Issue with wedding photographer

That's awful!! Sorry not much to offer but I think you are onto something with the small claims, maybe write to her and let her know you will take legal action if you don't hear from her within 14 days? Really hope you get it sorted x

Oh gosh, this sounds like a nightmare. Court may be the next option. It certainly seems like she needs a shove. The problem is that court may not solve your issues - you need images not a refund. There may be significant problems with the images. I can't understand why you haven't had any previews?

If you'd like me to have a look at her site & FB page for any clues let me know. Or if you need to talk to a photographer to get some perspectives my number is on my website.

Wow, we are hearing of this time and time again in the wedding industry. I just cant believe she is still posting other clients photos and hasn't given you yours, if you need any help at all drop me an email or give me a ring.☹️

This sounds awful Have you tried ringing her? It is easy to avoid an email, much harder a phone call. A letter as well is a good idea as if you do go small claims keeping a paper trail will bolster your case. xxx

This sounds very frustrating. Do you have wedding insurance? Might be worth calling them.

What does your contract say about delivery times?

I'd ring her up and say you have no option but to go to the Small Claims Court unless she delivers within 7 days.

Do go see your local CAB for some free legal advice before putting the claim in. It's worth getting advice on this one as you should be able to claim more than just a refund.

Oh fionachey what a nightmare! Did you have a contract at all? If so, what did it say with regards to delivery times for the images?

There isn't really any excuse for it taking 7 months to deliver images back though if there's nothing wrong (unless it's been previously agreed)

Have you seen any of the photos at all, even just a teaser photo or something like that?

At this stage, i'd be getting in touch with your wedding insurance if you had some and then seeking legal advice regarding taking this to court if you've exhausted all other options.

If she is ignoring you completely and you have a trusted friend or family member, it might be worth getting them to contact her as a potential client. If they get a speedy response, you have further evidence that you're being ignored.

If you also have an address send a recorded delivery letter expressing what you've said to her thus far. That way, there's no way of her denying that she received any messages or emails as you'll have registered post proof that she has received your correspondence.

Best of luck sorting this out, happy to help if we can.

As said by others on here, this is a nightmare, although sadly something that we hear more and more.

I don't understand why you are getting no contact. At least the fact that she is posting others weddings shows she is still in business and hasn't simply disappeared.

You need to find out where your images are, and if there are any problems. A few months ago I helped a hitcher who's photographer hadn't backed up the images appropriately and had disk failure on the one drive where the images were stored. I wonder if this could be the same tog and you have suffered from the same problem which isn't being communicated.

The professionals on here "feel" for you......this sort of thing does our profession no good whatsoever.

Peter

I am wondering if it is the same photographer Peter, she didn't care one bit about that Hitched bride and this sounds like something she would do.

To the OP, you mentioned emails....have you tried phoning?

If you want to share the togs name with me (I won't innapropriately use it) please feel free to do so and I will see if there is any help that can be offered....

Peter

Thank you, good suggestion, I did this two days ago. A email stating our intention to take legal action if she did not send us a link to our images, or at least offer a reasonable explanation as to what is happening. I gave her 14 days to respond. Fingers crossed

You're spot on, we don't want a refund, we really want our images. No previews, not even 1 image, nothing ☹️. We've sent an email stating our intentions if she doesn't get in contact. Hoping this will nudge her.

Yes, very distressing. I've tried ringing several times, last time I left a message pleading her to contact us. I said, if there's a problem with the images, we are very understanding people and we can reach a resolution I'm sure. But no response !

Hi there, we didn't take insurance, it was a small wedding. I'm not at all 'bothered' about the money, if you know what I mean, we desperately want the images. She's a talented photographer, such a shame she is behaving this way. Hopefully she'll respond to our 'intention' email re small claims court.

We didn't have a contract, just a booking form. So we didn't agree delivery times. The lady is someone I have known in previous years so immediately trusted her. I live and learn !

Thank you Peter, it's good to hear from a professional that this kind of service is not right. I was wondering if I was being unreasonable expecting images by now. My husband thinks there is a technical issue, we asked this in one of our emails before. She said she had sent the link to our images, we explained we haven't received anything and could she resend. But no response, sadly.

Thanks for your offer of help. I'm keeping the company name back right now, to give her every possible chance to respond to our strong email. If she doesn't respond and we end up going to small claims, I will feel obliged to share my experience of this company so future clients are aware of the possible issues they may face. I'd hate anyone else to experience this !

I was reading a similiar post and a way to keep the company name to yourself, but just to check up on things - I found this page:

http://www.british-assessment.co.uk/articles/how-to-check-if-a-company-is-legitimate

It also has links to the Trading Standards Site and to ascertain if there have been similiar complaints from other brides.

