What would you have done?

pxl8

pxl8

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Andy Jones
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I've nearly posted about this a few times but it's still bugging me so..

I was at a friend's wedding on saturday. Originally I was asked to do the job but I politely said no as it's not really fair on my wife if I'm always working at events/etc. we've gone to as a couple. I did suggest a couple of togs locally that would do a good job at a reasonable price.

Fast forward a few months and I hear that a tog has been booked, a friend of a friend who's just starting out and is "cheap".

On the day the tog was clearly out of his depth, was shooting with a kit lens and pop-up flash in bright sunshine. Didn't attempt to pose anybody for the formal shots and missed several key groups such as Bride, Groom & Best Man, Bride, Groom & Bridesmaids, etc.

Part of me wanted to say something and offer some help but at the same time I didn't wanted to create any problems or appear to be sticking my oar in. A few people commented to me about the tog but I said I was sure it would be fine. Even now I'm still torn between thinking the shots will be terrible and thinking I'm being too critical.

On the day I made the decision to not shoot the formals, etc. and restricted myself to candids - the only exception was taking some shots of the Groom & Best Man prior to the service as the tog wasn't there for that.

I guess it's a bit of a moral dilemma - if you were at a wedding and felt the tog was out of his depth what would you do? Would you offer some friendly advice and risk upsetting the tog or would you leave him to it and hope it turns out ok?

I'm not sure I made the right decision but I also think I'd feel the same if I'd gone the other way...
 
you need not feel bad about this in any way. You were not the one to hire El Cheapo. You get what you pay for and that is exactly what the bride and groom will end up with. They must have made a conscious decision to hire a cheap tog. Their decision - they suffer the consequences.
 
Its a tricky one isn't it. However I feel you did the right thing. The tog was selling his services, and should have known what he was doing (We all make mistakes, but advertising yourself as a wedding tog just because you own a camera isn't right). It might obviously be a huge dissapointment for your friends, but they chose to book this tog after you had given other advice. If I was booking for my wedding, I would want to see some sort of portfolio to see if the tog was competent.
 
I agree. If you're booking a photographer for an important event, you should do proper research and view their portfolio first. You want to be assured that you important day is going to be covered to a professional standard.

pxl8 - you just gave some suggestions, it was up to them to sort out and decide who to hire. Don't feel guilty. If the photos are bad, it's between them and the photographer.
 
I definitely think you did the right thing - you cannot be held remotely responsible for the B&G's decision, and you had already politely declined their original request. If there is no financial or moral agreement, there is absolutely no room for guilt over someone elses decision & lack of competence!
 
Forget about it. It's done now, you can't change it and you didn't have anything to do with choosing him for the job.

It's not your responsiblity. :)

People and businesses are falling foul of this all the time. You want a pro job, get a pro. Same for any service.
 
Ian T said:
I agree. If you're booking a photographer for an important event, you should do proper research and view their portfolio first. You want to be assured that you important day is going to be covered to a professional standard.
Click to expand...


I agree.

Personal recommendation is the best especially when you're paying for photos for a such a special day!

You've got no reason to feel guilty, it was your friends decision to go with this other person.
 
dont beat yourself up over it, it was a decision that was out of your hands.

You pays your money, you take your choice (to quote a well known phrase!)
 
I would agree with the rest of the people here thinking that you were right not to step in. The couple obviously made the concious decision to go with the cheap instead of the experienced.

The other tog shouldnt be doing weddings if he was getting that much in the deep end but as you mentioned he was 'cheap' therefore was advertising himself as inexperienced. You also dont know if he would take your advice as friendly comments to help save him from making a bad job from being in far far too deep or if he will take offence and think you are telling him he shouldnt be there.

At the end of the day its not your job to do his job...
 
You did the right thing staying out of it, it really is the one day you don't want to cause friction with your friends. If you feel really bad about it you could always put together one of the cheap photobooks from photobox with your pics in.

Don't go looking at their wedding pics either. If his pics are as bad as his performace it'll take an oscar winning performance to cover up your dissatisfaction.
 
As everyone else has said i would have gritted my teeth and and let him carry on, without any advise, after all we survive or NOT on our ability to deliver the goods and i'm thinking this guy may not deliver whats expected of him.
 
:agree:

What they said.
 
