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What would you expect?
I am super frustrated with a situation right now and I don't know if I have unrealistic expectations.
Several months ago I thought it would be great to give MIL and FIL family pictures for Christmas. Most of the family thought it was a great idea so as the planner in the family I put everything in motion. The last pictures we had taken were at BIL and SILs wedding 4 years ago and that picture was just taken up against a wall...
So I contacted the photographer who did my family's pictures 2 years ago but unfortunately she was booked. SIL mentioned another photographer and so we communicated with her. Found out her fee. We thought initially it included a CD with the photos on it so we could order from wherever. Quite late into the process she told us we had to order all our picture from her online "shop" which is located in the US. She told us the prices and I was quite put back because of how pricey they were but I thought it would still be okay because the session fee was quite reasonable and we were splitting it with DH's siblings and at that point I still hadn't heard from the one SIL whether or not she was even going to come. I thought in the long run it would be better to have a lower upfront cost and then everyone could figure out what they wanted to order after that. The photographer had told me that the session included a proof book that was a soft cover bound book which we would then give to the ILs.
The session went wonderfully. She was great and got some great shots. We did whole group and individual families and some other groups. She said she'd send us the links in a week for the gallery online. She sent them after just over a week and everything was fine. I didn't love the pictures of just DH and I but that was mainly because I didn't like how my hair looked. Superficial. Not her fault.
So we have the pictures but it just feels like this should not be so difficult. I was excited to see on the website there was a 2 for 1 sale. But today when I put some pictures in my cart I found out that when you order one picture you get two of the same thing. Why would I want two of the same thing? I thought that maybe, just maybe when I bought two different pictures one of them would be free. One of my SILs and I wanted to get ILs a framed picture for their wall but I don't want two of the same 11x14 (which is $55) print. Especially since this is a US based website I have to pay for shipping on all of these pictures.
Plus today I was quite sad to find out that the proof book only has pictures of the whole group. Not the individual family shots and all the other pictures that she took. Just pictures of all of us, rearranged different ways.
I have tried to ask the photographer questions in a way that lets her know that I'm not okay with this but we live in a small town and that just makes everything more complicated because her and I go to the same church and I've just been interviewed for a position essentially as her husband's executive assistant which I haven't found out whether I got or not yet.
To top it off MIL called today because she wanted to order pictures and wasn't sure whether or not we were also getting her pictures because she didn't want to order something if we were getting her some.
Pictures with my family was just so much easier. Everyone showed up, paid, and we got our CD. Ordered a soft covered book from Costco with our pictures and ordered Christmas cards that looked fabulous from Costco. We framed 3 of the 8x10s and bought frames for maybe 250 all together. That's pushing it. It was probably less than that. And we still have the CD and can use it whenever the feeling hits. The pictures were great and were a great gift.
Never mind the SIL drama, this cost is still not totaled but the session fee was 200 which was pretty reasonable, but since we have no rights to the pictures everything else is through the roof. I wouldn't be surprised if by the time my ILs order Christmas cards and whoever else is going to (we're not), plus the pictures we wanted to get for the ILs for the rest of their gift if we didn't go somewhere in the 500+ range. It's just so complicated, it's not joyful and/or enjoyable.
Had I known all this I would have gone with the other photographer I researched who was double but then gave us the CD or done this for next year with the photographer who did my family's pictures.
I guess this turned into more of a vent then a question but if you have any feedback I would still appreciate it.
Re: What would you expect?
My 'go to' photog works the same way and I don't have a problem with it. But that's because I kow the arrangement (prices) from the get-go. His 8x10 prints are $65. But, How many photos does one order, really? To me it's not a huge deal. I, personally, prefer not to deal with phtogs that do not retain the rights to their photos (ie. you get a cd of the photos and print your own, or whatever). It says alot to me about how they feel about their work that they would simply sell you a cd of every shot they took (usually un-retouched) and wash their hands of it. Just my opinion, though.
Unfortunately, I think you have to chock this one up to a lesson learned. Bummer. Sorry it was such a pain in the a$$.
I kind of get where you're coming from but it's not just the cost of the prints. We only have access to these pictures until February 16th and then they are just gone. Plus we don't have somewhere we can show people other than ordering. I would prefer to pay more money for the rights to the pictures of me. I understand it's her (photog's) work but now I won't be recommending her to anyone because of the things that we found out well after the lengthy conversations we had prior to hiring her. I wish we had booked earlier or waited till next year to get the photog I wanted. She does the editing but photography is not her main job so she would rather just have the experience of the session and then do the editing without the hassle of having to deal with the ordering and such.
You're right when you say lesson learned though.
That isn't how it always works though. My photographer lets me pick a certain number of photos which she touches up and then sends me the CD. I am given a waiver which allows me to print those photos at only certain print shops (ie: no walmart or grocery stores).
I never get to see all the shots she takes. I usually get to pick from maybe 20 shots when she usually takes several hundred.
For those who want to save costs on prints, this is totally how photogs should do it. It's win-win. And they still have some control over the images after they leave their shop.
This!
My Blog
I haven't asked directly but I have asked indirectly about what happens after the expiry and such like that and she hasn't offered any information like that. It might be worth asking directly about though.