Picture Perfect Photography

Review: The quality of our wedding pictures were extremely yellow in color. When we brought it to their attention they blamed the color of the church walls..They said walls were yellow which they are white.. They also recorded a wedding video as well which the quality of the video was poor. The photographer started videoing the wedding before it started then cut it out. There was sounds of the microphone rubbing up against her shirt and when asked she said it was ppl taking pictures.Her husband walked in front of the video and there was background noise. The quality of both was very unsatisfactory and when I called to asked for money back or for them to redo the editing on the video they told me I couldn't get any money back and the video wasn't able to be fixed.They also said they see nothing wrong with the pictures or video and couldn't understand why I was so upset. The album which the pictures came in looked very generic. The over all quality of the pictures and video was very poor and not professional. They wasn't willing to help fix the problem and had my husband sign a paper stating that they wouldn't develop any addional pictures because they "gave" us the CD with all the remaining pictures so we could try to have them developed on our own with a different developer which we already paid another $234.00 for the disc, $599.00 for video and $850.00. For the amount we paid we definately got ripped off. I had another photographer look and the pictures and video and agreed the work was very poor and when we showed the video to our family,they couldn't believe a so called professional video taped it. I am so upset that this is the memory we have of our wedding and they wasn't willing to give money back or edit the video better and fix their mistakes. I wouldn't recommend anyone to book them for their wedding.Desired Settlement: Since they are telling me the pictures can't be fixed nor the video can be re edited the only other option would be a refund. No matter what the outcome is, we have bad pictures in the church that can't be replaced and a video that is so horrible I can't watch it for it brings me to tears.

Business

Response:

This letter is in response to the complaint which you forwarded to us from [redacted] regarding photography.

It is with much sadness that we have found it necessary to respond to the complaint. We strive to please all of our customers and pride ourselves on a long list of satisfied customers. I spoke with the [redacted] several times trying to resolve this dispute. I gave them approx. $881.00 in a reduction of prices, the original cd’s and a portrait. This wasn’t mentioned in her complaint to you. We did everything possible to please them.

Let me give you some details concerning this customer.

We first met the [redacted] at a bridal show in [redacted]. Then we again met with the [redacted] at [redacted] where they again looked at our work in detail. They also saw a sample of the album which their 4x6 photos would be in. It is a basic album that will hold 300 prints. At no time did the [redacted] say the album was "generic" and show any discontent with the sample album.

In Nov. 2012 we received a check for $100.00 as a downpayment for the photography with us. Mrs. [redacted] had not made a decision on which one of the three packages she wanted. At that time Mrs. [redacted] ask if we could design a package for her between our bronze and silver package. She desired more 4x6’s and less 8x10’s. Although it is not our practice to deviate from the packages in our brochure, (I am enclosing one for you to see) we made the exception and designed a package for $850.00. The package seemed to please the [redacted].

Yellow pictures:

Approximately 3 weeks after the wedding as we had agreed we had their album completed. We met so that they could get their album. The first thing Mrs. [redacted] said when we were getting ready to view their album is that her pictures(the ones she took) were very yellow. She was anxious to see ours. When she saw ours she was very pleased. She said oh they are good. She liked all of them. Never mentioned that ours were yellow. At that time we also showed them a cd which we had prepared which had additional pictures on it. These were ones that were NOT in their album. We offer our customers the choice to buy the entire cd. We give the owner the copyrights to this cd so that they can make their own copies. We normally charge $2.00 a picture and sometimes $1.50 a picture depending on the numbers of photos. We reduced the price for the [redacted] to $1.00 per picture. The [redacted] purchased this cd that evening. It is difficult for us to imagine why you would purchase the cd if you didn’t like the pictures. The [redacted] showed no signs to us of not liking all of their photos. They were very happy and had great compliments for them.

I made a colored copy of the photo which you sent to me in black and white.

I tried to explain to Mrs. [redacted] that the walls of the church are an off white color. Mrs. [redacted] is saying the wall are white in her complaint. She is definitely mistaken. The picture I am enclosing shows that the color of the walls to be a yellow. The side walls and on each side of the front insert where the cross is hanging are lighter that the insert. You can see from the photo the two different shades.

You can also see that if something in the picture is white it photographs white. Such as the pew bows, Mrs. [redacted]’s dress and the runner, they are white and are white in the photos. So the walls are definitely not white. They are more of a yellow shade. Notice on the 4x6 photos how the stain glass windows let the bright sunlight shine through and it also reflects a yellow light. The [redacted] is not the first wedding that we have done in that church.