I am sorry you are having to go through this. We had to wait nearly a year on our photographer and it was very frustrating, even though he was a legitimate company and talked about with excellent repute, hopefully that is just the case with yours also.

Unfortunately the photographer has unfriended me on her Facebook page. My hearts sinks as this feel so personal and I have the feeling that's it.

We're left with a handful of iPhone photos of our special day from family and friends. The company is Shickpics.

I sincerely hope we're a 'one off' as she never does this to anyone else. Desperately sad.

I'm absolutely speechless how anyone can treat their client like this. And I don't understand why she would do it, considering that she's still in business. So sorry to hear this happened to you ☹️

I am really sad this has happened to you, although do beware of posting the name of the tog online. This "could" compromise hitched, and yourself in any refund/claim. I know its annoying, although please do be aware....(if hitched pull your post, don't be surprised)

btw, this is not the lady tog involved with the ther bride I was advising over lost images....

Peter

OOMG that's just so so sad.

is she still taking business on?

It's really sad yes. Yes she's still taking on work. She's telling people she has provided my images. If only that were true.

Would be tempted to set a meeting up with potential client - a friend posing perhaps and then report her to the police and get them to arrest her there. Or is that just me watching too many films

I couldn't find that company on facebook or by her name.

I can see your comment asking for your photos in google using the cache version but it seems she has taken her facebook page offline

If she has blocked you then you don't have any choice but to take her to the small claims court. You have been incredibly understanding.

Oh my gosh - that's so sad I really feel for you.

What gets me the most about this whole situation is why couldn't she just have the decency to tell you the truth if something has happened and she has lost the images? Surely that's just the right thing to do?

She must realise that by ignoring you, you're not going to go away!

If it were me and you could find any way of contacting her now, i'd pretend to be another interested client and arrange a meeting to discuss wedding photography and i'd go and meet her, without knowing it's you. I'd confront her you and your husband together and demand to know what's going on. That's just me though.

Judge Rinder sorts things like this out quite frequently!

I sincerely hope that you solve this.

Can i also mention that her website is fully up and running - i found it through google.

This is awful fionachey,

I would suggest in any further correspondence (and possibly your most recent email saying she has 14 days to respond), also send it by recorded delivery to her address as well so that it is signed for and is therefore increasing your paper trail. Otherwise she may "say" she hasn't received your emails/ may block them or simply change address. I very much doubt she is not receiving them as she has de-friended you, but it just gives you more evidence against her.

I'm sure your email to her said this, but if you send any more set out clearly the deadline she must respond by, what she was meant to do for you and what you expect her to do now in order to rectify the situation, so that all parties are completely clear as to what is required.

This ^^^^^^ honestly this is really crap of her to just brush it under the carpet and ignore you, these are your wedding photos fgs

I'm so sorry, this is very sad news.

Send her the letter about the claims court by recorded delivery.

It may be worth seeing a solicitor about this tbh even if it's just CAB.

I'd delete the comment mentioning her name if i'm perfectly honest. I can understand your frustration but it probably won't do you any favours.

Can't believe what I'm reading here... so sorry for you. How can it be possible? I'm afraid you should seek some legal advice and go to court.

Hitched Brides: NEVER NEVER NEVER hire a photographer if you don't sign a proper contract with them! That's the first sign to know that he/she is NOT professional and if something goes wrong...

This is a civil matter and as such the police won't be interested. A small claims court is probably OP's best bet.

This will be dealt with on a 'balance of probabilities' basis so should be quite straight forward since 'on the balance of probabilities' it would be unlikely for a bride to make a claim if you had received the images.

Of course this doesn't get the images and even an award of compensation doesn't mean she will pay up. But at least then the threat of a court order & the thought of bailiff's turning up may spur them into action or at least the truth.

If this is a legitimate photographer then it's strange. I would expect this type of behaviour from an amateur who may have lost the images and now burying their head in the sand. A professional would (I hope) have told you if there was a problem then used their insurance to fix any technical issue or compensate you if heaven forbid nothing could be done.

So if she says she sent them and you say she has not, this could all be cleared up by her sending them again.

I'm really sorry to hear about your frustrating situation! It sounds like a legal matter, and small claims court may indeed be the right option. In the meantime, you might want to check if there are any police cases VA or public records VA related to this business that could help you understand your options better. Sometimes accessing VA crime records or VA criminal data can shed light on any patterns or potential legal issues. You could also try finding additional details through public sources like Virginia detention info. Best of luck with everything!