Please help!! Having issues with my photographer and my wedding photos are awful… Any advice welcome 🙏

I would recommend looking at a facebook group called wedding scammers dont let them win and search for their name. They are also good with advice.

Their seems to be a difference between what you have seen on Instagram and what you have received. What I have seen a lot recently is "styled shoots" which are not real weddings and are set up using models. It may say "loving the vibe from this couple". Read the caption and it might list suppliers including the models. I see on my social media feed that some seem to of done nothing else but styled shoots and not actually many real weddings- which then look totally different from the styled fake ones.

The young chap replacement could even be someone who is doing it for free to gain experience, or there are facebook groups where people ask for second shooters something like this -- £150 prep to first dance and fed.

Also was it even him that turned up, as there are some that pay others to go and shoot for them.

The high numbers delivered can also be a warning sign of "spray shooting" quantity over quality as you say eyes closed or ridiculous moments that were not photograph worthy. But I would say that using google image to remove duplicates is not the best way because it may remove all the open eys ones and leave you with the shut ones.

Hello!

To address your disappointing experience with the photographer, document all communications and contracts, then send a formal complaint detailing your issues. If you receive no response, seek mediation through a professional photography association or consumer protection agency. If necessary, consult a lawyer to discuss legal action, especially since you've not received all the contracted deliverables. Sharing your experience on review platforms may also help warn others.

I know you were promised minimum of 700 excellent photos but there is no way a wedding can result in 700 individual excellent images its a bit of an odd term.

If it helps and for reference I might take on average 800 but you will receive on average 450 - because before you receive them I have already gone through them 1 by one and removed all of the - your words really awful photos, were we/others were looking the other way, eyes closed or at ridiculous moments that were not photograph worthy. So with this in mind would it help if you really looked at them hard and could you pic 400 that you would be happy with.

I also spend a lot of time on editing adding artistic touches, removing exit signs, swapping shut eyes but I would not be able to do that if I was delivering 700 images so I pick the best and do the work on the few and deliver those rather than deliver 700 with no work carried out on them.

Thinking more about the second young man shooter why he spent so much time sitting in another room. Maybe the main shooter thought he was just getting in the way - espicually if it was a last min hire to cover his wife, so he had not worked with him before.

Or maybe there was just nothing for him to do. In my opinion a second shooter is not there for your benefit but they are there for the photographers benefit - to help them. Typically they will do a lot of the detail and candid stuff but nothing that a good main experienced photographer could do on their own. Maybe the shots of the lads getting ready if at a different location, and one photographer at the top of the isle and one at the bottom. But then generally the second shooter is a second and not a main shooter for a reason ! . Unless you are paying 2-3k. "Husband and wife teams" are something a little different but never existed before digital cameras.

That sounds like a really difficult situation, and I'm sorry you're going through it! Have you checked to see whether they are members of any professional photographic associations? Sometimes those groups can assist with disagreements. Also, if they are ignoring your emails, consider reaching out via social media or sending a formal letter. If they still do not react, you may need to consider legal action, especially because they have not fulfilled anything specified in the contract. I hope this helps

View quoted message Hello,


Thank you for your response, I have sent a legal letter and he has responded, he is happy to provide the fine prints and photo album.
Unfortunately he is not happy to help the quality of the photos, he is saying they are of the quality he provides, they are definitely not.
Do you have any details at all of the professional photography association I could contact to potentially help further?
Thank you for any help you can offer.

View quoted message



Hello,


Thanks for your message, yes it’s been a very stressful time and obviously very upsetting.
I have sent a legal letter to him and he has agreed to send the fine prints and the photo album, but he has said the quality of work is his usual standard, it is definitely not what he has shown on his Instagram, the photos really are poor quality.
I do think I will have to take this further as he is not willing to help with the photos and to come up with a solution.
Sorry how would I go about checking if they are members of professional photographic associations please?
I haven’t obviously done this before, so any help would be very much appreciated.
Thank you.

View quoted message Hello,


Thank you for your replies.
So I may not have been completely clear in my first message, the package we paid for was full day photography with a husband and wife duo, from 10am until 10pm and the cost for this was £2400, that was with a 20% discount at the time of booking, so as you can imagine we are absolutely beside ourselves, as I believe you are probably right and the only shoots they have ever done are staged and probably not even their work.
I have contacted the photographer with a legal letter and he has agreed to send the 50 fine prints and the photo album, as stated in the contract but he is just saying the quality of the work is the same quality as he shows on his social media, it definitely isn’t the same quality and I’m sure he wouldn’t post any of the photos he has sent me from our wedding day on his social media.
No time was taken on removing any exit signs, fire extinguishers, opening eyes, removing anything that shouldn’t have been in the pictures, this is why we are so disappointed. They really are poorly quality and we were sent better pictures, from our guests that came from their mobile phones.
I did check the scammers page you mentioned but they are not on there, I’m going to look into next steps now.
Thank you for your help.

View quoted message

I" believe you are probably right and the only shoots they have ever done are staged and probably not even their work. "

I think I need to be clear on this bit that I have not seen their work and so cannot comment directly. I only mentioned the staged shoot as a possibility because you mentioned the big difference in photos and that it is something that I have been seeing done a quite lot recently pushed to me on my own feeds. But the nature of Instagram anyway means that only the best of the best images of even real weddings will get to be featured with any photographer.

if If you think they may of used someone else photos on their website ECT then you can do a google image search and find out that way. Its a good sign that they are not on the scammers page as that is a very good source of info.

This is my opinion based on what you have said and without seeing the images. £2400 is a higher end price (depending on area ) for which you were expecting a husband and wife team - does the literature mention anything about 2 professional photographers ? if so and the wife was replaced with what appears to be something less than expected so perhaps a fair outcome would be a pro rota price reduction in view of this.

