Need some advice, which may be to do nothing at all.

For my sister's wedding, we hired a photographer. She picked him based on his photos alone. Seemed really nice (aren't they all when they want your money?), drew up a contract and we paid a deposit. Guy came round, took the pics but has since been an arse about meeting up/getting photos/etc.

My sister suggests a date to meet up, he remarks he can only make x date. Sister asks about other dates etc. He states he can't keep moving stuff around for her. Eventually agrees for tomorrow. Despite his professional attitude initially, he has been unprofessional since eg he asks sister and hubby to help in a photoshoot, which they do out of goodwill, but he then denies them any pics or any renumeration for their time ("no contract"). His sister did the make up for my sister and she was fine.

Planning to go down tomorrow to meet up. He's said 9am (at his house, where we've been before). I plan to get there for 8am just to hassle him. Short of grabbing the photo album and running off, or lamping him one, is there a better way to approach the situation? Or do we just check the pics, if we're happy, pay the money and leave?

Did the contract they agreed to say anything about the delivery of the photos? Time frames etc?

Any small business lives or dies by reputation.





edit noticed post count is 404

See if there is a way to leave a scathing comment on a review site and make sure you are truthful otherwise he could potentially sue you for libel/defamation, unlikely but possible.

Just take a step back and a deep breath before you go in there with all guns blazing.

I'd be cautious about stirring things up, at least until you actually get your mitts on the photos and pay him his money.
(by all means then rip into him and tell the truth about his unprofessional attitude and practices to all and sundry)

Not sure about contract. Sister has a copy.

Emotions are high on this one. Sister's wedding was in June. We were supposed to get the photos in Oct. Things kept gettig delayed because of both parties.

Ah, right - didn't realise it was that long ago!! Well, that is taking the pi55 then! No way should it take longer than a month or two - not 9 months!

Good luck, try to keep it polite though.

There is the option of suing the bugger for the cost of re-staging the wedding for the photographs to be taken by someone else.

Waiting to hear the outcome!

Sod's law. Thought it was today but sister tells me it's tomorrow.

That all depends on the contract that was signed.

Mark

Playing devil's advocate perhaps, but are you sure you've heard the full and accurate story? I mean, are you sure he's not being perfectly professional, just unwilling or unable to constantly change dates at a whim? Has he been kept waiting for information he's requested, or worse - do they keep changing their mind?

Has the couple already chosen the pictures they want in the album, or is that part of this meeting? Or was that all done on-line?

I think the meeting was done. She's shown me the texts she's gotten - I've seen the full conersation. It's just ridiculous. Originally he asked my sister when to meet as things were ready. She said 17th. He said he was fully booked and couldn't do it so suggested 10th. Sister didn't want to do the 10th as it was Mother's Day and she wanted to spend time with her new mother-in-law, her own mother and her grandmother (who has been in hospital and now on the mend). He then said he couldn't make a weekend and suggested a weekday. Sister works full time so couldn't do that, partly because photographer is about 40 mins away. He then said he's free on the 17th. This is despite him originally saying he was busy and ranting and raving about trying to accommodate her.

If he was professional, I'd have expected him to simply offer dates/times when he was free and my sister could work on that. Bear in mind that he has cancelled on them last minute before.

Why is a meeting necessary at all?
If he has the images, he can post them (either online or via snail mail).
If it's so your sister can approve images, again, online or via e-mail, then have the images posted.
If the guy is a professional photographer, it's totally possible that he's busy and can't do/won't do weekends as he's either working or wants time with his own family.
Of course, it's also possible that your sister just hired a dick to photograph the wedding.

Mark

Nah it's his attitude. I think he comes across as a dick. Though obviously he didn't come across as a dick before we signed the contract.

Visit is to check we're happy with the photos (we get a DVD), the album (layout, pics chosen), and to pay the full amount (in cash).