Professional photog's - what do you do when you are ill on the wedding day? I imagine most will say if i can still walk and hold a conversation, pop some cold and flue and turn up. But what do you do in the worst case and you can not work the wedding day?

Start making phone calls. Hopefully you've got someone good who can cover for you.

nearly had this happen this feburary. I slept 17 hours before wedding day to "shake it off" and was able to show up and perform.. I paid for it the several days following in recovery... but I didn't miss a wedding.

Travis

I belong to a group of women wedding photographers ~ we have an emergency contact list that I keep in my camera bag if ever a situation should arise. I know of two situations this past season where calls were made to find someone to cover when one photog's husband passed away unexpectedly and another one when the photog had swine flu.

Really, it is a great feeling to know I carry that list with me just in case.

Start calling the local photogs to you and see if they'd like to do something similar.

ClareinME wrote:
I belong to a group of women wedding photographers ~ we have an emergency contact list that I keep in my camera bag if ever a situation should arise. I know of two situations this past season where calls were made to find someone to cover when one photog's husband passed away unexpectedly and another one when the photog had swine flu.

Really, it is a great feeling to know I carry that list with me just in case.

Start calling the local photogs to you and see if they'd like to do something similar.
This sounds like a plan. Out of interest, does the group of photog's you belong to do referals i.e if someone gets a enq and they are booked up that day they will forward it around the group?

The photographers in my area are a pretty close group, I can think of 4 or 5 offhand that I could/would call in this absolute worst case scenario. This is just one of the many excellent reasons for networking/fellowshipping with your fellow photographer friends in your community.

Chris Miller
www.imagineimagery.com

my situation is similar to clare's - build yourself an excellent network and make people close to you aware in the event that you're somehow incapacitated. (hubby has the link to the online group and phone #s for trusted colleagues)

we have a terrific wedding photographer's guild here in boston which serves as a professional and social network. it's a great way to promote education events/workshops as well as pass on referrals to folks you trust.

BOUNCINGNRG wrote:
ClareinME wrote:
I belong to a group of women wedding photographers ~ we have an emergency contact list that I keep in my camera bag if ever a situation should arise. I know of two situations this past season where calls were made to find someone to cover when one photog's husband passed away unexpectedly and another one when the photog had swine flu.

Really, it is a great feeling to know I carry that list with me just in case.

Start calling the local photogs to you and see if they'd like to do something similar.
This sounds like a plan. Out of interest, does the group of photog's you belong to do referals i.e if someone gets a enq and they are booked up that day they will forward it around the group?

Yes absolutely~ I have 3 or 4 that I can refer to and who do the same for me who share a smiliar style as well as price range with me.

ksmahgrts wrote:
my situation is similar to clare's -

I'm in Maine~ must be that New England Love!!!

ClareinME wrote:
ksmahgrts wrote:
my situation is similar to clare's -

I'm in Maine~ must be that New England Love!!!


so true

and to the OP, a word of advice in building your network - be sure that you are very familiar with both the style of photography AND business practices of anyone you refer work to, as it ultimately reflects back on you and your business.

I am sick right now, and my wife has a 102 fever. We worked through it yesterday and will work through it all day tomorrow and the day after that. One of the shortfalls.

Granted, life sucks hard right now and I haven't had a positive thought in my head for I don't know how long, but you take the good with the terrible.

- trr

this is why you want to have a network with local photogs that you know can handle the job and take care of your clients in case of an emergency. have those contacts in your cell phone in case the unthinkable happens.

My wife officially has H1N1 and we have a wedding Saturday. Being an entrepreneur is awesome 100% of the time...

Probably couldn't find another photographer that could keep up with what we have contracted. Better to just do it ourselves regarding of the discomfort.

- trr

TRReichman wrote:
My wife officially has H1N1 and we have a wedding Saturday. Being an entrepreneur is awesome 100% of the time...

Probably couldn't find another photographer that could keep up with what we have contracted. Better to just do it ourselves regarding of the discomfort.

- trr

I totally understand the sentiments. But I have one question: do you worry about passing that on to some of the guests? How do you deal with that?

