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[Aztechnology]

This is what happens when people do not follow up on the information they receive, when they bandwagon and rally on what they want to believe is happening and spread a narrative they only have a surface level understanding of. It's why people are innocent until proven guilty. Her business has been destroyed and it will take a long time to recover her reputation even having her name cleared.

Even worse In this circumstance is the media and other specialists didn't do their due diligence. I think they should be held liable as well. $1m may seem like a lot of money, but considering the lasting damages and everything the woman will have to do to get her business back on track, it's a lot less than you might think. Meanwhile news agencies who contributed in damages to her name were able to profit off this story all the way until the end.

 

[StopMakingSense]

I'm blown away about wedding photographers making 200k a year. I have two separate friends who are wedding photographers and there's no way in hell they come anywhere near that. That's absurd. I guess they're doing it wrong?

For a higher end wedding photography studio that is an easy number to hit.

 

[Doodis]

News station needs to pay as well

This. Screw the TV station for not finding out and telling the whole story in the first place.

 

[TheOMan]

Before this all happened, this photographer was booked for every weekend by the richer parts of Dallas.

Edit:

Holy crap!

https://andreapolito.com/homepage


Yeah, 1 million was justified.

Should have been more, frankly.

 

[Chiaroscuro]

It seems that the couple were not fighting for $150 even if it was a disagreement. They want the media exposure to their own business/blog.

I am fine with they getting the 1m bill they deserve it by complete destroy the photographer business.

However she should have sued the tv station too since they amplified it by not covering correctly both sides in order to create sensacionalism.

And she will not get the money from the couple, they will just declare bankcorrupcy.

 

[Kthulhu]

It seems that the couple were not fighting for $150 even if it was a disagreement. They want the media exposure to their own business/blog.

I am fine with they getting the 1m bill they deserve it by complete destroy the photographer business.

However she should have sued the tv station too since they amplified it by not covering correctly both sides in order to create sensacionalism.

And she will not get the money from the couple, they will just declare bankcorrupcy.

At least she'll get the satisfaction of seeing them ruin their credit.

 

[Pagusas]

There's no fucking profit in wedding photography/videography industry. It's fugazi. I make more working 9-5 with the comfort of not working 18 he's a day, 7 days a week.

Yeah, I intentionally avoid wedding videography, but as a corporate videographer, there is boatloads of money here.

 

[Charles Brandon]

That's what happens if you slander someone and it costs them money.

 

[Cat Party]

I get that people are rightly angered by the couples' conduct, but if you take a deep breath, $1 million is an INSANE amount of money to award.

IMO, it is not good for society when people can be tagged for such extreme damages based on their complaints about businesses. Because for every valid defamation case, there are at least 10 bogus ones.

 

[Vhalyar]

I get that people are rightly angered by the couples' conduct, but if you take a deep breath, $1 million is an INSANE amount of money to award.

IMO, it is not good for society when people can be tagged for such extreme damages based on their complaints about businesses. Because for every valid defamation case, there are at least 10 bogus ones.

Oh ok. So what's a valid amount for ruining someone's high-paying career? Should it be... something close to what the person may have been able to earn before?

Huh.

 

[RedAssedApe]

fake news smh

 

[Ogodei]

I wonder if they can subtract 50% or more from their paychecks for the following years.

Can seize whatever assets they have at the moment, and then garnish wages going forward.

 

[Saganator]

I get that people are rightly angered by the couples' conduct, but if you take a deep breath, $1 million is an INSANE amount of money to award.

IMO, it is not good for society when people can be tagged for such extreme damages based on their complaints about businesses. Because for every valid defamation case, there are at least 10 bogus ones.

It wasn't like they complained to the BBB, they started an online public shaming fest based on false claims, which annihilated the business.

 

[Pagusas]

Can seize whatever assets they have at the moment, and then garnish wages going forward.

Not in Texas they cant. Some stuff is protected like their house, their cars. Basically you cant cause someone to be directly homeless and jobless because they cant drive (Driving is a requirement for anyone in Dallas, no way around it, our pitiful DART system is horrid).

 

[SRG01]

I'm blown away about wedding photographers making 200k a year. I have two separate friends who are wedding photographers and there's no way in hell they come anywhere near that. That's absurd. I guess they're doing it wrong?

I had friends that made bank doing wedding photography, but ultimately switched careers because it was incredibly stressful and seasonal.

 

[SecretMoblin]

Having a lucrative life and career you worked hard to build come crashing down based on a vindictive, petty lie must have made her life feel like hell.

Jury awards can be obnoxious but based on the facts here I'm not sure it's unreasonable. The fact she may be able to rebuild her career based on the recent news shouldn't really have any bearing on the damage caused.

