My husband, my son and I had our family pictures taken almost 4 weeks ago. We hired a professional photographer to take these pictures. She was the only one in the area that we liked the style in which she took the pictures. We paid a lot for these pictures. The most we've ever paid before. The day we had the pictures taken, I wasn't happy. She took a lot of pictures of our son, which is fine, but I also requested family photos, pictures of my DH and myself, pictures of my DH and LO together and then pictures of me and my LO together. We didn't have hardly any family pictures taken and none of the others. Also, the package we chose was for 2 locations and 2 outfits. We had the 2 locations (although it was once again just pictures of my son), but not the 2 outfits. I had also requested one of the locations be near water/beach. Never happened. I was disappointed at the end of our time with her (which went over by 1 hour). She posted 5 pictures for us that night. They were awesome and we were really happy. We couldn't wait to see all of the other pictures. However, since then, there have been a few setbacks with her. She emailed me a week after we had the session to let me know that she was taking the following week off because they were moving. Fine. But, it's been 4 weeks and we still have no pictures. I've been trying to be understanding. She's 7 months pregnant with 5 kids. Plus, her husband has been having medical problems and they've been going to the dr a lot. She does however, keep doing other photo shoots. The only way I know all of this is because we're friends on Facebook and I see her postings. I'm starting to get a little impatient. How long should I wait before I say something? When is it too long to wait?
I did forget to say that we paid her that day and she cashed the check 4 days later.
You should not wait a minute longer if you paid for something and you are not happy with the services, the longer you wait the more leverage she will have to exscuse herself. good luck and sorry that happened.
I agree you should call her. Yes, she's busy and has a LOT going on, but this is her business and you've already paid her, so yea, call her and keep calling her in my opinion. I think you should be nice, calm, and somewhat understanding due to her issues, but the bottom line is you paid her, she promised a product and you have not recieved it. Does she have an office or maybe she works out of her house? If you don't get a response back by phone (and quite frankly, I don't even know if I'd settle for email at this point) then I don't think it's out of line to go to her office and ask questions. Don't be rude, but you deserve to know what's going on.
Call her and ask to see the photos. Ask when you can get yours. I would not wait anymore. Although I can be a nag, but you have already paid her. I would be on the phone now. I hope you settle this quickly!
I would've already lit her up.
If you can tell that other people have gotten their photos that were taken AFTER your photo shoot, I would ask her about yours. If not, then perhaps just send her a message (maybe through Facebook?) and just ask about her husband is doing, how the pregnancy is going, how the kids are doing, etc. without actually mentioning your pictures. Maybe when she replies she will have an explanation & offer a time you should be getting your photos.
No, you should contact her. If she was too busy to get your photos, then she wouldn't be doing other shoots as well. The fact that she didn't take many photos of you and the other family and mostly on your son would be upsetting to me as well.
Did you pay it all upfront, or just a deposit? Does she have a turnaround policy? I'm sure she photo edits the photos which can take time, so what is her policy on that?
I definitely think you should say something- but what you say depends on what the actual agreement was. just for comparison, the photographer who took photos at our wedding in May took HUNDREDS of shots and I had a folder of prints, an online file that I could use to order more and an entire ALBUM in about a week and a half!
Was this like a 'handshake' deal where the two of you just agreed that she would take these specific pictures? Or did you have a contract or at the very least a list of ALL the specific groupings and poses and outfits and locations, etc. that you wanted? I am not saying that the photographer shouldn't have provided each and every one of them- but unless you had them all written down, I can totally see how some could have been missed.
It does sound like this woman has a lot on her plate- but if she is in fact a professional, and wants to be paid as such, then she needs to suck up her personal life and provide everything she was supposed to.
If you have a contract or even a list of shots, I would write her a polite email or call her and just say " We really love the pictures that we've already seen from our photo shoot. But we are still waiting for some of them. I know we had a lot of different poses that day. Can you please give me a date when (list specific shots, groupings, outfits, etc. that are missing from what she sent you) will be ready for us? I really need to get some prints made and sent out to relatives."
This is as nice as you can be and gives her EVERY opportunity to step up and finish her job professionally. By asking for a specific date, you have set up a deadline to get the photos. By saying you need to send them to relatives, you are turning the pressure up a little. As long as you keep a polite tone, I don't think you ought to feel bad about this, as she should have gotten all of them to you in the first place.
IF she either doesn't get back to you again, or tells you that she did not take all the photos you requested, that's another matter. If she just doesn't get back to you, I would start stopping by, leaving her messages and emails each day, etc. No matter how busy she is, she ought to be able to return an email.
