|
Forums >
Photography Talk >
just did a free wedding shoot... help!!
the wife arranged the photography for our wedding back in '91. i called the photographer afterwards and complained about the price on getting prints. he said "are you happy with how the pictures turned out?" and i was like "well, yeah". and "did your wife sign the agreement?" um, yeah. and that was the end of that. the thing we do differently is have both bride and groom sign the agreement. Looknsee Photography wrote: Jan 20 13 05:44 pm Link UUUUMMMM you did this for free right? unless they want to pay for them, you own the pics and the copyright, tell them you decide what they get, they cant tell you what you give them, grow some balls and stick up for yourself. Jan 20 13 05:47 pm Link Jeff Hopkins wrote: Now this I gotta see... Jan 20 13 05:50 pm Link Jeff Hopkins wrote: Normally I would tend to agree but this is a small town where everyone probably knows everyone so some nuances might apply. especially since the OP is 18 and working as a model and the B&G can afford a heli wedding in the Rockies. there might just be a bit of a power imbalance no matter how big the balls grow. Jan 20 13 05:52 pm Link i took 546 shots in an hour. due to "uncle bobs" constantly in the background, NO one paying attention to being photographed, (causing squinty eyes on the snowy mountain top, bad shadows, and bad expressions, and lack of an organizational ceremony. ) and so the photos i got that were decent would probably consist of 30-40 shots worth salvaging.. Don't blame uncle Bobs for your poor photographs, it's your fault!! for rushing through taking as many photos as possible without knowing what you are doing. I didn't even know it was possible to take 546 shots in an hour, that's a shot every 10 seconds. No wonder they didn't turn out. The first thing any photographer learns is that photography is all about lighting. Never do anything without the relevant experience, a wedding is a big deal, you're lucky you haven't been sued to hire the helicopter etc again and for he whole thing to be reshot, that's why we have contracts, to protect us in case something happens to out equipment. As for your reputation being ruined, as one of the other togs wrote, you have just started, so you don't have a reputation to ruin. Give the client all of the photographs and move on. Use this as a huge learning curve. Photography isn't about pointing a camera and going click, click, click. It's about the lighting, your camera settings and taking your time to compose each image before you press the shutter button. Jan 20 13 05:58 pm Link i've read about very experienced, business-savvy photographers who got sued. some clients are just a bit psycho. the trick is to discover that before they sign and send them to your enemy across town! and i will say that we've run into far more trouble on free/cheapo projects than on ones where the client paid good money. hopefully the OP can reach some sort of compromise with them and live to shoot another day. there's a guy in our town who has shot 700 weddings. this is only the first one. lots more to come (if she likes doing it). AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: Jan 20 13 06:02 pm Link Haha, who cares. Just give them all the photo's as promised. Use the favorites for your personal portfolio and move on. If people have that much time to research who took lame poorly exposed photo's then you probably wouldn't want them as a client anyway. Jan 20 13 06:05 pm Link Lol a lot of trolling on the photographer/model here, isn't there! Poor girl doesn't deserve that in my opinion, not from what I read! Here's how I see it. The bride knew the OP, and knew she was inexperienced. She went ahead and used her as the Free photographer with the consent of the groom. If they can afford a mountain top wedding, helicopter, etc, then they could have afforded a professional photographer if they wanted to. In fact, 2 photographers and 5 assistants!But maybe that wasn't important to them! I have met many people who just love the photos no matter what. 30 to 40 good shots within one hour isn't sub par in my opinion. 500 is a bit on the high side for an hour but you'd expect a bit of spraying from an inexperienced photographer. Sugar I don't think you're in a pickle. I think you should go ahead with what you agreed on doing, which was time for all the photos, but I think you'll find the groom will be happy, even with the amount of bad ones. Those are memories too after all. Photographers do tend to go into their own worlds when describing what your memories of a wedding should be like. Some grooms I know love to keep the funny ones in, maybe not the overexposed ones though  , of course that conflicts with the brides understanding of her wedding! hehe I hope everything goes well for you! Don't pay attention to the obvious trolls. PS: No one will judge you on your first wedding, just like no one will judge you on your first photoshoot. You had to start somewhere. Jan 20 13 06:07 pm Link anyone who shoots a wedding without a contract is f*cking insane. and you can get a usable contract for here in the US for $10 (the cost of 40 mcnuggets). even with a contract you can get sued/hassled but it sure helps to have it in writing with the bride and groom's signature. weddings are a serious business. people can get sued. doesn't matter if you're doing it for free. if you are the official photographer then it's all on you. otherwise just