A Quebec woman last week drowned while being photographed in her bridal gown during a trash-the-dress photo shoot. A “trash the dress” is where a woman is photographed a few days, weeks, or months, after her wedding and she wears her bridal gown in a wet, dirty or otherwise unorthodox location. One would have thought that this fad disappeared after the 1970s but it became trendy again.
The family of the victim released a statement which seemed to place blame on the photographer:
These character traits made [the victim] very trusting in others. … One thing we are certain about is that [the victim] would have never put her life at risk. Her love for life, for her husband and for her family would never allow it.
(…)
She trusted [the photographer’s] recommendation for the location and felt safe enough to attend the photo shoot alone with the photographers. She followed their directions and put trust in their professionalism.
While no lawsuit against the photographer has been launched, (the funeral has yet to be held), one might guess where this is heading.
Certainly this was a tragic accident, a fun photo shoot gone horribly wrong. Other photographers have done similar or even worse stunts but, fortunately, had luck on their side.
Everything is easy in hindsight. But photographers should use this sad situation as a reminder or a long-overdue wake-up call.
Every professional photographer should know that they, not the client, are paid to be a professional. Any time a photographer puts the client at risk, whether physical or financial, that photographer can be held liable if things go wrong.
It doesn’t matter if it’s hanging a boom over the client’s head, moving a priceless piece of art, using AC-powered lights near water, or asking the client to pose in a certain location, a professional photographer is paid to manage and minimize risk.
Safety first, pictures second
If you spend time on a movie set, or even just watch the TV show MythBusters, you’ll see how many safety precautions are used for even the most innocuous-looking stunt. Safety first, pictures second.
I recently did an executive portrait on a construction site. It was a sunny day, we were nowhere near the actual construction, the workers had stopped for lunch, and all equipment was turned off. We still had to wear hardhats, steel-toe boots and neon-orange reflector vests. We also had two people supervising our every move. Safety first, pictures second.
A TV show last year asked a boy to record himself doing some crazy skateboard stunts for an episode of their show. The boy fell from his board and was seriously injured. Ironically the TV episode was about the teenage mind and risky behaviour. (I can’t find any updated information on this story which may suggest that either the boy recovered and/or everything was settled quickly and quietly out-of-court).
The CBC reported that some wedding photographers are now concerned about future trash-the-dress photo shoots and they may require brides to sign a liability waiver.
Wrong answer.
The correct response is that a professional photographer will not put a client at risk. Very few clients are professional stunt people, trained athletes or experienced models.
Use imagination not risk
Clients do not know what goes on behind the scenes of some of those dangerous-looking, dramatic images used in magazines, advertising, and in the movies.
Are customers aware that safety cables are Photoshopped out of pictures? Do they know that the actor or model is really wearing a safety harness under their clothes? Do they know that some pictures are green-screened, composited or computer-generated?
There’s a reason why they say, “Don’t try this at home.”
A photographer is really a magician (perhaps an image-ician?) who uses cameras, lenses, lighting and technique, to create two-dimensional illusions on paper (or computer screen).
We all know that magicians don’t really cut people in half, walk on water or levitate in mid-air. Instead, they use various tricks to achieve the desired dramatic illusion.
Photographers have plenty of photo tricks available to them. There’s no reason to put a client at risk just to produce a dramatic photo.
