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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU not to pay for photos ?

40 replies

Jamontoast123 · 05/09/2016 08:29

Good morning ,We recently had a ceremony a blessing for our ds and hired a photographer who had recently qualified . We were promised quality photos . We instead received sub standard photos , the backs of people's heads with my son in the distance . As a gesture of good will we offered to pay for his time and told him to keep the photos.
He has since told us that he suffers from anxiety and is having CBT . He goes on to say that it is his birthday tomorrow and we have ruined his birthday and now his breathing is effected ! HELP not sure what to say to him . I don't want his photos even more so now.
He says he wants full payment as he paid his a fellow photographer that he choose to bring along . He ended the email by threatening us with legal action .
What should I do ?

OP posts:

justilou · 05/09/2016 09:24

He sounds like a manipulative twerp to me. If he wants to earn money in this profession (or in fact, any profession) he has to work on making a good reputation. This is not how to go about it. I would tell him to stop being manipulative - if he continues in this vein you can always threaten to publish his photos with a review.

CafeCremeEtCroissant · 05/09/2016 09:27

Withdraw your offer of payment. You shouldn't be paying anything if the photos are so dreadful. Combine Peonies & Arfs posts.

Download the photos.

I'm glad your friends had lots of nice photos for you 💐

FrancisCrawford · 05/09/2016 09:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Squeegle · 05/09/2016 09:32

I think you're being very fair to pay for his time. It is a shame re his anxiety but it shouldn't mean that you buy sub standard photos out of pity. You are doing the right and fair thing

PGPsabitch · 05/09/2016 09:34

I wouldn't pay him a penny and would state why in writing. If he keeps getting aggressive I'd make it clear that I'd report him for harassment.

If he thinks he has a case, which it sounds like he doesn't, he goes through small claims.

nogrip · 05/09/2016 09:34

If none of the photos are any good, I wouldn't be paying him 50%, I would be paying him 0%

Peonie7654 · 05/09/2016 09:49

Pleasure, the sad thing is you can't ge the photos back. You could add in a line about that.
I doubt that he will take you to court, he will probably ask for the 5o%.

coolandcalm · 05/09/2016 09:49

Wouldn't pay for his time either. He should be paying you.

Florabella · 05/09/2016 09:50

Did you sign a contract with him? Did you see his portfolio before you booked him? If your photos are of a similar standard to those in his portfolio then a court would require you to pay. It would be a big risk to hire a photographer for a special event without checking the quality of their work.

Wauden · 05/09/2016 09:51

A lot of people think they can set up as a photographer, point a camera and go click, but it takes a certain set of skills. Composition, artistry and such, and people skills. He is in the wrong job.

NoobThebrave · 05/09/2016 10:17

We had a similar experience with our wedding photos they were shite We started offering money but they were so rude we withdrew our offer and accepted theirs of being sued. Remarkably they then became more reasonable about a sensible discussion re improving what they took still shite and a very low fee. Yes we had seen recommendations and a portfolio etc...who knows?! At the time I was devistated by the lack of pictures, now 200 years later I just look at the one decent one a friend took ;)

If you have things in writing, evidence etc and they really are as awful as you say (rather than not as good as you hoped) then I would not pay and tell them you would be happy to challenge them in court.

FireflyGirl · 05/09/2016 11:20

Absolutely everything in writing.

If he starts legal action, formalise your offer to pay 50% by using form N242a here.

Boring bit explaining here

Footle · 05/09/2016 12:35

Sorry Fetch. If in doubt, assume it's a joke ( of sorts ).

Original poster

Jamontoast123 · 05/09/2016 14:37

Thanks everyone for your valued opinions. i have maintained the offer of 50% of the fee to cover his time. Gosh ....(.to think i even included him and his colleague in the head count for dinner). I have told him that we obviously can not agree and should he wish to take it to court then possibly that is for the best. I want nothing from this person . Lets see
thanks again for all your advise everyone ..... and your humor x

OP posts:

pluck · 05/09/2016 16:49

I was just coming on to make the same point as Pan: if there were any legal argument, he would have used that instead of going on about anxiety, etc. (which wasn't the basis of the contract to provide services!)

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