Photographer not replying to email

Hmmm mixed feelings about this but he could just be on holiday?! I have a company that update my twitter feeds regularly, its part of my web hosting package, so dont assume that just because he is tweeting it is actually him thats doing it. He may just have gone away for a few days to get a break in the middle of wedding season.

To not be able to produce an album, even if it is a composite of several weddings, is a little more worrying.

Maybe some listed TOGS from here could offer their help?

Hmm, not too sure what is going on really, but I'm sure you haven't offended him by asking to see a full album, and I agree - you should be able to see a full wedding from start to finish.

That's weird that he's active on Twitter though - the only thing I can think of is that perhaps he has a business associate or uses someone else to update his Twitter Feed? What are the tweets like? Are they personal and something like "Just had the best sunday lunch with my wife" or something, or is it more a business tweet, promoting business etc?

I know a Photographer who sometimes asks a close friend of hers to reply to her emails and keep up with her social media channels when she is away for a few days. I mean, if the tweets are personal, then it's obviously him writing it, and to be honest I think clients should come first over Twitter.

Although, as you say - he's the Photographer you've had your eye on for a year and the guy you want to go with! Photography is so important for many Brides, and if you've admired his work for this long and don't think you'd be able to hire anyone else, and would want the other Photographer to replicate something similar to his work, then I'd say to stick with him - maybe send him another following up email, and just say you was checking whether he got the previous email you sent (you never know, sometimes emails slip into different folders) and whether you can arrange a date to meet up still. There's probably a perfectly good reason why he hasn't replied, so I would just chase it up again and see what happens from there.

He have several weddings on his website, each showing maybe 20-25 images. I can just go off those but I thought it's normal for a photographer to show a full album at request which was why I asked. My OH probably wouldn't want to sit through 300+ photos of somebody elses' wedding anyway.

That sounds a bit dodgy to me. Why should he be offended by you asking to see a full album? He's a tog, that is what they do isn't it? It might be completely innocent - he might be busy or yes, you may have "offended" him and if it is the latter, would you really want to have him for your wedding? Sorry but that would be enough to put me off. I asked our tog a ridiculous amount of stupid (and probably quite patronising) questions and she didn't mind one but and completely understood that you are making an investment when you book them, so you want to suss everything out. I get that you have wanted to book him for a while - I am an illustrator so was looking for quite a specific style for our photos, but I did find quite a few togs I liked in the end. If I was you, I would be taking my business elsewhere - your post would fit well within the thread on here at the momemt about suppliers and their not so great customer service!

They are business orientated and do give the impression that he is busy. He has never replied to my email on the same day but he have replied to tweets pretty much straight away so I might tweet him instead.

Thanks for your reply Laura, glad you don't think I've offended him ?

It might be worth tweeting, you can just make it sound a bit casual and laidback perhaps? Something like "Hope your Manchester wedding went well, I did send an email over a few days ago, hope to speak soon" or something like that, if you feel like he is very active on Twitter.

If he doesn't have sample albums of a full wedding, it might also be worth asking if you could see a full wedding on his iPad/Tablet if he has one when he meets you. Good Luck ?

Thanks HundredMonkeys, I must admit I am quite frustrated by the communication.

There are a few other reasons why I want him apart from his style. His price is very good but he is rapidly putting it up the more popular he's becoming so I need to book him soon while he is still within my budget. The third reason is because he has shot at my venue before. There is 1 niggling thing I dislike about my venue and that is that the dance floor is very small and feels very boxy. Other things outweighed the negative which is why I chose that venue.

Daylight hits the dance floor and they put up a lot of strobe lights. Most photos I've seen of my venue dancefloor taken by other photographers makes it look exactly what it is - boxy, small, confused lighting. The photographer in question do a lot of commercial work and have photographed a lot of concerts, gigs and festivals. His photos of the venue dancefloor makes it look really big and as though it was taken somewhere else. The lighting is perfect on them.

I totally understand about the price issue - we never intended on spending as much as we have done on our tog but the more I researched, the more I realised I did want something specific and when you come from an "arty" background, you do become quite fussy about arty things! So we ended up booking her as I just loved her style. Though having said that, there were quite a few togs we liked, who had that same style, it just happened that she was in our area and was *just* affordable...

I do understand that you want your venue to look at it's best, but at the end of the day, the photos are of you - I hope he makes you and your OH and friends and family look as good in the photos as he does the venue! I'm sure you've thought about it all very thoroughly though, I just don't like the fact it has become frustrating for you, waiting for him to get in touch. I just think you deserve better (even if it is unintentional).

