Couple Pays for Wedding Photographer, Then Asked For Additional ‘Album Cover’ Fees

[uhoh7]

One the one hand I found Wedding clients could be difficult. On the other hand in a situation like this I would have waived the 150, unless the deal was really clear beforehand.

Of course, I never even used contracts at all, just email spelling out the understanding, or verbal. But I never released images until fully paid.

My logic was any dispute was a loss.

In a hundred weddings I never had anyone mad at me in the end. 🙂

 

[colyn]

In all seriousness, did a search on BBB.org for "Polito" with no results for her.
http://www.bbb.org/search/?term=polito&tobid=&location=Arlington,VA&filter=businesses

Only photographer is in Wappingers Falls, NY. Probably not her.

I can only wonder who it researching these articles for NBC? Does NBC have a list of her bookings?

You didn't do a very good job of searching. I found over 300 hits in less than 30 seconds.. She also does flowers.....

 

[tunalegs]

Where are these kid's parents?

 

[leicapixie]

I used to do Weddings and it was both a privilege and fun!
I always met the Couple prior to doing the gig.
We would do "Love Theme" pix or engagement shots.
If I Liked working with them and Families, I would shoot the wedding.
These were no charge!
The prints theirs to keep.
The Families met by showing the Prints from our first and sometimes, 2nd take..
A roll or two, an hour to 3 hours with showing.
It is one of the most important days in the life of a woman..
I know most wedding photographers never do this.😡
I was a close friend by time of actual Wedding.
I did a few gig in So-Cal with extremely wealthy people.
I was usually pre-paid.
It was before Digital, for me.
A DVD is a problem?:bang:
That is typical cheap pro doing their meanness.
No contract will be supported if the one signing is placed in a worse position after.
I guess the Phone companies have not been tested in a court.😀

 

[jwc57]

Interesting dilemma for both parties. I've been thinking about offering wedding photography again, but I want to do it my way--which isn't how it is done. You do what the client wants. Whether we're hearing the whole story or not, Ms. Polito should have handled this problem before it got to the media.

(On a side note, I read the comments on the original NBC article and came across a photographer who found his name listed with this DFW photographer when he Googled her name. Evidently, this is common. I didn't realize my SEO should include my competitor's names too. I wonder if bad publicity for her, could affect him).

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Not wasting my time to read any links ...
You are just married and have nothing better to do to worry about additional $150 when the entire wedding might have cost 50 grand ?:bang:
Yes, they made a mistake by not having the contract checked first by their lawyer. 😉
I give this couple two years max. and they will divorce because they fight over some irrelevant sum of money.
Get a life 😀

I must agree, there is fault on both sides. Asking for $150 (margin included, probably) on a $6,000 gig is tacky at best. Ditto on the couple making a stink about it. The couple deserve the stress over it, and the photographer the bad press.

If the profit margin is less than 10% for the photographer, maybe the photographer needs to revisit prices.

Under-promise and over-deliver; good for your business, good for a couple who have other stressful and important things to worry about.

Sheez wheez.

 

[DNG]

.....
Under-promise and over-deliver; good for your business, good for a couple who have other stressful and important things to worry about.

Sheez wheez.

Always a good practice, and aids in "Word of Mouth" Advert.

 

[rogazilla]

I was quick to make judgement when I saw the news. However more information are surfacing and one email that someone posted shows the photographer offered to proceed if she would make an selection on the cover. It did not specifically said it is free but from the way I read the email, it sounds like she is saying not to worry about the cover fee.

The email was sent to the client a week before the story broke. News station contacted the photographer the day before the story broke which didn't give them much time to prepare an interview or provide all the proofs. Then in the news they say they couldnt reach the photographer at the time for comment.

So now I reserve my judgement on both sides. Easy to fake an email... but also sounds like media is trying to make a story, people love this type of story. A lot of he says she says at this point.

 

[jsrockit]

How the hell is this news?

 

[Ranchu]

If she has the emails that prove the couple are lying she should post them. The internet has the rules.

 

[Ranchu]

Lol, of course she's "done now". That's what she's trying to accompish. This Neely person is somewhat annoying, so perhaps there will be emails.

 

[Ranchu]

Excellent. Got to have the emails now. If not, Neely wins.

 

[DNG]

looks like what you dish out is served right at you...

Serve kindness get back kindness
Serve revenge, and get back revenge

 

[enasniearth]

Wedding

Wedding

I'm thinking of changeing my residency
Back to Dallas Texas ,
I left there in 1981
Should make me availible
For a jury trial
So I get to hear the story and decide .
With Internet spin and blog such
Who knows what the real story is,
Only a long sequestered jury trial
Will revel the TRUTH .
I think much like our modern society
They are both lying
Or some grey shades of truth at best .


The entire situation is a reality tv show ,
Or a mainstream internet news update .

 

[Ranchu]

Update

Update

There's a bunch more statements about the information here, but this part is pretty amusing.

"Asked if Polito plans to change her billing practices so the contract explains the album cover is extra, Wishnew said the cover “was disclosed to Mrs. Moldovan as an a la carte item, and the contract (she) signed clearly indicates the availability of a la carte items for additional cost.”

The emails the Moldovans received from Polito’s office manager, however, indicate there was no version of the album available without an additional charge.

Wishnew also said Polito informed the Moldovans verbally “on multiple occasions” about the extra charge.

The Moldovans insisted they were never told.

Asked if Polito plans on giving the couple their wedding photos, Wishnew said Polito emailed Neely Moldovan hours before the interview to “make concessions and assume the cost of the album cover.”

In a copy of the email which the Moldovans provided to NBC 5, Polito wrote, “Please let me know which cover you would like for your album and we will proceed with your album order.”
Polito never specifically said she would give it to them at no additional cost, which had been the subject of multiple earlier emails.

“Will there be a fee for the cover?” Neely Moldovan asked Polito.

Polito never responded, Moldovan said.

In her email to NBC 5 on Wednesday, in which she referred us to her attorney, Polito said “a follow up story would likely only lead to further coverage of inaccurate and untruthful statements.”

Asked what she considered inaccurate and untruthful in the NBC 5 report, Polito’s attorney declined to answer.

“This is not the forum in which we want to discuss those statements,” he said."


http://www.nbcdfw.com/investigation...ver-Says-She-Did-Nothing-Wrong-289532021.html

 

[Niyon79]

That sounds quite weird! The album cover is always included in the overall wedding album charges. You know guys my Port Macquarie Photographer charges reasonable price from his customers. I always prefer hiring his services.

 

[btgc]

So you are buying sheep from me - just like we agreed. Bare sheep, that is. Wools comes at additional charge. How comes you think wool is included?

I think, there's nothing new in this world. Probably this is why people love McDonalds so much - they get what they think they will get. Little expensive, little boring, but it's all the same predictable fastfood.

 

[Rayt]

In my job I deal with clients everyday. For clients to ask for more is typical. Seems $150 is petty when they have paid $6k. I would give it as a freebie for the potential referrals. In fact I would give extra stuff without being asked. It is tough out there and with the internet and all we need the positive feedback.