Wedding Photography- Red Flags. Tips From an Alternative Wedding Photographer in Dorset

You ask a simple question on Facebook 'I need a wedding photographer in Dorset' and you are inundated with 200 people shouting 'i'm available'. So how do you know who to choose?

First of all you need to know what type of photography and photographer you want so my advice is check out my blog here: How to Choose A Wedding Photographer

Once you know what you are looking for then it's working out the pros from the cons, literally.... Here are my tops tips on spotting wedding scammers.

CHECK REVIEWS!

• Check social media reviews and comments
• Check Google Reviews- Did they double book due to the Ukraine War... this is an actual review out there...
• Look at the 'mentions' on their social media page
• Ask for reviews from family, friend or those how have used the photographer in question .

Ever seen a negative review that makes you laugh; like the beach was too sandy, the hill was too high, it rained.... It is inevitable that negative reviews happen (thankfully, I haven't experience this yet, 47 5* reviews baby!!) If you do see one negative review, really think about what it says and how it was responded to by the photographer. Some times people just love to complain to try and get money back, and is not an actual representation of the work or service received.

Google reverse search

Sadly some people are ripping photos from reputable photographers and claiming them as their own, or using them as inspiration boards rather than showing their own work. Screenshotting the photos and putting them through Google can help to identify if it is their work. I once saw a 'photographer' in Dorset advertise and their images were Getty images and not even their own, some were even AI! Another issue is photographers using styled shoots to advertise. Styled shoots are VERY different to real weddings, the pressure, stress, time restraints, lighting, crowd hurdling, is all part of the fun and chaos of weddings. Sadly, styled shoots do not give you this experience.

Check Facebook Wedding Scammers page

There is a great Facebook group which has information on recent wedding supplier scammers. Drop the photographers name into the search bar and see if anything comes up!

Before Booking a Wedding Photographer

• Meet with them and ask questions to get some reassurance! Either virtually or Face-to-face. How do you feel with them?
• ALWAYS get a contract before you pay. Read it thoroughly and make sure you ask questions if you are unsure about any aspect of what is written. Does it have information about delivering photos, emergencies, cancellations
• Ask to see their insurance if you're feeling uneasy, decent photographer will have Public Liability and Indemnity usually covering up to £5 million!
• Ask questions: Don't be afraid to ask them why they are a bargain- are they starting out? What do you get? How can they travel 3 hours for free?
• What photography gear are they using? is it a full frame camera? Dual memory slots (preferably), are they shooting in RAW and editing them or giving basic jpeg files straight out of the camera.
• Ask to see a full album. You are seeing the best bits of their work, so looking at what an entire album looks like will give you an idea of their consistency.
• Are they the photographer? Sounds silly right? Some budget business associate shoot. Meaning they take your £500, and pay a photographer £100 to shoot your day. Sometimes this is prearranged, sometimes this is as an 'emergency' but it often means you do no know who you are getting, or the quality of the work.

How to spot potential red flags in wedding photography (not necessarily a scam)

• No contract- Reputable photographers will ALWAYS send a contract first!
• Small Portfolio- Only 1-2 couples across their website and social media pages? This could be photographs taken at a styled shoot meaning the photographer has not experienced a real wedding. or is inexperienced altogether.
• Extremely low fees- Anything below £1000 for a full day for an established photographer is a bargain. It is not necessarily a scam but does usually come with higher risks. When I first started out I was charging a low rate and explained I was new and still learning; as long as you are happy with the risks that this is fine. However, low fees and other red flags are concerning; it is usually the very low budget photographers that cancel last minute or take on 100 weddings and can not keep up with editing!
• Free Travel - anywhere... This along side a £550 all day wedding package and an Italian leather album should really ring alarm bells. It is not just the travel costs, but also the time factor involved Would you work for £5 or less an hour?
• High deposit or 50% off in January. There are many reason why this may be- tax bill they haven't budgeted for, refunding clients last minute and need to keep turning over cash; there is no need to request huge deposits, or to give huge discounts. January is a busy time with couples booking in so there is usually no need to offer 50% off!
• Reviews turned off - now sometimes this is due to scammer adding false reviews, but it is worth questioning!
• No website page, or social media pages- Some people do not like social media, so again, not a red flag on its own!
• No insurance- Lots of venues will not allow a vendor in if they do not have insurance and ALL reputable vendors will have insurance in place.
• No professional gear- Run if you hear the words 'my phone takes good photographs'. Most photographers use full frame cameras with dual memory slots

Most of all, what is your gut saying? Trust your instincts. This is why I insist I meet with you before booking to make sure you feel happy around me!