My 1-Star Wedding Photography Review

[@TimFilmsCars]

I remember this happening in real time, and I had second-hand stress for you! These are great takeaways and ultimately, you handled it very well. When I first drafted my pre-event agreements, and update them now (for anything, not just weddings), I think of this story. Lots of lessons here for everyone. Great video dude.

[@riversheppherd121]

They just wanted money back - they never had an issue with the photos . You’re photography looked amazing!

[@RICOWHITEISDOPE]

*your

[@Happy-cm7uo]

Scum couple fr

[@MS-gn4gl]

Exactly this. She liked the work she just didn't want to pay for it. I bet she even bragged about getting it for free.

[@elram2649]

​@@MS-gn4gl Yep! 💯

[@BlaineShillington]

Guarantee they probably had stuff from their wedding they probably used once and then returned too. @@MS-gn4gl

[@merrymanson]

I had a bridezilla 3 years ago. Everything was fine, I was super extra with them just because I like to help out. She called me like 5 times for details before the weddings. Its all cool. I did awesome. Afterwards she told me she hated the photographs, how she looked, the amount of imeges she got(I guess 1300 photographs wasn't enough for her) and the edit. I contacted other photographers so they can check it out and they said it was very good. Afterwards I questioned if I should do it anymore, but decided "You know what, i will use this to my advantage" and for several bookings I showed this wedding to my clients stating "Look, this according to my client is my worst wedding, imagine what I can do from here on out". And got like 4-5 bookings just showing this wedding. Of course I did not continue to do that, but I was pitiful at the time...

[@narwhallllll8475]

That’s great how you turned it to your advantage! Although i do have to say 1300 is a HUGE amount of images to be giving back. I’m just assuming it was a big ass wedding, or a 2-day event!

[@merrymanson]

it is a huge amount. I usually deliver around 900 up to 1000 images. The weddings in my country last around 10-15 hours. The one I mentioned was around 12 hours. Thats why I was so shocked when she mentioned that it wasn't enough. Also she mentioned that there are not enough photographs of the children in the wedding like bruh, I'm shooting a wedding not a children's party.(there were around 80 photos of children playing). That case alone made me turn down several weddings because of red flags. One couple was like "We want you as a photographer, but we'd like for you to follow pinterest list and edit the photographs in another style". No thank you.

[@neriksenju25]

1300 !!!!!!!

[@ladyethyme]

Holy shitballs 1300?!?!?

[@sertaliozer1]

The wording you used and the way you angled it was amazing dude! All the best to you. I'm onto my 4th Wedding contract. So far so good

[@melissaysitall7703]

I can’t believe the clients acted like this. Sometimes there just is malicious people out there and want $$$ back 🙃. I love how you turned a negative review into something positive 👏🏽

[@jbivphotography]

At the end of the day it really did feel like they were doing what they could to get their money back. Nothing really made sense when I sat down and thought about it. But I always try my best to figure out what I can do better in any situation.

[@mara1820]

Exactly. They wanted the wedding photographed for free but had to be vicious about it.

[@28cucbn]

No doubt she does that all the time to try to get free stuff

[@mara1820]

@@28cucbn A friend of mine ages ago once told me when she worked at Publix people would bring back birthday cakes (one piece left in the box) demanding refunds stating the cake was awful. Thieves everywhere.

[@28cucbn]

@@mara1820 when I used to cook at a steakhouse, ppl would order a 16 ounce steak, eat 3/4 of it, then try to say it was under cooked

[@Bethos1247-Arne]

I just read the 1-star review. I understand a few points made there (though this wall of text should have been formatted into some paragraphs) but overall they want both overprocessing like a smartphone does, and fantasy images which have to be staged and cannot be taken as part of a normal wedding. This is the gap of expectations of the Instagram generation and someone wanting to get a real photographer which takes pictures about what actually happened.

[@jbivphotography]

Yeah. That's why I really had to step back and look at the situation. Really it seems like they wanted a photographer who wasn't as photojournalistic as I was which is fine. Unfortunately they may have thought that all photographers are the same and didn't realize that photographers have different approaches sometimes.

[@myqaveli]

Lot of times those fantasy ones can be done through photoshop. similar to that photographer rosy

[@Bethos1247-Arne]

@@myqaveli using photoshop to create fantasy images which look convincing and are to the taste of a client is not easy.

[@myqaveli]

@@Bethos1247-Arne i agree with 10+ years knowledge on photoshop I could do it but creating so many images one by one like that would be overwhelming and yet if you don’t have a style already popularized like some there is a chance the client won’t like it so true k agree

[@weichung0319]

Most stuff on instagram are staged. Most of the best photos on weddings are not staged, just best moments. But people tend to not realize that different.

[@maryyeattes2213]

The fact that you gave them all of the JPEGS... I wish nothing but the worst for this couple. To try and ruin your name when their own insecurity is the reason they couldn't enjoy their wedding photos. I'm so glad you posted this video, fight back always. I bet your top package was still WAY cheaper than most photographers top package at that time, they brow beat you just because they felt like they could

[@DynastyUK]

Giving all the Jpegs only makes it worse, you're sending over the best at the start, now you're sending them all the worst as well? No way.

[@L.Spencer]

but aren't the jpegs edited? It's not like sending the RAW files, unedited - or am I mistaken?

