Help! My photographer is withholding my photos!

Sounds like you may need to take them
To court. I would collect all communications with Them. Save them in a file and seek legal advice. Sometimes a letter from an attorney is all it takes.

View Quoted Comment That's where we are starting. It's hard not to let it get under my skin. Can I report him anywhere? He's listed with the BBB but if I complain there they notify him and I don't want him to know I'm making moves on my end. I'm afraid he will destroy the photos.

View Quoted Comment I’d fear the same. I’d probably wait until after you get the photos to post any more publicly.

By any chance did you sign any legal agreement that he owes you the photos because if there's something in writing I'm not seeing how he can choose to withhold them. I'm really sorry you're going through this. I would strongly suggest handle things from a legal standpoint and then when everything is said and done write all the negative reviews and report him to the BBB As You want.

View Quoted Comment The other, less stressful option, would be to humor him. Delete the review. Play his game until you get the photos, then repost the review. You could say “I am so sorry that we got off to a bad start (insert lines of bs here). I have deleted the review” see if he sends them to you. Once you have them, review away.

Other than suing him, I don’t know what you can do at this point. Although this advice is for future brides since your situation has already gone this way, my advice would have been to not post any reviews until you had all the photos in your possession. People can be really spiteful and given your interactions with him I don’t know that it would surprise me if he’s already destroyed your pictures.

View Quoted Comment I agree with Sarah here. He's playing games so until you get your photos, your best bet is to play too. Maybe even call him on the phone and apologize for the misunderstanding (give him *all* the olive branches). It's a lot harder to play hardball when he has to have an actual conversation with a living, breathing human being. He might budge. As soon as your photos are in hand, report and review away. If he doesn't budge, then tell him he's in breach of contract (make sure he doesn't have an "out" that you can't post negatively about the business, and that he is actually past the contract timeline for turning over the photos) and he'll be hearing from your lawyer - bonus points if you have a lawyer friend who can write one up for you.

View Quoted Comment We do have a lawyer in the family who offered to write a letter, but I think its going to go further than that. I honestly cant stoop to his level and lie to him and then go back and do something else, that's his game not mine. We have left messages and asked him to call us so we can discuss our options but he has never called back and won't acknowledge our phone calls in our email communications. I am calling attorneys today, I dont think a letter is going to do it.

View Quoted Comment I know, I did try to wait but he made me so mad early on and my pride got the better of me. It's too bad that we live in a world where people can't be honest for fear of reprimand.

View Quoted Comment Yes, we have a contract with him and NO WHERE in it does it state that photos will be released based on review, or anything like that. I have told him he's in breach of contract but he doesnt seem to care. It is my understanding that he has done this to other people and it is my belief that the only reason he doesnt have more 1-2 star reviews online is because he bullies his clients the way he is bullying my husband and I now.

View Quoted Comment I understand not feeling comfortable. I am a teacher and when i get a nasty email or an upset parent I generally call them (as PP stated) because it’s harder to be nasty when speaking directly to someone and I outline the facts. I come to the phone with dates, grades, etc. I would look in my contract and find where he has breached (leave your feelings towards the photographer out of it) and lay it out for him. “The contract signed on ___ by ___ and ____ states. As of ____ we have not yet received our photos. I have contacted you _____ times on (insert dates). Your company is in breach of our contract. This is your final opportunity to release our photos to us before We seek legal action”


People can argue with opinions, they can’t argue with fact.

View Quoted Comment I would love to, but he does not answer or return calls unfortunately.

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What???!!! That is horrible. He should not be in this business. Some people do not know what customer service is. I hope he gets put out of business because he should not do that to anyone. I hope that things go in his favor and maybe getting a legal notice will make him realize he cannot bully people. Good luck and keep us posted.

View Quoted Comment Thanks Kristin! Will do. As soon as 9 am rolls around I will be on the phone with attorneys

Are you able to go in person or is it just strictly online? That sounds horrible, wedding pictures you can’t get back or redo so it’s wrong of him to hold them against you for bad service review.

View Quoted Comment This was also my immediate thought! I’d play his game, but after the whole thing is over... I’d write negative reviews anywhere possible! Because people should be warned of this type of situation. So sorry you have to go through this though!

I cannot imagine going through this myself and have no legal advice but just from personal experience with d-bags, I would highly suggest that you do not speak to them about anything over the phone or verbally. Keep everything through email or text when you can so that you have proof and not a he said she said situation. I am crossing my fingers that you get your photos back!

View Quoted Comment Thank you. I have spoken to an attorney. I sent him one more demand email per ger instructions with particular verbiage from the contract. To which he replied "why dont you swallow your pride". HA!! See ya in court buddy....

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Wow, that is just crazy.

I’m so sorry this happened to you! Personally photography is the most important thing when it comes to planning my wedding and if I could not get my wedding photos afterwards I would be soooo shattered. Kudos to you for leaving him a bad review, that will help many future brides avoid this situation. I hope that you will win this and get your photos. Or if he dares destroying the photos, I hope the court will ask him to pay a lot of compensation money to you ! The photos are priceless and even a lot of money wouldn’t be able compensate for this damage he did to you. Best wishes and please let us know how it works out!