Rubbish Photographers

[SWE]

Isn't it so disappointing.... when you pay a lot of money to go to an event, have to wait 6 days for pictures to be online to then find out they didn't take/upload any of you and only 2 of your friend. You msg the photographer to be ignored, and they've now hidden all comments from their Facebook page (I assume to hide the comments of others complaining).

Then to see they are booked over and over!!! I don't understand it! Do you think venues would appreciate feedback of the togs their booking?

* other photographers in the area are incredible, I'm not just a many sod.

 

[honetpot]

I do not get it, they are not earning unless they sell. I was talking to a photographer who does large events, and they have to pay for their stand, and ring coverage, he said they worked perhaps three days before they were in to profit. I suppose if they haven't paid anything to cover the event, and its a sideline, they are not that bothered, in the days of film they had to be good to cover the cost of developing and printing, now everyone thinks they can do it.

 

[LEC]

We have a shocking one at a local venue - all my friends and I look through to see how bad it is. This photographer has done a deal with the venue so acquired the rights. Where this photographer is so bad is he only takes one shot at each fence and usually mistimes it.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

I think I’d be sending evidence to the venues of the quality of the pics, that’s really bad.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

There is a photographer up here who has the monopoly on events. In over a decade I have bought 2 pics from them. They employ school leavers and tell them to just keep clicking. They don't try and take any thing other than bog standard shots as you go round the edge of a ring. And then charge £7.50 for a tiny jpeg for social media and the cheapest print you can buy is £30. Total rip off.

It is very disappointing when you don't get any good pics taken of you at all. It's bad for business.

 

[milliepops]

there's one at a venue i've been to a few times who appears to have no idea of timing for dressage pics, all the horses are on the downbeat of the stride. Shall i fork out for a pic of my horse looking really downhill... no ta

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would certainly let the owner of the venue/secretary of the show know that you are dissatisfied with the photography

 

[AFB]

So disappointing isn't it!

I bought my OH a decent camera and drag him along. He's not faultless but he takes enough to guarantee a handful of decent shots.

I'll still buy pro pics if they're decent but we have a local photographer like the one OP described and I like photos!

 

[sportsmansB]

We are lucky in NI as there is only one pro allowed at the events and he is spot on, and also has them online that evening and sends them through within about 30 mins of you paying. I had mine at 9.30pm on Sat night and I'd only got back to the yard at 7. He takes 3 or 4 of each combination over a fence or 2 depending on where he can stand

But if he wasn't as great, I would certainly feed back to the organisers. They know that competitors having a photo of their day is important and a big part of it for many of us. Here are mine from Sat, recevied at 21.28. We had a hold on course and a slow day, I think I got them about 4 hours after I went XC!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I don't know how they stay in business as they only earn if they sell. At a recent BE, they only photographed 2 XC fences, both very ordinary ones, and neither shot was particularly well framed or well timed. I doubt many people bought any.

 

[Ossy2]

Agreed have been to a couple of more local BD events and had some great photos. Went to a recent AF and was really excited to get a decent pro pic for the owner, but they were all shockingly bad, was so disappointed.

 

[acorn2008]

My daughter and I entered a hunter trial a couple of weeks ago, the photographer turned up for part of one of the classes, luckily the one my daughter was in and there were a couple of nice ones of her. But none of my class as someone said , you pay a lot of money to enter and we really look forward to seeing the photos afterwards! I'm not sure how many more events i'm going to be brave enough to enter, but will have to do another one now !

 

[Vodkagirly]

I was gutted yesterday, photographer was sat at the smallest fence on the course. He could be a brilliant photographer but there would be no way to make that fence look impressive.

 

[SOS]

I think they are getting worse as there’s more demand for photos and people want to pay less (for social media use etc. Which is what I personally get 90% of the time). So they employ unqualified people.

Certainly some must not be horsey as the timing is all off, one I saw the other day had taken jumping shots and everyone was that awkward moment where they are gathering their legs up on take off and the rider is a little forward. Dressage was all at the wrong time too.

 

[marmalade76]

I was gutted yesterday, photographer was sat at the smallest fence on the course. He could be a brilliant photographer but there would be no way to make that fence look impressive.

I hate it when they do that!

 

[MagicMelon]

Thing is OP, they're not usually paid to be there? So you cant really expect anything from them really as they're not being paid to provide a service, although of course its disappointing if they miss you I totally agree. Perhaps they simply needed to nip to the toilet or something and missed you. Ultimately they're simply doing themselves out of the change of some sales if they miss people.

I agree about the fence choice though, I rarely buy a photo unless its on a terrifying fence. But they have to consider angle / direction of the sun etc.

 

[teapot]

Photographers will choose one of the easier/smaller fences to avoid running the risk of awkward photos/falls over said fence, or if a difficult course not even making it to said fence.

That's without lighting/shadows/backgroud/where the fence judge is sat to consider.