Good luck x

There is no way he could have got offended by that request and if he did I'd seriously question why! When you go on his website does he have a client area? Can he send you the password to one of those for ease? 25-30 images is not enough to see before booking in my opinion.

This strikes me as a bit strange for him to say this and why he'd be reluctant to show you a sample album/full wedding. Most photographers supplying albums will have sample albums and if not, they should still be more than happy to show you an example of a full wedding, it takes two seconds to send a digital gallery. If he's mega experienced and super busy maybe he's not used to being questioned but imo that seems a bit arrogant and not very good customer service.

Have you phoned them?

In their defense, they may be on holiday and they may misunderstand what an album means to you.

But they should say 'we don't carry sample albums but we have client areas online'. June this year is quiet for a lot of togs for some weird reason.

It depends on the albums they use. I swear, I will never carry a sample Queensberry album. £700 for a decent sample after the discount right there. No sir, never going to happen.

In these cases, if in doubt get sneaky. Use a different email address and fire off an inquiry via their site for a different date in say October next year, on a Thursday.

If they reply then they're stonewalling you. Some suppliers get like that when they know there is no business to be had. Weird and arrogant I know.

If they are also rapidly putting their prices up then they sound reasonably new and maybe don't have the level of work to buy in albums. You never know they could be bluffing about the albums they've done in the past. I do lots of weddings a year but because I don't sell packages many don't take an album. Like 95% don't take an album (Which is fine because they take ages to do and I can spend that time editing their photos instead).

Perhaps he hasn't put together a sample album online for people to view yet, and if he wants to carefully select and order the images it may take a little while to do so. Maybe he plans to reply to you when he has uploaded a full album?

If he has been really busy shooting and processing weddings, then this online gallery might take a backseat, although he should probably have sparred a few tweets and replied to your email if that was the case.

Of course it could be that he doesn't think he will get you're business if he shows a full album as the 25 he put's up are obviously the 25 best images from the wedding. But in any case, I seriously doubt you have caused offense or if you have the issue is with him and not you.

That's good to know, I thought I was the only one!

Oh and I think you are right about blog advertising by the way. ?

I don't think 5 days is that terrible - I've found a lot of my suppliers don't get back to me immediately but I understand I have 10 months until my wedding so nothing seems urgent.

If you were expressing an interest and he knew your date I'd expect that day to be kept free whilst still in communication (well while he hasnt replied to you I wouldnt expect him to book someone else instead)

Don't forget with mobile technology it is a lot easier to send a few characters in a tweet whilst on the go, but composing a professional email, especially if you have requested something that may take time to compose, takes time and thought.

He's obviously been busy too, his tweets announce that! Maybe he thinks if he tweets about working hard the people he knows he has to get back to can see he's a little busy therefore letting everyone know at once.

We're on the weekend now which is always a busier time for suppliers - if you havent heard from him by friday next week then write him off.

I've leant while planning that although my wedding is the only thing I am thinking of right now and want it all planned immediately, others see it as a long way away still!!!

Often after meeting with suppliers (caterers/florist) they have taken well over a week to email the quote in writing to get it confirmed.

You obviously like this photographer and wanted to book him - if his reply does come eventually and is full of apologies for being late is it really worth losing a photographer you clearly like?

Me and OH both really like our photopraphers photos and website and she agreed to meet up, but on the way was sick in the car (she was 6 months pregnant at the time) and asked to reschedule. At first I was alarmed that if she could do it then, she could do it on the day. But on meeting her gain she was so apologetic and put our minds at ease and we booked her.

Sorry to hear that Rhys.

He offers a digital package but will create albums on request.

I'm not too bothered about seeing more images as a few brides on here have used him. I may just contact one of them to find out a bit more about him. Also there was a thread last year where a another bride-to-be on here met him and was surprised that he didn't have an album to show. He told her that he was waiting for this one special destination wedding to create an album. Chris, after you found out who he was, you said you think she'd be fine with him. Well he's still have no albums to show but I have seen hundreds of his photos (including his fashion, commercial & wedding work) to know he's the photographer for me. It's just the communication that is frustrating.

Ah I remember, was this the same one that a hitcher who 'has four legs, grey in colour and goes toot toot' used?

If so, hmmm. If that's the one their work was good.

A lot of togs are going to the wall / deciding it's not for them - it's turbulent out there right now tbh.

My worry would be is if they 'go rogue' and are having trouble responding now imagine if you have a problem further along.

(Also last year he was 'rapidly putting his prices up' then too, you gotta stop somewhere right)?

