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Wedding Photography and Videography Forum
Bruce "Best" Photography
Hello all. Our wedding was in October of 2011 . . . . 8 months ago. I still, to this day, have not received all of our wedding photos. I have tried numerous times to contact the photographers and both Bruce and Amy Best. They refuse to contact me and finilize our contract. I am outraged and upset that I do not get to relive those moments of our wedding. We are not the only couple this has happened to.
If anyone has used, or are going to use, Bruce "Best" Photography, PLEASE CONTACT ME! I also urge you to go elsewhere for your special day. Any and all help would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
If anyone has used, or are going to use, Bruce "Best" Photography, PLEASE CONTACT ME! I also urge you to go elsewhere for your special day. Any and all help would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Bruce "Best" Photography
Main reason I am posting is due to all BBP's complaints and legal troubles, they have rebranded themselves under the name Gannon Stein Studios, http://gannonstein.com/, but its still the same people. The have rap sheets a mile long in Prince William County district court (civil under BBP name and criminal under Amy Best) and circuit court (circuit case under her maiden name Fike for embezzlement). All of this is public record, check it out!
They think they can just create a new identity and continue victimizing unsuspecting people. They just created a website under this new name Gannon Stein in August 2012, and all their previous info (website, facebook, profile on The Knot, etc are all gone under the BBP name.). It's unthinkable people could act this way. They never delivered on any of the contracted services to our satisfaction or terms on the contract and offered to refund the difference between the 1 and 2 photogs package, but of course we never saw a single dime. These people have to be stopped!
Spread the word to boycott Gannon Stein Studios, http://gannonstein.com/
[QUOTE]We are delivering this review more than a year after our wedding because we had to sue Bruce & Amy Best for failing to meet their contract terms. I’m a Marine lieutenant colonel (sel) and have been a commanding officer, so my critique is not out of malice or without proper documentation. To start, Bruce & Amy spent more time charming us than delivering on their services. They promised us that both of them would photograph our wedding, but Amy left without notice before the ceremony. She left in her place a 20-something year old guy who spent much of the wedding texting on his cell phone. We had to ask Bruce and this guy to take key photos, even the DJ asked where the photographers were. Following the wedding, Bruce & Amy did not provide our client viewing as contracted (which they acknowledged in an e-mail last fall), then went silent on us despite multiple e-mails & phone calls to close this issue out. We contacted their registered agent (VCorp), who told us they had cut their contract with Bruce Best Photography for failing to pay them (VCorp was unable to contact them either). We ultimately took Bruce & Amy to small claims court (a sheriff delivered the summons to them) and judgment was awarded in our favor after they failed to show. Despite refusing to return our calls or e-mails, when an associate of ours contacted them inquiring about photography services, Bruce & Amy immediately returned their call and arranged a meeting. We went to this meeting and presented them the court judgment in an effort to settle the claim, but Bruce & Amy refused to pay and left (this was captured on video). I am sure Bruce or Amy will try to rebut this critique, or a 5-star reviewer will attempt to write this critique off. Therefore, proof of our claims can be found by contacting VCorp and by looking at the Prince William County General District Court / Case Information / Civil Court under Amy Best. There are at least three plaintiffs who received judgment against Bruce & Amy for a total of several thousand dollars.
Posted by Brad and Jen[/QUOTE]<div>
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</div><div>Unfortunatley I am at the same point of sueing Bruce Best Photography ...these warnings did not surface in the start...</div><div>If you have any advice or informaton you can pass I would be very greatful.
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[QUOTE]I need to know about the small claims court process and how you actually found their address...did anyone recieve their money
Posted by Scashman21[/QUOTE]
Sorry for the delayed reply, we don't really use this website since we've done everything we can to adjudicate our case with Bruce and Amy. Go to the PW County General District Court website for info on the small claims process, the desk clerk's phone number is also available if you want to speak with somebody. The desk clerk should have Bruce and Amy's address or you can try the White Pages (485 <span class="street-address">Harbor Side St, Apt 910 </span><span class="locality">Woodbridge</span>, <span class="region">VA</span> <span class="postal-code">22191-5460). As for settlement, we were told by the small claims judge that recouping our money is extremely difficult and with adept criminals like Bruce and Amy, the headache isn't worth it. We decided it's more important to post our reviews on as many wedding websites as possible in order to warn couples about Bruce and Amy. </span>
Three weeks later I got a CD but I couldn’t see the images. I don’t blame them for this; technology can suck. I asked Amy if I sent her a flash drive if she could put the images on there and she agreed. Amy said she sent it but a week later I still didn’t have it. I told Amy and she said she bought another one and said it would be in the mail that day. Five days later - nothing. She said she was delayed with holiday stuff. Later she said she couldn’t put the images on the flash; she would put another CD in the mail. I asked why they couldn’t get the images on the flash now but they could before. Amy gave me an excuse about technology. When I got the 2nd CD it didn’t work but they included a flash drive with 472 images – most terrible, some OK, about 20 good. Some of the problems could have been prevented, like one series my fiance’s face is hidden by a shadow because of where the sun was - something a professional should have been able to deal with or Amy’s arm in a few shots.
After this I terminated our contract. The stress just to get my photos was too much, especially since I hated most of them. There was a back and forth in emails where I was criticized for shots in our home and was told her arm wasn’t in every frame. Overall everything was fine…until it wasn’t.