Post # 1
Member
2538 posts
Sugar bee
There are a few things that really bug me about my wedding so much so that I tried not to think about or look back at them!
My photographer took some really beautiful pictures, but she was so focused on the background that she didn’t make sure that I looked good in each picture (i.e. arm fat, back fat, hair in weird places). I like how i look in some pics but the others are kind of ruined. : ( She is a good photographer, but has no idea how to pose people. I kind of learned this after the e-session but we did it late so I didn’t change anything.
What we are really missing is that one awesome pic of the two of us to blow up and frame for our house.
Has anyone retaken wedding pics after the fact? Was it weird? Any suggestions?
Post # 3
Member
7295 posts
Busy Beekeeper
i have a friend that re-did her pics. she was not happy with her photographer at all because when she got her wedding pics back, there was like maybe one or two pics of her and husband together!!! what kind of wedding photographer does that??
so she was happy once she decided to redo some pics. and she said it was super fun to get all dressed up in her dress again!
Post # 4
Member
3314 posts
Sugar bee
My brother and SIL did. The photographer they had was GREAT at scenery… but sucked at getting people shots…! They had so few people shots and many were messed up. A lot of people there weren’t in any picture which was impossible to do a re-do for, but my parents sprung for a formal sitting so that they could at least have some good hubby and wife shots. Everyone involved loves the new pictures and they are soooo glad that they did them! 🙂
Post # 5
Member
1000 posts
Bumble bee
It’s not uncommon to do a “day-after” session to get some additional pictures of just the bride and groom if a couple wasn’t completely happy with their original wedding day selection. If you think this will make you happy, I’d definitely go for it!
However, I also wouldn’t put all the blame on your original photog for not knowing how to pose you to somehow make you look thinner. For heavier brides I climb on things wherever possible to get a more flattering high angle, but the key word here is wherever possible, and sometimes I dont have an assistant to carry my step stool or anything to climb on outdoors. Also, if a dress is too tight there isn’t really anything that we could possibly do to hide backfat except maybe photoshop it later at best.
I do the best I can and fix little things like hair when I notice them, but at the end of the day your personal appearance, hair, makeup and the way you stand in pictures is primarily your responsibility (IMO), and it’s really upsetting that in addition to everything else we have to worry about capturing on a wedding day that a bride can sometimes still be unhappy with us over the way she looks in pictures, when that’s just the way she looks. 🙁
Post # 6
Member
2271 posts
Buzzing bee
I can completely relate. As a mature bride, our photgrapher did some beautiful shots but apparently was clueless about taking pics of older brides. High-def digitial photgraphy can be beyond brutually honest – I really didn’t need to see my wrinkles in that much detail – nor my back fat! I was so blissful during the wedding and honeymoon and then I saw the wedding pics and I was crushed! Not only did he miss some important traditional shots but he posted a bunch of EXTREMELY unflattering shots of me! There was not a single solo pic of me that looked good! I stewed about it for over a year and finally I decided to have some bridal portraits done and I decided to go with the same Victorian-style photographer that did our engagement pic. It turned out to be money well spent and now I have some pics I can actually display!
[attachment=1627370,202014] [attachment=1627370,202015] [attachment=1627370,202016]
Post # 7
Member
2538 posts
Sugar bee
@PassionatePhotoLady: Wow…You are jumping to conclusions a bit. First, I’m not “heavy” and my dress was not too tight, but for all people some positions are more flattering than others. But if the photog only has us in one position primarily and does not show us any pictures as we go along then the chances of having flattering pics greatly diminishes. I am not a professional and trust my photographer to make sure that the people in the pictures look right.
“a bride can sometimes still be unhappy with us over the way she looks in pictures, when that’s just the way she looks.” – Wow. I hope your clients don’t see that statement.
In general, she did a good job. Some of the backgrounds and colors are great. But we are missing a really fantastic shot of us as couple where we both look our best.
Post # 9
Member
5 posts
Newbee
@JaneyD: The point LBPhotography is simply trying to make is that there are so many brides out there who will complain about certain traits about themselves that they don’t like, expecting the photographer to be able to hide anything. Sometimes there simply isn’t a flattering angle. Some dresses are just too tight and cause spillage that can’t be hidden without extensive photoshopping.
That brings up another point, too. Photoshopping isn’t some trivial task to be taken lightly. It is very time consuming to do it well and certain things just will never look right when “adjusted.” I can understand you not being happy if there was only one pose and one photo that the photog used throughout the entire wedding, that’s frustrating. But if you noticed it during the eshoot you should’ve said something to him prior to the wedding to let him know that you wanted certain things hidden or more poses or whatever the case. Communication, as with any interaction between two or more parties, is key.
