Groom Trying To Blackmail

<p>Shot a wedding and the groom was very difficult throughout. Bride wanted formals but groom wanted candids only. Would not cooperate throughout but we did mange just enough formals to make a satisfactory album.<br>

B&G have received the images on disk and now want wedding album plus two parent albums, which they have not paid for yet. Groom is saying he's not satisfied with the images and if we do not provide the albums for free he will write bad reviews on wedding forums. </p>

<p>How should we handle this extortion attempt?</p>

<p>Do you have their positive reviews about the photos in writing? Can you ask why they want albums of pictures they're 'not satisfied' with?!</p>

<p>I don't like being threatened, so when someone would be as bald as the groom in making such a demand, I tend to be as direct in return.</p>

<p>If it were me, I would tell them to go ahead. Most review places allow rebuttals. In the rebuttal, I would describe exactly what he said to you.</p>

<p>It is a pain to track down every forum they may go to but it would be worth it to me.</p>

<p>I would refuse to continue to do business with them. I would get both of them (B&G) on a conference call, and explain that they a) have their images, and b) you have met all the requirements of your contract. So, since they are authorized to reprint, they can pursue the albums themselves. Because you don't like being threatened (or you feel uncomfortable with them or something), and are not obligated to continue to do business with them.</p>

<p>Just make sure you <em>did</em> meet all the requirements of your contract first ;-)</p>

<p>As Nadine says, I would also tell them to go for it (bad review) and then follow up. Though any rebuttal should be short, objective, and unemotional.</p>

<p>Thanks Marcus, I was trying to say that the B&G album was included in the agreement, the 2 parent albums were not. Sorry for the poorly constructed statement. So we'll produce the B&G album and refuse to provide anything beyond that. Or should we just refund the monies for the B&G album and be done with it? </p>

<p>I'm confused. What contractual arrangements were in place? How could you get into the job without working out the difference of opinion between the bride and groom? There are things really wrong sounding in this story.</p>

<p>Those can't be changed so...</p>

<p>The groom sounds unreasonable. I'm with Nadine: call his bluff and tell him to go ahead. Then consider suing him for defamation, libel, blackmail, extortion, and violation of the 8th Commandment (9th if referencing the Talmud). Add in some damages caused by him being a complete jackass. Then sit back and count the days until the marriage goes on the rocks or fails... and they lose all interest in their wedding photos.</p>

<p>I am in complete agreement with Marcus and Nadine. If there are any unfinished details, deliver those with delivery confirmation (emails or courier) and then follow Marcus's advice to end all ties with them. Once you have completed all the things you were <strong>originally contracted</strong> for, cut them loose and move on.</p>

<p>This bad review threat is used sometimes and to little effect. It really sounds like to me, he was setting you up from the beginning. <br />If during the pre-wedding consultation, he was opposing her wishes, then you might have made a bigger effort to get things clarified before the wedding. This is a lesson learned for next time. If on the other hand, all was smooth during the consult and this came out of the blue on wedding day, then he was setting you up I'll bet.</p>

<p>Brian and Peter, during the pre-wedding consultation there was no discussion of candids only. There is a significant age difference between the bride and the groom and the bride expressed to us that he did not like the way he looked in the engagement shoot. The striking difference in ages made him appear even older. We believe that's why he was trying to sabotage the formals throughout the wedding day. There were other circumstances that probably added to his insecurity but I won't go into details here.</p>

<p>In addition to his insecurity he was a hard negotiator from the outset. It was obvious he wanted to bleed as much as he could out of this agreement. Extorting two parent albums was just icing on the cake, using the lack of enough formals (because of his actions) as his reason for the "compensation". </p>

<p>Manuel, have you delivered everything you were originally contracted and paid for?</p>

<p>Oh you're in for a good time (facetiously written, of course). He sounds like a bit of a loser. BTW, I'm considerably older" than my wife (and look older too) but that only put me in a better mood... and has kept me in a better mood ever since. Too bad this guy has a chip on his shoulder about something or other.</p>

