Reply To: Moral Dilemma…

[iliketag]

First, I would recommend just copy and pasting your post over to this Forum. Reason being, most of us will not click links without being told quite what we’re clicking on.
Second, go ahead and post the image here or link it for us. We can take a look at it and let you know if it’s something profile worthy and if it is, then we tackle the controversy of it.

Yes, a photo can absolutely be a reminder and bring to surface a lot of emotion, that’s our goal right? So there are two sides and ultimately you will still have to make the call.
On one side you have a photo you are proud of that you have the right to display and use as you see fit.
The other side requires sensitivity to the clients and maybe putting this photo away and not using it for your public portfolio to protect their emotional interests.

As a professional, you have to draw a line. How long ago was the divorce? Has she purged her life of all imagery and reminders of him due to being extremely sensitive? You have to think about tact in this kind of situation and if she is still hurting and would have access to your portfolio (and use that access), I would say put the photo away for now. If she has healed or is handling the situation well, I see no cause to not use the image, but ask for permission to be respectful.

Honestly, it won’t necessarily be an easy choice and you need to guage the level of sensitivity you need to express.
I’ve had to face something similar but not quite as rough. I have a wedding I shot for a friend last year and a few months down the road, after moving to England with him, him growing despondant and not wanting to help with her daughter, she realized things were too rushed and it was not going to work out. Sadly, they officially divorced. So when I wanted to include her photos in a mini portfolio, I asked her. She said it was fine but maybe only use one or two of them as a couple and she that she still loved her bridals, even if it didn’t work out. She was at a healthy place emotionally though, so it was easier for her.