Lost Groomsmen Photos..

It's a tough situation. However, it comes with territory. You truly need a good contract to protect yourself from "accidents, equipment failures and such. You can down-load some example photographer contracts from the internet. I wrote mine from a book of contracts I obtained from my local library. It would be well worth your while to have one in place before you book another wedding. Good business insurance is also a necessary expenditure and it's really a minimal investment. I purchased a base business policy for around $230 a few years back when I was still shooting wedding. With that said, I do agree with Sandpiper that you should go out of your way to keep your customer happy. I think you should expect your customer to be at least reasonable though. Not all customers are going to be 100% happy. You do what you can and then move on from there. Next time your contract should clearly define your liability in these situation. Look at this as a learning experience. Good luck!

georgebowman wrote in post #16280303
It's a tough situation. However, it comes with territory. You truly need a good contract to protect yourself from "accidents, equipment failures and such. You can down-load some example photographer contracts from the internet. I wrote mine from a book of contracts I obtained from my local library. It would be well worth your while to have one in place before you book another wedding. Good business insurance is also a necessary expenditure and it's really a minimal investment. I purchased a base business policy for around $230 a few years back when I was still shooting wedding. With that said, I do agree with Sandpiper that you should go out of your way to keep your customer happy. I think you should expect your customer to be at least reasonable though. Not all customers are going to be 100% happy. You do what you can and then move on from there. Next time your contract should clearly define your liability in these situation. Look at this as a learning experience. Good luck!

Thanks so much! I already bought a contract earlier today I saw discussed in another thread on this forum, my contract was good.. I thought! But really it's full of holes.
Definitely a learning experience, thank you.

You are taking the right action. Hang in there and good luck!

sandpiper wrote in post #16280157
If I were in this situation, my first priority would be to try and keep the client happy.

I agree with this completely, and think this is good advise. I too would try to keep the client happy - if possible, within reason, and if within my ability. (Obviously there is a limit to this, such as if the client wants a full refund, and then some more).

However, if it's not within my ability to keep the client happy (or I'm not prepared to go to the extent my client wants), I would then do what it takes to be without reproach. Make sure that I meet, and exceed what would be considered reasonable expectations in this situation by anyone else. Not only does this do the right thing by the client and does everything that can be done to resolve the situation, it also protects you if others hear stories, or worse, if legal action is taken later. If you're seen to have done everything you possibly could within reason, and the client is still upset it goes along way to protecting your reputation.

There are two issues at play here:

1) How to work with the client as best as you can, and

2) How to protect yourself, both now, and in future.

Just because you can (or will set yourself up) to protect yourself as best as possible, still (IMO) doesn't eliminate you from an ethical duty to still do what you can for the customer, but rather just gives you extra elbow room and protection should you meet completely a unreasonable client.

It seems as though you're doing very well with working with the client in this situation. It's a matter of learning, and taking advise. I think you're making all the right choices from what I've seen here so far. Stay encouraged!

I'm not a professional photographer so this is coming more from the perspective of a client. I'm not sure what the groom's agenda may or may not be, but you dropped the ball. Stuff happens and you couldn't help it, but still: he hired you to take photos and you can't deliver them (or some of them). IMO, you're not really in a position to tell him what deal he should take; he's a guy who didn't get what he was expecting and I guess different people handle this in different ways, and maybe he's not the most gracious of customers. If money is what he wants, I'd just give him a fair amount. Of course, if he demands something that's completely out of proportion then by all means fight back, but understand your reputation is going to take a hit, and that your contract may work against you.

Here's my take on it. Your second shooter's card failed. You need to take responsibility. I see nothing wrong with the groom's reaction. He paid for a second shooter and should expect to have the shots from the second shooter. Just refund a percentage (10% or whatever it comes out to) of what the groom was charged for the second shooter and move on with it. There's no reason to beat around the bush and offer him other things that he doesn't want.

HiepBuiPhotography wrote in post #16282140
Here's my take on it. Your second shooter's card failed. You need to take responsibility. I see nothing wrong with the groom's reaction. He paid for a second shooter and should expect to have the shots from the second shooter. Just refund a percentage (10% or whatever it comes out to) of what the groom was charged for the second shooter and move on with it. There's no reason to beat around the bush and offer him other things that he doesn't want.

This ^^^

And in future this this sort of thing should be covered by your contract. Have a clear explanation as to what the process is if it happens and what and remedies may be. On a secondary note this is why I only hire seconds with dual card cameras. Both the original problem and the subsequent dilemma over what to do about it are avoidable ones in the future.

Thanks for everyone's advice. I definitely want to make it work for the couple so I am going to do my best to make them happy and try to make this up to them. I'm glad for the range of responses I got and it gave me a lot to think about and improve on. This was definitely a lesson learned and I hope to God it never happens again! I will be taking everyone's tips to heart that is for sure. Anyway.. thank you!

If he pushes it I would refund based on time or photos expected/shot, maybe with 50% extra as a gesture. Two photographers x 8 hours = 16 hours. 30 minutes of photos = 3%.

If he refuses this then say I'm sorry we'll have to go to arbitration over this because I believe this is a fair offer, and you have 700 beautiful photos from your wedding day.

Make sure your seconds use your cards, and run them through a card testing program like this one. Sandisk cards have always been reliable for me.

Get a professional contract, like this one.