Podcast Summary: This Can't Be That Hard

Episode 340: Photographer's Horror Stories
Host: Annemie Tonken
Date: October 28, 2025

Episode Overview

In this special Halloween edition of This Can't Be That Hard, Annemie Tonken brings together a series of real-life “horror stories” from photographers. From hilariously awkward to deeply stressful, these tales serve as both cautionary lessons and much-needed comic relief during the busy fall season. The episode features stories from Annemie’s longtime friend (and guest) Posy Quarterman, along with numerous photographers interviewed at the Reset Conference. Themes of client unpredictability, on-the-job disasters, and the reality behind the glossy surface of professional photography abound—reminding listeners that they’re not alone in facing chaotic or cringe-worthy moments.

Key Discussion Points & Notable Stories

1. Opening Banter and Episode Purpose

• Annemie warmly welcomes her friend Posy Quarterman, reminiscing about their years-long friendship and collaborative history, especially through the Family Narrative conference.
• The Halloween “Photographer’s Horror Stories” tradition is highlighted as a fan (and host) favorite.

2. Posy Quarterman’s Infamous Family Session Story

(00:00–08:15)

• Setting: Posy arrives at a client’s home for a family session to find chaos: the mother just out of the shower, kids in dirty clothes, and the house a mess.

• Posy tries to make the best of it, following the kids to the parents’ bedroom, where a giant, iridescent box of "KY Jelly Sensations" sits out in plain sight.

• Memorable moment: Posy leaves the box visible in the photos as a lesson for the family.

  • Quote (Posy, ~04:00):

    "If I had to look at their box of lube, they were going to have to look at their box of lube too."

• The incident influences her client prep guides forevermore:

  • Quote (Posy, ~06:10):

    "My client getting ready guide now says like bottles of lotion next to the bed should be shoved in a drawer…"

• The story is both cautionary and comedic—a favorite for its relatability.

3. Conference Photographer Tales: Marketing Mishaps & Family Drama

3.1. Dad Meltdown in Charleston

(13:30)

• A photographer recounts a mini-session with rambunctious kids, an increasingly frustrated father, and ultimately, the dad throwing a wad of crumpled cash at her before storming off.
  • Quote (~15:28):

    "He just did that. And then just quickly picking up the money because, I mean, you know, who's not going to take the money?"

3.2. The “Emergency Credit Card” Senior

(16:45)

• A senior books her own shoot and tries to purchase prints on her emergency card—with no parents present. Angry dad phones the next day and the photographer learns to always require parental presence and consent for underage clients.

3.3. Beach Rocks Gone Wrong

(18:13)

• At a beach session, a rambunctious child climbs rocks, dad follows, and ends up injured for much of the shoot, all captured by a bemused photographer.

3.4. Toddler Projectile

(19:30)

• A toddler throws a rock at the photographer’s camera. No serious damage, but the stunned reaction from both photographer and parent is notable.
  • Quote (~19:40):

    "Her eyes got really big. And that was about it."

4. Wedding Day Catastrophes

4.1. Groom Missing (ER Visit)

(22:18)

• The groom goes missing on the wedding day—because he’s in the ER with a concussion after a golf-and-booze morning and a barbershop fall. Photographer keeps up appearances for the bride until groom shows up “fully dilated in the eyes” just in time for the ceremony.

4.2. Wardrobe Malfunction (Split Pants)

(24:18)

• While photographing a wedding’s first look, a photographer’s pants split open. She improvises by attaching a mini-size blazer to her belt until her family delivers new pants.
  • Quote (~25:10):

    "I shoved it in my belt, and I wore it like a tail…"

4.3. Details Almost Ruined by Horse (Mackinac Island)

(25:45)

• While photographing wedding details outdoors (no cars allowed—only horses), a carriage passes and dumps “liquid gold” (horse urine) dangerously close to dresses and details.
  • Quote: "As she's grabbing all of the details and throwing them inside. Because this horse relieved himself quite largely."

4.4. The Lost Album in a Sketchy Neighborhood

(28:00)

• A client’s album is delivered to the wrong address. The photographer tracks it down by waiting at a questionable house and eventually retrieves it.

4.5. Thrown Into the Deep End—An Accidental Wedding Photographer

(29:40)

• The main photographer cancels due to an accident. A guest (with a brand new camera) is unknowingly volunteered and photographs her first-ever wedding. Miraculously, some shots make her future portfolio.

4.6. Reception Fistfight

(31:00)

• A posh wedding devolves into a fistfight between groomsmen on the dance floor. The photographer is caught in a dilemma about whether to document the altercation.