[@malikkelly]

@@L.SpencerDid you watch the video? He said he sent all the unedited Jpegs

[@treywood5805]

@@malikkelly jpegs are automatically edited by the camera. unedited jpeg is when it only has camera preset applied to it. look at a raw photo and youll see what unedited it

[@bethanyvillero6900]

This is my worst nightmare. I had a very similar experience - red flags I ignored, great images despite circumstances... nightmare bride. I learned a lot from the experience and low key have PTSD from it. I’m terrified of my clients being unhappy with me! Thanks for sharing. I think this video is going to help so many!

[@jbivphotography]

I also have PTSD from this experience. Funny enough I have another story (after I learned my lesson from this one) where almost the SAME exact thing happened and when I received the email it was like a flashback and I almost lost it. Luckily at the time I had my mentor so I hit him up and he help me level set with myself and come to find out the bride's complains were totally legitimate and had more to do with her makeup artist than anything else so it all worked out in the end. But OMG when I tell you that PTSD kicked in.

[@bethanyvillero6900]

@@jbivphotography the worst!! So glad you had your mentor to talk things through with

[@TedNghiem]

I feel this. When I was shooting weddings, I got a one star review from a couple that didn't even book me to photograph their wedding. My red flags were that they definitely could not pay my minimum costs, they were calling and emailing me every other day about the wedding that I wasn't booked for, and that was when I was like "hey, I really don't think we fit as a photographer client." Then I got angry emails and review bombed. It was a hassle to get the wedding sites to take the review down, but they did because they saw the date of the wedding and when the review was left (months in advance). Yelp, on the other hand, wouldn't.

[@izukens]

I'm so sorry that happened to you! What they did was harassment; I would take them to court.

[@wombat1957]

YELP is the worst. They will take down a bad review if you advertise with them for a huge fee.

[@AmadaMoran2]

It happen the same thing with me booksy did not want to remove my review from client 😢

[@RyanREAX]

So all you do is rebrand... problem solved

[@smarthousetech8593]

People can be parasites at times SMH. That's a crazy experience bro

[@bubblesculptor]

Learning to turn down potential clients is a powerful threshold to cross in entrepreneurship. The fear of missing out is different to let go of, but soon you learn to appreciate realizing you avoid a bad experience.

[@niallcochrane3331]

11:49 - Getting ahead of the 1 star review by bringing it up to potential clients is absolutely the best approach. Moreso, avoiding name-calling is also crucial. Great advice for younger professionals - not just in photography.

[@KatieTavares-kb4pl]

Nice of you to help other photographers with your transparency! You are such a pro

[@elpinchimaniaco]

The fact that you are sharing this story is so inspiring. It takes a lot of courage, my first time on this channel but im proud of you man

[@jbivphotography]

Not gonna lie. I was pretty scared about making this video. But I think it's been long enough.

[@ljones1908]

​@jbivphotography I was thinking that they may see this video and the mess will start again. Isn't it true that once you take a picture of any image it is now your property to do what you please? I remember a photographer sued Nas for posting a picture of himself (Nas) without the photographer's permission.

[@stevevansak7324]

So glad you recovered from this. It took me years to finally “fire my clients” whom I didn't vibe with. Great advice here!

[@user-pv6lj2no2d]

This makes me wonder and question whether they’re still married. That aside, I’m glad that this has been the catalyst in making your business what it is today. I’m especially glad that you showed their pics and hoping they come across it too! I hope that they in turn get to see that they are made an example of what not to book.

[@ericlamont4130]

As a recovering wedding photog I can say this is an invaluable story and lesson for anyone starting out. I never had any couples quite this bad but one that was close. Thanks for sharing!

[@chadhiggins9944]

Something I found interesting from her review: "... my husband and I ended up paying for another (amazing) photographer to capture photos of us to recreate our wedding" Okay, in my opinion, that is batshit crazy 😂.

[@musicenjoyer4203]

utterly psychotic couple lol

[@AFR0MAMBA]

@DonnaOctoberthey had a second pretend wedding? 😂

[@chrismitty_plenty]

I'm thinking that this was personal. Nasty people do this and go out of their way to slander him. And with the payment issue? Shameless people.

[@PeteCocoPhoto]

Excellent as always. We learn so much more from our mistakes than from our victories. That one horrible couple in the end actually was a huge net positive to your business. A lot of people don't realize that this is just part of the process of becoming successful in life and they give up after a failure or even multiple failures. But you are totally right. Not everyone is your client.

[@susiescue]

Thanks for sharing your experience and how you used it to continue on your photography journey. I love your videos. They are very educational and inspiring. Your photography is beautiful.

[@EriciGonzalez]

I've gotten that dreaded one-star review and it taught me alot about how to qualify your clients, how to refine your contract, and also how to effectively communicate with your client while you are binded by a contract. Unfortunately there will always be those people who you do not align with. Thanks for this video because i definitely needed someone else to talk about this so I would not feel alone in my experience. The situation about them doing chargebacks on holidays i can definitely relate with, some people can be very malicious when things do not go their way. Just gotta keep grinding, educate yourself and push forward with your passion.

[@kerwynwilson]

Photography and psychology are interlinked. You gain valuable insight into human behaviour. Thanks for sharing.