I copied one of the previous wedding pictures that we did a year before the [redacted] so that you can see the coloring is the same. I might add that the previous wedding was taken with another one of my cameras. We have 30 years experience in photographing so we are well versed in our business.

Take notice again on the large picture how the cross has an electrical light shining down on it which will also reflect in any picture.

We are the photographers and we have to use what type of environment and setting is available in the church. Our cameras photograph exactly what it is. If it is the bride and groom’s choice to use that church they cannot blame us the photographer for the color of their photos. It is incorrect for the [redacted] to slander and try to discredit our work.

Video:

A week before the wedding Mrs. [redacted] called to ask if it was too late to schedule a video. We agreed to do a video for them at that time. As we discussed with them at our meeting at [redacted] Bread our video is an unedited copy of what you actually do that day. We do no editing unless there is something that the bride or groom do that disgraces them such as fall down etc. It is not a movie production. It has no background music. Its

$599.1 explained all of this to the [redacted] at [redacted]. It’s a basic video of their special day. We have new video equipment. Our microphone is built into the camera and is very sensitive. So there is no way that the microphone was touching my shirt. Its built into the camera. I do know that a girl was in the first pew and she was taking pictures. Her camera made a clicking noise each time she took a picture. I tried explaining this to Mrs. [redacted] but she would not hear of my explanation. Again I am the photographer and I know my business well. That is what you hear in the video. It was not my place to tell that girl to move out of her seat. After the wedding you don’t hear the clicking noise from her camera. So that definitely explains that it was the camera behind me. Also if it was rubbing against my shirt wouldn’t that same sound be throughout the entire video. It is not. The camera was on a monopode and was not in any way touching my clothes or body.

The wedding was to start at 2:30pm. The groom’s mother was in place to be escorted down the aisle. Our video was running. After a while the groom’s mother sat down and the wedding was delayed. So of course we paused the video. It is boring to watch a video where there is no action. It is our policy to pause the video at that time. Again the groom’s mother moved to her position and again sat down. So again the video was turned to pause. Eventually the wedding started approximately 10 minutes later. And we were able to run the video camera. It was not our fault that the video had to be paused due to their delays. We are experienced with recording videos and know when to pause the camera.

I don’t believe that Mrs. [redacted] understands that you cannot redo a video.

Once it is transferred from the camera to the cd it is complete. I tried explaining this to Mrs. [redacted] several times. And there is no reason on our part to redo this video.

In order to help satisfy Mrs. [redacted] I offered to give them the original cd’s ($500.00 value) with every single picture that we took that day. This is NOT a practice for us to do but we felt that we wanted to do whatever we could to make Mrs. [redacted] happy. If we sell them to customers and for a wedding their size the cost would be $500.00. We gave them to [redacted] for free.

At the time that Mr. [redacted] came to pick up the cd’s on his way home from work we all signed a release of contract. We gave them the original cd’s so we would be unable to supply them any further photos. We all agreed. This paper needed to be signed to protect all parties.

Mr. [redacted] stated that he worked for a media company and that he was going to have them work on the photos. The [redacted] have beautiful outdoor pictures in several different locations. I had a 24 x 20 outdoor photo framed and offered for Mr. [redacted] to take this home for Mrs. [redacted] to see. The framed photo was never returned to me. I sell that size photo unframed for $149.00. When I ask about it Mrs. [redacted] said oh that is just a poster. It is not a poster. It is a 24 x 20 portrait that I intended to use in my display and I don’t use posters in my display.

Mrs. [redacted] had her wedding photos displayed on social media soon after she received them and she received many comments on how beautiful they are.

We are kind business people and it is not our practice to run others work down.

However, I am sure there are photographers out there who will, thus the comment that the work was poor. Our work can only reflect the surrounding area that we are photographing and that does not make our work poor. We use the finest developer in the tri-state area and he doesn’t let anything leave his establishment unless it is the finest quality possible. So neither we nor he can agree that the video is of poor quality. We pride ourselves on our work and work ethnics. And its oks if Mrs. [redacted] wouldn’t recommend anyone to book us. We have many many satisfied customers.

In conclusion:

We feel that we have gone far beyond our limits to make the [redacted] happy. We gave them original cd’s with copyright worth $500 plus a framed 24 x 20 photo worth $149.00 as well as the discount of $232.00 on the extras cd. That totals $881.00 that we have given to the [redacted].

How can Mrs. [redacted] feel that she wants the entire purchase price back.

What about the outdoor pictures, the reception pictures, all of the others in the church that do not have the church’s yellow background such as downstairs before the wedding, coming down the aisle etc. How could a customer expect the full price returned.

