Mrs. Lollipop, Pittsburgh
Age and Occupation: 26, Computational Linguist
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Project Manager
Engagement Date: August 2, 2006
Wedding Date: September 2, 2007
Blogging Since: July 17, 2007
Venue: The PPG Aquarium at the Pittsburgh Zoo
About Me: I'm a Pittsburgh transplant who grew up in the deep south. I have a weakness for exotic alphabets, DIY projects, mobster movies and international travel. My fiance and I are both non-native Japanese speakers and we have a bullfrog named Skinny.
Our First Vendor Blip
July 26th, 2007 @ 2:55 pm by Mrs. Lollipop
Argh…I’m kicking myself a little for not doing better research on our photographer. I hired his company after going to a bridal show and hating every photography booth except for his. I really liked the style of his photography and decided that it was worth the significant expense. However, since then I found two online reviews, both negative. I decided that we could avoid most of the pitfalls mentioned in the reviews by having a clear list of the photos we wanted and being up front about our priorities.
Well, we had our last meeting with our photographer before the wedding and it didn’t go so smoothly. We have had two prior meetings, and each went amicably. In the meantime, I’ve had a chance to look at photographs from other weddings and decide what I want for mine. Going in to this meeting, I knew that in addition to traditional ceremony posed shots and candid reception shots, I wanted photographs of the reception venue and its set-up before the guests arrive and the tables get trashed. With this in mind, I signed up for two photographers so we could get the coverage we need.
Here is how things went wrong: First, he expanded the six shots we wanted for our posed session to more than 24, by moving most of the pre-ceremony shots to the post-ceremony session. Then, our photographer insisted that both he and the assistant photographer be present for our entire posed shot session, and no, one of them cannot go to the venue early to cover the reception details. Why? Because the posed shots will suffer and pictures of people are more important than pictures of things. I know he’s the professional, and pictures of us with our families are a top priority, but he didn’t seem to get how important seeing pictures of the (non-trashed) details were to me. Our wedding is pretty heavy on the DIY, so most of the details represent the hard work and creativity of my loved ones and myself. Unfortunately, there was no compromise on his end.
My disappointment colored the rest of the meeting, and poor Mr. Lollipop tried to play diplomat, but didn’t meet with much success. The short end of it is that our photographer is going to do what he wants to do and we’ll need to hire a third (!) photographer to get the shots we want. Crap. It’s too late to hire anyone else and we’ve already paid a hefty deposit.
The moral here is to always check online reviews before handing over a deposit.
34 Responses to “Our First Vendor Blip”
Is there a talented photographer in your circle who has a great camera who can arrive early and take shots of the venue & DIY?
OMG– I had a blip with my photographer….
we actually canned him and had to loose out on the deposit 
BUT — in the end i’m just happy that we don’t have him anymore….
he was big of a jerk….waaay too used car sales man….his pictures were subpar….etc, etc
i am soo happy with my person now!
good luck to you 
OMG– I had a blip with my photographer….
we actually canned him and had to loose out on the deposit
BUT — in the end i’m just happy that we don’t have him anymore….
he was big of a jerk….waaay too used car sales man….his pictures were subpar….etc, etc
i had remained calm thru the whole wedding process — but w/ my photographer, i just lost it with him b/c he kept cutting me off when i was talking, etc, etc
i am soo happy with my person now!
but i totally understand your stress…
good luck to you
Try and find someone else. I think it is better to lose the deposit and have someone you are happy with than to not get the photos you want. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses!
That stinks! You’re paying him a good chunk (I’m guessing) to do what you want.
I agree w/ Melanie. My b/f sis is getting married in May and she asked me & the BF to take some pics for her (him - the details & me - the people - that’s what we’re good @ & what we enjoy) so that she doesn’t have to worry about missed shots.
I was soooo thrilled she asked me! I’m sure if you find a photog in the family/friends that they will be excited and want to do their very best. I’m going to brush up on my skillz before the big day just in case.
Good luck.
I think the photographer has an assistant for a reason. If you talk to other professionals, you will find that the second person is necessary for setting up all those posed shots. If you really want a lot of DIY close-ups, you can ask a friend to do it, or settle for fewer posed shots so the photographer has time to devote to the close-ups that you want. I’m sure you can come to a consensus. Good luck!
This is so unacceptable. There is a difference between artistic freedom and him not listening to what you need. It’s not like you are telling him angles to take. Tell him that he can have another assistant to tag along, but that you hired him for a reason.
Call him and tell him that is what you want, or else you need to get deposit back. Maybe it’s just the lawyer in me, but I don’t take this kind of stuff from anyone. If he is proving to be this difficult now, i’d hate to see him once the photos come back.
Ask for your deposit back since he is not living up to his end of the deal. Unless there is a provision in the contract that he has full artistic freedom, he can’t NOT do certain things just for the hell of it. What if he didn’t think that dancing was important, and instead wanted all table shots. You have a right to have input.