[@kavanlake871]

John, 😔 I feel you man. This one time, years ago, after the bride and her crew were two hours late, they complained about everything, after I delivered these beautiful images. They said the images were trash and slammed me on wedding wire. However, after all that, they wanted a refund, wanted an album, and submitted my images to a wedding blog, and of course, failed to mention me as their photographer. In my head, I remembered everything my mentor had told me. He said, “When the guests, the cake, the venue, the food and everything else is all gone, you the photographer is the only person left to pick on.” If the images were trash, why ask for an album, why put them on a blog? To this day, I still think about that.

[@izukens]

They loved the photos; they just tried to take advantage of you. It this that simple; they are bad people.

[@kavanlake871]

@@izukens thanks. That exactly what I figured too.

[@wellstat]

Some people are so cheap that even their best days of their lifes are spent cheating people and digging for free stuff. i won't even think of that, its not money but self dignity.

[@lyndonlives638]

Being proactive and leaning into the one star review with new clients is a genius move - shows you're proud and stand by what you do, and that you're not going to be shamed and browbeaten over work that's perfectly good. Also discreetly puts people on notice that if they're just looking for somebody to bully and be a nightmare to, then they can go elsewhere!

[@brendaoleasixtos2979]

This made me feel so much better. Recently I dealt with a very difficult client, she made me question myself and almost want to just quit completely. I took her engagement photos and she complained because she didn’t like her hair and her fiancée was wearing white socks. She told me just delete those photos after I had already began on over half of them. So we went and redid the whole thing for over 3 hours, at multiple locations with different outfit changes. I told her that since we had to redo the whole photoshoot all over again, it would take longer for me to deliver the photos since my wedding and honeymoon were coming up. Yet she still kept messaging me during my honeymoon. I deliver the new photos and she quickly complains about how I made her look too dark and to lighten her skin up and being very picky and telling me what to change on specific photos. She told me she tried to edit the photos herself but couldn’t and if I could do it, despite the contract saying clients aren’t allow to edit or add filters to already edited photos. I apologize to my mistakes and owed up to whatever mistakes I made that inconvenienced her. She still emailed me a very long paragraph on how I was in the wrong and she wasn’t and she wanted to void the contract. Honestly it was a huge relief for me. I can’t even imagine what her wedding day would of been like. Now I’m learning to say no and turn down potential clients who are difficult to work with. It’s just not worth it.

[@fotografiasromero]

Never apologize

[@MonsieurBlain]

I'm a firm believer that every great business learns from it's "bad reviews". I probably get one atleast once every year out of 100 plus gigs per year. I learned from everyone of those reviews. 2018 I learned about set realistic turnaround times. 2019 I learned about when to use Aperture & direct lighting. 2020 I learned to not take a shoot last minute & edit before a vacation. 2021 to upload every single thing right after a wedding & double check. 2022 I learned to be very specific in contracts. All these experiences molded my business in ways those 5 star reviews wouldn't. I appreciate them, but the objective is to get rid of those mistakes as the business progresses.

[@jbivphotography]

Exactly! Everything that looks like a failing moment is a great time to fail forward. Thank you for sharing this for everyone else who might be having a hard time with this in their own business.

[@Cincy_Kid]

Your response back to her on the knot was worded perfectly

[@viscerablack]

like any relationship, draw your boundaries, communicate them, be clear about them, and never compromise. happy shooting brother, I'm glad you kept on going.

[@macylobeauty]

Hey John! Love your videos. I subbed to you back when photography was a hobby of mine. Fast forward a few years and now I’m a Bridal Makeup Artist. What you mentioned holds true for any vendor in the wedding industry. What we do is an art style and if a couple doesn’t align with our style, way of work, even personality, it’s better to let them know we are not a good fit. A lot of couples don’t realize they should not go to a vendor and try to “change” them or their style. Couples should find someone who suits what they’re looking for. Us vendors can not do everything and anything. We’re not meant to. 100% agree with your video and thanks for sharing!

[@EdwinA.Hernández-Caraballo]

I am not a wedding photographer. In fact, I consider it one of the most complex genres, because it demands not only photography skills, but also vast amounts of social skills, which I admit I don´t have. Having said that, I still found this video to be awesome. Thanks for sharing your learning experience.

[@philipsutton8921]

Ah - great stuff dude. I'm a seasoned professional gig and events photographer, who is about to shoot my first wedding next month. I'm not too nervous, because I've been shooting for years and am familiar with working with folks, post-processing, my equipment, posing and particularly shooting documentary style. However, you pulled up a few red flags that I hadn't considered. It might pay me to jump on your channel and see what other important informative wedding style clips you have made. You may have saved me some grief methinks.

[@adamwestphoto]

A real tough story; it's great to see you could turn things around. 1 stars can work in your favour, once you get past the shock, calm down and think with a level head. Brilliant advice John. Thank you! 👍

[@michaelj7069]

Probably the best wedding video out there. Such an overlooked conversation for photographers starting out and some having a hard time moving forward. Well done.

[@platinumboy89]

This is a great lesson for any photographer. Alignment with your client is critical

[@CharlesMosaati]

Far out bro, those photos were still top quality crisp and clean, I reackon they probably planned to get their money back from the start and tried bullying you into it, props to standing strong as this type-of-crap breaks majority of people in all types of industries. You’re my favourite wedding photographer to watch btw so keep up the great work brother.

[@jbivphotography]

Glad to hear I'm your favorite. Honestly it means so much. There's not a lot of us here on KZbin.

