Black Money Business Jobs : Horrible Experience with Black Business Owner

IFE

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Jan 20, 2015
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In planning our 30th Anniversary celebration, I found a Black female photographer on Thumbtack.
We set up the shoot for Friday, Sept 29 at 3:30pm in downtown Atlanta. She sent me pictures of her studio which looked very nice.
We had other plans after the photo shoot, also in downtown Atlanta.

I received a call from the photographer at 11pm on Thursday, the night before the shoot, saying she had a family emergency and could not do the 3:30 shoot. Asked if we could move the time up to 2pm.
I was literally speechless. The plans were set. We had dinner plans after the shoot for 6pm with another couple.

I’m thinking about all this and can’t respond, What do you say when a so-called Black Business owner does this. I asked her to hold on while I spoke with my spouse.

He was a lot upset and said just cancel and tell her to return the deposit.

I tell her this, and she says, OK, well do the shoot. But I can’t do the shoot in Atlanta.
We can do the shoot in Conyers. I couldn’t speak. Didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know where Conyers was.
This person is changing all my plans.
This convo is taking place via text messages.
I stop texting to talk to my spouse.
We agreed to the 2:00 shoot and said we’ll have a good time anyway.

The shoot was horrible. She kept having us walk in front and she was taking pics of our backs. My husband and I are suspicious of this and talking among ourselves that she doesn’t have film in that camera. She must have pretended to be taking pictures by staying behind us.
It was totally ridiculous.
The shoot ends. We pay the balance and she say we should receive the pics in 3 days.
She emails the photos. All 17 photos.
I select 2 photos. The rest are horriable. And I tell her so.
3 days later when I go to get the 2 pics printed, I’m told the photos are copyrighted and the cannot be printed and sold back to me without the photographers permission.
It go’s further downhill from there.
I tell her I can’t print the photos without her permission. She text me back to say she gave me my photos and stop texting her!!! She is quite insane.
I contact Thumbtack. They say they will look into the issue.
She’s still not responding, so I call the police and tell them the photographer has my money and photos and refuses to to return the money or the photos.
The police officer told me to send her a 10 day letter to return the money or photos within 10 days or a warrant will be issued for her arrest.
I send the letter to her thru text and email.
She was angry, and texted me, finally, to curse me out for “threatening her”.
She tells me I’m blocked, and stop messaging her.
I text back (I hate texting) I will be texting you until I receive hard copies of my photos, and it’s not a threat. The police said if it’s not resolved in 10 days they will take the report over the phone. A warrant will be issued for your arrest.
After 2+weeks, I finally got the photos.

Why, why, why can’t we do business with each other.
I’m more upset because she is a Black female business person that I wanted to do business with, and she did not know how to do business.
She’s got some surprises waiting on her.
I reported her lack of business ethics in a complaint to the BBB, Contacted Conyers County to see if she had a business license. She does not. Told them what was going on. The took all the information.
Gave a HORRIBLE rating on Thumbtack.

What should have started and ended in one day, lasted nearly 3 weeks.

STILL SHOPPING BLACK.
 
In planning our 30th Anniversary celebration, I found a Black female photographer on Thumbtack.
We set up the shoot for Friday, Sept 29 at 3:30pm in downtown Atlanta. She sent me pictures of her studio which looked very nice.
We had other plans after the photo shoot, also in downtown Atlanta.

I received a call from the photographer at 11pm on Thursday, the night before the shoot, saying she had a family emergency and could not do the 3:30 shoot. Asked if we could move the time up to 2pm.
I was literally speechless. The plans were set. We had dinner plans after the shoot for 6pm with another couple.

I’m thinking about all this and can’t respond, What do you say when a so-called Black Business owner does this. I asked her to hold on while I spoke with my spouse.

He was a lot upset and said just cancel and tell her to return the deposit.

I tell her this, and she says, OK, well do the shoot. But I can’t do the shoot in Atlanta.
We can do the shoot in Conyers. I couldn’t speak. Didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know where Conyers was.
This person is changing all my plans.
This convo is taking place via text messages.
I stop texting to talk to my spouse.
We agreed to the 2:00 shoot and said we’ll have a good time anyway.

The shoot was horrible. She kept having us walk in front and she was taking pics of our backs. My husband and I are suspicious of this and talking among ourselves that she doesn’t have film in that camera. She must have pretended to be taking pictures by staying behind us.
It was totally ridiculous.
The shoot ends. We pay the balance and she say we should receive the pics in 3 days.
She emails the photos. All 17 photos.
I select 2 photos. The rest are horriable. And I tell her so.
3 days later when I go to get the 2 pics printed, I’m told the photos are copyrighted and the cannot be printed and sold back to me without the photographers permission.
It go’s further downhill from there.
I tell her I can’t print the photos without her permission. She text me back to say she gave me my photos and stop texting her!!! She is quite insane.
I contact Thumbtack. They say they will look into the issue.
She’s still not responding, so I call the police and tell them the photographer has my money and photos and refuses to to return the money or the photos.
The police officer told me to send her a 10 day letter to return the money or photos within 10 days or a warrant will be issued for her arrest.
I send the letter to her thru text and email.
She was angry, and texted me, finally, to curse me out for “threatening her”.
She tells me I’m blocked, and stop messaging her.
I text back (I hate texting) I will be texting you until I receive hard copies of my photos, and it’s not a threat. The police said if it’s not resolved in 10 days they will take the report over the phone. A warrant will be issued for your arrest.
After 2+weeks, I finally got the photos.