I’m sure you can find a friend to take photos of your DIY projects! The stuff will sit still, after all, and a person with experience taking digital photos will likely be able to get a few good shots of things! And maybe you can see if your venue can set up your stuff early, so you can get your photographer to take photos before even starting your posed session? At the very least, get someone to corner him at the reception and take pictures of the projects as he can. There’s bound to be a few setups that haven’t been trashed yet!
also, I happen to think it’s important to have a photog take the details shots. There are so many creative things that you can do.
Is it that he doesn’t want to go early or just doesn’t want to take the details? Maybe move the end of your posed shots to the reception location, so they will have no choice but to take some there!
Wow. Who hired who here? Does he think he’s doing you a favor by photographing your wedding? If you want shots of the reception site prior to the reception, that’s what he should be doing. Period.
Seriously - who do these people think they are? It’s one thing to warn you ahead of time and maybe update the contract to say your posed shots would only be covered by one photographer and the selection would therefore be limited, but to put his foot down and say absolutely not to the photos you requested is - in my mind anyway - absurd. It’s just good busines, good customer service to accommodate the couple.
Frankly I wonder if he won’t do it because he doesn’t want to have to take two separate cars everywhere. I see what he’s talking about, but as vendor myself, I think he’s not being accomodating enough. But I wouldn’t forfeit a hefty desposit over this. Like Rose said, I think you both could work something out. Think outside the box and hopefully it’ll come.
are you kidding me? he didn’t listen to you at all! your requirement is the same as mine, and i would have actually told mine to forget the people and go and get shots of my tables and room set up instead. unless you can get what you want, what’s the point of paying thousands of dollars for him? i know i’m paying a grip, but i do want those professional photos of the candy table and invitations and table centerpieces. i think it’s time that you consider losing your deposit to find someone who will at least listen to your priorities and work with you.
Since you seem like you don’t want to cancel your photographer since you don’t want to lose your deposit (and I’d be the same way), you might be able to find someone else, like an amateur cheap.
I’m not sure if you have a photography school around you (here in Boston we have Mass Art), maybe you can hire a student. There are a lot of amazing amateur photogs out there that need to pad their portfolios!
I know it’s not the best of situations - but best of luck!
I agree with Jen#7(could also be the lawyer in me!)
-good enough you still have some time to your wedding,vendors exist for your comfort not the other way round-the fact that you have paid a deposit doesnt mean that you shouldnt get what you are paying for;Have you signed a contract already?
what does it say in terms of what you are paying him for-i suggest you call him again to let him know exactly what you want(better still document this exchange) and let him know you see no legal reason why he cant do what you are paying him to do.
Sulking wont really achieve anything
(that said, do MAKE SURE you get 1 or 2 trusted ppl to take detailed shots of the setup!)
Let him know you have no bones about giving him very negative reports & possibly taking him to a small claims court- you can bring out these big guns if you try to talk to him again and he blows you off- i dont know that you are asking for anything unreasonable so whats his problem?
goodluck, but i wld fire him if i didn’t like his vibes and still try to get my money back *walks away huffing*
Umm…it’s your dollar, so he/she/they should be doing what you want - could you complain to the company?
re: last line.
All I have to say is, you’re tellin’ me!
Given my (soon to be blogged about) photog woes, I would really recommend that you ditch this guy, even if you lose your deposit. I know it sucks, but personally I’d be on edge throughout my *entire* wedding day if I had this guy up in my face being a jerk.
But if all else fails, I love the suggestion to just hire a student. So many of them do amazing work!
Here’s my initial thought on this: Is he selling additional photos afterwards, like to family members and wedding party and guests through a website or something?
Becuase my guess is that he probably prioritized the group poses because those are way more likely to sell additional copies. And as soon as a photographer is focusing on that angle of his business, then he’s not only taking photos at your wedding for YOU, but also for his own business purposes.
Just knowing that might not help, but you if you’re up for more conflict with him–you might want to keep that in mind & remind him that he’s working for you & your FI first. And your friends & family are only likely to buy photos from your wedding that clearly are photos you would also like….
If he’s not selling additional copies, and this is just his photographic aesthetic and you want to continue working with him–maybe talk about trying to get fewer poses in exchange for candids of PEOPLE first encountering & interacting with much of the DIY details of the reception (you know, signing the guestbook or examining the place cards, opening a favor, etc) with some considerable focus on the DIY objects themselves…. just some ideas. Best of luck!
As a Bee, I assume you are VERY much into the details (that’s why you like blogging about the planning), so to not have photographs of that in all its DIY-glory, is tragic.
If you look at a photographer’s portfolio, you can generally tell what he/she likes to photograph. Are there more posed shots? More portraits? More details? If there are very few detail photos in your photog’s portfolio, then even despite your insistence he take the details, his natural inclination that day will be to photograph what he likes to photograph.
I think you should forfeit the deposit and go with another photographer. You want someone who not only listens to you but also follows through. It sounds like your photographer is not being very accommodating at all and will end up doing what he wants. You only have one shot at this… if he doesn’t capture the details, you will always look at your photos and regret that.