Assume it's all gone to the spam box if other members have had good results though. You know, the simplest of explanations could be the case and a cause of undue worry

To be honest it sounds like you've made your mind up, love his work and it's him you want so go for it and just expect the correspondence to be a little slow. Anything more is a bonus. You might be disappointed with anyone else.

Yeah I think you got the one. Although I'm not sure about the toot toot noise (it's more of a *braaaaaaaaaah*) but she has four legs, is grey and have a trunk ?

I've tweeted him now so let's see what happens. If he doesn't reply then I'll have to start looking for somebody else.

?

Ahh sorry you are having this frustration. We had the same with our first TOG, he was the only TOG whose pictures we loved and was in our budget. Spoke to him on the phone, said we need to meet up and we'll get back to him. The next week we tried contacting him to arrange a meet up and didn't hear back from him. Tried emailing and phoning several times over a month and still didn't hear anything back. So I started looking further for other photographers and found our amazing one who couldn't show use enough albums and samples of his work and is a much better photographer. We liked him and he worked to our budget also.

So what I am trying to say is, I know you have been after him for a while but, even if this does fall through (I'm sure it will be fine), don't give up hope! There are lots of amazing photographers out there.

Thanks Sarah. Just out of curiosity, did your first TOG ever reply in the end? Strange that they let business go just like that.

Hi! To this day we still haven't heard from him. I'm glad now when I look back he came across as arrogant on the phone and was f'in and blindin while chatting to my h2b.

That isn't to say that will happen to you though :-)

Slightly off exact topic but this kind of thing (not saying in this case ) but I have said for years- fine see a whole wedding but not just one of them because although the whole wedding is good to see, it is still hand picked by the photographer just as much as the 20 you see all over the website. And it will be a fantastic venue on a beautiful day and everything will be perfect. I say to couples -you tell me the date (not year ) and I will show you that wedding, a totaly blind test. If you are only ever shown samples then you are being mislead

Any communication is vitally important......I don't know the tog, although would be worried about communications in the run up to and after the wedding itself......its the sort of worry that you don't need IMHO.

Peter

This sounds really fishy to me...... we have sample albums for each type we offer, even the Queensberry (yes it's a big expense to have one as a sample album, but personally if I was spending £1k+ on an album I'd want to see one first). I don't understand why a photographer wouldn't have sample albums to show, after all if you're selling a product you need to show your clients what it is that they're getting. Also you need samples for wedding fairs etc else you'd have an empty table!

Also, make sure you view a full wedding online - this should be a couple of hundred photos at least.

If he's not replying to your emails quickly in the enquiry stage, this could be far worse once he's got your booking and your money. Great customer service is all part of being a reliable wedding supplier.

Ali

Sorry guys, I haven't read through all the replies, but I just wanted to put my two penneth in...

Unfortunately email is not the most reliable form of communication I often have issues where I have sent and received emails with people before and then for no apparent reason had emails that have just dissappeared into the ether.

I'm now at the point where I actually send initial emails from two completely different email addresses, just to be sure!

As Chris said, just give your photographer a call! He may just say, "Oh, gosh, I'm really sorry, I didn't get that!"

Pete

Ok, I think I'd actually be more worried by the fact he refuses to show you an album. Even when we booked a fairly new TOG for our wedding, they made up an album with images from the couple of weddings they had done to show you how it can look. I've not yet met a photographer who doesn't have some form of a whole album. Personally, if he cant show you an album, he obviously doesn't want your business or he would have made some to attract and show people to get customers.

If you are set on him, ask him for the names and numbers of a few previous clients to contact to ask if you could look at their albums.

I don't think the issue is not being shown a physical album, but that not enough examples from a single wedding are shown on his website to evaluate the consistency of the photography.

It is if they're interested in an album package! ?

Simon & Alison, it's was a full start to finish wedding I was hoping to see rather than physical album as I plan to design my own.

Anyway, I'm now pretty certain he is ignoring my email as he's active on Twitter so I tweeted him on Sunday casually to ask whether he has received it. No response whatsoever and he continues to tweet. The following day, somebody else tweets him to ask whether he's received their email, he replied instantly to them to say he has and will reply in the evening. I've still not heard anything from him.

Today, my workmates convinced me try him once again as he may have misunderstood my email and don't think I'm serious about him shooting my wedding. I didn't want to call him because I want to give him a choice if he doesn't want to speak to me so I've sent him a private message via twitter saying 'Not sure whether our wires have crossed I'm not 2 great with emails but I really would like you to shoot my wedding. Can we chat later?' If he doesn't reply to that then I give up and will look somewhere else.

I'm very guilty of using email or text or Facebook. Sometimes it's best to call, though. At least you'll know where you stand.