photographer disaster- update- pics gone forever

NowIAmSyp

I hope you hear something soon!  Keep us posted, and good luck!

photokitty

I hope you get your photos. 

I also hope others read this and realize what a bad idea it is to hire friends. I say it all the time on here and people don't listen,typically bc it's such an amazing deal. You are really over a barrel when something goes wrong when you hire a friend or family member, it's a lose-lose situation and can real damage the relationship. This is a prime example and I'm sorry it happened to you. 

jenna8984

photokitty said:

I hope you get your photos. 

I also hope others read this and realize what a bad idea it is to hire friends. I say it all the time on here and people don't listen,typically bc it's such an amazing deal. You are really over a barrel when something goes wrong when you hire a friend or family member, it's a lose-lose situation and can real damage the relationship. This is a prime example and I'm sorry it happened to you. 

Thanks! I always thought the same thing- like I wouldn't be dumb enough to hire a friend, but then when it's somebody that you seriously trust THAT much, your mind does think nothing could go wrong. Uuuuugh so disappointing. 

I've been stalking the message all day to see if it's been read and I don't believe it has. 

lc07

Sorry you're going through this, Jenna. If she brings up the RAW comment again ask her to burn all of the RAW files onto DVDs or load them onto a USB or hard drive and send the RAW files to you (ask her to back them up on her end until you are sure that you have them safely of course). If you need help from there, I will help you with the conversion to JPG process. 

erinlin25

I am so sorry you are going through this!  Friend or Not, she is being very unprofessional and 5 months is way too long to have to wait for pictures.  My best friend is a photographer--she did our engagement pictures and of course wanted to do the wedding.  I was all for it, but my parents said "no way-- we love friend, but its not worth the risk of the "what if."  I am super sad that this is happening to you.  I would hope your friend would at least be more honest with what is going on.  No way would it take months to fix a crashed computer and if they were backed up that would indicate they would be on another device--otherwise they were not "backed up".   Saved and backed up is very different. 

I think you have patient enough and would totally contact other brides so I commend you for doing that.  Right now she is not your friend, she is a professional and a photographer and is not taking responsibility.  She is lucky you are so worried about what it will do to her reputation.  She will not be so lucky if this happens to a non friend!!   I would definitely warn your other friend too if she is thinking of using her--its not slandering, it is the truth!  I hope you can get the proofs at least! 

LabLove86

Oh man! What a shitty situation. I am proud of you for standing your ground and messaging her with your expectations. I know thats something that's usually easier said than done. 

arrippa

Any updates? I have been thinking about your situation.

jenna8984

arrippa said:

Any updates? I have been thinking about your situation.

uuuuugh no! Facebook messenger claims she hasn't been active for 2 days so in theory she hasn't seen it yet. But that's our normal mode of communication and I know she checks it frequently so I can't imagine she can go much longer without logging on. Maybe she has already and it's just not showing. She never answers her phone or email so I knew that would be the best way to contact her....I guess I'll give it another day then send a text or something telling her to check it.

I just really hope she's not purposely ignoring it because that's what I'm so mad about. As a friend, if she came to me 2 months ago and said "here's the deal, blah blah happened, I'm so sorry" then I would forgive her and still be her friend. But if she continues to dodge or avoid me, that's when this friendship is over.

ETA- and nothing from the 3 other brides that I messaged because FB is fucking stupid and puts it in "other messages" if you're not friends with someone. And since there's no notification for that folder, people never see that they have a message in there.

badbnagdway

jenna8984 said:

arrippa said:

Any updates? I have been thinking about your situation.

uuuuugh no! Facebook messenger claims she hasn't been active for 2 days so in theory she hasn't seen it yet. But that's our normal mode of communication and I know she checks it frequently so I can't imagine she can go much longer without logging on. Maybe she has already and it's just not showing. She never answers her phone or email so I knew that would be the best way to contact her....I guess I'll give it another day then send a text or something telling her to check it.

I just really hope she's not purposely ignoring it because that's what I'm so mad about. As a friend, if she came to me 2 months ago and said "here's the deal, blah blah happened, I'm so sorry" then I would forgive her and still be her friend. But if she continues to dodge or avoid me, that's when this friendship is over.

