To not be sure how to handle this?

[awfulphotos]

A couple of weeks ago I arranged an outdoor photoshoot and it was a disaster - the children weren’t playing ball at all but we were also impeded by the wind and by how busy the place was.

The photos have come back and in all honesty there are hardly any nice ones and the only ones that are OK are of just the children which wasn’t quite what I’d hoped for (they are nice photos but I’ve got just as nice ones on my phone.)

The photographer has asked if I’m happy with them as I seemed stressed (I was!) and I honestly don’t know what to say. I think an outright ‘yes, they are lovely’ is just so insincere but might be the best way to manage it. I’m not sure what honesty can do.

I know it’s not a massive big deal but I had looked forward to it so it’s a bit gutting.

I think this was what was frustrating on the original thread; I’m not lacking a sense of humour but yeah, it wasn’t funny. Anyway … c’est la vie!

Whose fault was it the garden was locked? If the photographer I would be looking for a redo or a partial refund because the style of photos isn’t what was arranged

If its not within her control, I think it would be unkind to share your thoughts on this with her. These are your personal feelings, not constructive feedback she can use to do something different, so vent these feelings to your close people not the professional you hired

I agree with this. But I didn’t see the original thread

I’ve no idea to be honest. But I guess part of me thinks that if you’re offering a professional service then you do need to check things like this and make sure that you know what you’re doing and where you’re going (and where you can go.) It did feel a bit chaotic and haphazard, with the photographer seeming a bit uncertain about where to go.

Then it felt very rushed because she had another family straight after us so had to get back to the designated meeting place for them.

And the weather meant wind was whipping hair around and so that wasn’t ideal. But that’s a time of year thing and I get that.

But to be fair these would have been insurmountable with the children being a bit more cooperative so it’s that which is a bit gutting but I suppose this was where the boundaries were a bit blurred as they were in a big open space and just went a bit wild (well, no1 did) and no2 was whingey and wouldn’t come anywhere near me just clutching her dad!

I don't understand the dilemma. I remember your last thread, it was yours and your kids fault the shoot went badly and in turn created bad pictures, are you actually thinking of asking her to do it again for free?

I think I remember your original thread about how rubbish the day was and you hated it and everyone's behaviour towards you.

How do you expect half decent photos from such a bad time?

I would mention to her that you are disappointed with the photos and acknowledge it was difficult circumstances.

She may offer a reshoot when the weather is better.

I think it’s fairly clear what I’m posting about. Ultimately it’s her call. This is what the message said are you happy with what we managed to capture? As I know you were quite stressed on the shoot... I hope so..
I'll sort those for you as soon as I can

So I was thinking of something like I think the photos of just the children are lovely, although I don’t know if it might be possible to remove the logs from them? I was hoping for photos of me with them but I realise they weren’t really letting that happen. I know you tried!

It was a lot of money, and it’s difficult to respond to a sincere message with a lie.

@BlueMum16 i don’t think I said it was a rubbish day or that I hated it and everyone. I think what I said was that the children were very uncooperative, wouldn’t stop charging around with huge logs and so we didn’t get any good photos. I haven’t sought to ‘blame’ anyone (well, myself I guess, as I said on the original thread it felt a bit like I’d made a huge fool of myself and it does still feel like that.)

None of that is the photographers fault. Just the same, she’s asked if I’m happy with them and the honest answer is no, they are awful!

I’d be honest and say I know it was a tricky day but no they are not what I hoped for.

The only potential issue I could see here is if you briefed her that you wanted lots of candid neutral shots and she’s given you loads of staged ones. As PP said there may be more that she hasn’t sent you. And some editing to remove sticks is possible, but may not be within the package price that you paid for.

Depends if you want to forget it, or throw good money after bad.

I would ask DH to be taking more pics of you with the DC. Too often there are loads of lovely candid shots taken by the mum and she isn’t therefore in them!

That’s what I’d say too. Why lie?

Well, this is exactly the issue - but he just doesn’t. You’d have to ask him then the moment has gone. That’s why i decided to treat myself 😂 but it is done now, can’t be undone to paraphrase Macbeth.

Most photographers can edit photos. There are so many examples of this on Reddit and by wedding photographers themselves on social media where one person has their eyes closed and the take that person's head from a photo where their eyes are open and basically cut and paste it in.

