Nightmare Wedding Shots.

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CT

CT

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I've just been asked to edit some wedding photos which are some of the worst I've ever seen. It was a bright sunny day, white dress and to cut a long story short the shots are a catalogue of under and over exposure and over-flashed horrors. We won't even talk about the posing!

The thing is I strongly advised this guy not to do the wedding some time ago when he told me he'd been asked to do it--just knowing what I do about him, it's way beyond his capabilities and I told him so as tactfully as I could. He's done shots as a present to the couple -he's not being paid.

I've had a quick look through nearly 900 shots and I'd say about 150 max are salvageable, but even with raw processing, they're going to be borderline acceptable. I don't really want anything to do with it, but I've quoted the guy £75 to edit them, which is laughable for the time involved, and it's put his nose out a bit - he's gone off to "think about it"

I kind of hope he doesn't come back, but why am I feeling like Jack The Ripper? :shrug:
 
Find the best 10 and give him those as you thought the rest were so crap you weren't going to waste any time trying to rescue them. But if he wants to pay £500 you might be able to find another 40 or so that are worth bothering with....

If there are any real howlers please post them here so we can have a good snigger at his expense too ;)
 
Hmmm... this would depend whether this guy is a friend or an acquaintance. If it was a friend and they were asking you to edit the shots to help save him I would just run them through them and do it. At the end of the day its not worth losing a friend over £75. I would also request that the friend sat in with you whilst you did a few so they understood how much time it is going to take, and so they can understand where they are going wrong.

But if it is an acquaintance I would tactfully remind them about the amount of time it is going to take you to edit these photos.

The important thing to remember in this situation is that you can only give people advice, it's up to them to choose to take it and people will only accept advice when they are ready to hear it.
 
The longer he takes to decide the more expensive it gets :D

If he'd taken your advice in the first place it would'nt be costing him anything now (well perhaps the price of something for a wedding present).

David
 
He's certainly not a friend, and only a very slight acquaintance. I'm all for helping anybody, but I'm really loathe to endorse stupidity on this scale - there's a lot of work involved. I'm really hoping he doesn't come back.
 
I'd just say no, even now, just say you cant do much with them. Remember that once you do them all the errors such as focus, clipped highlights, etc will all be blamed on youand no matter what you tell anyone they'l look at them and say you didnt edit them right.
 
Say no mate.
 
You could be setting yourself up for a fall.. "Sorry about the photos Mrs Smith, but you know I'm an amatuer doing this as a gift, so I thought I would be generous and send them to a professional retoucher to make them extra special, and he's completely messed them up"
 
If he's not a friend I wouldn't get involved to be honest Cedric. Potential can of worms you have there!
 
You've quoted £75 - which seems very low - to salvage this catastrophe, the photographer has gone away to think about it, and you're hoping that'll be an end to it. The trouble is, it might not be. He might decide to accept your quote, which causes another set of problems. I'd get in touch with him before he responds, and tell him you're withdrawing the quote because you don't have time for the work (or something).
 
It's a good point. I didn't consider there could be a strong chance he'll blame you for any perceived crapness. Run away, now!
 
Grendel said:
If he's not a friend I wouldn't get involved to be honest Cedric. Potential can of worms you have there!
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:plusone: My thoughts exactly, i'd withdraw your quote before he has the chance to accept your offer.
 
£75 for 150 images edited Hmm thats 50p per image- he's got a real bargain if you ask me :lol: ( can you do some for me @that price?? :lol::lol::lol:)

And he'll get the thanks from the bride & Groom to boot

Les :shrug:
 
Alastair said:
You could be setting yourself up for a fall.. "Sorry about the photos Mrs Smith, but you know I'm an amatuer doing this as a gift, so I thought I would be generous and send them to a professional retoucher to make them extra special, and he's completely messed them up"
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Exactly what I was thinking.

I'd send him an email/text/call him and say that, having had more time to look at the images, you aren't happy that you will be able to produce a finished image to a standard you would be happy to put your name to, so regrettably have to withdraw your offer of help.

Let's him know sooner rather than later, saves you a whole world of potential issues, and re-enforces your earlier advice with regards to suitable standards.
 
Some sound advice - really echoing my misgivings about having anything to do with it. He did say he has a mate who might do them, so I somehow don't think he'll be back, but I shall just tell him I'm too busy The guy isn't deserving of any sympathy, he's a complete plank and he might just learn something from this experience!
 