[@wanderfall7486]

I've had a similar thing happen with a client that booked a newborn session with me. First thing that happened was that they didn't wanna pay the booking fee cause they wanted to be able to cancel the booking on short notice if they found another photographer that was available sooner (HUGE red flag), and stupidly I agreed. My style when it comes to family and newborn sessions is natural, candid moments where everyone are interacting with each other and you see a lot of emotion. When I got to the clients house I got to take like 3 photos of the mother holding her baby and then she abruptly walked out of the frame, not saying a word. Eventually it turns out that the parents didn't wanna be in the photos. At all. Not even a hand or an arm holding the baby. I asked what kind of photos they were expecting and if they could show me some examples, but they just got more and more upset with me and all they kept saying was "I don't wanna be in the photos", no explanation. Were they expecting staged studio photos of just their baby? I was super confused cause this is not at all the style of photography I do and it's not in any of the photos on my website. At this point I should have just left, but I tried to do what I believed they wanted, even though they refused to explain it to me, but the baby was obviously crying and screaming every time they put him down and just wanted to be close to the parents. I finally managed to take a few were he was calm, but at this point everyone in the room were upset. When I delivered the photos, which were not great but honestly not that bad either, they didn't respond for a long time. When they finally responded they said that they didn't like the photos at all and that they could take better photos themselves with their phone. They demanded a discount. I gave them a discount, even though it states in my contract that I have no obligation to do so, and they kept coming back saying they want more of a discount and that I should have left their house when I realised they weren't happy, even though they didn't say anything. In the end I learned a lot from this experience and since then I've taken some measures to prevent it from happening again, but it still feels awful to think about it.

[@Celestialstars0109]

What steps do you take now?

[@StephenJoines]

One thing to do in this situation is NEVER give the photos to them. First give a sample (with sample water mark down the middle). If they like it then all good. If not they don't get any photos. Protect your work and income and don't be afraid to say no. Always trust those red flags ... they always mean something.

[@whatifschrodingersboxwasacofin]

I’m a retired self-employer (not in photography at all). Just some thought to consider. Have a great day! The hardest thing I learned in my career was that we leave money on the table when we don’t value ourselves highly enough. Contracted with me for no discount? Expect no discount. That’s the point of having you sign the contract! The time to complain about the terms has passed, and I don’t renegotiate based upon your circumstances. Sounds like a you problem. That’s how business works; you could have hired someone else on different terms. But you didn’t. 🤷🏼‍♂️ You might even want to be proactive and expressly point the cancellation/no refund paragraph out just before clients sign - maybe even have them initial beside it as ‘active’ acknowledgment. It gives them little room to squawk later, and even the boldest is shut down immediately by good old contract law. Don’t have to discount, don’t want to discount, not going to discount. Pay as agreed. Black and white. No need to be concerned about your reputation if there are no unreasonable deficiencies in their customer experience; word of mouth is the best and cheapest form of marketing, and you don’t want them or their friends in your life anyway. My marketing budget was $0, but I was in a particularly fortunate situation with a concentrated client-base. An aggravating customer can be worse than no customer because they actually make a negative contribution to your day. When I go to purchase a service now, I *never* go with the cheapest. I just assume they’re not as good as their peers. I *do* try to go as high as I can within my budget because consumer culture has taught our brains that ‘more expensive = better quality’ and ‘you get what you pay for’. I err on the safe side and overpay. I should have erred on my own side and overcharged. Then we could negotiate to the right midpoint. I have my shyness and insecurities, but I know that I’ve pocketed some of that money on the table just by charging more because I could. Not a single complaint, because I provided good product/value. Professional reputations work both ways and you don’t want to become known as the “yeahwelovedthepicturescuztheyweresocheap” wedding photog. You really, really don’t. Turns out not leaving money on the table has more to do with client management than finance! 😳😁 Best wishes for long-term success. 👍

[@jimmycanuck5340]

FYI - I had my first photo published in 1968. In the early 80's I shot dozens of weddings for a major wedding studio. That being said -Your photos look fine, bro. You had a real "Karen" as a customer. She was determined to be "right" about everything, even though she didn't have a clue. My "Karen" was my aunt. I had shot 50-60 weddings by the time I offered to shoot my cousin's second wedding as a wedding present. My cousin is a sweet person, not the villain. My aunt told me not to go to the bride's house before the wedding because it would be too busy and confusing. NB - This is where I always took portraits of the bride alone and with her attendants. After-ceremony shots were taken at a gazebo in a small park. The bride's brother, transporting my aunt, was allegedly unable to locate this landmark, so no bride with mom, etc. shots happened there. Instead of taking numerous bride and groom shots at the gazebo, my sweet cousin kept bringing in every tom dick and harry for groups shots. We ran out of time and rushed to the reception hall. I finally got my aunt in a group shot at the reception hall. What was the last straw? During the next visit to my aunt did I get a thank you for saving her daughter many hundreds of dollars? No. I heard, "You didn't take one shot of (cousin) by herself" and "I changed my shoes and you could see them in the group photo. You said you wouldn't be able to see them." So her daughter's wedding day came down to how important her shoes were. I haven't spoken to her since and assume she has long ago passed away.

