They trashed their wedding photographer over a $125 fee

shouldn't the guilt be shared by the all-too-eager newspaper folks who pushed a one-sided story without properly checking their facts?
 
Pherdinand said:
shouldn't the guilt be shared by the all-too-eager newspaper folks who pushed a one-sided story without properly checking their facts?
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They did run an updated story fairly quickly but it looks like it was too late. I was surprised too that the plaintiff didn't add the news station in the suit.

A friend of mine used to shoot weddings but gave it up due to the amount of drama and stress that come along with it. She used a "flat fee" model, where the bride and groom paid a flat fee based on the amount of hours they wanted the photographer present. They were entitled to the full-res images and retained print rights. Basically, they got the images and getting prints or albums was the responsibility of the customer, not the photographer. Yes, she gave up income, but she rationalized it as being "worth it" to eliminate the drama.

A few months ago, she stopped shooting weddings altogether. Similar to this case, brides didn't read or didn't understand the contracts they had signed and were demanding services beyond what they paid for - "Make me look thinner," "Make my hair look fuller," "Give me a tan," etc.

She just decided it wasn't worth it and started referring potential wedding clients to other photographers.
 
forceusr said:
brides didn't read or didn't understand the contracts they had signed and were demanding services beyond what they paid for - "Make me look thinner," "Make my hair look fuller," "Give me a tan," etc.
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That's where the term "Bridezilla" comes from! :)
 
It was in the news on local radio as well. From perspective of cyber bulling.
Interesting timing, I just received another racist comments based on my origin at local community forum were I post my images from local events and where I comment on local issues as well.
 
Kostya,
Don't let the racists win! Sometimes, when something happens, its easy to forget that there are many more non-racists in our society than ****s.

As for weddings, I assisted several, and did two as lead when I worked for a studio in S. California (many years ago). I can say without hesitation: the worst hellish job ever. I quit working at that studio mainly because they wanted me to continue with weddings. Nope.

During the wedding, I couldn't believe the things I saw and had to endure (ask me sometime). I'll give you a hint: this was during the mid-late 1980s and drugs were common. Especially white powder drugs. At a wedding! Including the bride/groom! People got weird and abusive in so many ways.

After the wedding, I was the target of some of the most vindictive, hateful, nasty mother-of-brides that I feared for my life in one instance. Remember, I only did two weddings as lead....

Never again. Never.
 
I like weddings personally. I learned early on that charging a premium rate helps keep out the riffraff that you don't want as clients.
 
Well, I'm a retired photographer, used to work weddings among other things. I started my business in 2002. The best thing that happened to me was finding Monte who became my coach. After a couple of years in business, I got up to around 30 weddings each year. My internet site was secondary to the referrals I received from satisfied clients.

I wasn't cheap. For me, it was fun and I really enjoyed it. Clients could tell it. I didn't need to say anything. All weddings I was fortunate to get hired, I was honored to tell their story.

With my PPA membership I had insurance that covered, "errors and omissions." I never had to use it.

I hated to retire, but I could tell that, to young folks getting married, there just was too much of a gap in age. And, truthfully, I needed to get out. It is a weekend business. Now I have been blessed with grand children to photograph.

I also did quite a few business portraits but that's another story.
 
I used to do weddings occasional as a musician...once in awhile..I would lower myself for the cash...but I would always observe the photogs from the drum chair..and strike up a conversation on break..I thought to myself watching them ..now thats cool...a couple of grand..just for some snaps...instead of the pittance I was making...drumming..
Then I tried one on for size a few years later..I found for myself..it was cool if there was no $$ involved w/relatives and such..but as a pro.. fogetaboutit.. such a lonely unsatisfying occupation...definitely not for me...lol...
 
forceusr said:
They did run an updated story fairly quickly but it looks like it was too late. I was surprised too that the plaintiff didn't add the news station in the suit.
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Yup, from this brief article, it sounds like the local NBC affiliate was initially complicit in initially perpetuating lies; their follow up broadcast was too late -- the damage had already been done.

