BetterPhoto Q&A
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Cyndee Wanyonyi

Wedding photographer frustrations first-hand.

Wow...I couldn't believe yesterday when I went to one of my friend's weddings. My friend had told me that she paid $90 for this guy to shoot the wedding...first mistake!!! You usually get what you pay for...

I couldn't even tell who was the photographer for the event! He was so invisible...which, at times, can be a good thing...not in this case.

They were to take portraits after the wedding. This "photographer" had every single shot in the same exact place...no joke! AND faces DIRECTLY in the sun. Then, he doesn't say a word to get people in order. He just waits for them to move and takes the photos. DOesn't even tell them where to go. My poor friend was just overwhelmed, because the photographer kept on saying stuff like, "I don't know. Where do you want to take them?" Like she really wants to make those kind of decisions on such a day. Finally, I butted in and took over...I couldn't stand it anymore. I started to move people take them to other areas than just the front door of the church, etc, etc. Man, this guy! I don't care if you are doing the wedding for a buck, you don't take it lightheartedly.
After taking a few of the families and stuff, he calls to the bride and groom "okay, let's get a shot with the two of you". What? A SHOT? Then, he has their shoulders squared facing the camera in the same spot as everyone else, takes one picture and says he done with the two of them.

Then, after the church pics, he says, "Well, that's it. I'm out of memory, so I'm gonna get going." Then he sits there waiting for payment from the Mom. The GAUL!!!

I couldn't believe the tenacity. Anyway, I ended up really taking over, because I just couldn't stand to see my friend's memories go up in smoke like that. Everyone was EXTREMELY thankful (especially the bride who asked me in a last-minute plea to stick around and take shots.). The mom just kept on saying, "Thank you for doing this...this guy was a jerk."

There were many other terrible incidences to this story, but I won't bother repeating them all. It just makes me mad that someone like that would offer to do their photos?

One has to start SOMEWHERE when learning about weddings. But not jumping right in without any experience (even as a guest, it seemed) and without any research or seriousness to the task at hand. Anyway, I had to let this out...I was so frustrated this weekend.

However, I am happy that I was able to save the day :). Prayerfully, I will get referrals because of this, because this was completely UNPAID.

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October 03, 2005

Jon Close

"Then he sits there waiting for payment from the Mom. The GAUL!!!"

Yeah, I hate the French, too! Sorry, couldn't resist. ;-)

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October 03, 2005

Jim D. Keever

Obviously, you probably kept their memories from being a total loss. I hope you are blessed from this. The fools who go out there and do this with no guidance or research give us all a bad name. Everyone has to start somehwhere, but that should be a lesson to all of us that we should do some research and forwaard thinking before we jump empty headed into something new. You were a hero to your friend. My thanks to you !!!

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October 03, 2005

Cyndee Wanyonyi