[@ac1646]

This was so absorbing to read. It put me right in your shoes (sorry). 😁😁

[@hw664]

I was really into photography around 2017 and I was exploring all niches, I was asked to shoot a gender reveal and I did it pretty cheap just for the experience. I didn’t do much research into the exact venue and it turns out it was a pretty dark place. I shot some really nice photos using a speedlite but as soon as I sent the photos they were messaging me with such anger that i ended up giving them a refund. There was nothing wrong with the photos, they were good quality. Their main concern was they didn’t align with what they expected. I tried to explain that there was no way to get these freeze frame shots without using flash in a dark venue unless they wanted blurry pictures, but it was to no avail. I gave up photography for years but now I’m back into it and it was a learning experience. As stated in the video, expectations must be set and at the same time, don’t take any shit from people. If someone thinks they can walk over you, they will. 👍🏻

[@jbivphotography]

I'm sorry to hear about your story. That's the worst. it really is hard sometimes to explain and educate folks on photographer and sometimes they just don't want to listen and understand. It's great to hear that you're trying to get back into photography.

[@nativedan]

Your advice reminds me of the scene from Goodfellas, when after “Spider” tells Tommy Devito to go eff himself, Jimmy hand him $100 bill, and tells him exactly that: “don’t take no shit from nobody”! Unfortunately for “Spider” Tommy didn’t take any shit from “Spider“.

[@ericacervantez]

"Don't be blinded by the money" I ALWAYS say that too! "Not all money is GOOD money." I stepped back from weddings for a bit and I feel good about my decision lol

[@REMY.C.]

I'm not a wedding photographer, but the first thing I did and knew I had to do when I worked in graphic design and web design is say NO to any client who asks for things I can't or don't want to do. Even when a client is booked and asked for additional things out of my expertise or desire it was a clear no. It makes the business go smoother and builds a trust relationship. Hell, I even did that with employers and it's a sign of respect when you tell them that by asking you to do those things they're gonna lose money and time.

[@ds_capture]

yep. Same here. I work as a Graphic Designer for over a decade. When I started out I agreed to anything. Now I get EVERY LITTLE change in writing. And I don´t have any problems with saying NO to a client who wants more than he pays for.

[@cnsounds]

Much appreciate your honestly and professionalism John. You are doing great!

[@jbivphotography]

Thank you so much. I try my best.

[@waddupitskelz]

I’m experiencing some rough points with my second wedding (during the engagement shoot) and now the actual wedding is this Thursday so I’ve been worried/feeling like quitting photography but I’m grateful for stumbling upon this and I’m learning a lot from you! I’m hoping the wedding goes well!!! THANK YOU!!!🙈

[@FallenArtemie]

Honestly, this is what scares me about going into photography. Why I don't take that first leap from being a hobbyist to a pro photographer. People being unhappy with your art and skills would really destroy me since I think I'm pretty okay at photography and enough that maybe others would like my services. But one unhappy customer, and I'd take that very personally. Thanks for sharing your story, it helps to see how others process this situation professionally.

[@fotografiasromero]

Been doing it 18 years. In anything you do you’ll meet bad people. That’s why you set boundaries and a rock solid contract. I’ve fired two clients for stressing me out.

[@nicotomo]

Using that 1-star review with new clients is such a smart move. Everyone makes mistakes, but learning from them and moving forward is what could set you apart! And learning how to say "no"! Such a valuable and HARD skill to take on.

[@nicotomo]

Also, def been in the position of taking on work for the money, but those clients straight look like trouble in the eyes, you feel me?

[@techondeckproductions242]

I'm glad you shared this. I did my first wedding and didn't really like my work, but the couple it did it for loved it.

[@jbivphotography]

That's good to hear. Make sure to take the feeling of not liking your work and use it to improve and practice rather than put yourself down. It's always a great way to learn and become better.

[@johnvienna3422]

In some Asian countries they have a practical solution: couples have a formal shoot together at some picturesque location in nice weather, for all the perfect Disney Princess pictures. Then the wedding itself can be more candid, with lower expectations of "perfect" moments.

[@reginaldoppenheimer334]

Man that is an awesome story and one people don’t venture into enough. You can read about all the successes in the world but very few people are candid about their failures and what they learned. Very neat thanks !

[@jbivphotography]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. And it's very true especially in today's world. We see so much success. I think it's important to show the failures and mishaps as well.

[@Giles29]

I have to say you did better than my wedding photographer did. You delivered.

[@jbivphotography]

Ouch. I’m sorry to hear that.

[@ssgg23]

That’s horrible. Close to the same experience but luckily the photographer finally came through. Had to wait half a year to get our photos back, was terrified the photographer simply lost the photos or decided to ghost us, thankfully wasn’t the case but my god, the customer service was awful. Unfortunately seems to be a running theme in the industry.

[@stefanrhys44]

I lost it when she said “oh we’re not looking at the camera” lmaooooo like .. and who’s fault is that?! You can’t win with some people!

[@plisskenetic]

Great honest video and sorry ya had to go through that. And glad u have bounced back after that ordeal. I think you should've been more elaborate or specific as to what exactly were the red flags you sense from this couple. You mentioned examples but they weren't very detailed enough. You / others mentioned this couple was "crazy", what were the specifics of that that made them seem crazy? There were moments where u implied they were extreme nitpickers but that's after all photos were submitted. U mentioned u sensed red flags about them at the beginning - would've loved to have heard more specifics on these. But again, great honest video!

[@gary4188]

Well done you for turning a negative experience into a positive way of going forward.From what I’ve seen of your photography it’s amazing never let others bring you down,they will soon forget about you and move on to their next victim.

