Duane Smith-Photographer

mlopez77023

Has anyone used Duane Smith as their photographer? We plan on using him for our wedding and engagement photos. His packages are very reasonable, which makes him seem too good to be true plus he doesnt even require deposit! Major bonus there!!

villashsoc

have you used/payed him for anything yet?  I would like to know how your pictures turn out because the photographers in the woodlands area are ridiculously priced.  Good luck with your planning!

Eboix518

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-houston_duane-smith-photographer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:121Discussion:d9903142-2d52-4591-b446-f3559a7d2cdfPost:ccc1ece6-5450-4a5a-b9cb-ef0609aa60a9">Re: Duane Smith-Photographer</a>:
[QUOTE]have you used/payed him for anything yet?  I would like to know how your pictures turn out because the photographers in the woodlands area are ridiculously priced.  Good luck with your planning!
Posted by villashsoc[/QUOTE]

What is your budget? There are a ton of great photographers if you let us kno your budget you can get some great recs from the board

mlopez77023

Unfortunately, as of this morning Duane Smith  is already booked on our wedding date. Thankfully though we found another very reasonably priced photographer who also offers linens and floral arrangements/center pieces. My fiance and myself met with her yesterday and really like her. Her extra perks are..she doesnt charge for mileage, offers payment arrangements and if you book her "platinum package" by the end of this month she'll also include your bridal session and engagement photos for only $650. If you like I can give you her contact info.  

lealfrantz

You ladies might want to try C. Baron Photography. We got a HUGE package for around $1000. We took our engagement pictures with them a few weeks ago and I am incredibly satisfied. If you are interested I can give ya'll the link to my pictures and the password.

ktvho

@mlopez, who did you go with? Please share

@lealfrantz, i would love to see your pictures, can you share the info with me? thanks!

WildCntrySCWed103418

I agree about C Baron Photography.  They are great!

lealfrantz

Sorry it was so late getting back to you! I will pm you my gallery info, but here is where they blogged our pictures!

http://cbaronphotography.wordpress.com/2011/05/13/421/

val81602

Our experience started off wonderfully with Duane.  We met with him viewed the different package options and signed the contract.  We loved our engagement photos and received the rights to access them in a timely manner.  The day of the wedding he showed up on time and we enjoyed his professional attitude the whole entire day.  After our wedding is when everything went down hill quickly.  Our contract stated the following…

-The printing process starts the business day after the ceremony.  Digital processing takes approximately 3 weeks. Enlargements take approximately 1-2 weeks or possibly longer when laboratory and bindery schedules are heavy.

-FINAL DELIVERY: “DC Smith Photography” will deliver the prints and any additional material once printing is completed.

-The approximate date and time for delivery is June 25, 2012, after 5:00pm.  All attempts will be made to deliver the prints on or before the above date and time.

-Amendments to Final Delivery:  Valorie Dixon will also receive a disc containing the Engagement Portraits.  This disc will be made available within one week of capturing the images.  DCSmith Photography will also have the Engagement Prints (chosen by Valorie Dixon) delivered within three business days of the choices being made. 

 

 

I think the timeline below explains why I would never use this company and my complete and utter frustration

June 2- We were married!!!

June 12- Duane started to add a couple of photos to website

June 20-  still not really many photos on website.  I sent email about link being disabled and checking on the rest of the photos

June 28- I started to see more on website

July 17- I sent email as not all of the photos has been put on website still

July 18- received an email from Duane saying he will be receiving pictures shortly and put on website as well he was going to send us a few extra prints for the problems so far

July 30- I picked prints for package and sent email saying what I wanted and asked about CD and extra prints we were suppose to get due to time of pictures not being on website and also about album

August 15- I resent email as I had not heard anything back

Sept 10- resent email a second time trying to get some response and wanting to know what is going on. 

Sept 10- Received email back from Duane that he was passing our info off to another person and she would handle our account at this time as he was unable to

Sept. 11- received email from other person and she said our wedding pictures would arrive within 3-5 days as well we will receive cd within the week.

Sept 25- received some of our photos however still missing cd and album. Emailed other contact person with info.

Sept 27- first time since we were married we have been asked for selection of our photos for the album ever

Sept 27- we replied back asking how many photos we need to suggest and sizes

Sept 28- was told just need to pick 53 photos and they will do the sizes

Oct 15-  we sent the photos we would like in the book

Oct 18- she let us know it would only take a day or 2

Oct 29- We emailed to see about any updates as we still had not received cd or album

Nov 1- received email being told they would have our order number shortly

Nov 7- we emailed them again as we have not had a response

Nov 8- received email that everything is going smoothly with the book

Nov 16- we sent out an email again asking on the completion of the album along with the cd

Nov 16- Duane emailed back saying thank you for choosing your choices last month for the album you will receive it sometime within the week

Nov 27- received email from Duane saying we would get album this week no confirmation on prints or cd

Nov 29- received email saying that we would receive everything no later then Friday

December 2- got email from Duane that album should arrive tomorrow and CD on tuesday

December 18- received photo book no cds and sent another email

The cds were dropped off in our mail box

I feel how the situation was handled on Duane’s and his colleges part was completely unacceptable and the measly few extra print we received due to the photos not being up on the website in a timely manner does not even come close to making up for all of the issues we experienced.  I am extremely disappointed that I spent money with this company and wish I had never heard about them. 

 

Duane if you would like to follow up with me on all of the issues I have expressed here I would love to talk with you as I honestly believe that you either

A) have no idea on all of the problems that took place and now you would love to make up for them

or

  Frankly just don’t care and plan to continue to ignore it