ETA- and nothing from the 3 other brides that I messaged because FB is fucking stupid and puts it in "other messages" if you're not friends with someone. And since there's no notification for that folder, people never see that they have a message in there.

Would it be weird to friend those brides? Personally I don't always accept stranger friend requests but I think some people would. 

I'm so sorry you're going through this. Obviously, even a professional could have had an equipment or data storage malfunction, but I agree, the fact that she is your friend and is not coming clean and explaining how she will fix it makes a bad situation even worse. 

photokitty

I would be careful about interaction with her other clients. Worst case scenario - photog has the photos and is dragging her feet, other brides freak out and confront photog, photog gets mad and never gives you your photos. Best case scenario, they respond and tell you they do or don't have their images. Whether the other brides have received their photos or not really doesn't tell you anything - especially if they have contracts and paid full price. It can however cause you more trouble and piss her off.

I would keep being nice until you know she does or does not actually have the images. You want the images, so you only option really is to be persistent and nice. All she is legally responsible for is the amount you paid her, but that's only if you have a contract stating that. Tread lightly IMHO. GL!

jenna8984

@photokitty Exactly! I'm trying to keep it super friendly so I have the best chance of getting my photos. In my long message to her, I basically poured my heart out as a friend and said I'm sad and disappointed and I just really want my pictures. I know that her computer has been down but it's time to please figure out a new solution. I definitely never said anything like you're a liar, you suck at communicating, give me money back or anything like that at all. I tried to just paint it that I'm not mad at her, I'm sad about not having my pictures yet, and the possibility of them being lost.

I am not going to friend the other girls because if they did accept, it would show up on the news feed and the photographer would see it then a light would go off in her head and piss her off. I am genuinely curious though if someone got married the weekend after me if their photos were lost or not and if they got them or not. I mean that's a normal thing to wonder, but if they don't ever see the message and respond to me then it's no big deal. I'm not going to hunt them down to find out.

Thanks for all the help & support!!  

thisismynickname2

photokitty said:

I would be careful about interaction with her other clients. Worst case scenario - photog has the photos and is dragging her feet, other brides freak out and confront photog, photog gets mad and never gives you your photos. Best case scenario, they respond and tell you they do or don't have their images. Whether the other brides have received their photos or not really doesn't tell you anything - especially if they have contracts and paid full price. It can however cause you more trouble and piss her off.

To the bolded: I hate to bring my own emotion into this, but I think that's what happened to me. I got half my pictures in an online gallery Dec 8 (a month past due), and come January when I connected with the other bride? I found out that they'd sent her an attorney demand letter in early December. I have this awful feeling that since the other couple took drastic measures barely a month after their due date, that the photographer retreated and is now wholly ignoring us all. I feel like had they not done that and just waited it out, we'd all have our pictures by now. 

I've tried and tried to keep all my communications professional and not mean ("stern" is the worst I've been to her), but.... yeah, we're in worst case scenario mode.

I just think that's horrifically immature though. Yeah, you can be mad at your clients, but being mad and petty doesn't get you out of a legal contract. To Jenna, people generally say that verbal contracts are as good as the paper they're written on, but could your situation hold up in court? Maybe, there's a lot of contract law out there and all of it says that if two people took action as a result of the other's promise, there's a contract. You paid her to take photos, she took photos. You have damages, aka no product. It's not on paper, but that's a contract. Absolutely keep being as nice as possible for the sake of your friendship, but if worse comes to worse... what kind of "friend" treats people this way?

photokitty

thisismynickname said:

photokitty said:

I would be careful about interaction with her other clients. Worst case scenario - photog has the photos and is dragging her feet, other brides freak out and confront photog, photog gets mad and never gives you your photos. Best case scenario, they respond and tell you they do or don't have their images. Whether the other brides have received their photos or not really doesn't tell you anything - especially if they have contracts and paid full price. It can however cause you more trouble and piss her off.

To the bolded: I hate to bring my own emotion into this, but I think that's what happened to me. I got half my pictures in an online gallery Dec 8 (a month past due), and come January when I connected with the other bride? I found out that they'd sent her an attorney demand letter in early December. I have this awful feeling that since the other couple took drastic measures barely a month after their due date, that the photographer retreated and is now wholly ignoring us all. I feel like had they not done that and just waited it out, we'd all have our pictures by now. 

