Have you ever had a "re-do"?

[FamilyJules]

I shot an engagement session for a couple last week, and I am really not happy with my result..... mostly due to unexpected bad weather. It became really windy and cold, and therefor resulted in stiff, lifeless photos. I know I could get more out of them if given another chance.
This couple has not booked me for their wedding as of yet, b/c they wanted to see the photos first.... all the more reason why I wanted better photos.

My question is:
Would it make me look bad if I asked them to do a re-shoot? Of course there would be no charge, and I would go to them.... I have just never had to do a re-shoot b4. Has anyone else done this?
Thanks for any input!

[jgrussell]

I'm not a pro as a photographer, but I sure am a pro as a consumer. If my photographer had come to me and said just what you said -- "It was windy and cold and I don't think the conditions did you justice, so I want to reshoot" -- I would be (a) floored and (b) impressed.

[FamilyJules]

Really? You wouldn't take it as me looking like a poor photographer and not being able to nail it on the first try, no matter what mother nature threw at me?

As a consumer, your input is important... thanks for letting me know :)

[Valjoy]

I had a wedding I would have liked to shoot again...very stiff groom but then again I think he would have been just as stiff the second time...not that there is any second chances with a wedding . The Bride and groom loved the photos. I think sometimes we are too hard on ourselves and see every fault or perceived fault and know we could have done better .This self critique does serve to make us better.
The input from the consumer above should help you decide whether to ask for a reshoot on not.Let us know how you get on. cheers Val

[FamilyJules]

you're very right, Val.... I am definitely my own worst critic.
AS I edit through more, I'll see if it's worth even bringing up to the couple.

[jgrussell]

Really? You wouldn't take it as me looking like a poor photographer and not being able to nail it on the first try, no matter what mother nature threw at me? As a consumer, your input is important... thanks for letting me know :)I wouldn't take it that way, no, especially if you stressed that you thought it was the conditions that didn't allow the shots to do them justice.

[cdifoto]

I shot an engagement session for a couple last week, and I am really not happy with my result..... mostly due to unexpected bad weather. It became really windy and cold, and therefor resulted in stiff, lifeless photos. I know I could get more out of them if given another chance.
This couple has not booked me for their wedding as of yet, b/c they wanted to see the photos first.... all the more reason why I wanted better photos.

My question is:
Would it make me look bad if I asked them to do a re-shoot? Of course there would be no charge, and I would go to them.... I have just never had to do a re-shoot b4. Has anyone else done this?
Thanks for any input!
I wouldn't hesitate to offer a re-shoot if I felt the conditions didn't allow me to give them my best. It shows you give a damn. There's no harm in being honest.

Just don't ask for a re-shoot of the wedding. ;)

[FamilyJules]

I wouldn't take it that way, no, especially if you stressed that you thought it was the conditions that didn't allow the shots to do them justice.

Good to know :) .... and yes, it was the conditions.... they wore short sleeves and a dress on a day that was 45 degrees (F)....once the winds came, it was really hard to make it look natural, you know?

I always offer a re-shoot if I'm not happy with what I did. It shows you give a damn. There's no harm in being honest.

Just don't ask for a re-shoot of the wedding. ;)

Really? Coming from you, CDI, that's good to hear. I'm a people pleaser, and I WANT them to be happy with their photos.

Haha, no re-shooting of the wedding? Now you're being unreasonable ;)

[cdifoto]

Haha, no re-shooting of the wedding? Now you're being unreasonable ;)
"Yeah sorry miss but your bridesmaids were umm...distracting. Especially once I saw which ones lined up to catch the bouquet and all that. Can we fly back down to that resort again? I'll try to not drink as much this time."

[FamilyJules]

"Yeah sorry miss but your bridesmaids were umm...distracting. Especially once I saw which ones lined up to catch the bouquet and all that. Can we fly back down to that resort again? I'll try to not drink as much this time."

Haha, who wouldn't understand that, really?

[cdifoto]

Haha, who wouldn't understand that, really?
Yeah for real. It's her fault for having hot friends and putting them in shiny dresses, and putting the bar so close to where I keep my camera bag.

