What's the problem with these photographers?! Or is it the client?

Last week, my good friend Becky who is getting married in December sent me an email. After taking her permission, I decided to share her feelings which she expressed via the email with you. Below is an excerpt of her mail:

"Hi fife,

I have what I think is an odd situation. When I booked our wedding photographer months ago, I loved his style sooo much. He was dramatic, artsy, and did wonders with photo editing. After meeting him (first vendor we booked for the wedding o, not even thinking of cake yet!), I just had a weird feeling, he was very nice, but much different than his emails would suggest. I am very upbeat, high energy and fast moving. He seemed opposite of me. I just shrugged it off. But lately, his new images posted on his blog are just TOO artsy, too abstract almost. Instead of images of the bride and groom in beautiful poses and locals, I see blurred out silhouettes and shots that are lovely, but in my opinion belong in a fashion mag and not wedding album. While our mismatched personalities I could ignore before when I loved his images, now that I am wondering about getting the images I want, I am more worried about us being on different pages on the wedding day.  Long story short, I would like to cancel our contract (eat the deposit) and move on with another photographer lady we found last week friday. Although I have heard about her but have just been admiring from a distance since we had our own already.

I can let go of the NGN20,000 deposit, but I am not sure I will make the right choice. I will wait until next weekend when I can meet the new photographers (be sure we mesh) before making any moves."

However, I will like you to review her works for me. Check out her website at www............com"

Now, I'd been thinking of what to say to Becky or what the content of my response should be. I quite agrree that photographers evolve style to meet a certain niche and please a population of customers.  Just because he shot a few weddings with a different style doesn't mean he isn't capable of doing what he did in the past. I just wish I could discuss Becky's style with him.

But seriously, to me a bigger issue would be the personalities not meshing. When I book a photographer for a client (before 'The BraveShooters' prequalification), I usually talk with several over the phone especially if planning was long distance. Sometimes ago in 2010, I had a great phone conversation with this photographer, and I made up my mind to recommend him, but when we met in person (of course before allowing my client to pay any deposit) neither my assistant nor myself meshed with him. Afterwards, I sent him to the client who also had major complains, not just with his works but also with his personality. If she had hired him.....it probably would have been either of these stories: either bad images, or stress associated, some shots that were missed the day of the event, or the fact that it took 5 months to receive digital images.

Photographers sometimes feel the same way too... that perhaps they don't mesh well personality-wise... or perhaps their style doesn't match your expectations, you just don't appreciate creativity or that you wouldn't just pay up. But, being that this is their livelihood, it's very hard to say no to a bride who wants you to photograph their wedding.

So, you just never know... perhaps this photographer is thinking the exact same things as my friend, Becky, and will be slightly relieved when she cuts it off.  If you are a photographer and reading this or even if you are the client, just tell them that, after giving it a lot of thought, you don't think that their style matches what you hope for in your (wedding) photography. I think that's really the best thing you can say in a situation like this. You have to be diplomatic but straighforward. A stitch in time....

In my opinion, I think Becky should talk to her current photographer about her concerns-both with the artistic images and about the differences in personalities. If she is still uneasy, then she can look at booking a different photographer. Or just get a BraveShooter, period.