I've tried and tried to keep all my communications professional and not mean ("stern" is the worst I've been to her), but.... yeah, we're in worst case scenario mode.

I just think that's horrifically immature though. Yeah, you can be mad at your clients, but being mad and petty doesn't get you out of a legal contract. To Jenna, people generally say that verbal contracts are as good as the paper they're written on, but could your situation hold up in court? Maybe, there's a lot of contract law out there and all of it says that if two people took action as a result of the other's promise, there's a contract. You paid her to take photos, she took photos. You have damages, aka no product. It's not on paper, but that's a contract. Absolutely keep being as nice as possible for the sake of your friendship, but if worse comes to worse... what kind of "friend" treats people this way?

I both your cases, I would consider offering them more money. I'm not saying that as a photog, but as a bride. Jenna, if the computer is the issue, offer to pay a portion of the repair bill. It's a terrible option, but who wouldn't pay another $200 bucks to get their photos? After I had my images I would write bad reviews - well, probably not in Jenna's case, bc in the end IMHO, this is what happens when you hire a friend. I've seen this happen too many times to not feel that way. It's also why I never work for my fiends, they have learned to pay me in gas costs and a gift if I do a shoot for them, bc I won't do it for pay.

I wish photog hadn't been screwed over by clients who never paid, bc a few years back you didn't payhalf or a third of the bill until the proofs were provided - it held photogs much more accountable with deadlines and follow through. My videog still works this way and I think it is very admirable, it says something about his work ethic and dependability. Unfortunately, too many photogs have been burned by clients who never paid - which I find shocking - who wouldn't want the images?? My friend actually did this to her photog about 7 years ago, I was appalled.  

thisismynickname2

photokitty said:

thisismynickname said:

photokitty said:

I would be careful about interaction with her other clients. Worst case scenario - photog has the photos and is dragging her feet, other brides freak out and confront photog, photog gets mad and never gives you your photos. Best case scenario, they respond and tell you they do or don't have their images. Whether the other brides have received their photos or not really doesn't tell you anything - especially if they have contracts and paid full price. It can however cause you more trouble and piss her off.

To the bolded: I hate to bring my own emotion into this, but I think that's what happened to me. I got half my pictures in an online gallery Dec 8 (a month past due), and come January when I connected with the other bride? I found out that they'd sent her an attorney demand letter in early December. I have this awful feeling that since the other couple took drastic measures barely a month after their due date, that the photographer retreated and is now wholly ignoring us all. I feel like had they not done that and just waited it out, we'd all have our pictures by now. 

I've tried and tried to keep all my communications professional and not mean ("stern" is the worst I've been to her), but.... yeah, we're in worst case scenario mode.

I just think that's horrifically immature though. Yeah, you can be mad at your clients, but being mad and petty doesn't get you out of a legal contract. To Jenna, people generally say that verbal contracts are as good as the paper they're written on, but could your situation hold up in court? Maybe, there's a lot of contract law out there and all of it says that if two people took action as a result of the other's promise, there's a contract. You paid her to take photos, she took photos. You have damages, aka no product. It's not on paper, but that's a contract. Absolutely keep being as nice as possible for the sake of your friendship, but if worse comes to worse... what kind of "friend" treats people this way?

I both your cases, I would consider offering them more money. I'm not saying that as a photog, but as a bride. Jenna, if the computer is the issue, offer to pay a portion of the repair bill. It's a terrible option, but who wouldn't pay another $200 bucks to get their photos? After I had my images I would write bad reviews - well, probably not in Jenna's case, bc in the end IMHO, this is what happens when you hire a friend. I've seen this happen too many times to not feel that way. It's also why I never work for my fiends, they have learned to pay me in gas costs and a gift if I do a shoot for them, bc I won't do it for pay.

I wish photog hadn't been screwed over by clients who never paid, bc a few years back you didn't payhalf or a third of the bill until the proofs were provided - it held photogs much more accountable with deadlines and follow through. My videog still works this way and I think it is very admirable, it says something about his work ethic and dependability. Unfortunately, too many photogs have been burned by clients who never paid - which I find shocking - who wouldn't want the images?? My friend actually did this to her photog about 7 years ago, I was appalled.  

Stuck in Box--------------

In my case, the final third was due one week after the wedding itself.