I don't think I could work if I had the stomach "flu" and was throwing up constantly. other than that, I could make it through. But sometimes I wonder if that's wise

Don't worry..I don't believe in wisdom, so its totally cool.

- trr

TRReichman wrote:
Don't worry..I don't believe in wisdom, so its totally cool.

- trr


Since 1st and 2nd have been taken, I nominate this 3rd best FM quote of the week.

TRReichman wrote:
My wife officially has H1N1 and we have a wedding Saturday. Being an entrepreneur is awesome 100% of the time...

Probably couldn't find another photographer that could keep up with what we have contracted. Better to just do it ourselves regarding of the discomfort.

- trr

I am sorry but I just don't think it is right knowing how dangerous the flu is to people in certain populations, ie. the young and pregnant woman why you would purposely send your wife into a situation where she could be getting people sick Find another photographer in your area who you think can keep up with you, I am sure the bride and certainly all the guests would understand and thank you for it!

um can some toronto togs PM me their contact numbers just in case something like this happens. just reading about it got me scurred. the H1N1 thing isn't all hype anymore from the looks of it. -__-;; i know the FM peeps would gladly take a gig if i wasn't able to make one.

I just recovered from the H1N1...not good news if you have it..I was out for 7 days with consistent temperature in the 102 to 103 range. Definitely try to stay indoors if you can. And...it is definitely more dangerous for older people, pregnant women...you don't want the unborn to be affected due to complications. It also spreads pretty quickly. Take care everyone.

It helps to 2nd shoot for other togs in town. Builds a referral network, and you each get a sense for the other's work style and personality 'on the job', making a referral easier.

In case anyone is worried (or judging me ) the wife broke here fever and the official word is that she should be in the clear and non-contagious before the wedding day.

Does anyone have a problem finding people you can trust? Also, with finding another person to replace you does anyone worry about brand value? After all, my clients paid extra to have our team instead of someone else - I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the idea that any other photographer could replace us and what that would say about our valuation.

- trr

TRReichman wrote:
In case anyone is worried (or judging me ) the wife broke here fever and the official word is that she should be in the clear and non-contagious before the wedding day.

Does anyone have a problem finding people you can trust? Also, with finding another person to replace you does anyone worry about brand value? After all, my clients paid extra to have our team instead of someone else - I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the idea that any other photographer could replace us and what that would say about our valuation.

- trr

it's really tough to replace yourself the day of the wedding because not only do you have a style of shooting, but a particular way of interacting with clients. That's nearly impossible to replicate.

On the other hand, if I'm literally incapacitated the day of a wedding (car accident, throwing up, etc.), it's better to have someone there who can at least take good shots. I have a few photographers in the area who I would be happy to have in my place - just because they do really great work. Nothing like my work, but really great work nonetheless.

TRReichman wrote:
In case anyone is worried (or judging me ) the wife broke here fever and the official word is that she should be in the clear and non-contagious before the wedding day.

- trr

Definitely wasn't judging you~ and very glad your wife is feeling better!

As for getting someone to cover~ life is life! Things happen~ people get sick, people get in car wrecks, it is unfortunate but true. All the women I refer to I have assisted me before at weddings, I have assisted them. I trust them and they trust me. I feel better knowing that if something did happen at least I can provide the coverage instead of nothing. You are right it wouldn't be me, but it would be a professional who shares a similar style and delivers a final product like I do.

I think this is a great idea! I belong to SWPP so i'm going to find a few SWPP photog's in my area and see if we can work together for referas and to cover each other if ill.

For you that already work with in these sorts of networks how do you sort out money with your clients and the other photogs if you fall ill. Do you as the booked photog collect the money from the B&G and then pay the fill in photog or do you refund the deposit paid and the other photog sorts out payment?

What folks I associate with have come up with is we would essentially give the other photog a shoot and burn fee~ they would turn over all files to the hired photog and they would still do all edits, albums and what not. Money doesn't seem to be an issue, because the attitude seems to be what goes around comes around. Some day down the road the photog who filled in may need a fill in for themselves!