go as a guest, no pressure and take a few snaps for your portfolio while enjoying the trip. Chronos Productions wrote: Jan 20 13 06:10 pm Link Not very good decision made by the couple. They should have taken 5 free photographers. It's free any way... This is not meant to be an insult to you, the OP, but a lapse in judgement of the couple. You could be the best of the 5, but having 4 others for security is a wise choice. It is called BACK UP . Jan 20 13 06:10 pm Link she said the helicopter only had room for one photographer. Raoul Isidro Images wrote: Jan 20 13 06:13 pm Link I'm not really even going to jump into this amazing cluster F of a situation OP backed herself in. Just give them everything, it's your first wedding it should get better from here so no reputation to ruin. Jan 20 13 06:16 pm Link twoharts wrote: The more insane wrong decision to tag a freebie. Jan 20 13 06:16 pm Link twoharts wrote: Yep and kind of insulting to those of us who have put in years of work as second shooters or assistants to other Pro's. however at least I've never found myself in this situation because I knew going in what was needed to keep my ass out of the fire. Jan 20 13 06:19 pm Link I did an Irish Gipsy engagement party once. 500 edited shots and videos for my highest paid job. Just me and my assistant photographer. Did some great shots, and got very good money, but after that experience I don't think I will EVER take on a wedding. Everyone shouting at me, every kid and adult trying to aggressively hog the camera. Luckily I gave them the pics and they gave the money. Never heard from them again, I don't think they even bothered to learn my name lol. Weddings are complex, and unless you are super duperly experienced, you will need help from 1, 2, 3 assistant/ photographers Jan 20 13 06:22 pm Link i'm curious. there are a ton of threads on here discussing weddings...the pitfalls...the shortcomings...the realities of shooting a wedding...which you did not read before the wedding because had you read them you would have encouraged the bride to hire a real photographer. so now you come to the forum to ask what to do after the wedding was shot? isn't that kind of like locking the barn door after the horse has escaped? Jan 20 13 06:25 pm Link They didnt pay, they dont get a choice how much they receive. Jan 20 13 06:30 pm Link AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: Why do you keep saying she is in a small town? Edmonton's population is over 800,000 (bigger than Gatineau), not a small town! Jan 20 13 06:36 pm Link You're 18. You really don't have a professional reputation to ruin. Don't sweat it. Don't do this again. Jan 20 13 06:36 pm Link They asked for all images. You agreed. Now you give all images. Maybe suggest which are the good ones. Done. Jan 20 13 06:37 pm Link shooting weddings are a pain, and doing it for free is just torture. Jan 20 13 06:47 pm Link Sugar Sharai wrote: You did a shoot for free with no contract. Jan 20 13 06:53 pm Link Quick. pack what you can in two small suit cases. Move to another country. Change your name. Start life over.......... Or, take your medicine and bite the bullett. By your own words it could not get much worse. Take it as a learning experience. Now go back to modeling. Seriously take a few years shooting and learning until you are ready to try it and then .... first work as a second shooter.... learn about lighting in shooting weddings. There is a lot to learn. Jan 20 13 07:14 pm Link Delete your mistakes. Once gone, they are gone. What can he do? Not pay you? Include ever shot of him with a stupid expression, but otherwise technically fine. If you want to make your point in spades, but come across like a jerk. Slap a huge logo over the images. Register your copyright by sending in a DVD of thumbnails to the Copyright Office. Next, remind them you own the copyright. They cannot copy, print, publish, or distribute any photo without your written permission. To do so could subject them to large penalties. Next tell them you are willing to negotiate. Lastly, deal with the bride. She is probably much more reasonable and willing to hear your point of view. Jan 20 13 07:35 pm Link Sugar Sharai wrote: Stop whining. You made a verbal deal with them, now honor it. Jan 20 13 08:00 pm Link Denise wrote: You should understand how MM works better by now. Read her profile text. She lives in Chilliwack (not even 1/10th the size of Edmonton) and lists Edmonton. Just like I live in an even smaller town and list gatineau and Ottawa because they are the markets. Jan 20 13 08:06 pm Link photo212grapher wrote: OP lives in Canada (as has been pointed out many times in this thread). For your edification, if you send a CD to the Copyright Office in Canada they will return it to you. More to the point, what is the necessity of reminding someone you own the copyright if you are suggesting deleting the mistakes? This whole thread is about the OP NOT wanting to give all the images. Jan 20 13 08:10 pm Link AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: The small town excuse is bullshit. I grew up and participated in my first wedding assisting a professional photographer, after he decided I was ready in a town of 35 households. The fact is, she ruined someone's wedding photos by not having the guts to say "that's out of my league, you need to find someone who knows what they're doing." I doubt you'd be defending her so diligently if she was a 40 year old male newbie who