Hell’s Bells: 7 Nightmare Wedding Photography Clients

nightmare-wedding-photography-clientsWhile every wedding photographer dreams of that perfectly cooperative couple, a dream to work with and easy-going, too – that kind of work assignment is rare. And, at the same time, while not every assignment is a disaster, the notion of nightmare wedding photography clients is certainly real. In today’s post we’re going to briefly outline seven of the most common issues that such clients are likely to pose (pun not intended).

#1 Nightmare wedding photography clients that ignore the schedule

Some people simply don’t understand that a photographer’s main resource is lighting. They blatantly disregard the wedding day shooting schedule, as they fail to grasp the importance of the time of day. Midday sun, for instance, casts very harsh shadows, in which most people won’t look good, so it’s important to avoid this time of day and shoot in the later hours.

#2 The chronically late/in a hurry

These nightmare wedding photography clients are a similar species with the ones listed above. While they do follow the schedule to a certain extent, they will either be late, or assume the shoot only lasts for 10 minutes. Make sure you approach such cases delicately and explain that it takes a bit of punctuality and patience of their side to get the shoot right.

#3 The uninvited second fiddle

A very specific type of nightmare wedding photography clients will bring along a relative with pro photo gear, who will insist to take pictures alongside with you. Yes, they mean well in most cases, but chances are they will also get in your way, ruin your official shots, and provide unsolicited advice. Try to approach them with kindness, but gently explain they should leave the picture-taking to the actual hired professional.

#4 The clients that hate the way they look in the photos

Some wedding photography clients don’t understand why it’s important to communicate with their photographer beforehand. After all, you’re a professional, so, in their view, you should be able to just guess how they like to look in pictures. Kindly ask all clients to show you pictures of themselves that they actually like before going ahead with the shot. Alternatively, you can ask them to explain what looks and angles they would like to avoid.

#5 The camera darlings

On the opposite end of the spectrum from the nightmare wedding photography clients who don’t enjoy picture taking at all there are those who love it a bit too much. You should always make sure to reassure the couple to be that a wedding day photo shoot shouldn’t actually take all day. The best wedding photos are those in which the couple and guests can be seen enjoying themselves, not cooking up elaborate, unlikely poses for the camera. This kind of thing can turn tiring very fast and will almost always end up looking artificial and phony.

#6 The last minute special

Most couples to be understand that booking a photographer early is just about as important as booking the venue and band in a timely manner. However, not all of them do, which makes some postpone the decision until the very last minute. This, of course, can tend to make them feel frustrated with their choice and usually leads to rushing through the whole photographing process, in order to make sure they’re getting all the photos they want.

#7 The trend addicts

Wedding photo booth? Sure, they want one. The Instagram hashtag? Of course they want you to take care of that, too! Some couples will just fall for anything that’s trendy right now, in terms of wedding photography – and no photog out there could ever satisfy their needs, no matter how skilled or versatile he/she is. Explain that great wedding photography is the kind that passes the test of time, not the kind that got 100k likes on  Facebook yesterday.

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About Amanda Jones

Professional photographer and freelance writer, Amanda is specialized in wedding and travel photography. Every day she enjoys taking long walks around the city, from where she takes inspiration for her day-to-day work. She always hunts magical locations to astonish her subjects.