Reply To: Moral Dilemma…

[fstopper89]

You should still use the image in your school portfolio. They do not know the backstory about the subjects of the photo, as they are judging it on photographic merit only. However, if you post it on a public internet portfolio and/or use it in a business portfolio, there’s a better chance it will be seen by either the couple or people who know them, and you may not want that.

I almost had a similar dilemma last year. I did engagement photos for a friend and was so excited about how they turned out. Throughout the next week I had posted several sneak peeks online after editing, and she texted me saying they had a fight and broke up! Not only was I sad for her, I was extremely disappointed it would be morally wrong to use those images in my portfolio… and they were what I felt to be some of my best work. Well the next day she said they talked it out and things were fine again so I was relieved. Had it been just a client that I didn’t know personally, I probably would have still used a few of the best images in my port, but since it was a friend I couldn’t have at all.