.... Apparently all that held her accountable to was making sure she actually showed up and shot pictures.

My husband said in retrospect, live and learn, that ideally you'd hand over your final payment at the same time proofs were provided. That would only work if the client had the ability to physically be in the same place as the photographer to take in-person delivery......

Ugh. 

For Jenna's case, offering to help financially could move things along. I'd never do it otherwise; we actually disputed some of our charges for our photog. She didn't deliver; she doesn't deserve the money she's keeping until she does. I'd have never done that if she didn't go so far past contract time. 

photokitty

thisismynickname said:

photokitty said:

thisismynickname said:

photokitty said:

I would be careful about interaction with her other clients. Worst case scenario - photog has the photos and is dragging her feet, other brides freak out and confront photog, photog gets mad and never gives you your photos. Best case scenario, they respond and tell you they do or don't have their images. Whether the other brides have received their photos or not really doesn't tell you anything - especially if they have contracts and paid full price. It can however cause you more trouble and piss her off.

To the bolded: I hate to bring my own emotion into this, but I think that's what happened to me. I got half my pictures in an online gallery Dec 8 (a month past due), and come January when I connected with the other bride? I found out that they'd sent her an attorney demand letter in early December. I have this awful feeling that since the other couple took drastic measures barely a month after their due date, that the photographer retreated and is now wholly ignoring us all. I feel like had they not done that and just waited it out, we'd all have our pictures by now. 

I've tried and tried to keep all my communications professional and not mean ("stern" is the worst I've been to her), but.... yeah, we're in worst case scenario mode.

I just think that's horrifically immature though. Yeah, you can be mad at your clients, but being mad and petty doesn't get you out of a legal contract. To Jenna, people generally say that verbal contracts are as good as the paper they're written on, but could your situation hold up in court? Maybe, there's a lot of contract law out there and all of it says that if two people took action as a result of the other's promise, there's a contract. You paid her to take photos, she took photos. You have damages, aka no product. It's not on paper, but that's a contract. Absolutely keep being as nice as possible for the sake of your friendship, but if worse comes to worse... what kind of "friend" treats people this way?

I both your cases, I would consider offering them more money. I'm not saying that as a photog, but as a bride. Jenna, if the computer is the issue, offer to pay a portion of the repair bill. It's a terrible option, but who wouldn't pay another $200 bucks to get their photos? After I had my images I would write bad reviews - well, probably not in Jenna's case, bc in the end IMHO, this is what happens when you hire a friend. I've seen this happen too many times to not feel that way. It's also why I never work for my fiends, they have learned to pay me in gas costs and a gift if I do a shoot for them, bc I won't do it for pay.

I wish photog hadn't been screwed over by clients who never paid, bc a few years back you didn't payhalf or a third of the bill until the proofs were provided - it held photogs much more accountable with deadlines and follow through. My videog still works this way and I think it is very admirable, it says something about his work ethic and dependability. Unfortunately, too many photogs have been burned by clients who never paid - which I find shocking - who wouldn't want the images?? My friend actually did this to her photog about 7 years ago, I was appalled.  

Stuck in Box--------------

In my case, the final third was due one week after the wedding itself.

.... Apparently all that held her accountable to was making sure she actually showed up and shot pictures.

My husband said in retrospect, live and learn, that ideally you'd hand over your final payment at the same time proofs were provided. That would only work if the client had the ability to physically be in the same place as the photographer to take in-person delivery......

Ugh. 

For Jenna's case, offering to help financially could move things along. I'd never do it otherwise; we actually disputed some of our charges for our photog. She didn't deliver; she doesn't deserve the money she's keeping until she does. I'd have never done that if she didn't go so far past contract time. 

With online proofing and watermarks it actually is possible. It's just that photog don't want to risk not getting paid. Unfortunately, you'd be hard pressed to find a photog that will agree to changing their contract to payment due upon proofs provided. If I ever go into weddings I don't know that I would, problem is the bridezillas who ruin it for everyone.

I really hope you both get your images! GL! Hang in there

LadyMillil

thisismynickname said:

photokitty said:

I would be careful about interaction with her other clients. Worst case scenario - photog has the photos and is dragging her feet, other brides freak out and confront photog, photog gets mad and never gives you your photos. Best case scenario, they respond and tell you they do or don't have their images. Whether the other brides have received their photos or not really doesn't tell you anything - especially if they have contracts and paid full price. It can however cause you more trouble and piss her off.