5. Career Mistakes and Recovery

5.1. The “No Cards in Camera” Debacle

(33:00)

• Self-described Type A photographer travels hours for a dream client—only to discover she forgot all SD cards (first time in her career). She’s rescued by a small-town camera shop, but nearly succumbs to panic after her camera battery also dies.
  • Quote: "I can't take the picture... my stomach sinking feeling."
  • Quote: "I think I'm like actually going to have a panic attack if I don't have a battery and have to say that I have to leave again."

5.2. The “About the Outfits” Family

(36:00)

• A milestone session gone awry: parents push for constant outfit changes and mini-session flexibility. Demanding, boundary-pushing experience leads photographer to change her offerings and contract language forever.
  • Quote (~38:30):

    "You get one outfit, you show up in that outfit, and I will take your photos, and then you will leave."

5.3. The Vanished SD Card (and the Do-Over Wedding)

(40:00–46:00)

• Catastrophe strikes when an SD card goes missing at a golf course wedding. Despite frantic searches, the card isn’t found until seven years later—after the photographer has already spent thousands to restage main moments with the couple.
  • Quote (~41:10):

    "I started searching the golf course... It's dark at this point. I can't find anything."

  • Quote: "We're talking, it's 10am the next day. I emailed the bride. I just want to give you an FYI that I can't find your cards from the wedding..."
  • Quote (~45:05):

    "This guy was golfing... he could have given to the bartender... No. He threw them in the bottom of his golf bag... I did. I had some stern words with him and I was like, you know, you could have…"

6. Newborn Mishaps and TMI Family Sessions

6.1. The Dad’s Unavoidable Outline

(48:00)

• During a newborn session, the photographer only notices at editing that in every frame, the father’s penis is clearly outlined. She must painstakingly “clone” it out of all images due to lack of AI tools at the time.

6.2. The Poop Emergency

(51:00)

• A family session is interrupted when mom abruptly leaves; later confesses she “pooped in the corner” of the park on the way to find a bathroom, then returns and continues the session.
  • Quote: "I think it's a little TMI, but I pooped my pants."

Notable Quotes & Speaker Attribution

| Time | Speaker | Quote | |---------|-----------------|-------| | 04:00 | Posy Quarterman | "If I had to look at their box of lube, they were going to have to look at their box of lube too." | | 06:10 | Posy Quarterman | "My client getting ready guide now says like bottles of lotion next to the bed should be shoved in a drawer..." | | 15:28 | Dana (Photographer) | "He just did that. And then just quickly picking up the money because, I mean, you know, who's not going to take the money?"| | 19:40 | Photographer | "Her eyes got really big. And that was about it."| | 25:10 | Photographer | "I shoved it in my belt, and I wore it like a tail..."| | 33:10 | Photographer | "I can't take the picture... my stomach sinking feeling."| | 41:10 | Photographer | "I started searching the golf course... It's dark at this point. I can't find anything."| | 45:05 | Photographer | "This guy was golfing... he... threw them in the bottom of his golf bag... I did. I had some stern words with him..."| | 38:30 | Photographer | "You get one outfit, you show up in that outfit, and I will take your photos, and then you will leave."|

Timestamps of Highlighted Segments

• 00:00–08:15: Posy’s “lube on the nightstand” home session
• 13:30: Dad throws cash meltdown (mini-session)
• 16:45: Senior portraits, angry parent aftermath
• 22:18: Groom missing on wedding day (ER story)
• 24:18: Split pants, photographer emergency wardrobe fix
• 25:45: Horse urine threatens wedding details on Mackinac Island
• 33:00: SD card forgotten—almost disastrous branding shoot
• 36:00: Boundary-busting milestone session
• 40:00–46:00: Lost SD card, do-over wedding, the seven-year recovery
• 48:00: Dad’s TMI outline in newborn session photos
• 51:00: Mom’s “poop emergency” at the park session

Episode Tone and Lessons

• Tone: Playful, self-deprecating, candid, with frequent laughter and solidarity among photographers.
• Recurring theme: Everyone has embarrassing or stressful stories—even seasoned pros. Each mishap, while mortifying in the moment, brings community, shared laughs, and sometimes lasting improvements to business practices.
• Parting reassurance: Annemie closes by reminding listeners that chaos is normal and laughing (or crying) about disaster is part of the photography journey.

Perfect episode for when you need a reminder that behind every Pinterest-perfect gallery is a photographer with at least one story they wish they could erase from memory (or, maybe, put in a client guide). Happy Halloween, and may your next session be disaster-free!