It’s official Marc S. Schwartz of Celebration Studios was sentenced on Friday to one year probation and ordered to pay $152,443 in restitution to 20 photographers, but he doesn’t even have the cash to pay up. I think this can be a lesson to all those photographers considering shooting for wedding mills, and brides that choose to use there services. And what does it do for the photographers reputation that is shooting the wedding?
Because the guests don’t remember Celebration Studios, they remember the photographer who shot the wedding.
So, what are we, as photographers, doing to combat this? Are you telling your brides about these horror stories, or are you letting them find out for themselves? If you are telling them is it making a difference. We all know people are trying to save money, and business is a little tougher than usual so what can we do to book these brides. I think we should surely be able to… I mean google “celebration studios” the complaint list is a mile long, but they continued to book brides. What where they doing that you weren’t? (besides robbing people)
Celebration Studios were also charging couples a decent amount of money for photography. This couple was charged $5,500 and received nothing. So these brides were willing to invest a decent amount, they were not searching out craiglist photographers, they were investing in their special day and instead of investing with you (which the should have) they invest with crooks. Why?
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5 Comments at "Wedding Photographer Sentenced"
Informing brides about the terrors of wedding mill studios is a tricky situation. When I’m meeting with brides I try to keep it ALL positive and avoid any “bashing” of anyone else, including these types of studios. On the other hand education on this subject from other types of wedding professionals like planners and coordinators would certainly be taken in a better light by the prospective clients, I would think.
Great post!
What the heck are wedding mills? This sounds horrible in MANY respects.
I agree with Rich. I personally can’t stand it when sales people talk down the competition to lift themselves up. Stress the positives and emphasize what sets you apart from the competition (regardless if they are the craigslist photog, Uncle Bernie with his new camera, or a wedding mill). Let your work speak for itself.
I agree too
So WHAT was Celebration doing RIGHT to get the brides to book all of those weddings ? Imagine IF they had actually delivered ? Were they actually shooting the weddings or just taking the money and not even showing up ?
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