To the bolded: I hate to bring my own emotion into this, but I think that's what happened to me. I got half my pictures in an online gallery Dec 8 (a month past due), and come January when I connected with the other bride? I found out that they'd sent her an attorney demand letter in early December. I have this awful feeling that since the other couple took drastic measures barely a month after their due date, that the photographer retreated and is now wholly ignoring us all. I feel like had they not done that and just waited it out, we'd all have our pictures by now. 

I've tried and tried to keep all my communications professional and not mean ("stern" is the worst I've been to her), but.... yeah, we're in worst case scenario mode.

I just think that's horrifically immature though. Yeah, you can be mad at your clients, but being mad and petty doesn't get you out of a legal contract. To Jenna, people generally say that verbal contracts are as good as the paper they're written on, but could your situation hold up in court? Maybe, there's a lot of contract law out there and all of it says that if two people took action as a result of the other's promise, there's a contract. You paid her to take photos, she took photos. You have damages, aka no product. It's not on paper, but that's a contract. Absolutely keep being as nice as possible for the sake of your friendship, but if worse comes to worse... what kind of "friend" treats people this way?

Just a different experience. I contacted another bride that had issues with my photog. She told me that as soon as she sent the threatening letters the photog had the pictures delivered within 2 weeks. I had been dragging my feet about threatening to go to small claims court but sent the letters when I heard about the experience the other bride had. I never got a response from the photog but all my pictures arrived about 10 days later.

Jenna - my photog never responded to my FB messages (sent to both business and personal pages), but was quite active on his personal FB. The messages never had the "seen at XYZ PM" 

jenna8984

I feel like I need to write this tonight while I'm still bawling and not from work in the morning. My pics are gone. All lost. I have nothing. Supposedly the hard drive AND backup hard drive are both toast. How does that even happen? She claims she sent them to the best recovery company charging her $1300 and they told her nope can't recover.

She says She's beside herself and crying because she let me down. But no you stupid bitch you lied for months. I straight up asked you in December and you said they were fine. Then you ignored me for two more months still saying they were fine. That's the part I can't get over.

I was hyperventilating to my husband. I will never see our first look photos. I have like four fucking pictures to show my kids and grandkids. Fuck- I wouldn't have bought a gown so expensive if I'd known there would be three shitty pictures of it. I'm just so fucking heartbroken. My MOH wants us to get dressed up and redo pics but I don't think I even want to. DH doesn't want to. I'm gunna go cry myself to sleep. I haven't drank in 8 years and I want a drink...jk...maybe...

theartistformerlyknownas

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK oh God Jenna I'm so, so sorry. Holy shit. I'm crying for you, love. Get some ice cream.

fwtx5815

That sucks. I'm so sorry.

LadyMillil

I'm so sorry, that's awful.

Dreamergirl8812

Oh no! I'm so sorry. (((Hugs)))


Do you have guest pics?

MadHops21

Did guests post pics on FB? I would see if family members took pictures. This is a horrible situation and I'm sending you hugs. I would be livid. 

theartistformerlyknownas

She only had like 10 guests...

hellosweetie1015

Oh my god I am so sorry! Oh, honey. I am so so sorry.

lovegood90

I'm so sorry to hear this new update. I've been following the thread hoping for good news. I'm so livid for you.

bethsmiles

I'm so, so sorry! I was really hoping you would get good news. 

sophhabobopha

Oh my god I am so sorry. ):

kaitlynmichelle

I'm so, so sorry.  Did anyone else at all take photos?  Even cell phone pictures.  What a terrible situation to be in.

I'm furious on your behalf. 

lc07

I'm so so sorry, Jenna.

wrigleyville

This is fucking bullshit. Who the fuck doesn't back shit up to a goddamn flash drive? When I did my thesis, I had it on three separate flash drives and emailed it to both of my email accounts.

I am so pissed for you right now. Beyond pissed. My friendship with her would be OVER. It's bad enough she lost the pics, but to LIE about it for two months?

OVER. Over and done.

I really hope some of your guests took pics with their phones and cameras.