Question for photographers or people with knowledge in the field, how long should it take for wedding photos??

Question

To be fair, also keep this in mind, we did get married 7-7-7, the busiest wedding day recorded.

How long until proofs should have been provided?

How long from time the order was placed for prints to be returned?

How long from time the order was placed for our storybook album to be available for approval, then for it to be printed and completed?

Also, I should mention we are in a very small area/city...so it's not nearly the market a large city would have and it was his only wedding that day.

Ours has taken very long in my opinion, everything was required to be paid in full, in advance. Should I request some money back or additional prints or anything? I am very disappointed...but want a view from the other side.

Let me add, our contract does not give a specified time...had I known, yes I would have had that put on there before.

Answer 1

Wow, that's over 3 months ago. I'd say there's something fishy going on with this guy. Like one of the others wrote in their answer, if he shot digital it should have only taken a week max to get you proofs. Hell, it takes me a an hour to do post on 400 shots using photoshop lightroom. All I have to do is make adjustments to one image and it gives me the ability to apply the same adjustments on all of them at the same time. A handy feature, especially if they are all shot under the same conditions. I shoot in RAW, so there are only routine adjustments that I make like sharpening, hue and saturation adjustments, and tonal corrections. If the guy who shot your wedding is a professional, he would at least be on par with that, and I'm an amatuer. The storybook album would take a little longer, but that's just a matter of applying a few visual and softening effects in photoshop, purchasing the album itself, printing on velvet paper and putting it together. That shouldn't have taken 3 months. You should, of course, read your contract to see how long it should have taken. If there was no contract, but you did pay him everything up front, you'd still have rights. Contact the guy and inquire, being concerned but courteous and if you get the runaround, ask for a refund. Any more trouble, you may have to threaten him with a negative rating with the Better Business Bureau. Believe it or not, that is enough to get what you want done. As a matter of fact, if there is no contract, or mention of time frame in an existing contract, contact the BBB first. They can often advise you.

I'll share a small stroy, I was moving and hired movers. I had a 2 bedroom apartment with a loft area, completely open and not considered an extra room and I was charged by the movers for having a 3 bedroom apartment. So after paying up front, they asked for more. And if I didn't pay, they would drive off with my stuff. I was forced to pay. But I knew I was right. I simply got a diagram of my floorplan, certified by the apartment management and took it to the BBB and filed a complaint. At that time, I was to not have any contact with the business, and they were to have the same with me. And you know what? The president of the company called my the very next day the complaint was filed asking my why I had reported him. I told him because he had overcharged me. After ignoring my protests and a subsequent complaint with the BBB, he settled it outside of the complaint and refunded me my money.

True story, I swear. In the future, never agree to pay all moneys up front unless the terms are perfectly clear and in writing.

Answer 2

I am a photographer and shoot weddings. All this information should be in your contract. Usually Your proofs should be back in 4 to 6 weeks with big photography studios ( Mine are usually up in 2 to 4 weeks, depending on how much I have going on...but never over a month.) Once my clients have chosen pictures and sizes ect. It can be up to another month, and the storybook will be back at the same time.
The whole process should not take over two months MAXIMUM. Have you still not gotten your pictures ? READ your contract and see what it says about times for pictures and storybooks .... usually it will have 4 to 6 weeks in the contract. If they have gone over that amount of time then I would give them a call and definately ask them how much longer it will be and read back the contracted time frame to them and ask for compensation.
The contracts are very important to read. If you don't have a time in the contract, there is really nothing you can do but kill them with kindness and tell them you have been waiting a LONG TIME and feel you are owed a discount or compensation of some sort and see what they will do for you. Contracts are VERY important to read thru, because if no time is entered for a wait on pictures you can ask them to add it in before signing.
Hope this helps, Jenny

Answer 3

You should have your book by now.

Your proofs should have been in your hands in 2 weeks unless there were some extenuating circumstances. Your album was most likely put together by a company that does that often and that should have taken maybe 3 or 4 weeks more depending on how busy they were and any special problems.

You should have had to put down a deposit, but not the whole price. Ask for a big partial refund saying that you will pay more when the book(s) arrive, and not one second before. Then make with the negative word of mouth advertising. There's always small claims court, but that's a pain.

Answer 4

If your photog shot digital, no more than a week, maybe two if they are busy. They should have shot the photos perfect and not have to edit. Which means it's just a quick burn to a CD.

If they are making you prints, then maybe about two to three weeks. Depending on how many pics they shot.
Being in a small town, it should not take long at all.

I normally take a week, but say two just in case in need more time. Keep calling. If the studio is near you stop by every now and then to chekc.

Answer 5

proofs should be to you with in a month
prints should come back with in a month

story book stuff depends on how much photoshop work has to be done this can take longer

you won't get money back unless he screws them up and you don't get the agreed upon photos or he does not deliver as per your contract

you can push for additional prints or a specialized service such as story book thing

go to your contract and see what it says in regard to the problems you are having

Answer 6

My mother is an amateur photographer and does things like weddings, special occasions, etc. and her customers usually get a disk with all of their finished pictures in a slideshow with music behind it within a few weeks. I don't know how long the book would take, but it couldn't hurt to ask him.