Wedding photographer let down .

chris2jz

chris2jz

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Chris
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Just looking for a bit of advice for a friend please .

My friend was married twenty weeks ago , the wedding photographer has since has gone very quiet and now refuses to reply to emails or answer the phone . He was paid up front and promised albums and A3 prints all as part of the deal . They're trying to stay composed as the images are really quite important to them but are growing increasingly concerned for them . I feel really sorry for them hence looking for some advice from you guys on here ...

Thanks
 
Act quickly.
Visit the photographer. take the raw images if you think there is a risk of them disappearing.
If it were just about the money do the legal think. Small claims court is cheap and just receiving a letter of intent focuses most peoples attention.
 
If he doesn't respond to e-mails or 'phone calls then the obvious answer is that your friend has got to go round to his home or business premises and speak to him face to face. Doesn't have to confront him or make a scene ... just find out what the delay is.
 
chris2jz said:
My friend was married twenty weeks ago
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Peter69 said:
Act quickly.
.
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I think they missed that boat peter :)

20 weeks is disgusting..Someone needs to be knocking on his door.. either a member of close family or a friend.. anyone wiht the confidence to front him about it in a pleasant but firm way... see what the script is before loading the shotgun IMHO :)
 
It doesn't sound good. It's possible he's ill of course but more likely that there's been a "technical" problem. Hopefully he will be insured and if the worst happens your friend will be compensated. I don't imagine you'll be able to "seize" RAW files in this case. If all else fails the only thing to be done is to take legal action. Bashing heads won't help. Presumably they have a contract?

This sort of thing is very bad for photographers' reputation but does underline the point that weddings photographs are important and you don't want to take the cheapest guy to save a few quid. Of course this might not be the case with your friends.
 
After 20 weeks (about 5 months!) I think pleasantries are out of the question. I would knock on his door and demand the raw files, he has no intention of delivering IMO. Is the business is still running, it hasn't gone insolvent or something has it?
 
^^^ What Duncan said.

If they know his address, it's time to turn up with a portable hard drive and politely but firmly ask him to copy the RAW's to the disk. Otherwise it's small claims court time.
 
gadgeteer said:
it's time to turn up with a portable hard drive and politely but firmly ask him to copy the RAW's to the disk. Otherwise it's small claims court time.
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Why are they mutually exclusive? Even if the OP gets the RAWs the photographer has still failed to fulfil the contractual obligation which will incur further costs the OP (hiring another to do the PP).
Check first that there's not a reasonable explanation, such as serious injury.
Assuming not, tell them you want the RAWs AND compensation to cover further costs or you will take to court AND contact the local press. The latter should be a wake-up call if (s)he has any intention continuing in the business.
 
Llamaman said:
Why are they mutually exclusive? Even if the OP gets the RAWs the photographer has still failed to fulfil the contractual obligation which will incur further costs the OP (hiring another to do the PP).
Check first that there's not a reasonable explanation, such as serious injury.
Assuming not, tell them you want the RAWs AND compensation to cover further costs or you will take to court AND contact the local press. The latter should be a wake-up call if (s)he has any intention continuing in the business.
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Why has your friend not visited the photographer - is it too far, does he have an address?

I would request the raw files without any initial threat. Sometimes you can get peoples backs up by going in threatening litigation (no matter how right you may be), whereas a polite, gentle approach can get you what you want more often than an aggressive approach.

Once you get the files, then proceed with small claims / set fire to his bins!
 
Llamaman said:
Why are they mutually exclusive? Even if the OP gets the RAWs the photographer has still failed to fulfil the contractual obligation which will incur further costs the OP (hiring another to do the PP).
Check first that there's not a reasonable explanation, such as serious injury.
Assuming not, tell them you want the RAWs AND compensation to cover further costs or you will take to court AND contact the local press. The latter should be a wake-up call if (s)he has any intention continuing in the business.
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They're not mutually exclusive but the priority at this time must be to get the files since I think it's pretty clear he's no intention of delivering. Serious illness of course is always a possibility but I'd say given the time pretty unlikely. As ill as I was, in 20 weeks I'd have found ten minutes to explain to the customer.

Once you have the RAW files then you can sue the pants off them for breach of contract but get the files first if at all possible.
 
I take it they actually have a contract with the photographer in question? (you don't mention it and everyone is just assuming they do)
 
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Sounds pretty terminal... How were the comms before he went quite, where they normal or was he starting to make excuses?
 
I assume your friends have contacted the photographer before now. Do they have any records of the communications? Were they told by the photographer how long the prints would take, is there anything about this in the contract?

Does the photographer still advertise locally or on a website? Could be worth 'phoning him from a number he won't recognise to see if there is a response.

