Well... I am sharing our experience with anyone and everyone who is planning to hire a creative professional photographer for their wedding or any other function.
Just a year ago,we were looking for the same, specifically for someone who is into candid photography.we met a lot of people and finalised one from Delhi itself.
After looking at her work and appreciation in the media,we were pretty happy.happy enough to fulfill her condition of 100%payment, for which we had consequences, consequences till 1 year and 20 days... That's when we received the hard copy of our album!
After the event, we got a low version sample of 200 pics (of 3 events) and we were happy with it...
Then After a month of editing we got all the pictures and were dishearten to see that those 200pics were the only decent pics of the lot.
I will bring my background a little here, i myself is a designer and has decent exposure about the basics of photography and have a fine circle of the same.
Coming back to topic, Rest of the pics were all distorted, randomly taken and cut.
When asked she said "clicks taken by wide lens are distorted only". Which I totally agree to, but who clicks close up portraits with that? Having a distorted face is called as art?? Having half cut bodies on the foreground is pleasing?
Anyways without any fruitful conversation, we completed 6 months and decided to carry in with those 200 sample images only. But The wedding season started again and she got busy with newer clients again.We asked for cancelling the album print as it was taking to long but she refused to pay back the money and made it mandatory... However long it takes!
After having a chain of follow up, we decided on January!As per the plan she was going to courier from delhi to ahmedabad but due to some reasons " which are known to her better" she told us that she can't courier it out station . Without delaying it any further, we told her to courier the same to a relatives place in delhi only but sadly she denied that also later.
Trapped in her tantrums we went to her place to collect it. After chasing it for a year, the moment of happiness was but exhausting.
after the slowed down process, finally we got the album in march, 1 year after the event or I should say we managed to get it!
But this is not the end, after paying 16k for a handy coffee table book of 25 pages, anybody would expect a product of premium quality.. A wait worthwhile .
But what we got,page no.4,6,8,9,12,16,17,21...etc of unclear images.wow! first the distorted images, then the blurry prints.
I pulled myself again and called her if she has seen the album herself. And got a reply in the expected fashion...
After countless talks she concluded that we have unrealistic expectations and are unaware of what art is and how she is not responsible for anything.
This became more and more unbelievable when she started bragging about her accomplishments and how good the album is and how it is irreplaceable !
Feeling frustrated and helpless , we are carrying the same album.
Being a creative person, even I have clients with various tastes and I make sure that i work for them without loosing my identity.I understand that this balance is difficult to maintain but does that mean I start forcing my opinion on my clients? Make them like what they don't like? And just be unconcerned because I have received my full payment?
Are we just working for money? I always believed that there was more to it but sadly it does not apply evenly.
In nutshell, before hiring any person for you special moments, don't go only by the softer aspects go by harder ones too.
* never ever give full payment however big name he/she is.
*keep a record of every conversation you have, you might need it time to time.
*fix the timeline and possibly get it signed.
*make sure he/she doesn't increase the rates in the duration of time period allotted to you.
*and if you are a designer/artist/any creative person... Do your work like you do it for yourself.
And for the reference of the distorted pics in the blog, I am attaching few images of many as well.
Please lemme know if you find them artful!
Phew.
P.s. unlike the pictures
we all are blessed with normal height and shape.
OMG! Who was your wedding photographer???
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