What Would You Do? What Should I Do?
What Would You Do? What Should I Do?
Just a single topic today I need some help with!
I’ve been sent a story about a well known photographer who is giving major JB vibes but there’s a few things at hand. I do not know where to go with it.
I’m in a conundrum and I need help. What would you do? What should I do?
If you could weigh in below I’d greatly appreciate it.
Despite what many think I do not relish in kicking people when they are down. Sometimes though things need to be brought out into the light despite the personal issues at hand. The bottom line is if you take money for a service and cannot provide said service, you need to give that money back (ideally without forcing the client to sign an NDA which is a whole WTF on its own).
There’s a lot of chatter behind closed doors and in group threads about a somewhat well known photographer within their niche who has been running the spin cycle on why they can’t refund their perpetually rescheduled/canceled sessions/weddings/workshops/retreats… going back at least 7 years.
To be fair, it seems that recently this photographer has been allegedly battling some health complications and currently has a Go Fund Me. I’d give grace if everything I’m being told/reading about had taken place within the past couple years but given that it is at least 7 years it’s something that can’t just be brushed off IMO.
As we all know, part of running a business in photography (being the photographer or the teacher) is that it doesn’t matter what is happening in your personal life. Deaths, illness, injuries - it doesn’t matter. Clients don’t give a fuck. They paid you for a service and you deliver that service. You either show up, send in a solid replacement or you refund. That’s part of running a business that takes money for a service that only you can give be it teaching or being the photographer.
I’m sure that most of us that have been in the industry for a while have at least one story about a time we photographed something while battling something else that the client didn’t know about. I’ve photographed weddings through illnesses, pain, within a few days of surgery, after beloved family deaths, broken bones, AFTER BEING LIT ON FIRE (fuck sparklers), and everything in between. It’s what you have to do when entering this industry. Does it suck? Yes but it’s part of the game. No one forced you to become a photographer and choose this life.
Back to this photographer. It seems to be rare that refunds have been given and if/when they are given, the client is forced to sign an NDA that they won’t talk about what happened (which BTW may not be legally enforceable). Which is why I’m assuming it’s all being talked about in closed groups with winks and nudges hinting to the story rather than someone just pulling a Corey and going, “Listen to what this fucker did to me!” and telling the story - oh and probably because the whole “beloved” industry leader BS stuff.
It seems there are a few different situations happening.
One - clients that have booked them for photo sessions and weddings have not had the services performed due to the photographer’s inability to work. They’ve been given various reasons for reschedules including deaths, illness and “preserving their peace.” Refunds have often not been given, most often they ghost the client. It seems a lot of these clients were photographers who looked up to this person and admired their style and wanted to work with them. However, given this chatter is all taking place in photography groups that’s probably why it’s mostly photographers talking about sessions they’ve booked. It’s very possible there’s other non-photographer clients out there who are also in the same boat.
Two - photographers who booked retreats/workshops with this photographer. The ones that did attend have a lot of valid complaints which basically boil down to the workshop not going on as advertised (accommodations aren’t as advertised, meals not included when they were supposed to, shoot locations aren’t what were advertised etc. etc. etc). Then there’s ones that had issues with retreats that were rescheduled and didn’t happen. It seems this is where most of the complaints are.
Three - photographers who paid for online classes that were not delivered.
I’m at a crossroads here to be honest. Do I cover the full story, name names and risk the pitchforks and threats to burn my house down for the sake of getting the story out? Or do I just sit on it and hope the story makes its way around and justice comes in the form of the nudges and winks?
Note: this is a WPPI speaking, trade show owning, product shilling, author kind of photographer. This is not a random.
After this year of insanity I’m leaning towards not naming and shaming but the more I read the more I want to risk the ire of the photography community since this photographer is allegedly still booking things and has at least one retreat for 2025 that is currently booking.
If you know who I’m talking about and have your own story to add, please message me. I can keep your info anonymous but I’d like to have a better understanding of everything that is happening/has happened.
I say expose, as long as there is plenty of solid proof to back it up. No matter who it is, there is always backlash. But if someone wants to come after you and say the claims are false, then the onus is on them to prove that. Good luck to them, at that point.
I say yes, but to just, yanno, word it politely and empathetically, as you've done here. You're good at this; sticking to facts, being dispassionate, understanding, humanizing of the folks involved, etc.