Wedding Photographer Accuses Second Shooter of Goofing Off and Causing a Scene

An unholy row has broken out in a viral Facebook post after a wedding photographer accused the second shooter she hired of serious unprofessionalism.

Starr Alexis made the post in a Facebook group that connects photographers and clients in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey area. In it, she outlines her experience with a second shooter she hired for a recent wedding.

Alexis says there was an issue immediately after the second shooter failed to bring a dual-slot camera with her, something Alexis had specifically requested, and the second shooter said she had a Nikon Z6 II. After Alexis lent her an SD card, the second shooter asked if she would be sent the pictures afterward. More on that later.

As the wedding commenced, Alexis claims that the second shooter never listened to her advice. “I told her I need her to never be where I am at to get different angles — the whole point of a second,” Alexis writes. “She kept doing otherwise, worrying about what she wanted for her portfolio. Then it got to the point she kept getting in the videographer’s way too.”

But Alexis says the second photographer, who PetaPixel isn’t naming, began to behave poorly shortly after sunset.

“She disappeared for more than a half hour and I had to message her asking where she was. No response,” says Alexis. “I asked the videographer if he’s seen her at all and he said he hasn’t for a while either.”

Turns Nasty

Alexis claims that when she did reappear, she was on her phone and refused to cover the dance floor while Alexis went to do some night photos. The second shooter apparently ignored text messages from Alexis asking her to put down her phone.

Having had enough, Alexis told the second shooter to go home early and retrieved the SD card. Despite what she calls “unprofessionalism”, she still paid the second shooter in full.

“I explained to her it doesn’t reflect well on my business that she’s standing there on her phone instead of working and it was extremely unprofessional,” writes Alexis.

“She became nasty, saying ‘f— you’ and rudely handed me my SD. I walked away and continued working. She approached me and got in my face saying, ‘You better give me my f—ing photos.’

“I explained to her that she was hired as a contractor and she has no rights to any of the images. Per contract, I allow use for portfolio and up to 10 images for social media six weeks after wedding. She threatened to take me to court if I use any of ‘her photos,’ and I told her that she was paid and needs to leave.”

Ten minutes after this confrontation, Alexis says a guest informed her the photographer was still standing outside the venue, visibly upset. Alexis says that she went outside and once again asked her to leave.

“She refused,” says Alexis. “She said she was going to call the police if I didn’t give her my SD card with ‘her photos,’ then she proceeded to move closer to me, threatening me and cursing at me, and it was in such a manner that it was like she was going to make it physical or knock my camera out of my hand.”

Alexis says that she had to get the groom’s mother to remove the second photographer from the property as more guests began to notice the fracas. “Thankfully, the bride and groom didn’t take notice of it all,” she adds.

Consequences

The explosive Facebook post has received over 650 comments and has spread way beyond the Philly area. The backlash is apparently so bad that the second shooter has now shut down her Instagram accounts and website; PetaPixel has tried to reach her for comment.

The message now displayed on the second photographer’s website.

Wedding photography can be a stressful business: Redditors have previously argued over where photographers should stand during the ceremony, and wedding photographers have been chastised for turning down photo requests because they deemed it “tacky.”

Image creditsHeader photo licensed via Depositphotos.