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The original was posted on /r/maliciouscompliance by /u/Dramatic_Platypus_73 on 2025-11-09 16:09:57+00:00.
I do wedding photography in Galway. Freelance, been doing it maybe four years.
Booked this wedding back in March for October. Normal package, ceremony and reception coverage.
Week before the wedding the bride's mother emails me directly. Says she doesn't photograph well and doesn't want any candid shots of herself. Only posed photos where she's ready and knows I'm taking it.
I reply saying that's unusual but I can try to minimize candids of her. She responds no, absolutely zero candid shots. If she's in the background of other photos that's fine but no photos where she's the subject unless she's posed for it.
I confirm with the bride. Bride says yeah, her mom's really self-conscious about photos, just go with it.
Wedding day comes. I'm shooting the ceremony, reception, all the normal stuff.
Mother of the bride is heavily involved. She's helping with the dress, giving a speech, doing the mother-son dance, all of it.
Every time I see a good moment with her, I don't shoot it. She's adjusting the bride's veil and they're both tearing up? Can't shoot it, she's not posed. She's laughing during a speech? Nope. Emotional hug with her son? Not allowed.
I shoot everything else. Hundreds of photos. Beautiful shots of the couple, the venue, guests, details.
Two weeks later I deliver the gallery. Bride loves it initially.
Then calls me upset. Asks why there are almost no photos of her mother. Says her mom is barely in any of the shots despite being such a big part of the day.
I remind her of her mother's request. No candid shots.
Bride says she thought I'd still capture the important moments, just not like random unflattering ones.
I pull up the email. "Absolutely zero candid shots." That's what her mother said.
All the emotional moments, the helping with the dress, the tears, the hugs - those were all candids. I couldn't shoot them.
The only photos of her mother are a few posed family portraits where she's standing stiff and smiling at the camera.
Bride's mother is apparently upset now too. Says she didn't realize that meant I wouldn't photograph any of the "real moments."
I explain that real moments are candid by definition. You can't pose spontaneous emotion.
They want me to edit photos to include her mother somehow or give a partial refund.
I'm not doing either. I followed the instructions exactly as written.