Bella Pictures, Help please!

Re: Bella Pictures, Help please!

• femfatal86

  

  January 2011 edited December 2011

  I looked into companies like Bella and The Pros before going with my photographer; the problem I found was that they aren't really photographers, they hire photographers, they are essentially just in it for the money (of course all vendors do it for the money but this seems different); from what I understand they under pay a photographer and send somebody out that is available that day and it's the luck of the draw...Personally I would look into other photographer and videographers; you may lose your deposit but tell your new photographer/video that and they  may give you  a discount; I picked all of  my vendors b/c i could work one on one with them from day one.
  
  if you want a good photo/video recommendation let me know as mine have a finders discount, they give something like 10% off to anybody that is referred by another client.

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• lashantabasey member

  

  January 2011 edited December 2011

  Thank you so much. I will keep this in mind. I have invested too much money with Bella. My event is in July, I am hoping that this can be resolved before then. Thanks again.

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• femfatal86

  

  January 2011 edited December 2011

  I would demand to meet with the photographer who is going to photograph your wedding, and see if you can see if you can get them for breach of contract; if they are not following up with you that sounds like breach to me. 
  If you so decide, check out Corbin Kell, www.corbinkell.cc, he's out of Los Angeles but he tells me he travels everywhere; tell him I sent you and mention what you have going on with bella; he may be able to work something out for you. 
  
  Good luck!

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• lashantabasey member

  

  January 2011 edited December 2011

  Thank you, I'm hoping for the best outcome.
  I will go take a look at his website.

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• parkrecny

  

  February 2011 edited December 2011

  TERRIBLE Bella Pictures experience!  I reported to Better Business Bureau so at least it's on their record for a few years.  We hired Bella for photo & video for $4000+, for a 6-hour wedding.  Keep in mind, our entire wedding ceremony/cocktail/dinner took place in one corner of a 2-story wedding hall with both stairs and elevator.  However, despite multiple initial assurances of several hours or raw footage, our final raw footage was only 2 hours with no explanation or apology as to what the videographer was doing for the other 4 hours.  In retrospect, my wife and I commented that we didn't see him much but figured he was trying to be discreet.  After several back-and-forths, with long waits on their part, and speaking to supervisors, in the end they refunded only $240, said they thought the raw footage looked great, and then had the nerve to ask us when we would like to get started with the photo album (of course at additional cost).  They said that 2 hours was standard, although when I called and spoke to a supervisor in sales at Bella, he said typical raw footage for 6-hour event was about 4 hours; several other videography companies listed in NY Mag said 3 hours or more.  Furthermore, there were moments that were definitely videotaped (including specific conversations with family) that did not appear in the raw footage without any explanation.
  Other than this, it was the typical polite, prompt, enthusiastic service before signing contract; after signing, they were very impersonal, hard to get information, delayed callbacks, etc.  Photographer said he wasn't allowed to meet with us prior to wedding (we offered to go to him).  When I tried to speak with him on the phone about the day of the wedding, he showed little if any interest and acted like he was doing me a big favor.  He also was the worst dressed at the wedding, wearing wrinkled worn black shirt and pants.  We weren't able to communicate with the videographer at all--the photographer coordinates with the videographer.  When we got the video, it was out of sequence so they had to send it again.  Their website to order pictures is less sophisticated than CVS.com, and all the pictures came out dark so they had to be resent as well.
  We completely regret picking Bella.  Find a more personable vendor, so that you can have a sit down with the photographer and videographer if you'd like.

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