Photography Payments

Hi there, we normally say the balance should be paid a month before the wedding date, but if she's just starting out then she might need it sooner to put towards equipment!? I guess it depends on how keen you are on using her, and what the terms of the contract are re cancellation etc. Hope that helps!

Do you have a contract with her at all? If so, what do the terms of the contract say and did you discuss when payments would be due prior to paying your deposit?

It's completely normal for payment to be requested before the wedding takes place, but full payment 5 months before isn't the norm really. Could you ask her why she'd be looking for it so soon?

Most wedding photographers requests the balance to be paid somewhere between 7 and 30 days before the wedding. 5 months before is a bit unusual, but then we had clients who wanted to pay (and paid) the whole amount at the time of the booking, so there are always exceptions I guess

As said above - it should be all covered in the contract.

Thank you all for your comments and help.

I have not yet received a contract of agreement, I have messaged her stating I feel we should make a contract and she claims she has a contract written already, on asking for a copy I have been told she will send it tomorrow.

I cant remember what we discussed re payments on booking, she is claiming that because it is at a discount rate she wants the money so soon, but I remember when we booked she said she was doing it at a discount rate as she was just starting out and wanted experience....

she also cancelled our engagement photo-shoot which has made me very nervous hence trying to get as much info, hints and tips as possible

my mums friend is a keep photographer and she has asked some of her professional friends their opinion and they all feel that the final balance shouldn't be paid until you receive the photos? could this be an outdated, trustworthy theory?

any hints and tips on what photos should be taking and lighting styles? do people recommend black and white pictures?

We paid the full balance a couple of weeks ago, a month before the wedding. I wouldn't expect to pay on receipt of the photos - that's a hell of a risk for the photographer who has put in hours and hours of work by that point - but equally wouldn't expect to pay 5 months in advance either.

Why has she cancelled your pre-wedding shoot? Total cancellation or just postponement?

You've hired an amateur and they're behaving in an amateur way.

Seems all perfectly normal to me. ?

As Chris says, she's an amateur photographer so you can't really expect her to behave the way a wedding photographer would. Normally you'd pay a deposit at the time of booking and then the rest a month before the wedding.

I don't want to make you nervous but have you seen any of her previous wedding work? You really need to look through full weddings she was paid to shoot. If yours is the first wedding she's ever done have you got a decent idea of what standard she's at?

If she is asking for the full payment 5 months prior to the wedding it makes me wonder if she's trying to raise the money to buy a camera or a flash to practice with it before the wedding.

My advice is that you do not agree to this full payment 5 months in advance. If a relative gives you money towards a photographer you might be able to book one before the wedding. If you give her the whole £225 now you won't get it back if you cancel.

All I can say is be very careful, we are not trying to scare you but it does sound strange that they want full payment 5 months in advance. You normally pay a retainer fee first to hold the date then the full payment on the 30 days before. I understand they are just starting out but you are taking a big risk seeing as they haven't photographed a wedding yet but then you might get lucky, make sure you get a contract and details of what you get for your money.

This is a very outdated theory.......Most suppliers ask for money before the wedding, photographers are no different, and why should they be??

You have opted, as some say, for an amateur....or aspiring photographer. The price is extremely low....it could be that they have given you an effective discount for early payment....there are several big names that have done this in the past, so it is not totally unheard of......

As for cancelling the engagement shoot......that is something a bit more worrying than wanting a payment up front......was it weather related and have they suggested an alternative date????

You need to ask a serious question about the importance of your wedding photos and IF you think that this person is worth risking........

It's normal to take a deposit upfront and then final payment just before wedding about a month or so. I only knew of one company that offered a discount for paying all upfront but I don't believe they are trading any more.

Make sure you get a contract so that all terms and conditions are set out from the beginning.

Earlier this year I was contacted by a bride who was in this exact situation. They'd booked a colleague of her partner's and because of that had paid him in full. Only around 8 weeks before their wedding he literally vanished. Didn't show up to work, wasn't answering calls and no-one answering the door.

So whilst I'm not saying this could happen to you, I'd be very wary about paying in full this far in advance. Plus it depends why the engagement session was cancelled. Was it because of weather issues or because maybe she's decided it isn't worth her while to do both?

I think if an engagement session was discussed then you need to insist on seeing the results of that before you pay any more money. When you review those images bear in mind that engagement portraits are much easier than a real wedding.

A smart move would be to have it at the venue so that you can have a handful of shots done in the wedding ceremony room. Make sure she doesn't use flash for those as flash won't be allowed during a real ceremony usually. Many of the situations where things go badly wrong are an inexperienced photographer with inadequate equipment. One of the reasons why real wedding photographers are "expensive" is that it takes a lot of practice to get it right! We also need to pay a lot for equipment... and then there's the backup equipment for if the other kit fails!

You wouldn't be able to rent the specialist equipment of a genuine wedding photographer for £225 a day, let alone hire someone to operate it.

I'm gonna be direct:

Not professional at all... I know she wants to set up her own business but, receiving a deposit or retainer without a contract? risky... and she asks for the full amount and the contract is not signed yet... no way.

I'm sure she even hasn't got any kind of liability or professional insurance. She can be an amateur but this is unacceptable.

Hiring an amateur is ok if you have seen some examples of their work and you like it but very often is too risky due to the lack of skills, business and customer service knowledge. I know that sometimes tight budgets force you to get this bargains (I would never be able to compete with this prices and I'm sure none of the photographers in this thread would) but you have to be very careful because your wedding day is your wedding day, I mean... it only happens once and the photographer has only one opportunity to do it right. If he/she is not skilled you could get what you have paid for.

If I were you I would have a chat with her about the contract, and I would ask her some questions about backup gear, insurance, what happens if her hard drive or memory cards fail...

Hope this help... ? Good luck!

Thank you all for your kind words of advice.

We booked in November 2013, I have not seen a contract until last night after asking several times. I don't agree with the contract, but it states that if we don't pay by 31st dec she has the right to cancel?

I have seen bit of her work through fb she has done weddings before , the money she is asking for wont be because she doesn't have the equipment as I know she does due to doing lots of modelling shoots.

I feel strong enough after all of your advice to sit and talk to her and discuss details, I'm going to ask her to bring a portfolio so I can see some of her work etc

thanks again

As long as you sign a contract re cancellation, I don't really see much of a problem with paying the full amount before 31st December. I mean, you're going to pay it at one stage or another anyway, so does it matter if you pay it now?

Obviously you don't want her running off with your money and then cancelling, but if you sign a contract with conditions about cancellation - on her part as well as yours - then I can't see there being much of an issue.

Let us know how you get on once you've spoken to her.

Modelling shoots are not weddings.....chalk and cheese.....make sure that you are happy with the wedding photographs she shows...particularly ones of the ceremony where lighting control becomes more of an issue.

Peter