I hope I have given the right advice!

halibut2209

Don't get me wrong, I agree with your last paragraph completely. But it's completely unrealistic to expect a photographer to perform digital removal of unsightly things. You wouldn't expect a videographer to do it, so why a photographer. It's a completely different skill set, and a completely different job.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

halibut2209 wrote: »

Don't get me wrong, I agree with your last paragraph completely. But it's completely unrealistic to expect a photographer to perform digital removal of unsightly things. You wouldn't expect a videographer to do it, so why a photographer. It's a completely different skill set, and a completely different job.

yet this is where the wording in the contract comes to light if the photographer wishes not to perform certain processes on an image due to lack of skill set to do those things then he/she should be excluding them from the contract and package description.


its not unrealistic to expect a service based on what was worded in a contract that says is offered along with the package description.


I would expect to what is in the contract not everyone is photography industry savvy and knows whats realistic unrealistic or plain stupid in that industry sector.


if the photographer has got the skill set yet wants to charge £15 per photo that's image edited but my package says free editing and I signed that contract would that be a breach of contract if he/she refuses to carry out the terms of the package description and contract?

ValHaller

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

.... if the photographer has got the skill set yet wants to charge £15 per photo that's image edited but my package says free editing and I signed that contract would that be a breach of contract if he/she refuses to carry out the terms of the package description and contract?

It would indeed.

meritaten

Sorry - I meant to come back to thread sooner but got distracted!

Update

DIL met with photographer last night and took along her SIL who though not a professional photographer has taken courses in photography and knows how to use the professional packages and also knows the photographer.

upshot
the photographer still maintains that editing is just cropping and that her meaning of 'retouching' is to remove spots and pimples from the bride on close up shots. the other term used is 'refining' (sorry I couldn't remember the exact term used in the literature so said 'etc')
both DIL and her SIL tried hard to reach compromise (DIL wants her album and as the photographer has been very hard to reach in the last few months (Son and DIL got married in August), this is the first time they have met since, or actually spoken as she wont answer her phone to DIL.
she agreed to remove the bin in one group shot (by the simple expedient of 'cropping' it). she has also agreed to remove the blemishes from a shot of the bridesmaid. they agreed that a few shots were 'acceptable'. but four shots they cannot agree on - it sounds silly but the happy couple were posed in front of a drainpipe - and the photographer has argued that the drainpipe was a rather nice one!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so refuses to 'retouch' that pic.
on the rest she can do the work - but its gone up from £15 per photo (and DIL has that on email) to £15 per item removed and she got really narky with DIL!
tbh - I would say that her after sales service stinks - she doesn't seem interested in keeping the customer happy - just annoyed they aren't admiring her artistic talent!

hollydays

How far are they from the drainpipe?

unholyangel

OP, not sure if you saw me ask this earlier but.....

Did your DIL or son see a portfolio of her work? If so, are the photos taken of the same standard? If not then it should help strengthen their case.

meritaten

yes, they had seen some shots on her website - but as she has only just started her business they accepted that her portfolio was limited.
tbh - I think some of the shots are absolutely fantastic! unfortunately they aren't the 'staged' shots featuring the bride and groom! and the guests. other shots of the brides shoes, and things you don't expect - they are brilliant - but that wasn't what the bride wanted - and the photographer seems to think those weren't important.
I get the impression that the photographer is brilliant at the 'unusual' still life shot - whoever thought of photographing the rings in a bowl of sugar? but when it comes to the bog standard shots...............she lost interest. and is peed off because the Bride and Groom want 'your everyday standard photos'.

meritaten

UPDATE

The bride received her 'album' today. and is gutted. she brought it up to show me and I was so upset I nearly cried.
its awful! I can't say much more - except that I think paying over £1100 for THIS - its a rip-off and that is exactly what I want to do to the so-called professional photographer. Rip her head off! sorry! I am just so upset and I do have an interest as I contributed to the cost of the photography.

this is the 'album' (btw the people on the cover are NOT my son and dil!)

http://www.photobox.co.uk/shop/photo-books/crystal-deluxe-photobook

She was too tight to pay the £5.50 to have the photobox logo removed from the back cover! which is how I found out that the actual cost of the album was £38!

it also has a damaged cover and the spine is splitting already!

I don't know where to go from here - to me £1150 has been totally wasted. I really don't know what to advise the bride except to contact the photographer and tell her the album was damaged on arrival and that she is not happy with it. I hold out no hope for the photographer to try to 'make good'. In past meetings she has been very rude and downright arrogant. she has no interest in keeping the couple 'happy'.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

In the first instance, the photographer should not had taken these images with backgrounds like that!

Secondly, they are included in the cost. I sometimes have to retouch, but I do so before going back to the client. Once, was for a client, whose grandmother was beaming away, but the groom had his eyes shut. I cloned the following photo. The client was so impressed, he bought a copy for his Grandma.

He did not need to know.

Advise. Do not pay. Name and shame

atrixblue.-MFR-.

I think ultimately it is now time for a solicitor, and court action.