To be upset my mum wants to get my wedding photos edited?

[riotlady]

I got married a couple of years ago and we had a really lovely photographer who is old friends with my husband so kindly gave us a discount (still not cheap though, obviously!) and we were really happy with the results.

My parents don’t like having photos up in the house but asked us for a photobook which I said I would sort out, but now they’ve changed their mind and said they want to send a our wedding photos to a family member to edit them for them. Apparently he’s already done one for them to make it “better”, which feels a little rude to be honest. Family member has a photography style that I don’t really enjoy (a little cheesy if that makes sense- the sort where he’ll put everything in black and white but leave a little girls dress pink) whereas our photographer was more of a natural documentary style.

Fair enough that it’s not my parents style and not what they would have chosen, but they’re my wedding pictures and I really like them! It feels a bit disrespectful to our photographer and to us. Initially I said yes that’s fine (as I usually do with my mum) but now I feel quite reluctant about it. Not sure if I’m being precious and I should let them get on with it or if it’s a fair thing to object to.

Yeah people are either weird or being full of shit

My mother tends to edit pictures I send her to make the subjects smaller of waistline or whiter of tooth and then post/print her version, which irks me considerably, so I’d really be upset about wedding photos! You’re totally in the right, just say it violates the contract. The edits wouldn’t even be good quality as surely you don’t have the raw images.

I'd go with the 'contract' story, whether it's actually true or not.
My stepdaughter in law is a professional photographer, and l have beautiful photos of her, my stepson and their baby, which she's sent me.
My friend's mum asked if l'd email them to her (no idea why!?) which seemed weird (she doesn't know/has never met them), and l wasn't happy to do that.
So l let her look at them on my tablet, but l said "I can't share them, they're not mine to share, they belong to the photographer."
Mention 'copyright'. And stick to your guns if you don't want them edited.

Most if not all photographers contracts will prohibit you having the photos edited by someone else (even yourself)
Just tell your Mum that you've noticed the clause in your contract so no they can't have them edited.

Saw my mum and went with the contract excuse. Thanks everyone:)

...but you don't get to impose your taste on someone elses wedding photographs? You do that with your own.

Those saying about the contract are right - it's copyright and it belongs to the photographer (I was one briefly) and nobody is allowed to re-produce their work without permission. Do they have a watermark? That's usually how photographers protect their work. There have been court cases. It's a bit like music.

Tell them no. Do not give them the images to alter. Your wedding, your photos, your prerogative.

they will get over eventually

Copyright law etc

If I'm understanding this correctly she wants your wedding album to alter the whole damn lot because they are not to her taste !
Surely she has some of her own that she can mess about with to her cheesy heart's delight. What she doesn't get to do is ruin your photos for you, presumably you arranged and paid for them ( the photographer still holds the copyright, by the way - so you can't alter them either, strictly speaking ).
Your wedding, your photos , your way and if she doesn't like it , tough.

Copyright still exists

Just select ones you don't mind being 'adjusted' and keep the ones you treasure for yourself. Most photographers click hundreds for you to choose from. Just give her a 'stick' with ones you don't want yourself.