[@lukewackler]

Thanks for sharing your story. You are brave to tell this story.

[@vekofoto]

Thanks for sharing this! The photos are great! Good job making lemonade out of lemons that live gave you (by using the couple’s review for promotion)

[@IvanRuiz1]

This is a remarkable story. Thanks for sharing! There are always people like this, and we all need to be aware that this can happen, and this can't be a reason to stop doing what we like and enjoy.

[@jbivphotography]

Glad you enjoyed the story. Also your insights are pretty awesome.

[@twentythreeninteen2143]

Something I’ve learned is when you get those couples that come back and back and back to complain and complain is when you get it leveled out, make them sign an NDA.. if I’m going to refund you and give you files you are not going to give me a poor review. Only happened twice in my 6 years of wedding work ( about 50-80 weddings per year ) but it’s a reasonable thing to do

[@acovian23]

Some people are just more comfortable posing. The job you did I find it consistent to what you do, not working for the money and setting expectations is such a valuable lesson. Thank you for sharing and keep up te good work!

[@samuelperdomo9537]

I’m going to share with you one additional advice my brother gave to me when I had a similar experience. The last thing you want is for more client’s like this to book your services. You want client’s who wants to hire you for your style of photos. Which is AMAZING by the way! The one star reviews or IG posts downgrading your business helps filter out those type of clients from booking with you. You’re amazing and I love your work!!!!

[@bvill6749]

I’m confused as to what the advice is lol I was waiting for something deep 😅

[@ratmusce1984]

You are the best, John. thanks for your videos 🙏

[@jbivphotography]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate that.

[@miyoko_17]

Man...that kind of client experience (horror story) is THE REASON that kept me away from photographing people for years! I finally, this year, decided I wouldn't let that hold me back. I need to believe that there are good/decent people in the world & that theyre the majority...& above all, it made me lock in a whole system to cover myself, highest priority being vetting the clients. We, as photogs, need to be just as discerning as the clients "shopping" for their vendors.

[@jbivphotography]

Exactly. Because at the end of the day we want to make sure we're aligning with those we know who respect our art and also our position as their photographer. We really do try our best. And there are a lot of people out there who understand this.

[@coulorfully]

Ty for sharing this story, it rally makes me reflect on times clients /ppl have made me feel less talented. I feel more confident with this pov

[@jbivphotography]

It's really helpful to think of things like this. Also, at the end of the day you really don't know the other side of the story so I always like to give benefit of the doubt rather than just blaming everyone for the situation.

[@baz8084]

Thanks for your honesty and sharing John, in my short journey I've found honesty is the best policy.

[@jbivphotography]

Always. We try out best, sometimes we fall short. But pushing to get better is all we can do.

[@bwloawesome]

Hey man, looking to take the plunge soon to start a run at portraiture photography and have caught a few of your videos. In my opinion, the story of this couple is the PERFECT example to reinforce comments you've made in prior videos about interviewing couples beforehand to figure if you'll sync well together. What a great way to use your experience as a teacher. Thanks for the content.

[@blerdish]

My worst fear. I'm so scared of this. I would crumble. But this video makes me ready to face that if it ever happens and use it as a learning experience. I love what you taught here. Thank you.

[@TheJ_G]

This was a really great watch. There should be more testimonials like this from people that work in creative industries. I’ve definitely had these kind of clients in past. Qualifying clients is absolutely necessary to avoid burnout in a professional creative space. Thanks for sharing this experience.

[@loatatuikaba918]

This happened to me. I worked for an event planner and adjusted the photos for her taste even thought the bride liked all my unedited photos. The event planner wanted me to photograph her next wedding but to pose the bride like her photographer does. I politely told her that I can use her style as inspiration but I will feel out the bride and go from there. I asked other creative if they would have done the 2nd wedding or not and its a split. Glad to say, I refuse to work with her again because she was pinning me down. No ma'm this is a creative field. No ma'm. Alignment is key!!

[@konraddogg]

I feel you John, thanks for sharing this. I also come from customer service background, 10 years at the hotel's reception and now I do around 40 weddings a year and literally had 1 (one!) couple from hell, where the bride after receiving her photographs asked me "where is the photo of my dog looking at my dress?". I was extremely confused not knowing what she is talking about. And then she told me she saw me taking a picture of her dog on the floor and she was convinced that this is the shot I'm capturing and now she doesn't have her little doggy looking at her hanging dress just before she put it on. She loved all the pics and gave me a lot of compliments, but a month later she texted me to say that she wants ALL my raw photographs (unedited 1500/1600 pics) saying that it is her property and receiving just 500 as per agreement is not important as she wants ALL of them. I explained to her that not every photo I take is the one I'm happy with and that unedited is like a raw potato. She then proceeded to send her husband to me to threaten me with courts. During their wedding the groom came to me a second after their first dance and said that I "screwed up". Of course I had no clue what is he talking about so he said that I was standing in the wrong spot during their dance, despite I was of course doing full circles around them to capture this moment, but in his mind I should have been a little bit more to the left and right on this and that moment, like I know their choreography. He was happy with the pics after though. People just have issues not even connected with their wedding day, their photographer or a DJ. Sometimes they are just mean and weird and there's nothing you can. Sometimes the bride doesn't look the way SHE looks on the photos and then blames everything else, like her maid being on the phone. I bet you can now see the crazy just by looking at someone's face and backing up from there, it really saves you a lot of time and energy and this date will be booked by someone who's actually happy with their life. :) Xenote Studio

[@Overworkt]

This was a great, gripping video mate - definitely felt for you, and can imagine the place you were in. Valuable advice too!