Even if the couple appeals the awarded damages and loses, it's not clear how much the photographer is entitled to receiving -- the $1M probably included compensation for lost business and punitive damages.

I'm not sure what the law is like in TX, but in CA, her attorney would have to prove that the couple has the wherewithal to pay the punitive damages portion of the award (whatever the amount) BEFORE the case goes to the Appellate court. That's why NBC should have been part of the suit -- it would have been easy to prove that the station had the capacity to pay for the punitive damages.
 
It's positively shocking that the bride and groom would behave like that!

Shortly after I bought my first digital camera, I was at a Nikonians workshop to learn how to use it. At the workshop, I met a woman who used to do wedding photography. I told her I was thinking of getting into wedding photography. She warned me vehemently "Don't ever get into wedding photography!"

I never forgot her stern words and for that reason I've never shot weddings. And I never intend to. God forbid that something like what happened to that wedding photographer would happen to me.
 
I've been following the story since the get go, and honestly think both parties are major ****s. Although the photog is less of an ****.
 
It's interesting that this has been picked up internationally by mainstream media, including the Sydney Morning Herald here in Australia.

Corran said:
I like weddings personally. I learned early on that charging a premium rate helps keep out the riffraff that you don't want as clients.
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I'm not so sure that's any guarantee Corran; maybe the result is a better-funded litigant? In my experience wealth is no guarantee of reasonable behaviour.

I consider myself lucky in the weddings I have undertaken to not have had experiences like others have reported here. There are other threads emphasizing the need for clear communication between client and photographer and the need for an unambiguous written contract so there are no surprises, however even those are no guarantee that an experience like this one won't happen.
 
tunalegs said:
I've been following the story since the get go, and honestly think both parties are major ****s. Although the photog is less of an ****.
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Why is the photographer an **** at all? Because she didn't just give the cover away to please a customer? But if she had, where would it have ended? Because she sued for defamation? Shooting weddings was her livelihood - what was she to do, get retrained as a computer technician? Because the verdict was so large? That's how the lit game is played. The final settlement will probably be for about $50 thousand.

A single bridezilla cut my stint as a wedding photographer short - eleven great experiences, and one that made me never want to do it again.

I should sue, huh?
 
Chris101 said:
Why is the photographer an **** at all? Because she didn't just give the cover away to please a customer? But if she had, where would it have ended? Because she sued for defamation? Shooting weddings was her livelihood - what was she to do, get retrained as a computer technician? Because the verdict was so large? That's how the lit game is played. The final settlement will probably be for about $50 thousand.

A single bridezilla cut my stint as a wedding photographer short - eleven great experiences, and one that made me never want to do it again.

I should sue, huh?
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Speaking from my experience, when something like that happens, both parties are to blame.

If I were a wedding photographer, instead of complaining about "bridezillas", I would try to learn from other wedding photographers who are happy about their job. They do exist.

Charging a premium is always a good choice, a price that includes everything. Don't expect to attract clients with super low tariffs then to surprise them later by some hidden fees. Even Ryanair had to revise some of their policies, for example, on how much they could charge in case the passenger doesn't print his boarding card in advance.

By the way, in case someone feels compassion for the photographer in question and wants to support her in a financial way, she is giving a course on how to successfully run a photographic business and to earn $800,000 a year:

https://andreapolito.com/homepage

And if you sign up in the next 20 hours, you can get 50% off:

https://andreapolito.com/sales-page-15549986

Now it's up to you to decide whether such a person is potentially capable of **** you off by not delivering what has been promised.

Perhaps I should be waiting her to sue me, too. But I live in France, a country where no jury composed of compassionate human beings shall seat in civil cases and the judge knows the line between defamation and freedom of speech.
 
And if you sign up in the next 20 hours, you can get 50% off
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Okay, I was curious enough to bite.

It sounds like one of those Make Money Fast in Real Estate with No Money Down seminars!
 
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