Definitely worth going around to see what the place looks like.

Your friends need to make a note of everything they have done to get their photos. If it comes to legal action courts like to see evidence that every effort has been made to resolve an issue before going to court.

Dave
 
chris2jz said:
Thank you all :) Pretty much as i had imagined .

Everything i know i have told you , it was only when her partner posted on FB yesterday i was aware of the problem . I shall be directing them to this post for answer to your questions .
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Anything sorted yet Chris?
 
chris2jz said:
Just looking for a bit of advice for a friend please .

My friend was married twenty weeks ago , the wedding photographer has since has gone very quiet and now refuses to reply to emails or answer the phone . He was paid up front and promised albums and A3 prints all as part of the deal . They're trying to stay composed as the images are really quite important to them but are growing increasingly concerned for them . I feel really sorry for them hence looking for some advice from you guys on here ...

Thanks
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:tumbleweed: Anything???????????
 
coldpenguin said:
Not necessarily, the 'toga could still be a cowboy and the images a pile of ****

If they are though, it is possible someone on here could try and retrieve something from them
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Of course, but at least they have something, which they initially didn't.

You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear!
 
gadgeteer said:
They're not mutually exclusive but the priority at this time must be to get the files since I think it's pretty clear he's no intention of delivering. Serious illness of course is always a possibility but I'd say given the time pretty unlikely. As ill as I was, in 20 weeks I'd have found ten minutes to explain to the customer.

Once you have the RAW files then you can sue the pants off them for breach of contract but get the files first if at all possible.
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In legal terms. this is known as mitigation.


Steve.
 
Spoke to the bride today . She has a drive full of images , she's looked through them and is pretty happy with them but they havent been edited at all and some need some work . His last contact with them was to tell them that it was summer and what did they expect 'he had a life to live' and hadn't had the time to do them . Pathetic .

I've told her i would have a go at the images if she fancied it or i would try and find somebody willing to work on another 'togs' images . I know my way about LR and PS pretty well but i am into landscapes and don't really do a lot of other stuff .
 
Glad they got the images... Now they need to pursue him for costs of albums and PP...
 
if i were your friend i would name and shame on the internet as much as they can,

not entirely sure what other people do, but me personally before comitting to buying anything, or from anyone, i always have a google and look for the bad comments/reviews.

other people have the right to know about cow boy's like this, fair enough they have been lucky to at least get the images, but others might not be so, and it wouldnt be fair to let other people endure the same upset as your friend.
 
Sounds like he's doing that well, that he's 5 months behind on work. I wonder how many other couples he is letting down and still waiting for their photos.

Taking on more than he can manage. Why he didnt just hire someone else to do the PP work for him, freeing up his time - unless of course he's a £299 wedding photographer with all day-photography :confused: then he cant afford to pay someone else to do it..
 
Agree. As long as it can be shown he has let them down & not met his responsibilities, he/she should be named. Some other couple could have their day completely ruined if they fail to receive any images at all.

They also need to pursue him/her for the promised albums and A3 prints.
 
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There are cowboys in every trade and profession, you can research until your blue in the face and still pick a "dodgy" character. Maybe the answer is to pay half before and balance on completion of the contract.

Quote "Their story was in the "Judge' section of last weeks Sunday Mail "unquote. you could show the article on here without reprisals I should think
 
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realspeed said:
There are cowboys in every trade and profession, you can research until your blue in the face and still pick a "dodgy" character. Maybe the answer is to pay half before and balance on completion of the contract.

Quote "Their story was in the "Judge' section of last weeks Sunday Mail "unquote. you could show the article on here without reprisals
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this good in theory but you also get the other side where couples won't pay after the wedding i.e. if they split up and i personally know this friend got married went on honey moon for 3 weeks come back and they split a week later luckily they paid the photographer but if they didn't the photographer might not see another penny
 
True Alex but at least the financial risk is halved and the photographer gets something.
 
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realspeed said:
True Alex but at least the financial risk is halved.
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i know a few years ago barclays i believe had a deal with a company and basically they took payment for the goods you took but a little differently ill do best to explain it

if i collect a part i would pay in 30 days time on a account basis.
the said company would be paid immediately from barclays .
if the customer did not pay within the 30 days barclays then chased the payment not the retailer .

think that idea worked well not sure if this can still be done and if it was just in the business section or public aswell
 
realspeed said:
There are cowboys in every trade and profession, you can research until your blue in the face and still pick a "dodgy" character. Maybe the answer is to pay half before and balance on completion of the contract.
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with weddings everyone wants full payment at least 4 weeks before the wedding, it may work in other trades like builders etc,
 
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