Michael Hagan Photography Inc.

The last time we contacted Michael Hagan was within the last month, as we were informed that our albums would be generated once againThis would be the 4th time we've been told that, but we never receive the albums

Review: My name is [redacted]My now husband and I hired Michael Hagan to photograph our weddingOur agreement was he would take pictures of everythingIt was him and another photographer hired for hoursHe was supposed to take as many pictures as possible and provide all pictures to me on a discThe price of $was only to take pictures, no editing, nothing, just take the picturesWhen it was all said and done I received several complaints from female guests about his unwanted advances, several guests came to me about his being rude, apparently he had some negative things to say about me to my friends and family, and upon getting the pictures I see there is so much of the day not documentedWe paid $and we do not have one picture of our cocktail party or our reception guestsThere were over people at our reception and we do not have one picture? Michael is refusing to discuss this with me giving the excuse that “it is not his fault the DJ sucked”I am at a loss what that has to do with him not taking picturesHe now is refusing to speak with me at all “ I can have my husband contact him”I am opting to have the Revdex.com contact himOur contract stated this “Reception 90% candid; Photographer will suggest standing location based on background of the photo We try to avoid beer bottle and bands, and DJ behind photo of youPhotographer to cover all reception eventsIntros, dances, cake cutting, garter and bouquet toss, CANDID AND GROUP PHOTOS.” He did not take any candid or group photosThis was my wedding dayI trusted he was a professional and would do his job, instead I am left with no way to fix what he didn’t do.Desired Settlement: I want my money back You didn't take the picturesyour whole job was to take picturesYou stood around and sat around taking the minimual pictures possibleNot documenting over half the day
Business
Response:
June 1,
I am grateful that **[redacted] has turned to the Revdex.com of her own accordHonestly, I need some support in helping to bring my experience with this client to a reasonable conclusionTo assist Revdex.com staff and **[redacted], I have provided as much point-by-point information below as I can think of, but first some context
As a small business owner who works with people on a day that is so laden with anticipation, expectation, and anxiety, I have seen a lotThe one constant in all weddings is that they never go according to planMost of the time, unexpected things come up, and often, stress invades the dayThe enemy of my profession is anxiety or any negative emotion; it impacts how people pose, how they interact, and therefore, how they are captured in photographs
To combat this, I have spent over twenty years learning to adapt and make the best of any situationAt **[redacted]’s wedding, this meant:
Acknowledging her very visible concern when the hair stylist ran late, and helping her put it in perspective so that she could enjoy her day
Helping the DJ address technical problems he was having with his equipment and playing the correct music for the special dances
Complimenting women, men and children on their appearance (this is commonplace – with the exception of professional models, most people are ill at ease in front of a camera; acknowledging, in an appropriate manner, how good people look, helps them relax and allows their best nature to come through)
Helping to give **[redacted] space by letting her now-husband, know that she was concerned and what she was concerned about (the groom usually has anxieties of his own, and knowing that all is covered and usually helps)
Even when we make the best of a situation, photographers can influence, but not alter a weddingWe are not wedding plannersIn fact, our job is to blend in as much as possible so we can capture the event without unduly influencing the day
**[redacted] made clear on the day of her wedding and in many exchanges since that the day was not and did not go as she envisionedIf the way her wedding unfolded is not to her liking, it is not surprising that she would see that disconnect in my work, which saddens meBut to blame the photographer for whatever disconnect(s) there may have been, is a bit like blaming a thermometer for a feverMy job was to ameliorate and adapt as best as my experience and skill enableAfter several exchanges that have only served to further frustrate us both, and that have now deteriorated into serious accusations and gross distortions, I have stopped engaging directly with **[redacted] until someone can both witness and assess where we are, or until she can be open to a constructive rather than combative exchange
This is not exhaustive, but is my best effort at speaking to the major complaints **[redacted] has alleged:
“Everything” - It is not possible to take pictures of everythingIn fact, part of what I get paid for is knowing what NOT to take pictures ofAnyone can snap photos indiscriminatelyMy job is to capture the good, better and best moments of a weddingIf I inundated clients with pictures to sort through, most of which would neither look good nor elicit positive memories, I wouldn’t have a business
“Advances” - I have respect for peopleAt no time to my recollection did I say or do anything that was an advance of any kindIn fact, on the day of the event, several guest and even the minister who married that couple, saw me trying to help the DJ and generally calm nerves paid me compliments for the way I handled several situations beyond my role as a photographerThis claim concerns me greatlyIt has been made without substantiation, and is counter to my values as a family man and as a professionalSuch flippant accusations of something like this cannot continue
Music/DJ - **[redacted] quotes me as stating that her DJ “sucked.” I never said thisI DID state that her DJ’s services had a negative impact on my work, which is factualThere is a difference between reasons and excuses, and this is a very real reason for the limited number of candid photosBy definition, a candid photo is not stagedThe bridesmaids actually worked at trying to get people to dance and enjoy the music without successI cannot capture a candid photo of something that didn’t happenEven if I am mistaken that the work of the DJ was not to blame, there were limited moments when guests were demonstrably having the kind of time **[redacted] seems to have expected me to captureI do my work because it is enjoyable to capture people having a good time, so the more there is for me to shoot, the betterOutside of portrait shots, I cannot make people visibly enjoy themselves
Group/Table Shots - It is true that ONE of the reasons I do not take “table shots” at a wedding is that it is usually not flattering (and people do not appreciate) when photos are being taken of them while they consume food, have beer bottles in their hand, etcThe other reason is that guests generally consider their table seat to be a kind of home base, or opportunity to recharge, to not be “on.” When a photographer interrupts a meal or a conversation at a table, the result is seldom a relaxed, positive expression
Dancers - My colleague and I took a number of photos of the Irish Dancers; this is trueThe reasons are: a) it was the only dancing we could capture outside of the first dance and parent dances, and b) it was one of the things that made this wedding uniqueIt was a personal touch that I presumed the couple did for a special reason and would want well coveredThey were not taken at the expense of other photos
Shipping - **[redacted] complained to me that the initial DVD set did not arriveAs such, I sent another set at no cost to her, and sent it USPS Priority Mail with trackingThe Postal Service did take an unusually long time to deliver it, but the tracking document proves when it was sent, method of delivery, and delivery dateI can only direct her concerns about why one set was lost and the other delayed to her local postmasterI am happy to send copies of the tracking documents that prove this
Not Speaking - It is also true that I have stopped responding to **[redacted] directly for nowI am unable to appease her despite my best effortsFurther engagement can only deteriorate the situation furtherWhile I probably could have handled some of my own responses better, a transcript of our electronic exchanges will show that accusations and attacks are how she began this process and that these have only escalatedAfter decades in business and in life, I have learned that there are some individuals who actively refuse to be satisfied
Cost - To be clear, I am not willing to refund the $paid for this wedding in whole, or in partBetween the cost to pay a second photographer, which was at her request, and the hours I have spent trying to resolve this at the expense of securing other business, it is the one resolution I cannot agree toThe overwhelming majority of my clients are not only happy, but post unsolicited positive reviews about my work in the public spaceTwenty years of such reviews run counter to almost all of the claims made against me by this one clientMoreover, I am not comfortable setting a precedent that the path to a free or discounted wedding photographer is to attempt to bully me in public or privateThis is how I support my family, and I think this letter shows just how seriously I take and protect what I have spent a lifetime buildingI am open to other suggestions that might bring this matter to healthy closure, but further monetary impact to me is not on the table
I look forward to partnering with the Revdex.com in moving this to a solution that is based in honesty and goodwillTo-date, both have been lacking on the side of the client
Sincerely,
Michael Hagan
Michael Hagan Photography