If she just didn't take all the poses you wanted- well, if you have a contract, you can take her to small claims court if you absolutely have to. (hate to go there, but you did say it was a lot of money) or ask her to return part of the payment. You could ask her to go and take more pictures, but that would just start the merry go round all over again.
You've waited long enough. Be polite, but say something! And be specific! Good luck!
Had she mentioned a how long it typically takes her to edit and what ever the pictures? I actually wouldn't have expected them back in two weeks and with a move, it might take closers to a month. BUT the fact that she is still shooting would mean she will be way way behind.
I think a month is a reasonable amount of time to inquire. especially since she has your money.
Was any payment given to her yet? In FULL?
Did you sign a contract?
If she is a legitimate 'business' then you can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
Also, she is being HIGHLY irresponsible because she is also doing other photo shoots.
She also told you at the last minute, that she is taking off because she is moving. Yet, she did not even fulfill her end of the deal.... giving you your photos.
Do not be polite.
Call her, state your complaint, calmly and remind her of the contract you had with her... hopefully you do have paperwork/a contract for her services...?
Because, that is the bottom line.
Did she EVER state, WHEN your photos will be completed and given to you?
ALSO, photos of your son was taken, BUT not the rest of the family. WHY? I would have, at that time of the photo shoot, told her this. And your specifications for the photo shoot, was NOT done, as you requested. For which I assume, she said she would do. But did not do.
Lots of things she did NOT do.... for this "job" she was hired to do.
And you were disappointed at the photo shoot and now. Because you did not get the results you requested, from her.
You did not get 'family' photos... but only photos of your son.
It seems, she is just getting her money... without doing her job as she promised, or stipulated in a contract. IF there is a contract.
She is also doing other photo shoots... but did not YET complete YOUR photos and you did not yet get any final product.
Tell her this.
All of this.
She is wrong.
Don't wait.
It has already been 4 weeks.
And she had NOT made any attempt, to fulfill this job to completion.
I would definitely be asking where my pictures were. Four weeks is plenty of time to have them done.
If it were me I would have already called her to find out what is going on ! I know things happen - and do it in a calm manner but you do need to find out when your pictures will be ready to see.
I had a similar issue.
We did a 30 minute location shoot which was supposed to be park/nature like. Instead we got a building and a garden off to the side and it lasted for about 20 minutes because she said it was "too hot".
I got edited pics not 6 hours after the shoot and the 3 we got were good. Then we didn't hear from her at all for 2 weeks. Then I started calling once a week for 2 weeks then I called every other day for 2 weeks then called every single day til I got my pictures...unedited and incomplete...that I had to pay for through Walmart. So I called repeatedly for another week to get her to send ME a CD with all the pictures on it and finally, nearly 7 weeks after the shoot, I got my pictures. All of us squinting, all of us looking in different directions and the only pics that turned out ok were the ones of my oldest son and daughter...Live and learn.
Tangent sorry. What I'm saying is, 4 weeks is MORE than enough time to get pictures done. This is her JOB. Its what you paid her to do. Regardless of her hardships, she entered into a contract with you the minute she cashed the check. I would start calling...every day.
If she's 7 months pregnant, has 5 kids and a husband with Medical problems, she might wanna reconsider her profession or hire an assistant. Either way, her drama is not your problem.
Sorry if that's harsh...but business is business.
Sending good thoughts your way...
You have every right to be upset by her lack of professionalism, as well as not following through with your requests. I would most certainly address all of the things you mentioned above with her. Like you said, you already PAID a LOT for your session and photos, and in all likelihood, will not be doing this again anytime soon. I'd be darn sure I got what I asked for, even if it means having another session - AT HER COST - to complete the photos you asked for that she neglected to take.
I would just send a follow up as to when you can expect your photos. What was the process you went through? I am receiving some right now that we had shot 9 weeks ago. It took her about a week to put the proofs online, and another week to get them to us. Then we took our sweet time deciding what we wanted, and some back and forth to get them cropped the way we wanted. It took about 1.5 weeks from that point to get the prints and the canvas should be coming any day, but she is away in TX and so we won't get it until she gets back. She has been very communicative, even if her time estimates have been a bit optimistic.
SAY IT NOW! Just ask her where things are at with the pictures? How soon can you expect them?
Use Facebook as your tool to call her out about her customer service. This is what a friend of mine did with a major applicance company which refused to pay her agent money for work she had done on some big advertising back in February. She tried to get her agent to be more proactive but she still didn't have her money, she tried to reach out to the company contacts that were on the set of the advertisement but still didn't get her money, once she blasted them on her Facebook and theirs, she had her money in less than one week.
Go and get your money back or your pictures use Facebook as the means to your end and success to you.