Are there any photos in the 700 you were sent that you like?

Have you got any family or friends to have a look through them and see what they think?

Your photographer has been very unprofessional by failing to keep to deadlines etc, and you have every right to be upset, especially if you don't like the photos that he finally did provide, but my thinking is that, even if you do manage to get some kind of discount/refund, it still doesn't change the photos that were taken on the day, and you can't redo them. So maybe if you try to switch focus and go through the pics looking for a few that you do like, you might start to feel better about it. (And if you're so upset that you feel they're all equally awful, getting a fresh perspective from a friend might help you see that some of them aren't that bad). Also, things like fire exit signs in the background can be removed, so if you can find a handful of pics that you like, at least you will have something to work with, and you really don't need that many to get a good reminder of your day.

Oh no, I feel your stress! I had a similar panic after my wedding when the raw shots looked nothing like what I envisioned. But then I discovered PhotoCat AI – this magical photo editor that literally saved my memories! Instead of trying to explain edits to another human (who never quite got my 'soft vintage but still crisp' vision), I just chatted with the AI like: 'Make us glow like golden hour, soften the background but keep details sharp, and give it a timeless film look.' It understood perfectly! Their free tools are great for quick fixes too if you want to DIY some shots. Either way, don't lose hope – with today's AI photo editors, even 'awful' raw photos can become dreamy keepsakes. Sending you all the good vibes!

I understand your worries, I had a similar situation when after an important event I received photos that did not reflect the atmosphere and emotions of the day at all. Then I decided to focus on something else - first of all, on sharing positive moments on social networks and getting support from loved ones. Honestly, it helped smooth out the negative impression of unsuccessful shots. I began to actively develop my Instagram to inspire myself and others with beautiful content, and unexpectedly it became a real source of joy for me. The service where you can instagram follower boost cheap really helped out. This gave me confidence that my publications would not disappear into thin air, but would receive a response. So I found a way to switch from disappointment to creation and even received a new incentive for creativity. I advise you to try - sometimes new opportunities appear where we least expect them.

Oh no, wedding photo stress is the worst! 😔 While you’re sorting that out, don’t forget to keep your wedding group chats drama-free too. I use WA Plus from pluswasap.com —it’s like a trusted photographer for WhatsApp: anti-ban, crystal-clear, and packed with features that keep everyone in sync. With 1M+ users in celebration-loving countries like the US, India, and Malta, it’s a lifesaver. Now if only my cake tasted as good as these chats look!

I understand how frustrating it can be when wedding photos don’t turn out as expected, especially for such a special day. Sometimes adding a personal touch with creative visuals can help bring back the joy of the moment, and platforms like Bilalmania offer thousands of beautiful GIFs and e-cards for celebrations. While you sort out the photography issues, sharing these can still spread positivity and keep the wedding spirit alive.

No sad ok

Dealing with disappointing wedding photos can be frustrating, especially when the background distracts from the special moments. I faced a similar issue with some of my own photos. While professional editing might be ideal, I found that using mobile apps can be a quick and effective solution. The app's intuitive interface makes it accessible for beginners, and it provides features like background blur and color adjustments to enhance your photos. https://skylum.com/how-to/how-to-edit-background-of-photo-on-iphone It uses AI to instantly remove backgrounds, and while the free version has some limitations, it can be a good starting point for simple edits. Remember, while these tools can help improve your photos, they might not replace the need for professional retouching, especially for significant events like weddings. However, they can be a handy way to salvage and enhance your images in the meantime.

I'm so sorry you're going through this—this must be incredibly stressful. First, gather all your communication and clearly outline the specific issues in a polite but firm email to the photographer, requesting a resolution like a partial refund so you can hire a retoucher. If you do seek an editor, provide very clear technical specs; I once had to get a damaged portrait reprinted and the lab needed the crop size in inches, but my file was measured in centimeters, so I quickly had to convert 18 CM to Inch to ensure the final print would fit the frame perfectly, and that attention to detail made all the difference.

I’m really sorry to hear about your experience — it’s so disappointing when something as special as a wedding day doesn’t go as planned. It might help to review your contract carefully and gather all communication records in case you need to take formal action or leave an honest review to warn others. I recently had to organize my own wedding details and even small things like using tools such as mm to in for accurate measurements in our décor planning made a big difference in avoiding confusion later. Paying attention to these fine details can really help ensure everything comes together smoothly next time.

Ighlight the parts about what was promised (two photographers, delivery timeline, minimum photo quality/quantity, album & prints). You’ll want that written detail ready in case you need to escalate.

Review the contract: It’s important to go over your contract again and note what was promised, especially regarding the number of photos, delivery time, and the photo album. If the photographer hasn’t fulfilled their contractual obligations, you have grounds to take action.

Formal complaint: Since the photographer is ignoring your emails, I’d suggest sending a formal letter of complaint via email and post (keeping proof of delivery). Outline your grievances clearly, referencing the contract and your repeated attempts to contact them. Request the remaining photos, album, and prints, and state that you’ll be taking further action if not resolved within a set time frame (e.g., 7 days).

Contact your bank: If you paid by credit card or debit card, you might be able to dispute the payment with your bank if the service was not provided as agreed. This could potentially help you recover the money paid for the photographer’s services.

Photography association: If the photographer is a member of any professional photography associations (like The British Institute of Professional Photography or Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers), you can file a complaint with them as well.

Small claims court: If all else fails and you don’t get a response, you could consider filing a claim through small claims court for breach of contract, especially if you are still owed items as outlined in the contract.