 

[DressageCob]

In contrast, I went to a lesson a few weeks ago and could not believe the quality of the pictures. It was as if I'd paid for a photoshoot. There were lovely action shots, black and white arty shots, heads, feet, candid...whatever you want from a flatwork photo it was there. I bought the lot ?

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Photographer at Blair is always awful!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Photographer at Blair is always awful!

I've bought more pics from her in one year of the Wee Coloured Job than I have in over a decade of Sinclair ?? but that's inhand showing not eventing or the likes.

 

[Kat]

One that does a few venues round here is do bad that one of her recent adverts featured a photo with the horse's feet chopped off the bottom and the top of the riders hat missing.

On the other hand the lady who does the endurance events round here always gets fab shots. It is worth going just for a nice picture!

 

[Jeni the dragon]

I've bought more pics from her in one year of the Wee Coloured Job than I have in over a decade of Sinclair ?? but that's inhand showing not eventing or the likes.

I never saw a showing picture from Blair I liked either! Have always looked as friends have been competing but I'm always so disappointed!

 

[Alibear]

I think it's just the changing times, now that we all have cameras we value photos less.
So there's less profit to be made in horse event photography so the skilled photographers go elsewhere to make a living.
There used to be posts by event photographers around the challenge of skilled amateurs turning up at events and providing photos free of charge on social media. Everyone meant well in those situations but it has an impact.

 

[dorsetladette]

We took Robin to his first show a few weeks back. The photos were really terrible. Then the following week on a fun ride the photographer's got some cracking photos of us and really captured the moments. But, you would of thought the competition snaps would have been better.

 

[SWE]

Thing is OP, they're not usually paid to be there? So you cant really expect anything from them really as they're not being paid to provide a service, although of course its disappointing if they miss you I totally agree. Perhaps they simply needed to nip to the toilet or something and missed you. Ultimately they're simply doing themselves out of the change of some sales if they miss people.

I agree about the fence choice though, I rarely buy a photo unless its on a terrifying fence. But they have to consider angle / direction of the sun etc.

Photographer was there and snapping - I saw him, hence messaging. That's what I found so weird about the situation.. surely he'd want my money if he had photos of me?!

 

[Leandy]

I'm sure the venues would appreciate feedback and good customer orientated ones will hopefully want to find popular user friendly photographers. That said, you would think from reading this thread that there is a right to get good pictures of yourself. Yes, it is nice to take a look at the pics afterwards and if there are good ones buy one or two to remember the occasion by but really it is neither a right nor an integral part of the competition or outing. I'm rather bemused by the obsession these days with videoing and photographing everything all the time. Sometimes it is just nice to enjoy the moment without and take time to store the memories the old fashioned way! So if people are that keen to have pics of themselves I would think it best to take someone reliable with you to take the photos. Cheaper too!

 

[PurBee]

Due to the apparent ease of digital photography for the user - set it to ‘auto’ and click away, and call yourself a photographer!…means there’s many in the industry now who really don’t have professional ‘eye’ or skills.

A music band employed a local ‘photographer’ for promo shots - the pictures were truly rubbish. Not in focus, not framed well, lighting/background not taken into account. Only 1 picture out of 100 could be used, and even then it needed some serious photoshopping work to make it look ‘useable’.
The bill was quick to be sent tho….100quid for 2hrs…quite the easy ‘vocation’ to get into if youre able to just press a button! ?

In contrast - the amateur hopefuls just make professionals work look far superior and the professionals are then in high demand.

 

[smiggy]

I had this with an endurance ride at the weekend
dullest part of the course background wise but at least on the gallops so you could go past at a lick but photos all dire, coming up to him and trotting away ( who buys a shot of their horses bum ? ) but no side on flying ones
on the other hand our local event photographers are awesome and I have to factor the photo cost into any event as it’s a given will buy some ?

 

[Jeni the dragon]

It's nuts! All the events I've been to this year have had fabulous photographers! I want/need to narrow it down to just a few but I'm struggling! I could spend a fortune on them and have done. I really wanted a picture from Blair and there are none I would pay money for. And yet at Bicton there are dozens all worth paying for!

 

[fidleyspromise]

Regarding photographing riders going away from photographer there are a Tully quite a few riders thst buy these (I've shot them on endurance rides before - trees around them looked amazing and told a story in my mind). I shot cross country last weekend and 'pick a fence' was tricky as the smaller jump heights were set quire a hit away from the bigger heights so it meant one of the jumps I got was 45 degree angle behind d the rider but again quite a few riders pur hated those.
I would definitely speak to the venue regarding the photographer as they need to know riders aren't happy and they can speak to the photographer regarding what they're getting and potentially get another photographer in instead.
I've had at least one person mention to me they haven't purchased images of one of their horses because they're all awful- I agree but the horse doesn't make a nice bascule shape over them and has ears back.
I am appreciative of everyone that buys photos from me as I can be my biggest critic.