[@BrianHallmond]

They were crazy!!! Glad those couples were in alignment with your thoughts on this lol.

[@clarashook3398]

I am so sorry this happened! Currently, I'm in my first year of professional photography, and this situation is one of my worst fears. Thank you for sharing this story, which is incredibly helpful for others going through this type of interaction. You handled this terrible situation in the best way possible despite these people being so horrible. I have to say, you have been such an amazing resource for me in building my business. Thank you so much for everything you share!!!

[@Justin-uc8sc]

Little beans and whatnot?

[@wellstat]

Glad you stayed strong and persist! some people just can't be reasoned with.

[@jbivphotography]

It was a really hard time but I grew from it at least.

[@kiaratimika2339]

I recently had an almost identical story but with a family shoot, no reviews though thank goodness…but learned to take printing into my own hands and it’s actually turned out really well for IPS and sales!

[@kharma1914]

Watching this video brought up SO MANY flashbacks to when i started my photo career....i had to learn the hard way as well that these sort of clients you RUN...SPRINT in the opposite direction. Its just not worth it at times, i did also learn to troubleshoot upfront and get what there expectations are... Now when i meet with clients i let them know..its not only you making sure im a good fit, im also making sure you are a good fit for me.

[@BE-More1111]

Great video and even better advice, not just for wedding photographers... ANY contract photographer! And btw... great pictures from that day. After listening to your terrible experience, I had to check out the portfolio pics. I love how you handled it and used it with working with couples moving forward. Awesome advice.... just awesome!

[@Snapit551]

Your honesty with your 1 star review has got you further up the ladder in your business 💪🏻

[@jbivphotography]

Losses should always be a way to fail forward. I tried my best not to hide it and really just own it and learn from it.

[@kimberlyb7]

Great info! I’m positive your honesty will help many, I know I received value from listening to you. It’s crazy how one experience can almost make you quit, I’ve been there to.. Tysm ! 👏🏼👏🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@jbivphotography]

Glad this was helpful. Honestly I really didn't want to bring this story back up for fear it would open up pandoras box. But I think there's a lot to learn here so I decided to share.

[@kimberlyb7]

@@jbivphotographyVery helpful, you did a good thing, truly! 🙌🏼

[@sylviahoke7513]

So glad you shared. This is "diamond" for the photographers that had similar "client's" such as myself. I took me awhile to begin taking clients again. In hindsight I did see the red flags and still booked her. After she complained and said everything was horrible, she used the best images for her website, and I gave her complimentary images (and almost a full refund). Not every single image was great (over 700), however the great images was exactly what she needed for her website. Once in awhile one of these clients will come along, however now our antennas are working at higher levels and we know how to detect and shy away from. For me it's all about alignment and energy.! Such a fan of your work, especially your authenticity! Keep sharing, you make such a difference in the community.! This was the very reason for the experience.! @@jbivphotography

[@backwoodstrails]

30 years as a wedding and portrait photographer.......long retired. There were many clients that I had to "fire" because their vision did not align with mine! You are spot on!

[@poolgod80]

I appreciated your professional approach to this.

[@zach.hanford]

I've only ever had one couple that was (at least vocally) dissatisfied with my work. And, just like your situation, in my opinion the complaints that the bride had were outside of my control. This was a few years ago, and although I've kept going and have done tons of weddings since then that experience still sits in the back of my head for every wedding I shoot. It's wild how one small experience like that can truly shake you. Since then, my normal day job had gone from part time to full time and I really just don't need the money anymore. That has been such a blessing. In retrospect, the red flags were there for that couple but I needed the money. Absolutely not worth it. The couples I've booked since I've had the luxury of being picky have been incredible and have definitely saved my passion for wedding photography.

[@censiblelife]

I’m on the same page as you are talking this… mine happened years back… I totally, stop photographing, and ended me doing gardening… and I’m loving it… but, the passion inside me yearning for photography… so I’m devising an idea similar with you and I am being picky… I learn to say “No” when I see the red flag 🚩, just by talking to them… always asked them to look closely about my website and convince themselves about my style. Then get back to me. I wish you best! ❤

[@jamesonjam]

These photos are fire (went to the blog) as someone just starting out this is super terrifying, but man some people just cant be pleased. I thought your response to the review was also really well done, and yeh, obviously you know you're good, keep killing it.

[@joshmunoz7405]

Sorry about what happened omg. Your photography rocks. Thank you for sharing this. Truly valuable information. Turn something bad into something good. Great job.

[@crypticwealth2956]

This is a great video! I liked how you used the 1 star review in the future.

[@Manophotographer123]

Don’t worry about few people who are money minded . Keep up your work . They can’t judge your photography with a mobile camera knowledge. ❤❤❤❤❤photographer. Huge respect.

