Couple sue wedding photographer ... “woefully inadequate” service

Jim Snow · October 6th, 2009, 10:16 AM

The bride said she went to eleven wedding fairs to find this guy - - makes you wonder what she was doing at these fairs.

Noel Lising · October 6th, 2009, 10:19 AM

Jim if you have read the article, a different team came to shoot the wedding. I assume the guy does decent work, I guess he screwed up in hiring the 2 guys who shot the wedding for him.

Ethan Cooper · October 6th, 2009, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

Easy does it... we're not going down that road here.

Just for the record there was no malice in my asking, I was just curious to see their demos. It's your forum so I'll respect your wishes... even if I can find the site.

Jim Snow · October 6th, 2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noel Lising

Jim if you have read the article, a different team came to shoot the wedding. I assume the guy does decent work, I guess he screwed up in hiring the 2 guys who shot the wedding for him.

Noel, I did read the article and I invite you to reread it Couple sue over wedding snaps | The Sun |News "Bungling Bowers also did not bother to edit out a section of video where a camera operator dropped his equipment and swore during the church ceremony."

The photographer who did this botch job also edited the video that was shot by the crew that he hired. If he does such "decent work", why didn't he bother to edit some of the junk out of the video complete with the shooters profanity!? It's fine, well and good to blame a bad shot on the shooter but whose fault is it when the bad footage is left in the delivered video!? It's obvious that he applied the same lackadaisical slop to the video editing as he did to his photography. He "screwed up" alright - - with every aspect of this job. There wasn't even a modicum of "decent work" in any of it.

Noel Lising · October 6th, 2009, 11:40 AM

Jim, I agree the video was crap and so was the photography. I am giving the guy the benefit of the doubt, the article was indeed saying that bungling Bowers did not even bother to edit out the profanity but if you look at the end credit of the video it was a different company who edited the video and not Bower's Fresh Image. Could it be they do so many weddings (production line type of studio) they don't bother to qc the product, we will never know perhaps.

Dave Blackhurst · October 6th, 2009, 02:47 PM

This would be funny (loved the "footage unavailable" in the video...) if it weren't so tragic... it's sad that this is the sort of "news" about the industry that gets aired.

They paid something over $2500 USD if I calculate right, and got back just a portion of it (they should have gotten 100% back IMO!!). Absolutely appalling. I'm fairly sure my 7 year old could have done at least as well if not better... and yes, he's learning to run camera and shoot stills properly - even his little sister could do better than 22 usable shots out of 400!

I'd expect a bare minimum of 100 usable (maybe with some post editing) shots - if those stills were representative of the "good" ones, I can only imagine how bad the rest must be, not to mention the horrid video/"editing". Can't imagine how anyone could stay in business with such low quality results/product...

And Chris, obviously these guys aren't members here - they would have learned enough to deliver good quality if they were!

Paul Mailath · October 6th, 2009, 04:09 PM

I'm still laughing - that's the funniest video I've seen in years. - are we sure it's not really a joke?

I just love the 'footage unavailable' and the camera drop AND running after the carriage.

How could anyone actually deliver that?

Dana Salsbury · October 7th, 2009, 12:01 AM

Running after the carriage did show some dedication anyway...but then maybe he forget to get the check.

Chris Harding · October 7th, 2009, 04:53 AM

Hi All

This has become world news now!! Our 5pm National Channel 10 in Australia ran the story this evening so I suspect this guy is very well known. Even if he did hire free-lancers surely he would have checked the product before delivery??? He just might have saved his business if he had claimed total equipment failure are refunded the money!! Now he has no chance of ever getting another job!!

Chris

Paul R Johnson · October 7th, 2009, 05:43 AM

It seems warning were pretty public about this guy before this wedding.
www.gowild.org.uk: Problem with Photographer

Andrew Smith · October 7th, 2009, 05:47 AM

Not only was it on the news in Australia, but Channel 7 now has it in the assortment of 'hero' news shots in their news promo.

Andrew

Chris Harding · October 7th, 2009, 07:31 AM

I also see that his website is now inactive. The pressure must have got to him and he has just shut down everything. Best to go into hiding after an episode like this!!! He would probably have to set up shop in some tiny country that doesn't know about his exploits.

He must now realise that he should be doing something else for a living now??? Hopefully not connected in the least with photography or video

Chris

Chris Davis · October 7th, 2009, 07:32 AM

From the photographer's website: "With all the pressures and costs of preparing for your special day you could be forgiven for not fully realising the importance choosing the right photographer. If that choice is wrong then it’s something you may regret for many years to come."

:)

Noel Lising · October 7th, 2009, 07:58 AM

My wife and I were discussing this article last night. We found it so horrible that we think it's a joke, or a marketing ploy (once you go to their website, it will say we caught you attention, let a pro shoot you wedding, we showed you what could go wrong blah, blah). It's so bad there must be a reason.

Dave Blackhurst · October 7th, 2009, 02:22 PM

There are those so totally clueless that I could see this happening...