CT said:
Some sound advice - really echoing my misgivings about having anything to do with it. He did say he has a mate who might do them, so I somehow don't think he'll be back, but I shall just tell him I'm too busy The guy isn't deserving of any sympathy, he's a complete plank and he might just learn something from this experience!
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:clap:
 
I would have thought that if the couple asked a friend to do them for free they will have a vague idea of how good or bad that friends photos are and might not be that worried as they would not have been expecting pro quality results. To someone who is a good photographer they might seem poor but the couple might not think they are so bad, after all the average person on this forum is going to be much more picky about quality than the average "man on the street" who is not interested in photography.
 
If you tried to tell him not to do it, and he went ahead. Then it is his problem and not yours. So walk away.
 
boliston said:
I would have thought that if the couple asked a friend to do them for free they will have a vague idea of how good or bad that friends photos are and might not be that worried as they would not have been expecting pro quality results. To someone who is a good photographer they might seem poor but the couple might not think they are so bad, after all the average person on this forum is going to be much more picky about quality than the average "man on the street" who is not interested in photography.
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I don't think anyone could fail to be disappointed. Blown highlights and blocked up shadows which are so bad they're not recoverable in raw processing. You really don't need any photographic experience to see how bad these were and processing can only achieve so much. I've seen a lot of dodgy wedding shots but these take the biscuit.
 
If he's having to have a think about paying you £75 to get him out of deep doo-doo then he'd probably moan even you had offered to pay him for the honour!

Also I'd hate to think that your good name and reputation may be associated with the outcome.
 
He only had to glance at the preview screen after each shot to see how bad they were - never mind the histogram.He must have just been in a complete funk on the day is all I can think.
 
CT said:
He only had to glance at the preview screen after each shot to see how bad they were - never mind the histogram.He must have just been in a complete funk on the day is all I can think.
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You're making excuses for him. Ultimately I agree with the majority - if the bride and groom are unhappy you will be the one who is blamed - after all the other guy is a 'photographer' who has given the couple a few hundred quid in a 'gift' - and passed the images to a 'pro', (all due respect to you), for processing.

Guess who's in the doo doo then?:shake:

No brainer, I'm afraid:thumbsdown:
 
personally i just wouldnt get involved, especially for 75 quid.

keep out of it mate.....its not your problem. get involved and it will be:thinking::nono:
 
LOL.

I just checked out the raw files from two CF cards, so I haven'l downloaded any.
 
I'd love to see just one picture...

On the subject of doing the editing I think I'd be tempted to sit it out and tell him you've just been offered another job and wouldn't have the time to help him.

Seems strange that he takes 900 pictures and then comes to someone else to edit.

Hopefully he'll not come back to you and his mate will do it. Perhaps his mate should have taken the pictures in the first place!!!

V
 
Perhaps even he can tell the 900 are a pile of manure and is looking for someone to blame...
 
Grendel said:
If he's not a friend I wouldn't get involved to be honest Cedric. Potential can of worms you have there!
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;)


Agree with Paul...


I am very supprised as I know how good you are at ps :nuts: They must be baddddddd :naughty:


Dave:thumbs:
 
imustbedreamin said:
personally i just wouldnt get involved, especially for 75 quid.

keep out of it mate.....its not your problem. get involved and it will be:thinking::nono:
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I agree, £75 is not very much wonga for a lot of work and the potential hassle. If it was £150 - £200, then you could copy all the RAW images, save as proof, and convert into basic JPEGs (with no editing), which will show them in all their "glory".
Then edit the ones for handing over (copying the edited files on to the disc with the unedited versions).
In the event that your work is questioned, you have all the originals to demonstrate the faults and the amount of time and skill which you have had to employ just to rescue them.
However, as I have said, for £75 this is just too much hassle.
 
You don't need this, CT! I'm only adding my agreement to everyone else in case you are still in any doubt !
 
CT said:
LOL.

I just checked out the raw files from two CF cards, so I haven'l downloaded any.
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Aww...

Wedding photography is so like watching motor racing ..the crashes inevitably supply the best entertainment. :lol:


Id have gone all disclaimer on his behind ...but not for that money.
Fingers crossed your out of it then. :thumbs:
.
 
Still stand on what I said earlier. Get in first and withdraw the quote - in writing - just in case he decides to accept it. Then you have an offer and acceptance situation, which isn't going to be very cool.
 
I wanted to see them - there is no way I would shoot a wedding, havent got the confidence or know how!!! Mine were taken by a friend, I personally at that point couldnt have afforded a photographer, they mean the world to me because they were a gift - so perhaps the quality isnt the issue for the couple anyway???

Mine were lovely btw, probably not to the standard you see on here, but then the prices on here are so far out of my league there is no point in thinking about comparing them.
 
The thought of taking wedding pics for someone fills me with dread. I think laymen assume that anyone with an SLR must be a pro and therefore able to shoot a Wedding!
 
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