Why, why, why can’t we do business with each other.
I’m more upset because she is a Black female business person that I wanted to do business with, and she did not know how to do business.
She’s got some surprises waiting on her.
I reported her lack of business ethics in a complaint to the BBB, Contacted Conyers County to see if she had a business license. She does not. Told them what was going on. The took all the information.
Gave a HORRIBLE rating on Thumbtack.

What should have started and ended in one day, lasted nearly 3 weeks.

STILL SHOPPING BLACK.
tell me what format are the pictures that you received in ?? why did the people say they were copyrighted ??

i may be able to help you have them printed.

also, can i share your letter with my black photographers group ?
 
Unscrupulous business people have no color except green. Never enter into any business transaction involving goods or services without a written contract or agreement. The outcome of a civil suit depends heavily on the plaintiffs complaint including proof involving breaches of contracts or agreements before a judge or mediator. Professional photographers belong to recognized associations and have to follow industry guidelines. I don't know your situation but I would have conducted the transaction in her studio and asked for verifiable referrals before leaving a deposit. Also I would only satisfy the balance of payment after receiving all that was agreed to when entering into the original transaction. The BBB is not the same from it's inception as now a business can pay for their + rating. Whoever told you the pictures she sold you were copyrighted should have submitted written proof then you should have submitted a written complain the US Department of Patents and Copyrights, also your State Attorney. Your text conversations are going to weigh heavily in your favor but when she ordered you to stop texting her you should have stopped lest she file a harassment complaint against you. Any complaint lodged with a law enforcement agency should always be placed at the agencies office and they should provide you with a written copy of your complaint and the name of the investigator assigned to your case. You should have been advised to also send your demand via a certified return receipt letter. If the remaining photos she sent you via the US Postal Service were also copyrighted she committed mail fraud and you should lodge a complaint with the US Postal Inspectors Office. If she charged you tax for any of the services she provided for you contact your State Office of Finance and Taxation and The IRS to see if she is registered by them to collect taxes and forward same to them as a business owner legally required to collect taxes for goods and/or services. I hope this helped in some way.

Thank you symbol.
First, the matter is settled. The 10 day letter that the police offer suggested I send, did get her attention and we completed the transaction.

We’ve had several shoots and you are correct. We’ve always signed a contract before paying the deposit.
I found her on Thumbtack. In a kind takky way we entered into a lose contract on their site.
I did contact the Us Copyright office. I was told anything an individual writes is automatically copyrighted.

Exp: he’s doodling on paper while we’re talking. When he signs his doodling that is the Copyright.

On a camera, a copy right is included, inbedded in the camera. With each photo the Copyright is there. I checked this information on the internet.
The photographer did not know her work was copyrighted. Said I was the first Customer to “complain”.
It was to much drama for me to met a person claiming to be in a business she knows nothing about. It was frustrating. I called my last resort - call the police. I hate that. Why couldn’t she act right.
I had to send her a copy of the Copyright pamphlet.
I even said, one Black Woman to another, the Copyright is a good thing.
It cost $2.30 - 2.50 to print 8/10 photo.. I’m telling her photographers do a 100 percent markup, for packets.
I’m trying to help. She didn’t understand the advantage of printing her own work.
I don’t do drama and I felt I was being drawn into a situation with a female with a passion for drama.
I had to end this.
She thought we were girlfriends.

Her Black Business care should be provoked. She’s messing it up for everybody.
 
tell me what format are the pictures that you received in ?? why did the people say they were copyrighted ??

i may be able to help you have them printed.

also, can i share your letter with my black photographers group ?

I have the photos and the matter is settled.

I go to fedex, down the street from me, to print photos.
A Copyright is embedded in the camera.
I have never had to print photos from a professional photographer. I’m out of my element and she doesn’t know what to do.
I have to tell he, and eventually force her to complete the transaction.

I don’t know what the cause of her action towards a customer was.
I think she is trolling the internet to con people out of their money because she has a camera. She only too 17 pictures.

According to Fedex, the can print the copy written photos. But the cannot sell them back to me without her permission.

I sent her several text and emails asking for the permission slip. She wouldn’t respond until I sent the 10 days or warrant for your arrest. Return the money or give the photos.
( the officer gave me her name to ask for her and she would take the report for the warrant oveer the phone)

Feel free to share this with your Black Photographer group.
 

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