Easy Weddings

[MandyEdgo]

Hi everyone

Well I am sitting here going through my pro photos again, trying to pick some out for editing/prints/albums etc, and it has hit me that I really am very disappointed in our chosen photographer

We had a fairly tight budget, and Derek was pretty much the only one that came back to me with something that we were looking for and within our price range. I checked over his portfolio, met with him and was pretty happy with him so booked his services.
Now, while he has delivered what we asked for, with quite a few really good photos and he was really good on the day with lots of energy etc, I find that I am disappointed that he didn't take more care when taking the photos, mainly with placement of things around us and how our attire was sitting on us etc.
I will show a couple of examples and I really hopes that this helps future brides when choosing someone. Ask your photographer, or maybe clue up your bridesmaids/a good friend, to ensure that things are 'in place' or your dress/tie is sitting right, while the photos are being taken. I know that most professional photographers would/should naturally do this, and I guess I believed that Derek would to (he raved a bit about how he had done directing for small film companies etc), but it won't hurt to ask and make sure as you cannot do the day over again if your not happy with the photos (although I sooooooo wish we could).

In this photo the flowers on the piano really bug me, I feel they distract from my flowers, and while I could cut them out it would also cut out most of the piano and the photo wouldn't be as good, iykwim



Here I am disappointed in the way that Simon is holding Riley, and also the fact that Riley's tie is out and fraying (Simon didn't really think about it and this is how he would normally carry Riley around sometimes), there is about 20 photos like this.



There are randoms in the background, now I know we wouldn't have asked them to move, but I feel Derek could've moved the party around to the left a bit or at least edited the background people out of the photo



And the way my dress is sitting in this next photo was the first thing I noticed when I saw them , he took tons of these kind of photos of us, and almost every single one my dress is not sitting properly, all it would've taken was for Derek to tell me and I could have changed my position to fix it up These are some of the nicest photos of Simon and myself



I know I can tend to be a little OCD about things, I drive my family mad with it sometimes, but my wedding day is the one day where I think I have a right for things to be as close to perfect as possible, and I just get so down when I am going through the photos

I hope this helps other brides and grooms though, you may think that it doesn't matter, this is what I tried to convince myself at first, but it will matter and if you can prevent the disappoinment then all the better.

Thankyou for listening to me guys

[FordGirl]

I had a quick skim over the photos before I even read the thread and I must say... I had no idea anything was wrong with any of these photos until I read your comments.

It absolutely sucks that you can't look at your Wedding photos with pride, happiness and get lost into the memory of the moment... instead you're stuck beating yourself (and the photographer) up... shame on him really!

Thankyou so much for the advice, I'm currently looking for the photographer and those are things I would never have thought to ask of them.

Have you contacted the photographer since and told him you aren't happy? Perhaps he could edit out a few of the things you aren't happy with? (Like the people & the flowers)

[Strawberry]

I am going to be completely honest Mandy, I could barely even notice what you are talking about, even with you pointing it out. I think you all look stunning, I really think you are worrying about nothing, you have a beautiful family

[brunetti]

Oh babe firstly... you are beautiful and even if you had the worst photographer in the world... you'd still have looked sensational in the photos..

I do agree with you 100%.. they should tell you how to stand, how to position yourself, your head, your posture.. you get used to being given direction for the better part of the day.. and you just do what they say, because you want the amazing photos..

Yes, he could have thought about the photo better with the piano.. the orange in the birds of paradise didnt need to be a feature... they could have been moved..

Yes definately he should have said something about Riley's tie.. and said about the holding of him a different way etc, also the angle could have been better..

and yes definately could have moved your bridal party or he could have (yes he could!) have asked the people in the back to move.. my photographer asked people all day..

& definately about your dress and how it is sitting.. all it would have taken is for you to stand up and reposition..

That being said, you still look amazing.. dont doubt that, i know it can be disappointing when you see that the photos could have been better given some direction..

