Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The photographer had a promotion for women to get their photo taken and included once the photos were you get a complimentary photo.The original photo shoot was scheduled for Dec 26th I received an email a few days before stating that I would have to rescheduled which I was okay with that.I rescheduled for January 16th of this year.Photos were taken we did a **** call to look over the photos which was odd to me because I thought you were suppose to be given proofs and then you decide.So I picked out some that I thought I liked most of them I didnt not like.I was going to purchase them but after thinking about it I sent her an email explaining to her that I did not like the makeup in the pictures.So I thought about it again and decided at the time that I would take the complimentary for now and get back with her later on regarding the other photos.Well I never heard anything from her I signed a contract stating that I am entitled to a complimentary photo.

  Business response

  02/15/2023

  Dear Ms. *******,

   

  This email is in reply to the complaint you received about my business, AJ **** Photography from Tina **********. 

   

  To start, Ms. ********** responded to an ad I had placed offering a discounted photoshoot to women over 50. What this photoshoot entails is: A $149 session fee. This fee mainly pays for my hair and makeup artist (her fee for that day was $120. My business received $29 for this session.) The session includes: a **** consultation to go over wardrobe or discuss any particulars for the session and answer any questions, a full makeup session with a professional makeup artist, a 90 minute to 2 hour photo session, and a **** reveal where the client can choose 1 photo as their complementary digital image and purchase others if they choose. Please see my website landing page for all the information about this photo special:

   

  
  

   

  On November 15th, 2022, Ms. ********** contacted me through this website and scheduled a phone call to discuss the offer and whether she wanted to book. I make sure to go through all of the particulars with the client before they book the session. Ms. ********** said she did want to book, paid the $149 session fee, and we set up a day and time (December 29th, 2022 at 10am).

   

  A few days before the shoot, Ms. ********** contacted me and said she may need to reschedule because she was having difficulty finding a ride to my home studio, and that she would let me know if she needs to reschedule. The very next day I woke up with a bad cold and I send Ms. ********** an email asking if we could go ahead and reschedule anyway since I was sick and I wanted to make sure that I wasn't exposing Ms. ********** or my makeup artist to any illness. As she stated in her complaint, she was fine with the reschedule.

   

  On the day of the shoot, I told Ms. ********** to make sure to let my makeup artist know exactly what she wanted the makeup to look like for the shoot. Ms. ********** had a photo, and showed the photo to my makeup artist, and they discussed it. I can't honestly tell you what they spoke about specifically because I was busy setting up my backdrops and lighting. I do remember my makeup artist asking Ms. ********** her preferences on several different things including eye shadow color, lip color, etc.. After the makeup was complete, Ms. ********** was given a mirror to look to see if the makeup was to her liking, and both my makeup artist and myself said to her that if she didn't like anything or wanted anything changed, to please let us know. She said at that time that the makeup was fine.

   

  We did a 90 minute photo shoot, during which time I showed Ms. ********** the back of my camera on several occasions so she could see how the photos were turning out. After the shoot, she was very complimentary about the shoot and her experience overall. We then set up a day and time to meet over **** and look at her photos.

   

  She states that she believes a **** call to review photos is unusual, and that her impression is that she feels she should have been given proofs to look at. Every photography business is different and handles this a different way. Many show proofs to a client before any purchase is made, many give clients an online gallery to choose from, and many have **** reveals like I do. **** reveals are actually very common now after COVID. I did mention to Ms. ********** more than once that I do the photo reviews on **** and she never expressed that she had any problem with reviewing the photos on Zoom.

   

  When we did the reveal over Zoom, she also never expressed that she was dissatisfied with the photos. Several times on the **** meeting she expressed that she liked the photos. I reminded her that my portrait special included one digital photo complimentary, and she told me which one she wanted as her complimentary image. I asked her if she wanted to purchase more, and made sure to let her know that she was not obligated to actually order any photos. She told me at that time that she would like to purchase her top 5 photos, and I sent her an invoice for those.

   

  From my perspective, the whole interaction went fine, and I had no indication of otherwise until she sent me an email on January 20, 2023 indicating that she thought about it and decided she did not like any of her photos, and that my makeup artist made her look like a clown. She also indicated that she did not want her photos used by me in any way. I answered and let her know that I was disappointed that she didn't like any of her images, that I would absolutely respect her wishes that her photos not be used at all in any capacity and that I would archive her photos just in case she changed her mind later. 

   

  On January 23rd 2023, I sent a second email to clarify some things and ask if she still wanted her complimentary photo. She sent an email back saying she did, and I emailed her back telling her I would send it out to her.

   

  I created an email with her photo attached, and my intention was to send the photo to her, and I actually thought I had, but apparently the email never sent. Please note that after January 23, 2023 I never received any email or any other communication from Ms. **********. She never indicated to me that she never received her image.

   

  On February 1st, 2023, while going through some other email correspondence, I realized that the email that I composed the week before to Ms. ********** was never sent. So I did send an email to her at that time apologizing for the delay and I attached the image. 

   

  Again, I never received any further communication from Ms. **********.

   

  Please Note: At the time that the photography session contract was signed, the contract did state that Ms. ********** would get "One (1) 7" x 10" print." The print is what I offer to my regular (non-discounted) customers, and was included with this discounted session by mistake. However, because it is stated in the contract that she would receive this, I have no problem sending her the print if she would like to have it.

   

  I am going to attach the email communications that we had that pertain to this complaint, along with the contract that she signed.

   

  Please let me know if you need any further information or need anything else from me.

   

  Thank You!

   

   

  

  *** J ****

  AJ **** Photography

  Customer response

  02/20/2023

   I am rejecting this response because: per signed contract agreement  I am entitled to one  7x10 print and a high resolution digital file.
  
  
  

  Business response

  02/21/2023

  As I stated in my original response to this complaint, I sent an email with the digital photo that Ms. ********** selected as her complementary image out to her email address: *******@aol.com  on February 1st, 2023. If she did not receive this email I can send the email again if she wishes. But I am also attaching the digital file to this response in hopes that she will now receive it. If Ms. ********** would like me to send this file a different way, or to a different email address, or put it online somewhere where she can download it, I would be more than happy to do so. I just need some indication of how she would like for me to deliver the digital image to her so that I can be assured she receives it.

  
  

  Also, as I stated in my original response to this complaint, I am more than happy to deliver to her a printed image. Unfortunately, Ms. ********** never gave me her mailing address. If Ms. ********** would please provide to me a mailing address where I can have the printed image sent, I will order it right away, and make sure that Ms. ********** is sent confirmation of the print order to her email address above. I just want to be clear and say that after I get her mailing address and I order the print, it could be as much as 4 to 6 weeks before she receives her print in the mail.

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