Imagine….you hire a photographer to capture all your amazing moments at your wedding, and after a full day of shooting he or she deletes the pictures because they were denied food.
This exact scenario happened to a couple, with a few slight nuances that may have lead to a petty outcome.
The ‘Photographer’ in question, takes great pictures but he isn’t a photographer by profession, he decided to take pictures last minute for his friend, who is the groom in the story.
On Reddit the photographer gave his side of the story:
I’m not really a photographer, I’m a dog groomer. I take lots of photos of dogs all day to put on my Facebook and Instagram, it’s “my thing” if that makes sense.
A cut and a photo with every appointment. I very seldom shoot things other than dogs even if I have a nice set up.
A friend got married a few days ago and wanting to save money, asked if I’d shoot it for them.
I told him it’s not really my forte but he convinced me by saying he didn’t care if they were perfect: they were on a shoestring budget and I agreed to shoot it for $250, which is nothing for a 10-hour event.
On the day of, I’m driving around following the bride as she goes from appointment to appointment before the ceremony, taking photos along the way.
I shoot the ceremony itself, and during the reception, I’m shooting speeches and people mingling.
I started around 11am and was due to finish around 7:30pm.
Around 5pm, food is being served and I was told I cannot stop to eat because I need to be photographer; in fact, they didn’t save me a spot at any table.
I’m getting tired and at this point kinda regretting doing this for next to nothing. It’s also unbelievably hot: the venue is in an old veteran’s legion and it’s like 110F and there’s no AC.
I told the groom I need to take off for 20min to get something to eat and drink.
There’s no open bar or anything, I can’t even get water and my two water bottles are long empty.
He tells me I need to either be a photographer or leave without pay.
With the heat, being hungry, being generally annoyed at the circumstances, I asked if he was sure, and he said yes, so I deleted all the photos I took in front of him and took off saying I’m not his photographer anymore.
If I was to be paid $250, honestly at that point I would have paid $250 just for a glass of cold water and somewhere to sit for 5min.
Was I the a**hole?
They went right on their honeymoon and they’ve all been off of social media, but a lot of people have been posting on their wall asking about photos with zero responses.
This is the screenshot of his post:
Was he wrong? Comment below!
I’ll say this, Emily. People tend to think because you have talent and you’re a friend your talents come at a discount. Please understand they do not. The same session would have cost them 10x the amount they were charged. If you can’t spare a drink and a plate, a welp and a shrug would be exactly what you got from me, too. JS.
SO SO SO true!! They got what they deserved, a drink or some food is all he asked for. We used the word ‘petty’ loosly, we realize everyone thinks, we think he is petty, but we dont. LOL
I’d say, that’s their karma. If that’s the way they operate, the relationship won’t last anyways. Sounds like they’re selfish jerks. You want pictures of yourself while stuffing your face?? Gtfoh! lol
I don’t think that he was wrong at all.
They wouldn’t even let him eat and drink? What kind of friend is that? I say he was not wrong at all; I mean, what did they expect after that treatment??
I am a retired photographer and every event I ever did I was fed in fact my employers made sure that I was taken care of, their behavior was no less than shitty and selfish an event like that would have cost several thousand dollars and he was doing it for $250.00 I would have done the same thing,I say F..k um…..
I stan, Lonnie!
How to do you plan a ten hour photo shoot and not schedule bathroom breaks and lunch for your photographer? People are stupid and unreasonable. The photographer is not the A – Hole, his supposed friends are!
YOOOOO, this was a EXACTLY what I would have done. Get pictures, for free, from the guests.
No he was not wrong we have held a lot of events and the first thing my family do is make sure the dj and camera man is token care of and ask multiple times do they need anything from food drink or take a break he should be ashamed of his self for trying pay his friend that little bit money that’s not his friend sound like he user
You was sooooo right !! They were selfish and inconsiderate !
Amen!!!
I agree with the photographer!!!
For every wedding or event that I’ve shot that had food, It was insisted that I ate. $250.00 for a wedding, they should have given you extra meals and drinks. Most people don’t want their picture taken while they’re eating which is a perfect time for the photographer to eat and catch a break. They’ll regret it once they return. It cost more than $250 to edit the pictures of a wedding.
If the photographer is telling the truth then i side with him. But he still shouldn’t have deleted the photos. Something could have possibly been worked out later.
Nope… I would have done the same!! It ain’t petty it’s clearly what they wanted..