Wedding photo emergency, can you help me please ?

Question: Wedding photo emergency, can you help me please !?

I just shot 500 pictures for my best friend's wedding!. I pressed the format button to get them the right format for my computer, but now they're all gone! But I did do the work, so how much should I charge!?

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Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Tell them you need one more picture to wrap the album!. Then just use their faces from that picture to cut and paste on some other wedding pictures!. Use a photoshop (just ask on here which photoshop is the best, I'm sure you will get some suggestions) and the bride and groom will never be able to tell!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Charge a minimum of $500 as this is your best friend!. also, just print out blank shots and charge $15!.00 each!. Friends like that should be charged as much as possible!. Anyone else would try to sue you for your genius at operating your camera!.
I used to shoot weddings on film cameras!. I always hated it when I forgot to put film in them and shoot the entire wedding and reception!. It was profitable though as I always charged for my time and film usage!. Then I'd just use the film for the next wedding!. I made a mistake once though and actually developed the unexposed film!. I had a heck of a time getting those cheapskates to cough up the cash for the film and processing that time!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I agree with most of the answers above, especially Mere_Mortal's!. Try to get the images recovered!. Charge nothing!. YOU screwed up!.

RE: the suggestion you photoshop their faces onto other pictures!. Almost the stupidest thing I have ever heard, even in this forum!. If you photoshop the bride/groom's faces on someone else's photo and try to pass it off as your own you have committed one crime, one tort, and one very large betrayal!. Fraud, for representing the photos as being of them at their wedding (like they'd be so stupid as to buy them!), two: copyright infringement - who ever took the photos you photoshop to will have cause of action, and if they are such good friends, why not go to them and tell them the truth!? It is amazing how far the truth can go in getting one out of hot water!. Offer to re-create, insofar as is possible, the images!. Pose the couple in a beautiful setting, photo that, do portraits, whatever!. Then give them the photos for FREE!. So what about your time!. You should have spent a considerable amount actually LEARNING the art and craft of photography before you were so arrogant as to think you could do something as difficult as photograph a wedding!. I have an MFA in photography, been shooting seriously for almost 20 years, and won't touch a wedding!.

EDIT: I read your profile page, you have read all of one page of the amateurs guide to wedding photography and so are "quite knowlegable!." Dude, its guys like you that give the rest of us a bad name, steal our work, and from the crappy money you charge push down the rates a legitimate professional can charge!. You don't even know how to use your own gear!. A five year old knows that "Format" mean erase!. Go get a DAY JOB, or crawl into a corner and die!. You have NO BUSINESS in the photography business!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

What!?

It doesn't matter that you did the work!. If you can't recover the files, the client has no images!. You can expect nothing from them!. How could you!? You expect them to pay for a blank CD of their wedding images!? No, you can't charge them!. Follow that link above, and see if you can recover them

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If you agreed on a price to shoot the wedding then you should stick to it!. As a wedding photographer, you shouldn't get out of bed for under $2000!. I never guarantee my clients that I will provide them with prints, I just guarantee them that I will photograph their wedding!. However, you are best to sift through your contract with the client and work on an amicable outcome!. All the best!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT use the card anymore!.

The pictures are still on the card, only the headers to the pictures have been scrambled!. You can use software or send it to a pro recovery firm!.

http://www!.cardrecovery!.com/sd-recovery/

(I cannot vouch for this software!. Never used it!. But it gives you an idea that
such tools do exist!.)

As far as charges and such, I would drop those questions!. Friends are priceless!.

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Um!.!.!.thats a sticky one!.!.!.seeing as she/he is your best friend!.!.!.Did you settle on a price prior to the event!? Did you have a set price (for the services) and a set price for the goods (the photos)!.!.!.maybe you could just charge the service price!?
Is there absolutely NO way you can recover the photos!?
I'd let it go!.!.and apologise a whole lot! But, I dont know if you really can charge anything now, unless you had something agreed to prior!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

You can't charge for something that you don't provide!. If they don't get any pictures you don't get any money!.

It may have taken you all day to take them but it is not their fault you can't use your equipment properly!.

If they are all gone then I think your best friend will be gone too!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

CHARGE NOTHING AT ALL!.!.!. but try your utmost to do what the guy above said and send it to a pro!. Then after settling your friends heart attack from the most dreaded thing happening on her wedding day,,,, only charge half what it cost you if anything,,,,thats my opinion anyway! GOOD luck! i dont envy your position at all!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well now you know- formating your card ERASES all the photographs on the card!. DON'T USE THE CARD! Get a recovery software and use it!. Those work!. Get those files back and set up and then thing about money!. Try the link listed earlier or google search it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You can contact to experts in photoshop now there are teqniques by which lost datas can be recovered by certain softwaresWww@QuestionHome@Com

Oh my GOD! Oh my GOD! Oh my GOD! Oh my GOD! Oh my GOD!

I hope you got a 50% deposit!.Www@QuestionHome@Com