In a recent photo from the wedding photography industry, a bride and groom are seen with their shoes still on.
While some wedding photographers may not want to put their wedding photos on social media, the photographers themselves may not be able to stop.
On Thursday, an investigation by the Associated Press found that some wedding photographer were in danger of losing their jobs, while others were unable to afford their equipment.
The AP identified as many as 15 wedding photographers who were working for photographers who do not have a license to photograph weddings.
In some cases, the photographer is unable to get a license because of lack of resources.
According to the AP, “In a report, the AP found that fewer than half of all wedding photographers licensed in Maine are employed.”
A similar investigation in Michigan found that more than half the wedding photographers were not on staff or on a contract.
In Florida, two wedding photographers, two videographers, and two photographers working for a private company were all laid off.
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation said it was unable to provide an official reason for the layoff.
In California, three photographers, three videographers and three photographers working at a private studio were all fired in June.
Some photographers are being laid off because they do not meet minimum standards, while the state of California, which has some of the strictest licensing requirements in the country, recently issued a cease and desist letter to several wedding photographers that is aimed at stopping any future work.
“We believe there are several examples of violations that were not caught by our licensing department,” said Kim Hickey, director of communications for the California Department of Occupational Safety and Health.
“If a photographer fails to meet the licensing standards, then it’s not fair to the public.”
While the AP investigation found that a few of the wedding photographer laid off were not the ones who did not have licenses, the rest of the photographers were.
Hickey said the agency has received complaints from some of its photographers about not being able to get licenses.
“I do know of a photographer who was laid off for not meeting minimum standards.
That’s not an isolated case,” she said.
“There are other photographers who are just not making enough money to get through the year.”
The AP report found that the majority of the people laid off did not receive severance payments.
The agency said it did not disclose the number of people who were laid off in its investigation.
However, it did say that the company it worked for had laid off more than 300 photographers and videographers.
In Maine, the number one reason for layoffs is the lack of state licensing, according to a state report from April 2018.
“In some cases the state licensing department has refused to renew licenses or the licenses are not valid, rendering the photographer unable to continue their employment,” the report states.