ruined someone's wedding photos. Jan 20 13 08:38 pm Link BTHPhoto wrote: so you assisted someone. great. that means it wasnt your decision or reputation at stake. please try again. You appear quick to post and loath to read. The OP has not said she ruined the wedding photos. She said she got some good images and didnt want to give them the bad ones. How the duck you can conclude she ruined them when a) she got good ones and b) they wanted the ones she said were not satisfactory. srsly. Jan 20 13 08:44 pm Link intense_puppy wrote: Bullshit. She made someone a promise that she'd capture their once-in-a-lifetime event. No one with any integrity will make a commitment like that then hide behind "oh it was free with no contract" when they screw it up. Then again, no one with any integrity would make that kind of commitment without knowing they're capable of pulling it off, either. Jan 20 13 08:45 pm Link BTHPhoto wrote: again you do it. where did the OP say she was hiding behind free no contract? she just doesnt want to give them the out takes. please. do us all a favour and jump on eBay and get a dozen cornflake bowl covers, thanks Jan 20 13 08:57 pm Link AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: It means I was responsible enough to learn what I was doing before I made a commitment to deliver on a once-in-a-lifetime event. AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: Sugar Sharai wrote: I beg to differ. Perhaps your standards for delivering what you promise are just different than mine. AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: You mean you excused his irresponsibility by repeatedly pointing out that he lives in a small town? NYC? AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: True, but there are some things that you should have learned by the time you're 18 years old. One of those is don't make promises you can't keep. AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: You said it, not me. AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: And perhaps your standards for maturity are just different than mine as well. Accountability is a characteristic of maturity. Making excuses for lack of accountability isn't. Jan 20 13 09:05 pm Link Everyone's at fault here... the girl who should NEVER have taken the 'job', and the idiots who asked her to do it in the first place. Jan 20 13 09:15 pm Link twoharts wrote: That may b the only hing saving her from a lawsuit. If she charged and didn't deliver what was "agreed" on, she'd be in trouble. As it is, it doesn't sound that she is ready to be photographing weddings. She doesn't understand that the photographs are important memories to the couple. (She says this upstream but I can't do multiple quotes on the iPad). Jan 20 13 09:24 pm Link Sugar Sharai wrote: I'm confused about the first bolded part, and how the age comes into it. Seeing as how you didn't know how to properly take the photos, much less run the "business" part, a contract sure would have been a good thing. I'm sure you have learned that lesson. Jan 20 13 09:24 pm Link BTHPhoto wrote: AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: (1)It means I was responsible enough to learn what I was doing before I made a commitment to deliver on a once-in-a-lifetime event. AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: Sugar Sharai wrote: (2) I beg to differ. Perhaps your standards for delivering what you promise are just different than mine. AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: You mean you excused his irresponsibility by repeatedly pointing out that he lives in a small town? NYC? AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: (4) True, but there are some things that you should have learned by the time you're 18 years old. One of those is don't make promises you can't keep. AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: You said it, not me. ok. you wont give up so I'll have to go along with the extra long post and reply. Jan 20 13 09:29 pm Link I didn't bother reading the rest of it because there's only one answer: You agreed to do something that was out of your depth, and you fucked it up, and you're worried that having people see it will affect your photo career? The fact that you went in so damn blind is going to do WAY more damage to your career than so-so wedding pictures that nobody will see because of all the uncle bobs. Are you going to waive the contract every time you don't feel like pulling one out? If so, you're going to get bitten in the ass over and over again. The best thing you can do now is deliver the discs with metadata scrubbed and ask them to please never associate your name with the images. Jan 20 13 09:31 pm Link AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: Chilliwack is part of the lower mainland of BC, so an even greater population! Anyway, the point is her market doesn't matter because it appears she has no reputation to damage, being so new. She took on a job she had no business accepting and now that's it's blown up in her face she just needs to bite the bullet and live up to her agreement. I really have no sympathy for her clients either - I guess they got what they paid for! Jan 21 13 12:06 am Link Sugar Sharai wrote: I read your post, and those of others. Lot's of "fail" on all sides here! Jan 21 13 12:32 am Link Edit..wow at this thread. just plain wow.. Jan 21 13 01:12 am Link |
Yes intense_puppy is mistaken but you should attack the dog, not the OP.