Post # 10
Member
1000 posts
Bumble bee
@shootingwithsense: my point exactly, thank you 🙂
Post # 11
Member
7300 posts
Busy Beekeeper
Photoshop can only do so much unless you take the time and completely change things, but that is time consuming and if photographers did that, you probably wouldn’t get your wedding photos back for months. I don’t think it’s your photographers fault for not getting a perfect angle each time. I’m sure you would have been annoyed if she said, “oh, stand this way. Your back fat is showing. Um…no this way. Hmm..how about this way…no…arm fat…let’s try this way.”
I understand day after shoots for couples when it rains or if something went wrong (time wise) at the wedding and they couldn’t do photos i.e. officiant was 2 hours late, 2000 dead birds fall out of the air, ect.
What would you be looking for in a day after shoot?
Post # 12
Member
10366 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
@PassionatePhotoLady: I think you gave great advice! People don’t like hearing possible truths related to appearance. I agree that it is the bride’s responsibility to educate herself on flattering poses/make sure everything fits correctly if for no other reason than to save time on the wedding day so that the photog can actually do their job!
To the OP: it’s entirely possible that these are things you are self conscious of but that nobody else notices – they may just look at the pic and see a beautiful bride! Could that be partly why a photog did not point out what is bothering you? I know i’m more critical of myself than others are!
Post # 13
Member
1000 posts
Bumble bee
@crayfish: Thanks cray, I definitely think some people on here can be a little sensitive, so I’m not annoyed at the OP because I’m the same way. Just telling it from a photogs perspective as always. I think brides are a lot better off being told what to expect from their photographer in terms of focusing on them looking perfect. Wedding photography, especially photojournalistic style wedding photography, isn’t terribly concerned with that. Again, we do the best we can with what we are given, so I would think as a bride it would help to know that appearance is something THEY need to focus on more if they are so concerned about every hair being in perfect place. We are focused on capturing the moments and creating stellar images, which is a plenty tall enough order in it’s own right. Of course we want the bride to look great in them too, but we also don’t always know what the bride considers great, as may be the case with the OP and her photographer here.
As far as what the OP said about making assumptions goes, that’s also why I mentioned about the dress possibly being too tight, because even the skinniest girl in the world can have a little roll if the dress is so tight it’s pinching into her under the arms, but the OP insists it’s neither that she’s a little bit bigger or the dress was tight (only two reasons I can think of for “backfat”), so it sounds like maybe it’s just a self conscious thing like you said.
Post # 14
Member
1126 posts
Bumble bee
@PassionatePhotoLady: While I don’t think the photographer should be responsible for the bride’s looks, there are certain things I think they should point out. I.e. a hair out of place. I had to get reshoots done for my graduation pictures because I had this one weird curl in the middle of my forehead. It’s not there in the first couple shots (which weren’t great for other reasons) and then it becomes more and more noticeable until it’s all I could look at. I would’ve loved if the photographer had shown me a mirror or one of the pictures and said, “just so you know, you have a piece of hair loose. Would you like to adjust it?”
That said, I think it’s also the bride’s responsibility to know her angles a bit and communicate them in advance to the photog. For instance, “I’m a little self-conscious about my back, or my nose in profile, so if we could find poses that minimize that, I’d be happier.” If that’s been said and the photographer still manages to take a bunch of unflattering shots of those specific features, then I’d be upset.
Post # 15
Member
1000 posts
Bumble bee
@Miss OBG: Totally, and like I said, if I notice it and it’s something I can easily fix without saying something offensive to the bride, I may do so. I think what brides sometimes forget, or maybe just never knew in the first place, is how many other elements we are thinking of in that moment taking your picture. It’s not just point and shoot and we’re staring right at you and missing the obvious. We have to pay attention to the following:
1.) LIGHT
2.) Framing/Composition
3.) Backgrounds
4.) Focus in the right spot
5.) Angle
6.) Is this the best lens for this shot?
7.) Is this the best aperture?
8.) Is my shutter fast enough?
9.) Am I at the right ISO?
10.) What type of metering is best for this lighting?
11.) Photogs feel free to add what I’ve missed!
And, if it’s not a posed shot, we are doing all of this is in a split second to capture the moment. If it is a posed shot, the last think we’ll think about is your posing and you expressions, maybe trying to make you laugh a little, THEN in there somewhere we might notice a lose hair or something of that nature and tell you. We’re not holding out, we’re just thinking of too many other things! 🙂
Post # 16
Member
1126 posts
Bumble bee
@PassionatePhotoLady: I understand and am glad I don’t have to worry about all that stuff. I guess my point, from a customer’s perspective, is that I’d rather have a flattering shot of me that’s in a boring location or poorly framed (which I can crop), than a fantasticly-set up shot where I look weird. Because the first picture may be displayed in my home or at least on Facebook, whereas the latter will never see the light of day.
And I plan to communicate that clearly to my photographer. Because I’m sure he’s got enough to worry about, and I want to make sure my priorities are understood.
