Wedding photographer refuses to send photos until the payment is made in full. AITA?
"AITA for refusing to send wedding photos until payment is made in full?"
I 24 female, did a last minute favor for friend of mine for his mum's wedding, little bit of back story for you. I love doing photography I always have and I always will.
While I was out with my friends I was unexpectedly called by my brother in law, I don’t usually get a call from him so when I saw he was calling I answered and asked if everything was okay...
He had explained the situation about the previous photographer dropping out last minute at 6pm on the NIGHT BEFORE THE WEDDING! and asked me to help and I would be paid by a certain date.
I agreed and travelled 4 hours with my camera and laptop up to this wedding venue to take photos for the bride and groom. Until today I found out I’m not being paid till much later in the month...if not next month, so I sat and had thought about and came to the conclusion that I wouldn’t send any photos.
I then explained this to my friend and he was unaware of a date being set for payment and only the amount, until I’d showed him that part of the conversation we had between each other.
So now I’ve been called an as*hole for refusing to send any photos over until payment has been made in full by given date but everyone’s already been using my photos quite happily for profile pictures and cover photos from the few I had already sent over, not to mention I’d already been hounded by people for said photos as they needed them asap?
I feel the whole situation is about to put a divide between me and my friend when I don’t want it too, but am I the Ahole for refusing to send anymore photos until payment has been made or am I overreacting?
Here's what the top commenters had to say:
fuzzy_mic said:
NTA. I'm wondering it the prior photographer dropped out because the wedding didn't meet a "payment in full before the event" clause.
theitguy1968 said:
NTA. You did this as a favour at short notice and drove 4 hours each way, the least they can do is pay up on time. Stick to your guns no pictures until payment is made in full.
Content-Plenty-268 said:
NTA. Absolutely not, this is the professional approach. You sent out some freebies to show the work has been done. Do not send anymore until you've been paid. Once the clients receive the work they have not paid for, many of them tend to put paying for it on the back burner and make you chase after it.
Holding on to the final deliverables is a great motivator. You are not overreacting. You are dealing with people who insult you and call you names instead of keeping their end of the bargain. They are bullying you into giving them what they want instead of paying you.
You are definitely not overreacting. It may damage your relationship with these people, but keeping polite distance from them is probably just as well.
dg__875 said:
NTA. He (or they?) don't want to pay you. If you send the photos, you definitely will never be paid--and that will put a divide between you and your friend, anyway.
So stand firm and if they want the photos, they have to honor their word and pay you (p.s., make sure the check clears first!). Since there will be a divide either way, it may as well be a paid divide!
quantumspork said:
NTA. They don't NEED the photos immediately, they WANT the photos immediately. Once they have them, you have no leverage in getting payment. Sounds like you have already provided some photos, so they know the quality of your work. There is no reason for them not to pay you, and if they do not have the money right away, they can wait for the photos until they do.
Tar-Nuine said:
Photographer here. No. NTA. Shot a wedding the other week and received payment BEFORE the ceremony (In some cases it's smart to request a deposit too.) as it should be. But i understand as a last minute replacement you didn't have that relationship with them yet.
As you've already experienced with the few you've uploaded, people will gladly covet your work without any thought to compensate you. I promise that if you send them the photos before receiving payment you'll never see that money, and may go to STUPID lengths to avoid responsibility.
IAmHerdingCatz said:
NTA. Friends pay friends. You came as a professional, last minute, and it sounds as if you were not even invited to this wedding as a guest. (At least that's the impression I got) So, you're a good enough friend to drop everything and take pictures, but not a good enough friend to pay? Nah, that's not how it works.