She also comes across as incredibly level-headed and reasonable, damn. Talk about a sympathetic victim.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

I get that people are rightly angered by the couples' conduct, but if you take a deep breath, $1 million is an INSANE amount of money to award.

IMO, it is not good for society when people can be tagged for such extreme damages based on their complaints about businesses. Because for every valid defamation case, there are at least 10 bogus ones.

Her entire business and livelihood was destroyed.

 

[jongkookie]

This story has hit hard for us photographers here in Dallas. I still do freelance work, mostly 2nd shooter duties for another photographer and her contracts had the same exact wording but after this went on air 2 years ago, it's now literally the first thing you see in big ass bold letters on the first page.

And right before the signature section, there's another reminder(in fact there are multiple reminds throughout the 5-page document) about this so the client cannot say they didn't see it when they looked at the contract.

But yeah, there's a lot of money to be made in wedding photography if you're actually really good and have good marketing skills. The photog I'm working with is booked every weekend from now up to December and it's absolutely crazy. I worked 4 weekends with her straight and by the end of it I had enough hence why I just freelance now lol.

Personally I feel like Polito deserves more and NBC5 to share the blame which is quite a shame, they were one of my favorite news channels here but after this? Nah, I'm hopping over to CBS.

 

[jts]

"heartbreaking, we are too cheap to pay a final $150 fee to get our lifetime memories! better to make a scandal out of this"

Fuck you.

$1m though, rip lol.

 

[jasminlovesyoux]

Before this all happened, this photographer was booked for every weekend by the richer parts of Dallas.

Edit:

Holy crap!

https://andreapolito.com/homepage


Yeah, 1 million was justified.

Holy hot damn.

A good wedding photographer is charging $3-5k+ and doing 30-40 weddings a year. Also, as a business, being a wedding photographer lets you write off an inordinate amount of daily expenses (home office, gear upgrades, transportation, software subscriptions, web hosting).

It's possible that your friends are cheaper, in a cheaper area, or that like many wedding photographers they're not really quite professional wedding photographers, but more like skilled amateurs who bought some good gear and take the occasional gig.

Yeah my buddies are definitely not as high end a some of this seems to be.

Let me give you some numbers of my company.

Prices: Roughly $3000 for a 12 hour day (Two crew members). Each member makes $50/hr = $600 a day. Assuming there are average of 2 weddings a week, that's $1200 a week for 30 weeks of wedding season (i.e. a HIGH season of 60 weddings). That's roughly $36,000 a year salary for each photographer.

Then comes the cost of running things.

Equipment cost: $1000 a month (Roughly $150 per event)
Office space: $1000 a month (Roughly $150 per event)
Hard drive and storage cost: $250 a month (Roughly $30 per event)
Editor cost: $250-$500 per event
USB: $50 per event
Marketing: $500 a month (Roughly $60 per event)

So in your earning of $3000 per event (which btw is $180,000 a year revenue), you spend $2300 per event, with a profit of $700 for the company to grow, or paying for employees meal or parking or gas or any additional overtime or setback or additional crew member.

And don't get me started on down season when you don't make any money for 4-6 months and you still have bills to pay. And don't get me started on folks wanting discounts and compensations once the wedding is done.

There's no fucking profit in wedding photography/videography industry. It's fugazi. I make more working 9-5 with the comfort of not working 18 hrs a day, 7 days a week.

I joke about this a lot but it's true: We make McDonalds money once it's all broken down by the amount of hours put into this.

You GODDAMN RIGHT IM KEEPING YOUR FOOTAGE HOSTAGE FOR $150 THAT YOU RIGHTFULLY OWE. Its way easier to do this than chasing clients who at times even leave the fucking country, over $150!

That's a good break down. I know one friend is just a solo act so their costs are significantly lower. The other I believe works for a company but I don't truly know anyones details. All I do know is they don't live lavishly and certainly aren't making over 100k a year. Small time.

 

[SwiftDeath]

At least she gets some justice from the couple but the news station seems at fault if they didn't vet the other side thoroughly enough and gave people a soapbox to lie like that

 

[SinCityAssassin]

Hopefully the photographer can get back on her feet after this, maybe do a go fund me if she'll never see that money in years.

 

[Jenov]

Wow yeah, there are lots of assholes like these that will immediately take out their self-inflicted customer stupidity on social media to slander businesses and people they don't like. It's unfortunate this one just happened to already have a small following of people due to some shitty blog, and that acted as a megaphone to ruin the photographer's business. Hope the judge sticks the damages to them, and maybe the photographer can go after the news station as well for participating in the defamation without actually checking out their claims.

 

[TheOMan]

Yeah, I intentionally avoid wedding videography, but as a corporate videographer, there is boatloads of money here.

What is a corporate videographer?

 

[clockworkinyou]

Do you disagree or are you just here to be glib?