<p>There's a word for what he's trying to do - extortion. Plain and simple. It's also illegal. Hopefully he was dumb enough to send that demand to you via e-mail. Then you simply make sure you have delivered everything in the contract, take the e-mail and his phone number / address down to the local police and present it to them. </p>

<p>He'll go away at that point. </p>

<p>Whatever you do - keep a written record of all conversations, contacts, emails, etc...from this guy. And don't stoop to his level by insulting him, calling him names, etc... on a photo forum. (which I don't think you have to this point) </p>

<p>If they've paid for the album - give it to them. State plainly and clearly at delivery that you have met the terms of the contract and that any further albums will require additional payment. Also tell him in no uncertain terms that you will seek legal recourse if he posts anything that is not factual about you or your services on any review site. </p>

<p>Dave</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>So we'll produce the B&G album and refuse to provide anything beyond that. Or should we just refund the monies for the B&G album and be done with it?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>You should produce the contracted album, and refuse to provide any further services. refunding the monies for the B&G album, and refusing to provide it, potentially places you in breach, which opens a whole can of worms (potentially). Leave it closed, ignore the threats, deliver the contracted goods. Compulsively search the internet for untold hours in the coming months ;-)</p>

<p>I would not worry to much about trying to 'get him back' for his threats to review you poorly. There is something we have (here in the US) called the 1st amendment. While we like to bluster about defamation, extortion, and all the rest of it (? 8th commandment?), if you were to<em> threaten to</em> (or actually!) <em>sue over a bad review that would be a publicity nightmare</em>! Gawd talk about sinking <em>your own</em> ship! That's just pure stupidity (from a business perspective), but I expect that David was being a bit facetious ;-)</p>

<p>Marcus - </p>

<p>I was not talking about filing a lawsuit against the Groom. I was talking about turning him into the police for extortion. And no I was not joking in the least. </p>

<p>The groom is trying to get something for nothing - ie 2 additional albums for simply not writing a bad review or reviews of the photographer. Threatening to do or not do something bad in exchange for money or compensation is extortion. Plain and simple and it is not legal and it is not right. </p>

<p>As for the amendments you mentioned - yes - we do have those - and the groom certainly has a right to post his opinions of the photographer. Where it breaks the law however, is when the groom said - If you give me two albums for nothing - I'll keep my reviews to myself. </p>

<p>As for it being a PR nightmare - I don't think a groom in jail or on probation or with an injunction / legal proceedings over his head will be giving any bad PR. </p>

<p>My take on this is that the groom is a bully and is used to getting his way. Time for someone to call his bluff. </p>

<p>Dave</p>

 

<p>I do not know of any place where extortion is not against the law. Maybe Somalia but I suspect you don't take your wedding photos there. If you don't show a little backbone and stand up for your rights it is sure as heck that nobody else will. I think you need to tak to the bride and point out that in your opinion you are the target of an extortion attempt. The Supreme Court ruled not too long ago that "opinion" is not slander or libel.<br>

The other option is go hide in the closet until all those bullies go away which will be never.</p>

<p>Get it on tape. </p>

<p>Personally, I would have cut and run right at the beginning. With the disagreement as to approach, and then the dislike of the engagement shots ... the red flags should have been at full mast. </p>

<p>However, we wedding shooters tend to be "glass half full" positive thinkers, and sometimes can be blinded to potential hazards in the road ahead.</p>

<p>I would not attempt legal action ... this is a civil matter ... not criminal. The client thinks you did not deliver something, and wants compensation in return. It is just business. He has every right to review your work publicly if either satisfied, or not satisfied. Whether threatening to "out you" publicly "or else" is considered "extortion" is a matter for the court to determine, but if done would probably end up sensationalized in the media ... where photographers are usually the losers because of the public's perception of photography as a whole (thanks to the Paparazzi).</p>

<p>Frankly, this is yet another example of "something for nothing" from a growing public that increasing doesn't value photography, and resents the prices for a product being turned into a commodity by a flood of "Earl Sheib I'll paint any car for $299" wedding photographers.</p>

<p>I'd ignore the threats, complete the contract, and emotionally prep for a maelstrom of criticism on the album you still owe them. </p>

<p> </p>