Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

As posted on picturecorrect.com today:

"A wedding photographer in Washington state was recently issued a wake-up call when it comes to client contracts. The photographer had made a verbal agreement to photograph a wedding and give the couple all of the raw images files rather than prints–a practice commonly referred to within the industry as “shoot to burn”– so they could make the edits themselves. Once they received the images the couple posted them to their personal Facebook pages, receiving many positive comments on the quality of the photography. That didn’t stop the couple, one of which is an attorney, from writing a threatening letter to the photographer demanding a large sum of money or else be faced with an $300,000 lawsuit on the grounds that the photographer ruined their wedding by taking poor quality images."

“Lesson to be learned here, use a contract when you shoot a wedding. Here’s the big lesson, even if you’re an expert photographer and you do an incredible job you could get really screwed. Even if you had a contract, there are people out there who will take advantage of you.”

The case has caused a public outrage among photographers who are sympathetic for the recipient of the letter. How do you think this case will or should turn-out?

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

The is video by Gary Fong (a well known expert in wedding photography) reads letter and does agood job of analyzing what did what wrong and lessons learned.
Really worth watching for any wedding photographer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5dUplt-hP3g#!
"I'm reading a letter from an attorney/client of a photographer who did a great job on their wedding (I've seen the images myself). Still, they are threatening this photographer with menacing words like, "Jury Trial, Jail!, You will be ruined!, I will sue your wife!" This is from an attorney! Anyway, this is my commentary."

tk Loc: Iowa

Wow. I hope the judge does rip up the suit. This is ridiculous.

nikron7 Loc: Indianapolis

Attorneys, bottom feeders.

Doe Loc: N, Augusta, South Carolina

I watched the video and after hearing what that attorney put in a letter to the photographer, I would just about put money on it that it was the attorneys wife who wrote that letter. Seriously, the letter was all over the place, made absolutely little sense, had no legal terminology and that to me is a dead give away. I just don't think that came from an attorney. I think it came from a very irate bride who probably thought she looked to fat in her dress, etc. IMHO

richnash46 Loc: Texas

There's not enough gold in Fort Knox to get me to become involved in wedding photography, and this is one of the reasons why!

saxkiwi Loc: New Zealand

ONLY IN AMERICA.. seems like anybody can sue anybody for no good reason. Its just greed and they think and do get away with it. The world {or should I say America} has gone stark raving mad.

katbandit Loc: new york city

I could not stop laughing at how absurd the letter from a so called attorney sounded..for sure this attorney is not dealing with a full deck...if I were a juror I would be kicked off immediately because I would be recommending the judge to sentence this lawyer in a mental institution for observation..anyway I honestly doubt that the lawyer will win this case..I worked as a wedding photographer and seen many so called ruined photos by my co workers ..my own daughter had a photographer that was a disgrace ..the only compensations I have ever seen these companies make is either a discounted album set and retakes of studio work..then again years ago people weren't so sue crazy like today...the photographer hopefully may still have the RAW files on the sd card or at least have only given the bride and groom a copy of the RAW files ..how can the attorney justify his claim? It's not going to fly in any court..it's not as if the photos were in any way ruining their lives is it? Plus the photographer can counter sue him and possibly do some research to see the track record of this guy..it's possible this is a tactic he has used in the past..plus it sounds like extortion to me..ohhhh please get me on that jury....

dragonfist Loc: Stafford, N.Y.

Sounds like the bride is on a power trip because hubby is an attorrney I agree with Doe in believeing the bride wrote it. It is not concisely written and to the point. It just rambles all over the place. What a lowlife.

todd gieg

I once shot wedding for a couple after which I received a letter from the bride's mother complaining that there were too many pictures of flowers on the tables and of the best man giving his toast. As a result they weren't going to pay our agreed upon price. In this case, I was the one threatening a civil suit. Afterwards I was informed by one of the bridesmaids that the family has a custom of complaining after every major expense in hopes of getting a refund. In fact, the bride complained to the ship line after her honeymoon about the food and was furious that instead of a free cruise she only received a $100 to have a meal of them. As they say, people are capable of anything. Perhaps I've been lucky but in 30 years I've only had three or four clients with whom I've had issues.

francesca3 Loc: Sausalito, CA

I don't know if this is true or not, and I may have heard this story on UHH, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is true:
A man sued the wedding photographer to retake the wedding photos because, he claimed, his wife was divorcing him and she took the photos with her!

katbandit Loc: new york city

you can't make this stuff up..lol...nothing surprises me..lol

francesca3 Loc: Sausalito, CA

I know, huh?

subroto mukerji Loc: New Delhi, INDIA

No, Sir, America is GREAT. There are a few cockeyed people in every country. Take no notice of them, they just want their fifteen seconds of 'fame'. I'm sure any judge with faith in the underlying principles of the Constitution will tear up the plaint AND give the plaintiff a day in the clink for wasting his time.

skidooman Loc: Minnesota

This letter couldn't possible have been written by an attorney. It sounds more like the ramblings of an irate bride,,that probably complains about everything. Even Gary says the images were good. When I was starting out, I did a wedding where both the B&G were attorneys. Lesson learned, now I ask what people do for a living. Needless to say my contract has been rewritten to include this statement. "Every effort will be made to obtain quality images. No gaurantee implied or otherwise is made".

I tell my clients that the sample work I show them I can gaurantee I will provide. If they are expecting something over and above the samples I show them, they should look elsewhere.