this title is a little misleading…just so you know 😉

how to break up with your photographer

how to break up with your photographer. first off, why would someone need to do this?? is this even a thing? i’m glad you asked 🙂

this is one of the fastest growing problems in the photography world! client loves a photog’s images, client hires photog, photog shoots everything for that client for a year or two years, then client begins to love a different style of photography…but doesn’t want to make their previous photographer feel bad.

it happens all the time guys! i get it. i don’t shoot or edit how i did last year. i’ve grown as a photographer. my style choices have changed. my clients have changed. people i shot for my first year of business are no longer my clients, and that is okay!

i know one day, i won’t be able to shoot for all of my friends. they shouldn’t have to let me down easy. if they want someone else to do their portraits, that’s great! i just want everyone to have pretty and professional photos…even if i’m not taking them!!!!

have i had people turn me down before…yes. is it always going to happen, yes. why? because i am not everyone’s dream photographer. the market is saturated, so there is something for everyone!!!

so here are a few tips for breaking up with your photographer…

1} explain what you love

let them know what you love about the images they have captured for you. they need to hear the positive things you noticed so they can continue to service their current clients in the same way.

2} explain how you’ve grown as a client and how you feel they don’t meet that criteria anymore

do you love pictures with dramatic flash, but your photographer doesn’t know how to do it? do you love portraits with studio backdrops, but your photographer is only an on location photographer? they need to know this! sometimes the most simple explanation is… we’ve both grown in different directions and my needs have changed

3} keep it on friendly terms

the easiest thing to do, would be to just stop going to them! but what if you’re friends? there is a discussion that needs to happen. list your reasons for hiring someone else if they ask…but i wouldn’t just offer up, “hey, we’re gonna stop using you because we like other stuff more” type of explanation.

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i’ve never had to break up with a photographer 🙂 thank goodness. but i have had clients come to me from another photographer and these are all valid concerns. they don’t want to ruin that personal relationship but they also don’t want to continue on with their business relationship. keeping things separate – business and personal, is one of the easiest ways to avoid hurt feelings in a situation like this