[@akshaykapoor5562]

I relate to this sooo much. Something that happened to my partner and I recently. We booked a wedding with a couple who were getting married in Dubai and we'd never shot outside the country, so we got excited. We mentioned everything about food to provided by the client, travel, stay and anyone misbehaving won't be tolerated. Come the first day of the wedding, cocktail, people had done their performances and were eating, nothing was happening. So half our team went to eat and half were still shooting just in case something happens. The BRIDE came up to my partner who was waiting to get food and said, "I've paid you to take photos not to eat". We were taken aback, we still shot everything. The next day of the wedding we shot everything, everyone ate and left. The bride comes up to the planners and asks them whether we've eaten or not and asked them to order food for us. Separately. Thought this was behind us and when we delivered the photos came a long list of comments. Some similar as to why her husband's eyes were closed, zoomed in and he was only smiling, why her parents didnt look into the camera (it was candid) some dance photos were long exposure ones and she didnt like them calling them blurry. We're delivering the photos with changes and hoping we get to end it here. Fingers crossed. But thank you for this video. It makes us feel seen and does not make us feel like we're the only dumb ones.

[@lesterkdmedia]

John not only a great photographer but also a great teacher!!! mann thank you sensei for sharing this 🙏🙏

[@alainmenoxfotografo8207]

Hey, thank you for your video. It has been very useful for me. I'll take your advice now that I'm starting doing weddings.

[@t-money561]

great explanation of a very intricate sport, weddings are a very very challenging job

[@tulipvalley111]

Those photos were great!! Very professional! Thanks for sharing!! I’m feeling this a l bit

[@jbivphotography]

You’re welcome. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@satyaman]

hey john , thank you so much for bringing this topic to light man , I am a wedding photographer in India and Ive had similar sort of experience recently , the sad part is that it was one of my school friends wedding that I shot for and his wife has been giving me a very hard time since the day of the wedding , even though I had very clearly stated as to what Ill be delivering and what I wont be in terms of data , they still wont listen and wont pay me the remaining 35 % of the amount that was to be paid to me after I deliver the data . Ive literlly spent so much time and energy worrying about this , but after seeing this video I finally know that I am not alone to face such scenarios , and you have provided very deep insights through this video . Thanks again mate , keep growing .💯

[@domwall3781]

Thank you John for bringing up this topic that no one is talking about. Stars are a double edged sword, they can grow your business but also destroy it completely. It is a sword of damocles that hangs over the heads of all entrepreneurs. Sincerely seeing the photos of the weddings in question, this seems totally unjustified. I'm sad for you who had to go through this, but glad you were able to bounce back

[@nick_a_pagan]

I totally believe you got a one star review lol. I feel like getting that review is what makes or breaks most photographers. After my 1-star I started turning down clients left and right. It really truly is not worth the headaches, especially when they can chargeback and then you're left with nothing.

[@AStageForTheKingdom]

Is there a way to avoid the chargeback situation, or to be sure you can win in a credit card dispute or small-claims court?

[@kifley19]

@@AStageForTheKingdom use Zelle they wont get shit back

[@DCaldwellPhotography]

John, this was super insightful and hopefully can help someone that is struggling with just booking for the money vs actually vetting people prior to doing business. All money isn't good money. Great video.

[@jaep7776]

Nicely said and informative. Also those photos were stunning and something to be proud of so unfortunate they didn’t like them. It’s always important to learn from your mistakes glad you were able to make the best from it.

[@jbivphotography]

Exactly. I could have easily just blamed the couple, but there were things I needed to learn and improve on. Which I did and it made me a much better wedding photographer.

[@josephbartztraining]

Interesting story and lessons learned! Thanks for the video.

[@JohnHaldezos]

After 25 years as Wedding Photographer, I turned away customers that gave me a bad vibe, in expecting too much out of the ordinary .I would politely say that I was booked 😂

[@FreddieDe_Grate]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I have not shot a wedding as of yet, although my wife says I should. For the example you gave I may not. It’s good to know that even the really good photographers had to pick themselves up mentally from incidents with clients.

[@Scriptshepherd]

As scarring as this must have been for you, it's weirdly cathartic to listen to your story because it confirms the common experience many of us have had with an insatiable or unstable client who tries to make us feel inadequate. Your photos are great quality from that wedding, and it's clear the client was projecting her own insecurities onto your work. Like you've said in your videos, the biggest key to a satisfied client is not necessarily your work, but the expectations you set with them beforehand. Unfortunately, some couple's don't know what they want, yet are extremely picky about what you deliver. I'm glad you have this platform to expose this behavior, and hopefully the couple will come to their senses and delete the review. Unless it's still helping you land new clients haha

[@AStageForTheKingdom]

Sorry this happened to you! I've learned a lot from my own customer experiences over the years. At the end of the day, some people are just super high-maintenance and if you can avoid working with them it's worth doing so. One thing I have found is that over-communicating is really helpful for avoiding bad situations down the line. It can't eliminate all of them of course, but the more honest and transparent your up-front communication is, the more you can attract the kind of clients you want and avoid those who are looking for something else.

[@NateGreensides]

Thank you for sharing this fail forward experience and your expertise. "The sun shines for everyone" is a phrase in Mexico which means there's enough business to go around and we can mutually share knowledge for everyone to benefit from

[@rebeccawestmanphotography]

YES PLEASE add your wedding meetings to your membership!!

[@LloydSpencer]

What a great video and such sound practical advice

[@pjdexter168]

I've been a photographer and digital artist for over 15 years and your images were fantastic. I've shot a few weddings, reluctantly for this very reason. Brides are just notoriously a pain in the ass, the groom couldn't give a crap lol. There's just too much room for error for me anyway with weddings so I rarely do them.