You must have missed the part where she is hopeful this will re-launch her career, I'm pretty sure it will since she is being vindicated.

Lol shoddy legal advice and speculative business guidance all in one place. Can I venmo you some cash to advise me?

 

[Aytumious]

I get that people are rightly angered by the couples' conduct, but if you take a deep breath, $1 million is an INSANE amount of money to award.

IMO, it is not good for society when people can be tagged for such extreme damages based on their complaints about businesses. Because for every valid defamation case, there are at least 10 bogus ones.

One million is low if her claims of making up to 800k in a single year are accurate. They set out to destroy her business based on lies and succeeded.

If this story were truly based how upset and hurt she was, she would not post statements to humiliate me or harm my business. Statements like, “I’m pretty sure her business is ruined,” “I hope this goes viral,” “feeling excited,” and “justice has been served” are not the actions of a concerned and hurt bride; they are actions of an individual trying to take someone down and instigate a lynch mob of negativity across the nation. To make matters worse, I responded with a lengthy statement to the reporter on Thursday morning because I was out of town for work, and was told in writing from the reporter that “I will do my best to sum up your position to give your side of the story.” In the interview that aired, this reporter only included the very last sentence of my statement completely leaving out key information in the story.

Are your actions truly one of justice? Justice is defined as: just behavior or treatment, “a concern for justice, peace, and genuine respect for people.” In my opinion, these actions have not brought any form of justice to either of us.

Thousands of people that I have never met and have never worked with have gone to great lengths on social media to disparage my name and my businesses. The most disgraceful review of them all occurred on Yelp: someone stated, “She gave me AIDS. Photos were okay. 2 stars.” The worst and most humiliating part was that the bride’s husband “liked” the comment. On a different social media site, the groom also called me a cheater and a scammer, and someone who “steals” money from her clients. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hundreds of people followed this comment and posted the same words on a variety of other websites, including my business Facebook page, which I temporarily had to shut down. Additionally, on a different social media site someone said to the bride, “two options: 1) We need an address http:/ruindays.com/ 2) We need an address, an alibi, and large plot of land with no questions.” The bride also “liked” this comment.

http://www.blogpolito.com/

Fucking pricks.

 

[Trojita]

What is a corporate videographer?

Filming for companies?

 

[Cat Party]

Oh ok. So what's a valid amount for ruining someone's high-paying career? Should it be... something close to what the person may have been able to earn before?

Huh.

It wasn't like they complained to the BBB, they started an online public shaming fest based on false claims, which annihilated the business.

Her entire business and livelihood was destroyed.

One million is low if her claims of making up to 800k in a single year are accurate. They set out to destroy her business based on lies and succeeded.



http://www.blogpolito.com/

Fucking pricks.

These damages figures are all based on what the photographer's lawyer claimed. I don't make it a habit to just believe what lawyers claim the damages are. But I don't really know either way. It could be totally justified. I just think it's worth it to remember that the bad guys know how to use jury verdicts like this to bully people.

 

[SecretMoblin]

These damages figures are all based on what the photographer's lawyer claimed. I don't make it a habit to just believe what lawyers claim the damages are. But I don't really know either way. It could be totally justified. I just think it's worth it to remember that the bad guys know how to use jury verdicts like this to bully people.

As posted above, both bride and groom were liking and spreading comments containing death threats toward the photographer and jokey claims about her giving a client AIDS.

Her lawyer isn't the bully here.

 

[Lamel]

Precious memories! That you're too cheap to pay the $150 you owe for.

1 million is justified, they fucked her livelihood for no reason.

 

[superdeluxe]

Maybe the news should also be held partially responsible too.

$1 million for that also seems to be excessive.

They destroyed her business and profited on the lies.

 

[meow]

These damages figures are all based on what the photographer's lawyer claimed. I don't make it a habit to just believe what lawyers claim the damages are. But I don't really know either way. It could be totally justified. I just think it's worth it to remember that the bad guys know how to use jury verdicts like this to bully people.

Do you really think the photographer had her lawyer go in, say, "my client makes hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, don't got any proof for you but there ya go" and the jury said "oh cool, here's a million bucks"??? The photographer in this case had tons of correspondence and evidence that everything the bride and groom were protesting, they were or should have already been aware of and they were intentionally and maliciously making things up, and subsequently ruined this woman's business. So how exactly would "bad guys" use this to bully people? Do you really think this case would set a precedent for business owners to sue customers with legitimate complaints?

 

[justjohn]

She needs to sue the media as well. They're just as responsible.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

Dumbass news station couldn't bother to get the other side of the story before going to broadcast

Yea, I kinda hold the professional journalists more responsible than the couple.

A million dollars from two regular people is fucking ridiculous. And how can she prove that's specifically what sank her business?

 

[Dead Man]

Add me to the dogpile thinking the news company needs to pay just as much if not more.

