A situation that happened nearly 10 years ago caused me to learn a valuable lesson, which I wanted to share with you guys.
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31 Comments
Hi! You guys have asked me a few questions about this video, so I thought I'd answer them here 🙂
1. "Did she ever respond to your video?" No, she has not.
2. "Do your families still speak?" No. Our families do not speak, we have not had any contact after this situation. My Mom and her Mom are also no longer friends.
3. "Did you appeal the verdict?" No. I gave up after I lost the first time.
4. "But you said it was a gift, you shouldn't have been expecting anything." I was being polite by offering as a gift, she declined and insisted on paying me. The final agreement between both parties was that I was to be paid. Initially the agreement was just wedding photography, but then she started adding on extra things. Because I was under the impression I would be paid, it wasn't a huge deal to me. I was wrong for making that assumption.
5. "Do you have any idea if they still use your pics today?" Ah, I really don't know. Maybe?
6. "Would you sue someone again if need be?" Yeah, I would.
7. "Do you have any idea if they see your work now?" No idea.
8. "Who paid for the court hearing?" I did. It was about $85 to file.
9. "How did your experience effect taking pictures for family + friends?" I tend to avoid photography for close friends/relatives at all costs. Personal decision of mine. It has saved me a lot of relationships.
10. "Where did this happen? Lebanon?" This took place in Michigan. I made a mistake editing out a small snippet of my video where I mention I came back from vacation in Lebanon (sorry guys I edited this at 2am and watched it 50,000 times so I missed that).
The purpose was just to share my story as a learning experience. Nothing else.
Thank you for all the comments and for watching this video. Love you all. AND GET A CONTRACT! 😛
You do always need to get something from the client saying what they are expecting you do do and what you are willing to do, in the form of a proper signed contract for paid work, and at least an email if you are working Pro Bono.
However when its friends and family it is all too often a "I really like what you do, just do your thing" situation. This makes it really easy for them to turn around and say, "Sorry, but this is not what I really wanted/expected …." when the product is delivered.
In Jessica's case it looks to me as if her friend didn't really know what she wanted, and was happy with what she got, then when others got involved, perhaps expecting a more "traditional" set of wedding photos, they kicked off the situation which followed. We don't know of course, but it might have been the in-laws who were paying for this all along and it was them who pressured the bride into not paying, after all she has to live with these people.
i am from Nepal and i have had people take advantage of me and not pay me too 🙁 your video brought back all those bitter memories !!! But so glad you are doing fine now.
Watching this clip hits so close! I did a complete branding project for a local business, on the last proof I sent her she never responded and completely disappeared. I found out she had printed everything with the watermark and was still using it. The things we learn when we're young and in college! CONTRACTS AND DEPOSITS ARE SO VITAL!
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The greatest word any young business person or any business person can learn is NO
I like how you turned a horrible situation into a positive. 😁 well done you!!
Your ‘friend’ sounds like a complete and utter bellend!! I feel sorry for the sucker who married that!
She was 100% in the wrong with this and you sooooo clearly should’ve won that court case. $300 isn’t exactly a huge amount at all. It’s actually a really low price for all the hard work, time, resources etc you used. Even IF she didn’t like the photos (which by the sounds of it is total bull 💩) the kind thing to have done would be to pay you!! Goes to show what a cold, callous, heartless and VERY selfish little bish this woman is!!
Karma will get her. In the mean time, sit with pride at the business you have built for yourself and all the success you have and how many people support and admire you. 😘💜
If anything good came out of this is that you pursued a photography career which was probably not in your plans. Gotta at least give her thanks for that even though she wasn’t a good friend and a total cheapskate. Thank you for sharing your story.
That lady who scammed you is SCUM.
the light is bothering me so much…..
Remember folks: Even if you win your day in court, actually getting the money you are owed is another ball game.
Damn I was hoping for a happy ending.
Oh wow you like like a older version of my friend AJ especially your glasses are exactly like hers
Im angry for you right now
In your videos where you take pictures of strangers, do you have them sign contracts?
10×25=300 ? what
That light is hurting my eyes.
Beginners learning. It's not word vs word. It's paper vs paper. I believe – to earn means profession. That means you must have license that obligates you to sign a contract. However as unlicensed you can make projects up to $500.00 today ($300 back then) in California. Yet – you need a written contract. No such a thing as "verbal contract". Judge doesn't know who's lying. When I worked as unlicensed the customer knew that… at the end he refused to pay. I called him a thief in front of his wife… but he just smiled. I couldn't touch him with my pinky – it was in his house. He made $4000.00 that day.
This is the problem with photography today. When PPA was fighting the copyright fight, I told them that licensing of photographers was more important. One should not be able to charge for photographic services without a licence.
I can go to Wal-Mart and buy a great set of clippers and fabulous scissors. But I cannot charge to cut hair if I do not have a license from the state.
It should be the same in photography. One should not be able to call oneself a professional photographer without meeting a set of standards. If this were in place, Jessica could have saved herself a huge amount of time and effort. She could have said, "I'm sorry, I'm not licensed to be a photographer." End of problem.
This has been the issue with photography since George Eastman created film. Anyone can be a photographer if they just say that they are. But it is not true.
Jessica told her client that she was not a photographer, but they pressured her to create the images anyway. "Because anyone can photograph a wedding. All you do is push the button." Her friends obviously did not understand that there is so much more to it than that. And Jessica did not understand that at the time.
This is why there should be a set of criteria before one can claim to be a professional, before one can charge for one's images. If you do't hire a professional, let the buyer beware.
I do audio for video production and haven't had an issue like that yet. So, NOTED. I can't believe you didn't win. I had a lawyer tell me if you take someone to small claims court you always sue for the max amount. That sucks.
I don't think this is uncommon. As a business owner I have been taken to court, lucky for me I won every time. You are so strong to keep going, I know so many people that give up after something like that. You rock girl.
When you pause and read but she reads it anyways 😢
But I really see the photos
Once I had done a photoshoot for charity . It was very very cheap I e. 10$ for single and 25$ for couple shoot . In that period a famous celebrity of our country approach towards us. She want us to do photoshoot of her and her daughter . After photoshoot she just paid us 15$ and never return again .
This is just an example . There are many hilarious cases happened to me here in Nepal. I have lots of heart broken stories . Photography in Nepal totally sucks . 😡😡😥😥😭😭
I bet she would have hired the future Jessica (because your a pro now!)😘….
I've been there. it sucks. but look at you now. but thank you for sharing this experience.
i just do photography for fun, and with friends however they use it for their instagram business accounts. I hardly charge them and most the time i have to remind them to pay. i really dislike people who don’t understand how much work goes into photography and time.
Just watching this made me mad I cannot imagine how you felt omg
How about sharing your current contract or similar with us?
You lost the battle but won the war!
1 thing to say:
Uff