But very good advice for all future brides.. maybe its worth while having a friend/family member standing next to the photographer checking his 'angles' to make sure the shots are doing you justice

xxxxx

[aus_alanis]

Mandy I didn't notice those things so much but I cna see why you'd be upset.

I think what you have said though is a great idea for other brides to think about

[MandyEdgo]

Thankyou girls for you wonderful comments , and I do agree that they are mostly gorgeous photos.....but I do believe that if it was you and your dress wasn't sitting properly in 50+ photos, that it would disappoint you a little also, so I just wanted to tell future brides to take some care of the smaller details beforehand, as on the day you really don't think about it at all

I haven't spoken to Derek about it, and not sure that I will, it is hard to explain, I feel silly about feeling disappointed but can't help it, and just think I would be perceived as a 'post' bridezilla

[JWTB]

Thankyou girls for you wonderful comments , and I do agree that they are mostly gorgeous photos.....but I do believe that if it was you and your dress wasn't sitting properly in 50+ photos, that it would disappoint you a little also, so I just wanted to tell future brides to take some care of the smaller details beforehand, as on the day you really don't think about it at all

I haven't spoken to Derek about it, and not sure that I will, it is hard to explain, I feel silly about feeling disappointed but can't help it, and just think I would be perceived as a 'post' bridezilla

i understand
i had my brother doing our photography, and in alot of mine, its totally the wrong angle, so i understand how you would be upset paying for ones that werent perfect in your eyes.
i agree about the piano flowers and the people, but didnt notice the dress, just the look on both of your faces and how happy you were.
i think you look stunning btw

[HunterCommitmentGal]

Okay so firstly I agree with the gals - your completing stunning babe! but I also agree that as a professional photographer more care coulda been taken.

as future advice to brides - our photographer alternated between posing us to the very head moment and angle and then letting us get lost in ourselves so we were more relaxed - the difference was we had some awesome bridal party that were keeping an eye out for us the whole time we were taking photos and constantly would stop the shoot if something needed fixing and rush in and fix the train shape or boob rearrangements ... get your bridesmaids to look out for you!

secondly - I'm a bit of a whiz with photoshop sweets - I can totally take that bouquet off the piano,the people outta the shot and am fairly sure I can fix your neckline if you've got high res pics for me to work with... would be my pleasure.. pm me if you want me too.

[rin78]

Mandy - I completely understand what you mean..... and its hard not to dwell on these things ... that being said they are beautiful photos, but I do understand looking at the photos and picking faults.

After my wedding and then after my sisters wedding I went through my photos again looking for photos for canvases and possibly frames..... and i had trouble deciding - the kind of photo I liked and there were bout 10 variants on this photo - do you think i could find one i was completely happy with our facial expressions?? the 2 i narrowed it down too, we were both looking in different directions, and then one i was kinda biting my lip or holding my mouth funny.... while they were nice photos, and i do like them - just struggled with it in blowing it up on a canvas... and still am struggling with whether to get one of them printed.

the things i noticed after my sisters wedding were that her photographer kept telling us to hold our bouquets at fanny height not at b00by height....... which you could notice the difference in photos - and at my wedding - bouquets b00by height - so you basically dont get to see the top of my dress in pretty much all the photos....

oh and there were a couple of photos where they had us sitting on a log somewhere and i am sitting on an angle above hubby and i look huge and uncomfortable.... not a good idea photographer

While I am not dissapointed with the photos I ended up with - beautiful beach, beautiful bride, handsome groom, and we all were soooo happy..... these are minor details which could have been avoided.....

so I do understand

[beachbride]

I looked at your photos first (I always get too excited look and then go back and read lol) and I didn't see any problems until you mentioned them. But I can completely understand what you are saying. And now that those things have irked you they will always stand out like a sore thumb to you.
Good advice though, I have 2 kids and all up 5 kids in the bridal party who will no doubt need constant adjusting for their photos, I'll make sure the bridesmaids are on top of it.