When the photographs are not what they hoped for

1 day ago
3 min read

Introduction

A gallery is delivered and the response is muted. Sometimes the client says it directly — the colours are not what they imagined, or there are none of a particular person, or the style is different from what they had in mind. Sometimes there is just a short thank you and no order.

This is difficult work to complain about because it is subjective, and difficult to defend because the client is the one who has to live with the result. It also cannot usually be redone, which puts a great deal of weight on the conversation. Handle it carefully.

1. When the photographs are not what they hoped, find out precisely what is wrong

"Not quite right" cannot be acted on. Get to specifics quickly.

Ask them to point at specific images

What they like, what they do not, and why. Numbers or filenames are ideal. Frequently the objection is narrower than it first sounds — a colour cast, a crop, one missing group. Ask them to send examples.

Separate editing from shooting

Tone, brightness, colour and crop can be changed. What was not photographed cannot. Establishing which category you are in determines everything. Do that before responding.

2. Fix the fixable immediately

A large share of these resolve in an hour of editing. Start there.

Re-edit rather than argue about style

If they wanted lighter and warmer, produce lighter and warmer. Editing preference is not a judgement on your ability and treating it as one loses clients. Just do the edit.

Offer additional selects

The images you did not include may contain the ones they wanted. Going back through the take costs you very little. Send twenty more.

3. Handle the unfixable honestly

Some things cannot be recovered and pretending otherwise makes it worse. Say it plainly.

Missing coverage of people or moments

If a group was never photographed, say so plainly and apologise properly. Explanations about the schedule are true and unhelpful. Apologise without qualifying.

Offer something real

A reshoot where that is possible, a partial refund, a print credit, a future session. Pick the one that fits. A concrete offer resolves what an explanation cannot. Make it in the first reply.

4. Look at whether the brief was clear

This is nearly always the origin. Look back at the emails.

Check what was agreed beforehand

A shot list, a style discussion, examples they liked. All three help enormously. Where none of that happened, the gap belongs to the photographer as much as the client. Own that share.

Be honest with yourself about the work

Occasionally a set genuinely is not your best. Recognising that privately is what stops it recurring. Review the set honestly.

5. Prevent it before the shoot

The brief is the whole prevention. Fifteen minutes beforehand.

Agree the must-have images in writing

A short list of people, groups, details and set-ups. Ten minutes of this eliminates most complaints. Confirm it by email.

Show representative work and confirm the style

Not only your strongest images. A client who has seen typical output knows what they are buying. Show a full gallery.

Conclusion

"Not quite right" cannot be acted on, so ask the client to point at specific images and say why — the objection is usually narrower than it first sounds. Then separate editing from shooting, because tone, colour and crop can be changed while missing coverage cannot.

Re-edit without treating a style preference as a judgement on your ability, and go back through the take for additional selects. Where something genuinely cannot be recovered, say so plainly, apologise properly rather than explaining the schedule, and make a concrete offer. Afterwards, check whether a brief and shot list ever existed — and in future agree the must-have images in writing and show typical work, not only your best.