What if Photographers Could Review Their Clients?

You know how clients get to leave us reviews after a photoshoot?

Stars, paragraphs, sometimes even full novels about lighting, prices, or how “the baby didn’t smile but somehow it’s still our fault.”

Well… what if we could review them?

Stay with me here.

I was talking to a fellow photographer the other day, and while she was trauma dumping on me about an awful experience with a client, I couldn’t help but laugh (the kind of tired, half-hysterical laugh photographers do when they’ve seen too much). By the end, she looked like she needed a holiday and a hug. It got me thinking… maybe we need a space to debrief. Or even better, a place where we could leave a review of our own.

Imagine being able to log in after a session, sip your coffee or wine (depending on how that shoot went), and write something like:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Absolutely lovely family. Baby pooped on everything, but we laughed about it and somehow ended up with magic. Would photograph again in a heartbeat.”

Or maybe:

⭐️⭐️

“Client turned up an hour late, brought seventeen outfit changes, and said ‘can you Photoshop my husband to look less like my husband?’ No thanks.”

Because, truthfully, most clients are wonderful. Genuinely. The kind of people who make you fall back in love with your job.

They’re kind, relaxed, and somehow manage to make chaos look beautiful. You finish the session and think, please, just keep having babies so I can see you again.

But then there are others. The ones who bring the storm cloud into the room.

Who spend two hours complaining about the weather, the price, or their toddler being “too wild” ... while the toddler is actually the most photogenic soul in the room.

And after they leave, we’re sitting there, editing away, trying to pull warmth and light out of a memory that just feels heavy. It’s like sprinkling glitter over grey.

So maybe photographers should be allowed to leave a gentle little review back. Not to shame anyone, just to balance things a bit. A quiet way to say, “hey, kindness goes both ways.”

Actually, now that I think about it, maybe we could even start small. A little note when delivering a client’s gallery. Something like, “Thank you for being such a joy to photograph” ... or, if we’re being honest, “We survived, but just barely.” I kind of love that idea.

Because a photoshoot is a collaboration. We create something together. Your energy, your trust, your willingness to show up as you are, that’s what makes the magic.

So next time you book a session (with me or anyone), remember… we’re not just taking pictures.

We’re building memories.

And we’ll remember you, too.

(Oh, and yes... you might’ve noticed this blog has no pictures. I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.)

With Love,

Deborah xxx