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Just Said Yes August 2018

Photos were over 7 months late...

Autumn, on May 20, 2019 at 9:11 AM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 0 8
We booked our photographer in November 2017. Our package included photo rights, three photo shoots, multiple photographers on the day of, and a couple prints in addition to a small album. We received our engagement shoot on time. Then I used a second shoot for boudoir in June 2018 as a surprise for my groom. Pictures were great and received by the wedding in August 2018. We had discussed with the photographer that he needed additional time to complete our photos since his normal turn around is 6-8 weeks but he had booked a wedding every weekend in september. Not ideal, but we were ok with it since he was upfront and requested approval. Our photos were then delayed from October 31 until November 20 I believe, 2018. We received a couple images a sneak peaks. And not all of our images were complete by the time we met with the photographer in November. He indicated we would have them by the end of the year. I tried to be respectful of the holidays and family time, as I would want others to do so for myself. So I contacted him again in january. I contacted him approximately 7 times, by text, so that I have a written record of response.

He seemed to make excuses, and simply apologized for he delay without explaining or giving a concrete time frame. We finally received the digital copy of the rest of our images in March 2018. He indicated that now that we have chosen the images we would like it would only take about 10 days for prints and 4 weeks for our album. After 19 business days, on April 17, I contacted him about our prints. I met his wife he next day to pick them up. The album was not ready. On May 7, I messaged him again asking about the album since it had been 7 weeks, 3 weeks past the date he gave when it would be ready. At this point he responded “Ill have everything submitted to the printer this week and should have it back here by end of next week” he had not even ordered he album nor informed me of such. I continued to request a partial refund (no specified amount yet) but was ignored. I finally picked up my album last week, May 16. Exactly 18 months after I paid in full for our package, and over 9 months after our wedding. even in person he refused to even discuss a partial refund, nor did he offer to provide any additional product to make up for it. What are my options here?

8 Comments

Latest activity by Tonia, on May 20, 2019 at 2:16 PM
  • Tara
    Expert June 2019
    Tara ·
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    Are the timeframes starting in the contract? If so and you have a lawyer friend or family member, you can ask him or her to write a letter on your behalf. If not, then you might be out of luck since you still got them. Hiring a lawyer or threatening to sue will probably cost more than the photographer package. You may just have to leave bad reviews on every possible outlet!
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  • Mandi
    Master October 2020
    Mandi ·
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    If you like your photos but the timeframe is the issue, leaving bad reviews would be dishonest. You can mention that the timeframe wasnt to your liking.
    I dont think you have options. You recieved the product you paid for. Just not in the time frame you expected. Legally, you got what you paid for. The legal system probably doesnt care about your time.
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  • Tara
    Expert June 2019
    Tara ·
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    I do not think leaving a bad review is dishonest. Part of the package is delivery and communication in addition to the quality. That is like saying you order from a caterer and the food was delicious, but they showed up two hours late, but you write a good review still. I think the best way to warn others is the review or if she wants to get their attention, by the bad reviews.

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  • Mandi
    Master October 2020
    Mandi ·
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    If the work was quality, but the timeline was poor, being honest about both portions is necessary. If it takes me 10 months to get my wedding photos back, but they are magnificent and I hang them on my wall to enjoy for the next 50 years, the first 10 months wont matter.
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  • Nemo
    Master August 2018
    Nemo ·
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    Believe me, those 10 months matter when you're waiting on your wedding photos. It is easy for you to say that now since you are not married. My photos were late and it was agonizing to not have them. A "bad" review stating that the photos were lovely, but the communication was extremely poor and the service was terrible is not dishonest.

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  • Mandi
    Master October 2020
    Mandi ·
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    I... I literally said that she should leave a review stating both of those.

    I guess I just don't have enough time to agonize over something so trivial.
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  • Nemo
    Master August 2018
    Nemo ·
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    No need to be condescending. All I'm saying is that you will care if your photos are even a day late, because this is the most important day of your life and you will be dying to see the photos. Our photographers were very talented and expensive, and it was difficult to have zero photos until 9 weeks after the wedding. I can't even imagine what it would be like to have no photos 10 months after the wedding. I would have demanded a partial refund.

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  • Tonia
    Expert October 2019
    Tonia ·
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    I don't think leaving a bad review is enough. A contract is a written agreement to provide a service within a specified amount of time. If he did not deliver within that time frame, that is a breach of contract and you should absolutely be compensated in some manner. It speaks to his credibility and reputation as a photographer.

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