[FamilyJules]

Wanna know what happened at my wedding!? Get this..... my photographer (being an old, fat pervie) took one of my bridesmaids (who, BTW, is very beautiful) to the top of the yacht that we were married on, for a 20 minute personal photo shoot... On MY wedding day! (she got more face time than me, lol!)
Now I don't really blame my BM, as she relishes any attention that comes her way, and I've become quite used to this trait, but as a pro photog? lol.... no no no. Needless to say, I never saw those photos.... so I know he kept them for those lonely nights ;)

[cdifoto]

Wanna know what happened at my wedding!? Get this..... my photographer (being an old, fat pervie) took one of my bridesmaids (who, BTW, is very beautiful) to the top of the yacht that we were married on, for a 20 minute personal photo shoot... On MY wedding day! (she got more face time than me, lol!)
Now I don't really blame my BM, as she relishes any attention that comes her way, and I've become quite used to this trait, but as a pro photog? lol.... no no no. Needless to say, I never saw those photos.... so I know he kept them for those lonely nights ;)
Note to self: Lose weight, no more bridesmaids one-on-one. Take 'em in groups.

[FamilyJules]

Note to self: Lose weight, no more bridesmaids one-on-one. Take 'em in groups.

hahaha :lol:

[picturecrazy]

I would react differently if I were a consumer and the photog offered a reshoot because the conditions weren't optimal.

Wedding conditions are almost never optimal, but you still gotta deliver the goods. I'd lose confidence as a consumer.

[LBaldwin]

I wouldn't hesitate to offer a re-shoot if I felt the conditions didn't allow me to give them my best. It shows you give a damn. There's no harm in being honest.

Just don't ask for a re-shoot of the wedding. ;)

Ditto!! If you are not happy with your work then just do a reshoot and tell them that real reason why - you wanted better weather!! lol

[FamilyJules]

I would react differently if I were a consumer and the photog offered a reshoot because the conditions weren't optimal.

Wedding conditions are almost never optimal, but you still gotta deliver the goods. I'd lose confidence as a consumer.

That's what my concern was! I figured I would get a mixed bag on answers to this question, but I think I would react the same way as a consumer as you are saying.

Either way, I showed the clients the photos and gave them the option for a re-shoot if they wanted shots with better weather, but they were thrilled with the ones that I took and said that I was beeing WAY too hard on myself and that they came out more beautifully than they had anticipated... so this is just another example of us, as photographers, being our own worst critics....

[PhotoMatte]

I did an engagement session last week. I'd rescheduled the shoot four times already, due to poor shooting conditions (I prefer overcast days, btw, if the B&G aren't available late in the evening), and the couple was fine with that. My advice would be to try and reschedule a shoot rather than to redo a shoot. Another tip: if possible, get them to sign the wedding contract before you do their engagement photos:) I always do this and haven't had any clients balk at me. (Of course, I can also show them literally thousands of wedding images if they're curious about what their images might look like.)

[picturecrazy]

I would definitely not reschedule a shoot 4 times. If a photographer did that to me I'd tell them to get lost. Be ready to shoot in any conditions. Sun, rain, overcast, freezing cold, in the nicest places, or the city dump, nothing should scare you from doing an excellent job. I hate overcast days actually... the lighting is so bloody boring.

Anyhow, julie, you should be glad the clients loved your work. I wouldn't pursue a re-shoot any further... it makes your confidence look shaken. The good thing is most clients see our sub-par work and often still think it's awesome. But that shouldn't be a reason to relax our standards either. Take it as a learning experience and use it for the future.

[PhotoMatte]

I would definitely not reschedule a shoot 4 times. If a photographer did that to me I'd tell them to get lost. Be ready to shoot in any conditions. Sun, rain, overcast, freezing cold, in the nicest places, or the city dump, nothing should scare you from doing an excellent job. I hate overcast days actually... the lighting is so bloody boring.

Anyhow, julie, you should be glad the clients loved your work. I wouldn't pursue a re-shoot any further... it makes your confidence look shaken. The good thing is most clients see our sub-par work and often still think it's awesome. But that shouldn't be a reason to relax our standards either. Take it as a learning experience and use it for the future.

That's the best part about doing wedding engagements; I get to schedule the time. I would never just shoot on the scheduled day if the weather was crappy; what's the point? For weddings, of course, I am always ready to shoot in any weather condition. But there's no way I would shoot an engagement session in crappy weather if it was just as easy to re-schedule.

[PhotoMatte]

I hate overcast days actually... the lighting is so bloody boring.

Please note that I said I hate shooting in the middle of a bright sunny day and that if my clients weren't available for a late afternoon shot, I'd prefer overcast skies in the middle of the day to shooting at High Noon. But whatever.