Is using “stock” images to advertise, a standard practice for wedding photographer s

Seriously?!!!!!

I can't believe this guy is for real. Of course it's not 'normal industry practice' for a wedding photographer to use other people's photos to advertise his/her OWN photography. That's like saying that it's standard industry practice for a florist to use pictures of another florist's bouquets on her website, or a cake maker to use photos of another baker's cakes. The whole point of having photos on a website is to help you decide if you like the work that that person produces. So yes, if you are a florist or a baker, you might use someone else's photos of your OWN bouquets or cakes on your website, because whoever takes the picture, the bouquet/cake is still your own work. But when you are advertising your photography, then of course the pictures should be your own, because that is what the customer is looking at to decide if they want to book you or not.

Oh, and please leave a review of this guy on Hitched, because it would be awful if any other couples booked him - he sounds like a total nightmare. Not to mention dishonest.

NO NO and NO it is not 'normal industry practice' for a wedding photographer to use other people's photos to advertise his/her OWN photography.

However I have seen it before on here and on other forums/groups so it is not totally unusual.

If I were to give my views on the subject here I will be banned !

I have spotted it many times on shooters websites where the images on their main site look ok but then when you see a whole or part whole wedding the quality just does not match up.

The best way to to check is to ask to see a whole wedding. If your wedding is in the middle of winter then that's one you need to see and not one in Summer.

Best to actually see one that they have taken at your venue too.

I usually can spot them a mile off but you see something on their website that looks just different to the rest then do a reverse image google check.