They can lighten the background, add sun, remove things like sticks. Ask your photographer who you paid a lot of money to about their editing skills. Could you pick out decent photos of each child individually and say child 1 in photo 7 is great, any chance of pairing that with child 2 in photo 10?

My friend used to be a wedding photographer and was brilliant at photoshop. This is part of their job. They know, even with a family photo shoot this is a one shot deal so you better be good at editing.

Stop being polite, you paid for a service. Find out how good that service is with photo editing. See what can be done here

https://www.reddit.com/r/PhotoshopRequest/

Thanks. The more I think about it the more I’m inclined to just chalk it up to a bad experience and move on. The photos of the children aren’t too bad but because they were so wild we couldn’t get any with me in or the ones we did get were horrible because I was just desperately trying to get them to behave.

Don't leave it. There are so many times Mums are not in photos with their children because they are the ones taking them. You were feeling good about yourself, get a photo edited. My friend avoided being in any photos because she hated how she looks. She now sees that there are no photos of her with her children, at all. They are adults now.

Look at how people can remove and replace people in photoshop

https://www.reddit.com/r/PhotoshopRequest/comments/1s6rp5i/help_replacing_a_person_in_photo/

Also you never know what is round the corner, have that photo edited. Your photographer has reached out, ask them about editing.

I would say you are disappointed but take full responsibility for it just say you where frustrated with how the kids behaved and the weather and if it would be possible to try again.

I'd just send a message back
" things didn't go to plan on the day, as you know. I guess it's the risk I ran! Happy to pay for your work"
They are prob concerned that you will leave a bad review

Well there we are. Colour me surprised.

I’d use this disappointment as a prompt to raise it with him again and tell him how much it means to you. I assume he takes his precious phone with him on family outings so he doesn’t lack the means - just the thought.

@DippingTheBeak but it isn’t really an editing job. On the photos of me with them were all just sat on a bench and I’ve got a grimace on my face. It’s not a ‘move hair out of eyes sort of job.

I’d ask to see all the photos that were taken on the day, not just the ones the photographer has chosen for you. What they think are ‘bad’ you might like! If after that you still don’t like them I’d say that the location and weather meant that you were never going to get what you were looking for.

It all sounds a bit rubbish though. Why was the quieter location locked? It all sounds like a catalogue or errors which started from that point, which in my mind is the photographers fault. If you’d had the quieter location, the wind wouldn’t have been so bad, the children would have been calmer, you’d have been less stressed. It sounds like the photographer was winging it with the location. Had they asked for permission/ booked the quieter location? If they had told you the quieter location was where you’d be, it’s their fault it all went wrong.

If none of the photos are ever likely to give you a happy feeling in 10 years, don’t buy any!

Definitely no happy feelings - that’s one of the reasons I considered just saying thanks but honestly there aren’t any we can use. However it was already paid for - three shots of my choice, so I’ve chosen three of just thr children. They are nice enough. But not why I booked it.

I would reply saying something along the lines of:

"I recognised that you did your best on the day, but to be honest I am a bit disappointed by the shots. It was so busy and windy on the day and I did feel quite stressed about how the kids were behaving. It's a shame we couldn't get into the gardens where it would have been more sheltered, less busy and less overwhelming for the kids and me. I don't want to detract from your obvious skill as a photographer, but hopefully this provides a bit of useful feedback on the logistical side.

With best wishes..."

They might over you a reshoot, but if not hopefully it will mean that they check that the intended venue is available on the day. A busy park on a windy day is my worst nightmare anyway, without bringing along a photographer to document it!

I know it’s different but when I was a child my dad paid to have a portrait made of me and it was absolutely hideous, it looked naff all like me. He returned it and was refunded. I would ask for a partial refund and explain that the photos aren’t really useable, the location wasn’t as planned, the weather and your DC didn’t play ball and that you had hoped for nice photos as a family, not just them.

Buy a tripod so you can take your own. I agree that selfies are wank and most people look hideous in those but a tripod solves the issue.

I’d ask for a rebook but as garden was locked on the day.

My DB (who’s a photographer but doesn’t do it now) a few years ago did a kids photoshoot in a family garden taking photos of cousins. Unpaid, was favour to me. Photos looked great but he knew what he was doing. My dad (years ago) did child photography but he knew what he was doing too.