If it helps… I don’t have any photos of the DIY details before the guests saw the reception either I think it’s more of a luxury than standard… and usually happens when the reception and ceremony are in the same location. Our photog was with us until 10 minutes before 7… and the cocktail hour started at 6. I got lots of shots from friends and family though…
As a bride and a wedding photographer i’m a bit torn with your predicament. If the assistant is truely just an assistant, then they wont have a camera on them. I understand that have a shooter and an assistant for the posed pictures is very important, there is lots of technical and interactive things going on and its a lot of pressure to do it in a short amount of time!
Most photographers i have worked with are more than happy to do the detail shots, they look beatuiful as background images in albums and well they dont require talking too much aranging. But they are hard in their own way.
I have to agree with some of the other commenters, photography is a huge part of the wedding, and if your photographer isn’t listenting to you, then look very carefully at the contract and try to walk away. Most of the contracts wedding photographers use aren’t very good, and if you have a good lawyer friend, you might be able to get out of it.
Thanks for sharing, Miss Lollipop; this is a good warning. Where do you find online reviews of photographers?
Here’s my opinion on this, and my fiance and I are wedding photographers in Vegas. First off, a good wedding photographer should be able to handle the posed family portraits alone, without an assistants help unless A. You’re family is huge and by huge I mean more than 25 people B. As a photographer you should always take into consideration your customers wishes before your own. You can always suggest what you think is correct, but you never flat out tell a customer no unless it’s an outrageous request which I don’t think your request is. If you’re not happy with him now, you probaby won’t be after, so I might consider losing the deposit and find someone that makes you truly happy.
Don’t you DARE hire another photographer! If you’re paying this guy already, then he is obligated to get the shots YOU want, not force his vision of your wedding down your throat.
Be firm. Tell him you ONLY want the 6 posed shots you discussed, and that he needs to get the early shots of the reception.
I don’t stand for people pushing me around.
Hey Miss Lollipop — I’m from the Wheeling, WV area and am quite familiar with the limited photography options available in the Ohio Valley. I don’t know if this will be any help since you’ve already mentioned that you would lose a hefty deposit, but if you can find it in your budget, I would highly suggest hiring my photographer, Rebecca Kiger (www.rebeccakiger.com). Her style is more photojournalistic, but she loves, loves details and personal touches. She is also one of the gentlest souls I’ve ever met. She is based in Wheeling but often travels to Pittsburgh to shoot weddings. I’m using her on 9/29, but she might have availability otherwise that month! Her packages start at $3,000. I know it’s not cheap, but possibly worth it if this other guy is just going to be an egomaniacal nightmare!
if you’re looking for economic talent, you might want to try a student photographer at a local university (there are 10 in the area, you probably know that already). carnegie mellon has a wonderful design school, with very talented photographers who i’m sure would like to build their portfolios.
I agree with brendalynn — it sounds like he is just trying to set up photos so that he can sell later. You need to get this straightened out!
I ended up canceling a photographer I originally hired and got someone else. My planner assured me that there are PLENTY of photographers, and don’t settle for one you don’t like, you will most likely to find another– in fact, book another and then cancel yours!
ktbuffy - the fact that he is being so intransigent is exactly why I think she should fire him. He is clearly unwilling to do what she wants, and she won’t be able to stay on top of him every minute on her wedding day. So why should she give him any more money than she has to, especially if she won’t get the photos she likes out of the bargain?
Sounds like you’ve gotten good advice already … though tough that it seems to go in a few different directions!
I just wanted to chime in to say that, if you end up sticking with that photog and his current plan, it may work well to have a talented friend or family member take your detail pics. I’ve taken photos at several friends’ weddings and can vouch that those detail pictures are SO MUCH easier than the people pictures — no movement, no changes of expression, etc. The items just sit there, looking colorful and pretty and waiting to be captured. Anyone with a good camera and an artsy eye should be able to do it.
Just ask the person to take LOTS of shots from different angles, distances, etc. This is often the trick to stumbling on a better picture than the one you might have first thought of. (And it’s especially cheap and easy these days thanks to digital.) You’re bound to wind up with at least a few that you love. Good luck!!
Thanks for the great advice, everyone!
I think the big problem with our photographer is that he sees himself as an AR-teest. I really do like his photographs which is why I haven’t fired him already and I don’t doubt that I will have wonderful wedding photos. However, I won’t be recommending him to other people because of his unwillingness to deviate from what works at the all other weddings he photographs.
We’re currently interviewing other photographers to cover just that one hour of the reception. We’re looking for the right combination of talented and cheap, but not necessarily experienced. A few artist friends have given us some leads.
Miss Lollipop,
Do you have a weddingbee email address?
Thanks!
do you have a friend or family who is good at taking pictures? Maybe they can go earlier and take the photos for you. I’m so sorry to hear that about your photographer. Is there a way the photographer can go before the group shots. I hope everything turns out ok for you.
My photography package also came with an assistant, who does carry a camera and take candids during the posed photographs, but the company made a point of telling us that the assistant would not be separated from the primary photographer. That is just their policy and often people are disappointed when they can’t send one photographer to location A and another to location B.
So… rethink this a bit. Is there any other way to get what you want from this photographer? What were the actual negative comments you read online?
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