We are sorry that we cannot make the [redacted] happy after several attempts. It appears to us that the more we give them the more Mrs. [redacted] is asking for. We were unable to discuss any topic in detail with Mrs. Polando. She would cry and then hang up on me.

We have gone well beyond our limit to please them. We would suggest that they take another look at their photos and realize how many beautiful pictures they actually have. We have again watched their video and if we were them we would be so happy that we captured so many photographic memories of their children, families and friends and they will have those for many years to come.

Thank you

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. I feel that nothing in response that the business has responded has anyway shown that they have tried to resolve the matter. To respond to some of the businesses statements such as we first met them at a bridal expo where we had won a free portrait session along with a 11X13. When I called them to go over their packages since we didn't have a big family Dana said she would customize a package for us. As her brochure states"IF NECESSARY WE CAN CUSTOM DESIGN A PACKAGE TO SUIT YOUR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS" so we was suppose to get the 11X13 which we won at the bridal show, 2-8x10's, 2-5x7's. I also have the letter she sent me on November 27, 2012 stating this information. She is making it seem as if she only lets you order the packages but if you read the brochure, it clearly states otherwise. It also states in the brochure that the engagement photo is included with each package, which we never got as well.

Regarding the pictures she is showing with the other wedding, it clearly shows her photography work once again being "yellow" tint. I had a conversation with the pastor of the church and he clearly will state that the church is white and will contest to that. I had the pictures reviewed by a photographer who will totally disagree with Ms. [redacted] stating that her quality of the pictures in both the church and reception hall were of poor quality. If you look at some of the church pictures our skin tones even are yellowish as well that was also brought to my attention of another professional photographer.

Responding to the wedding starting late.... I can give you depositions of the pastor, guests and anyone else there at the wedding. It started on time. She starting filming before the pastor was even in his robe. A professional, like she is stating she is, would know that you need not start filming till everyone is there and he is in his attire or before the wedding is starting. I can and will enclose the video which has been reviewed by several who will agree that it is poor quality. Not worth the $599.00 that was paid.

From the first time I saw the pictures at their house my first response was that they was really yellow.. I at no time said my pictures were yellow because I didn't take any pictures of myself. Remember I am the bride... I have several pictures from my friends and family from cameras and on smart phones that will show that they didn't have yellow pictures. She said there was nothing she could do about it and at that point I asked if it could be a problem with the developer, and that is why we purchased the CD to have someone else develop to see if they could lighten them up and also because the majority of the outside, ( better Pictures) was on the disc.

When we picked up the pictures, the video wasn't yet made.. She later called and told us we could pick up the video and so when my husband did, she gave him a picture of us that she had displayed at the fair and told him that it was ours. That night we watched the video and within the first 5 minutes I called her to tell her that I was unhappy with it and wanted to know what my options was. She said that it wasn't able to be edited and that she didn't have it still on her digital camera any longer so I was surprised when she said she has since then reviewed it because she told me and my husband that she no longer had any copies other than the one she had made for us. I asked about a refund and she said that she thought the video was good so I took it along with the pictures the next day to work and showed some of my coworkers. They all agreed that the quality was very poor and I definitely needed to call Picture Perfect to see what could be done. I never hung up on [redacted], in fact, I had a doctor in the office for my whole conversation and he can verify that I didn't hang up on her, she was at her bank on her cell and kept disconnecting the call herself.. The doctor will testify to the call being he was there for the whole conversation.

On the social media comment... The comment was on how beautiful we looked as well as the bridal party. The comments wasn't about the photography and some of the pictures were from others that was taken as well, not just of Picture Perfect.

I feel that nothing has been resolved. We took their suggestion on reviewing the video and pictures again and still feel the same. The CD that they gave us with all the pictures on them was for exchange so they didn't have to give us our enlargements. We still did buy the other CD that had the same pictures on it as the CD with all the pictures, the picture that they gave us and then wanted it back and then again said we could keep it was for the fair to show on display. She told my husband it was ours because the fair was over and it was too big for her studio. We also gave them a delicious dinner for both of them, which cost us $90.00 with desserts and unlimited drinks which wasn't in the contract but did it because we are not unreasonable people. We just wanted one of the happiest days of our lives to be captured on pictures and video. All we are wanting was our church pictures and indoor reception pictures to be fixed and not have the yellow tint and for the video to be fixed since that can't be done we wanted some money refunded. We was hoping to get something resolved here since we couldn't resolve with them. It was also brought to my attention that there was another complaint filed with the Revdex.com with another unhappy client and that it was resolved. We are hoping to resolve this matter by them giving us a partial refund.

Sincerely