I agree with all that's been said here but I will also add that you did the right thing by not intervening. Imagine if you were covering a wedding and the 'World's greatest Wedding Photographer 2006' was a guest, I'm sure he'd be able to pick holes in your work (no way am I saying your work is bad btw :D) but I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate him telling you that you were making a hash of it.

Just my tuppence worth.
 
All has been said.

If it was my wedding I would check the tog out thoroughly...

I think this has been said too...:coat:

;)
 
Thanks everyone, I do agree that saying something could have been a very bad thing to do for lots of reasons.
 
I would wait till you have seen the pics really

he could be a wizard in photoshop and turn what appears to be a poor "shoot" into a desirable masterpiece

probably not, but wait to see
 
again you did the right thing :suspect: just hope the pics turn out ok :thumbs: for the bride and grooms sake....:shrug:
 
Don't be too hard on yourself Pxl8 ... :shrug: ... they made the 'tog decision not you ... :thinking: ... and you made your decision not to get stuck in ... the right one imgo ... :thumbs:






:p
 
I was at Dudley Zoo many years ago and saw a guy with very expensive Nikon gear taking photos in the Reptile House. He was firing away with a large flash gun about three feet from the glass and kept doing it repeatedly. I tactfully tried to tell him that all he was getting in his shots was the reflection of the flash in the glass. He wasn't at all impressed, announced he was a semi pro, and that he had managed up till now without my help thank you very much - before stomping off in a huff! :lol:

So no - I wouldn't have said anything. I've been in a similar situation at a wedding once and I didn't say anything either, but it really was awful.
 
I think you did the right thing as well, not your problem, although I understand how frustrating it must have been but it's the age old problem of the photography being low down on a lot of peoples budget list. they'll spend hundreds on a cake and not think twice (in fact was in bakers today and saw prices £375 for 3 tiers!!) but when they get to the photography sometimes it's "oh so and so has a camera he'll be good at it". Doesnt matter how you try to convince them that at the end of the day what they'll have left is their photographs. As my gran used to say "You buy cheap, you buy dear!!"
 
I'd have had a quiet word with the brides/grooms mother/father whoever was most 'in charge' letting them know that there were still some groups that needed doing, that way they could go to the tog and ask for or suggest that they be done. That way the couple would have got the pictures they most wanted.

From my reading of your first post they employed someone elses recommendation not yours so no fault is due to you.
 
I think you did the right thing, though at the peril of the paying couple.

Trial and error is everything.

I loved CT's story. Just last week two snappers at Chester were hammering away at 100 ISO with on board flash in the new orang-utan house so I advised them to close the flash, up the ISO and see the difference. Both parties were greatful. :)
 
Well dragging this thread back from the dead - today I saw the shots from the day and sadly they were worse than I could have imagined. They are just truly awful in every way imaginable, needless to say the couple aren't very happy.

I've suggested they have a word with the tog and ask if they can, given the situation, have the files. If they can get them I've offered to do what I can to rescue some and combine with the shots from myself and the other guests hopefully put a half decent album together.

:(
 
Consider this sinario: You offer advice, he accepts. Shots turn out ok becuase of your input. B&G pleased with results and recommends tog in the future......Future arrives and hey guess what...you are not on the guest list. Tog gives poor service to someone else. NOT GOOD.

Moral of the story is hopefully the tog will learn his limits and do something to improve.
 
Hmmm thought they might be Px. This is the mistake so many couples make it is staggering. I know it can be costly, and I know everyone is on the 'save money at any cost' band wagon, but this really isn't the time to cut corners.
On your original question, whether or not I quietly and subtly intervened if seeing the official photographer clearly out of his depth would depend ultimately on whether I liked the bride and groom or not! heh heh. Oh the power...!:naughty:

Hope it all works out ok for your friends. What a nightmare.
 
I have to agree with everyone, and do believe Hacker made a very good point. I doubt anyone would be happy if a "guest" at a wedding came and told the "pro" how to shoot.

If the shots are really that bad and you still feel a little guilty you could offer to re-stage the more formal shots for the B&G.
 
The photobox idea (from way up above) is a good one. Some friends of ours have just come back from Russia and proudly emailed some pics. They are truly terrible, but I reckon a bit of PS work will make a reasonable book that will please them. I've managed to get a cd out of them with the original files. It will take some time, but it will look ok in the end. I am, however, planning on this being a Xmas present.

If I were you, I'd just get a photobox book printed up and give it to them next time you go round to dinner or something, whilst saying no more.

They'll get the message
 
It's a no win situation really.
 
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