking the back of the camera after each shot would save you from these kind of results?!

gbee

steelydan99 wrote: »

When you pay £300 for a wedding hotographer, what do you expect???.

Not much, but any camera should have done better. Mind you I have a Canon 5D and 5580EXII flash combo that insists on taking pics like this too. Full blow outs and then no compensation and yes it was back to Canon more than once.

But still, these shots are extremely bad even for a cheap wedding coverage.

Freddie59

mehfesto wrote: »

I just don't get how the pictures are that bad?
Surely shooting in auto, or checking the back of the camera after each shot would save you from these kind of results?!

Not necessarily. I have a Canon Eos 40D and it can be brutal in auto (just like the 450D I had before it) (I've tried it on one or two occasions when comparing to M mode). But those photos are terrible. I did the photos for our son's wedding last year (some shots here) and spent a lot of time reading up, practicing, etc. OK - they're not the same as the pros would deliver, but nowhere like those ones in the video. As you say, it's hard to see how he could get things THAT wrong.

the_syco

Looks like he didn't have a decent flash. Heck, in some photos it looked like he used no flash. I recently got a Nissin Di622 Mark11, and took a few photos with it, after pretty much reading the manual, and getting used to it. Got it Tuesday, took these on Sunday. All shots used the defuser, and the flash was at a 45 degree angle upwards.

Need more practise indoors, but hell, some of the photos in the OP's link reminds me of those taken with a point-and-shoot camera. You'd swear he took photos without looking at what the photo looked like after he shot it. And in this day and age, it's criminal not briefly looking at the photo you just took to ensure it's kinda okay, imo.

smelltheglove

I'm curious bur lack if net in new house means I can't view the video in the link on my phone. Does anyone know if it's on toutube?

Fionn

my god thats scary eh?

gotta love the 'sunset' one :rolleyes:

asking for examples probably wont be enough any more - obviously this guy wasn't showing examples of his own work!

i guess it's like everything else, do the research, compare get all the info you can before handing over money.

dont think it's on youtube yet.

looksee

I have a €200 camera that I use on a completely automatic, uninformed, point and click basis and it takes great pics.

ant_moore123

steelydan99 wrote: »

When you pay £300 for a wedding photographer, what do you expect???

Shocking to think he is getting away with that kind of photography.

My thoughts exactly, the price would of set alarm bells ringing for me i paid 5 times that amount

showit

The taking of bad Photographs is bad enough, but running off with deposits is deplorable

challengemaster

showit wrote: »

The taking of bad Photographs is bad enough, but running off with deposits is deplorable

Yes its bad but its a £70 deposit.... for any decent wedding photographer £300 would be the deposit if not more, nevermind the full price!

The guy is obviously a prick but they cheaped out and paid for it in the long run.

kjt

It reminds me of this from 2009, 'Dublin Photogragher doesn't show up to wedding'.

gbee

Fionn wrote: »

gotta love the 'sunset' one :rolleyes:

Actually, the only thing 'wrong' with the sunset one, is the composition does not suit the treatment.

That's giving more credit to the photographer than I think he has actually, but silhouettes against the sunset is a common theme, usually the couple in embrace full length.

falsers

I know they should have known with the price but still god love them I'm still so upset over our wedding photos nearly 5 years on from the big day and we haven't one shot that you could show anyone. We paid WAAAY more then 300 quid and got nothing but crap in return. I have none with my family, none of the shots we asked for, none of my now deceased Gran I'm welling up thinking about it.

CabanSail

Only had a quick look at the Video.

Looks to me like someone who has bought a DSLR and thought that this wedding photography is easy money. Rattle off a few snaps and charge 300 quid. Pay for the camera after doing two and the rest is all gravy.

Few here would class his work as that of a Professional, but he is refered to as a Professional Photographer in the story.

Freddie59

falsers wrote: »

I know they should have known with the price but still god love them I'm still so upset over our wedding photos nearly 5 years on from the big day and we haven't one shot that you could show anyone. We paid WAAAY more then 300 quid and got nothing but crap in return. I have none with my family, none of the shots we asked for, none of my now deceased Gran I'm welling up thinking about it.

WTF?:eek: Was this a professional?

Arciphel

Would never have happened if he shot on film.

:honk honk:

Thecageyone

He did what they asked, he photographed th sunset. he just completely forgot to make them part of the image

I wonder what images he was using to sell himself? Probably not even his own. If I took pictures that bad [of course, I would not ... :P ] I'd be ashamed, apologetic and offer full refund and to shoot them next day for free. If nothing else, it might keep the damage to your rep at a minimum. But I think most of us wouldn't even dream of showing images like that to clients [if we were to ever do weddings]

the_syco

falsers wrote: »

I know they should have known with the price but still god love them I'm still so upset over our wedding photos nearly 5 years on from the big day and we haven't one shot that you could show anyone. We paid WAAAY more then 300 quid and got nothing but crap in return. I have none with my family, none of the shots we asked for, none of my now deceased Gran I'm welling up thinking about it.

Just not well taken, or not pointing at the correct people? If the former, are they bad bad, or would they be salvageable?

CabanSail

The couples who hired him should have realised that it was ridiculously cheap if they were expecting a quality product.

Maybe they should just lodge a claim against his Insurance Policy?

At least they will still be able to enjoy their 2 week Honeymoon in Phuket in the five star Hotel, fully catered and including return Business Class travel. It was also a bargain at £300 a head.

gbee

CabanSail wrote: »

Maybe they should just lodge a claim against his Insurance Policy?

I left insurance when it went to £450, I could add another zero to that to get insurance today. And this lad is doing £300 wedding packages.

Squidgy Black

I know he did an absolutely shocking job and shouldn't be allowed hold a camera ever again....

But technically he took all the pictures, and sent them to the couple. Granted they were shocking and not worth 300 pounds, but he did what he was paid to do.

It'd be like buying a ryanair bog standard airplane seat compared to a transatlantic first class seat for your honeymoon, and then expecting to get the same comfort for f**k all money.

johnmcdnl

sur for christ sake I could send my mother out to a shop to buy a point and shoot camera and let her do the photography and the pictures would be better than those shots...

Even 10 minutes photoshopping could sort half those problems out and you'd have half respectable album...

falsers

Freddie59 wrote: »

WTF?:eek: Was this a professional?

Yep he was a professional, still working in my local area and as I've gotten to know it better have found more people who've had the same sh** from him. We were 8 weeks before getting sample shots and then realised he'd been avoiding us because of how bad they were.

falsers

the_syco wrote: »

Just not well taken, or not pointing at the correct people? If the former, are they bad bad, or would they be salvageable?

We had asked for reportage style photos, told him specifically the areas of the day and where we wanted the photos to be taken and of whom, instead he shot a lot of empty spaces so we've lovely shots of an empty bar we didn't know was in the hotel, some of hubby and I with eyes closed obv mid blink. But none of the shots that we asked for