Photo Location Now a Construction Site

Hello everyone,

Let me give a little back story. I am booked to photograph a wedding this weekend. I needed to know where the ceremony and formals were taking place, so I went out there on Friday to check things over. (The bride gave me the address, but the address and the venue don't actually match up because of the way the buildings are placed).

Now the problem. The bride got the permit to take photos last year. When I went there on Friday, the location had the orange construction fencing all around the area, there were dumpsters, dumptrucks, all kinds of heavy construction machinery, the whole nine yards. The site was completely closed off for construction until mid-June. Needless to say, the bride wasn't told by the venue, but by me on Friday.

I walked around the complex taking pictures and sent to the bride as alternate locations, but her heart was set on the location that is now off limits.

I guess my question is has this ever happened to you, and if it has, what did you do? This is a first for me and I'm not really sure what more I can do. Anywhere close by that would be suitable for photos requires a permit with at least a 2 week wait (if it's even available), so that leaves out pretty much everything.

Thanks for any advice you can give!

ydube wrote in post #14399938
Hello everyone,

Let me give a little back story. I am booked to photograph a wedding this weekend. I needed to know where the ceremony and formals were taking place, so I went out there on Friday to check things over. (The bride gave me the address, but the address and the venue don't actually match up because of the way the buildings are placed).

Now the problem. The bride got the permit to take photos last year. When I went there on Friday, the location had the orange construction fencing all around the area, there were dumpsters, dumptrucks, all kinds of heavy construction machinery, the whole nine yards. The site was completely closed off for construction until mid-June. Needless to say, the bride wasn't told by the venue, but by me on Friday.

I walked around the complex taking pictures and sent to the bride as alternate locations, but her heart was set on the location that is now off limits.

I guess my question is has this ever happened to you, and if it has, what did you do? This is a first for me and I'm not really sure what more I can do. Anywhere close by that would be suitable for photos requires a permit with at least a 2 week wait (if it's even available), so that leaves out pretty much everything.

Thanks for any advice you can give!

I would appeal directly to the person in charge of permitting, explaining that you have a valid permit that cant be honored, and request politely an expedited alternative.

They've already given us permission to use other areas of their grounds, which I took photos of and sent to the bride, but there isn't much that the venue is in control of. All the other areas belong to other companies/entities that also require permits.

Without knowing the area, what is it about it that the bride loved? If it's the buildings is there anyway you can shoot up and avoid the construction or maybe find a hill to shoot on?

I had one wedding once where the couple wanted to shoot down by the lake walk (Lake Superior), but when we went there we found the same thing, the lake walk was completely closed off with construction stuff. I ended up finding a great grassy hill area and had them stand on top of the hill and I stood below it. You could still see the lake in the background but the hill blocked the construction. If I stood up you could see everything in the background so I squatted and shot upward for the whole thing. The pictures actually came out great (the bride LOVED them!) and you'd never know what was right beneath the bridal party unless you were there. It worked out alright. Not how we imagined it, but it worked!

You choices are limited. Use an alternate location.

This is where good customer service comes into play.

ALWAYS have a back up location. Construction is not the only problem, birthday parties, family renunuons, church picnics, school field trips, or as simple as lawn mowing crews.... this is only a hand full of things that can ruin your location. Rather than come whining back to the bride that you cant use the location, be the miracle worker and have a location ready.

Make friends with the people that issue the permits. Let them know you are a wedding photographer and are scouting locations. You like thier location, but the brides sometimes have other ideas. Ask them if you pay for a permit now (if payment is required), can you use it with a few days notice. In case the origional location is no longer useable.

Most times the wait is nothing more than a formality. And as you will most likely not be useing it right away, You are not asking them to break the rules. You just dont know what day you will actually be there. If you ask nice and play on thier emotions, that they will be saving the day on someones wedding they will work with you. And may even wave the permit fee as it is possible you will never use it.

You need to be creative in more ways than just your pictures.

Thanks everyone for all your advice!

The bride was very appreciative of the photos I took of alternate locations as she wasn't able to make it back out there until the day before the wedding. She looked over them and now seems to be happy as she's chosen a couple of locations. I know it isn't what she originally wanted, but at least she will still get her photos in the same general area and the architecture she loved in the original location will still be prevalent in the new locations.