How's the old saying go... no one is completely worthless, they can always be used for a bad example!

I doubt very much if it's a joke or a marketing ploy, unless it's a cry for help. Perhaps a career in fast food service or as a Wally world greeter has always been the dream, and it had been stifled by the uncontrolable urge to shoot weddings... now the dream can be realized!

October 6th, 2009, 10:19 AM	#17
Noel Lising Major Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 789	Jim if you have read the article, a different team came to shoot the wedding. I assume the guy does decent work, I guess he screwed up in hiring the 2 guys who shot the wedding for him. __________________ Noel Lising

October 6th, 2009, 11:40 AM	#20
Noel Lising Major Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 789	Jim, I agree the video was crap and so was the photography. I am giving the guy the benefit of the doubt, the article was indeed saying that bungling Bowers did not even bother to edit out the profanity but if you look at the end credit of the video it was a different company who edited the video and not Bower's Fresh Image. Could it be they do so many weddings (production line type of studio) they don't bother to qc the product, we will never know perhaps. __________________ Noel Lising

October 6th, 2009, 04:09 PM	#22
Paul Mailath Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Central Coast - NSW, Australia Posts: 1,606	I'm still laughing - that's the funniest video I've seen in years. - are we sure it's not really a joke? I just love the 'footage unavailable' and the camera drop AND running after the carriage. How could anyone actually deliver that? __________________ Cheers - Paul M. www.perbenyik.com

October 7th, 2009, 12:01 AM	#23
Dana Salsbury Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 859	Running after the carriage did show some dedication anyway...but then maybe he forget to get the check. __________________ www.LegacyHDV.com Weddings \| Corporate \| HMC150s \| FCPX \| Encore \| Lion

October 7th, 2009, 07:58 AM	#29
Noel Lising Major Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 789	My wife and I were discussing this article last night. We found it so horrible that we think it's a joke, or a marketing ploy (once you go to their website, it will say we caught you attention, let a pro shoot you wedding, we showed you what could go wrong blah, blah). It's so bad there must be a reason. __________________ Noel Lising

October 6th, 2009, 10:16 AM	#16
Jim Snow Trustee Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Santa Clara, CA Posts: 1,104	The bride said she went to eleven wedding fairs to find this guy - - makes you wonder what she was doing at these fairs.

October 6th, 2009, 02:47 PM	#21
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	This would be funny (loved the "footage unavailable" in the video...) if it weren't so tragic... it's sad that this is the sort of "news" about the industry that gets aired. They paid something over $2500 USD if I calculate right, and got back just a portion of it (they should have gotten 100% back IMO!!). Absolutely appalling. I'm fairly sure my 7 year old could have done at least as well if not better... and yes, he's learning to run camera and shoot stills properly - even his little sister could do better than 22 usable shots out of 400! I'd expect a bare minimum of 100 usable (maybe with some post editing) shots - if those stills were representative of the "good" ones, I can only imagine how bad the rest must be, not to mention the horrid video/"editing". Can't imagine how anyone could stay in business with such low quality results/product... And Chris, obviously these guys aren't members here - they would have learned enough to deliver good quality if they were!

October 7th, 2009, 04:53 AM	#24
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Hi All This has become world news now!! Our 5pm National Channel 10 in Australia ran the story this evening so I suspect this guy is very well known. Even if he did hire free-lancers surely he would have checked the product before delivery??? He just might have saved his business if he had claimed total equipment failure are refunded the money!! Now he has no chance of ever getting another job!! Chris

October 7th, 2009, 05:43 AM	#25
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	It seems warning were pretty public about this guy before this wedding. www.gowild.org.uk: Problem with Photographer

October 7th, 2009, 05:47 AM	#26
Andrew Smith Equal Opportunity Offender Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 3,065	Not only was it on the news in Australia, but Channel 7 now has it in the assortment of 'hero' news shots in their news promo. Andrew

October 7th, 2009, 07:31 AM	#27
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	I also see that his website is now inactive. The pressure must have got to him and he has just shut down everything. Best to go into hiding after an episode like this!!! He would probably have to set up shop in some tiny country that doesn't know about his exploits. He must now realise that he should be doing something else for a living now??? Hopefully not connected in the least with photography or video Chris

October 7th, 2009, 07:32 AM	#28
Chris Davis Trustee Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Willmar, MN Posts: 1,400	From the photographer's website: "With all the pressures and costs of preparing for your special day you could be forgiven for not fully realising the importance choosing the right photographer. If that choice is wrong then it’s something you may regret for many years to come." :)

October 7th, 2009, 02:22 PM	#30
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	There are those so totally clueless that I could see this happening... How's the old saying go... no one is completely worthless, they can always be used for a bad example! I doubt very much if it's a joke or a marketing ploy, unless it's a cry for help. Perhaps a career in fast food service or as a Wally world greeter has always been the dream, and it had been stifled by the uncontrolable urge to shoot weddings... now the dream can be realized!