 

[StopMakingSense]

These damages figures are all based on what the photographer's lawyer claimed. I don't make it a habit to just believe what lawyers claim the damages are. But I don't really know either way. It could be totally justified. I just think it's worth it to remember that the bad guys know how to use jury verdicts like this to bully people.

Since this went to trial then they would have had to prove the damages in court.

 

[old manatee]

Awesome. You'll hear more horror stories from a wedding photographer than a war photographer. People get straight fucking crazy about Their Day.

 

[Ashhong]

"I'd love to be your wedding photographer, what do you do."
"I'm a beauty blogger."

This is where the alarm sounds should have started going off. Professional beauty blogger + wedding = nothing good.

What the fuck?

I mean, this couple sucks for doing this but what does the bolded have to do with anything? Beauty bloggers shouldn't have a wedding or something?

 

[Zoe]

What the fuck?

I mean, this couple sucks for doing this but what does the bolded have to do with anything? Beauty bloggers shouldn't have a wedding or something?

She admitted herself that she warned her employees that everything needed to be perfect because the client was a blogger.

 

[mre]

More more at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...fee-so-a-jury-told-them-to-pay-her-1-million/


Just goes on to show how hostile accusations on (social) media can be, and how they can ruin people's lives. At least in this case, justice was served.

Was justice served? Do these bloggers have sufficient assets or insurance to pay the judgment?

 

[Angry Grimace]

Maybe the news should also be held partially responsible too.

$1 million for that also seems to be excessive.

It's not. Her career is ruined.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Was justice served? Do these bloggers have sufficient assets or insurance to pay the judgment?

Probably for the bankruptcy court to resolve.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Maybe the news should also be held partially responsible too.

$1 million for that also seems to be excessive.

How much do you think a successful business that she could have operated for the next 20-30 years is worth?

 

[mrkgoo]

Let me give you some numbers of my company.

Prices: Roughly $3000 for a 12 hour day (Two crew members). Each member makes $50/hr = $600 a day. Assuming there are average of 2 weddings a week, that's $1200 a week for 30 weeks of wedding season (i.e. a HIGH season of 60 weddings). That's roughly $36,000 a year salary for each photographer.

Then comes the cost of running things.

Equipment cost: $1000 a month (Roughly $150 per event)
Office space: $1000 a month (Roughly $150 per event)
Hard drive and storage cost: $250 a month (Roughly $30 per event)
Editor cost: $250-$500 per event
USB: $50 per event
Marketing: $500 a month (Roughly $60 per event)

So in your earning of $3000 per event (which btw is $180,000 a year revenue), you spend $2300 per event, with a profit of $700 for the company to grow, or paying for employees meal or parking or gas or any additional overtime or setback or additional crew member.

And don't get me started on down season when you don't make any money for 4-6 months and you still have bills to pay. And don't get me started on folks wanting discounts and compensations once the wedding is done.

There's no fucking profit in wedding photography/videography industry. It's fugazi. I make more working 9-5 with the comfort of not working 18 hrs a day, 7 days a week.

I joke about this a lot but it's true: We make McDonalds money once it's all broken down by the amount of hours put into this.

You GODDAMN RIGHT IM KEEPING YOUR FOOTAGE HOSTAGE FOR $150 THAT YOU RIGHTFULLY OWE. Its way easier to do this than chasing clients who at times even leave the fucking country, over $150!

It's rough.

Customers are demanding enough when it's meaningless crap, but when you have people who think it's their one big lifetime event? Craziness.

Our wedding photographer was a steal. Up and coming star we got on the cheap because he was starting out. And I mean CHEAP. Several thousand and we got to keep the hi-res images, and he delivered about twice as many as we paid for.

 

[Freshmaker]

Probably, but that's not new. The problem is that social media don't even have any safeguards that media could have.

It is routinely used as a weird kind of bludgeon.

I recall a nurse practitioner complaining that she was closing her mini clinic, and some people came up saying their kid was sick. She said the clinic was closed, and directed them to go to the urgent care clinic a mile away.

A guy came up, identified himself as a VP of a local social media company and threatened to drag her through the mud if she didn't help that kid right there.

Justice?!?

 

[faisal233]

Yea, I kinda hold the professional journalists more responsible than the couple.

A million dollars from two regular people is fucking ridiculous. And how can she prove that's specifically what sank her business?

This is a civil suit, she has to prove 51%, not beyond an unreasonable doubt. I'm sure the online lynch mob the couple incited, the negative reviews that immediately followed on every social media and review sites, couple liking the aids post & using the destruction of her business to promote theirs tilted that scale enough.

Why does their status as "regular people" matter? Do the damage to her business change based on if the malicious action was taken by this couple of Warren Buffet?

 

[ZOONAMI]

Anecdotally my experience with wedding photography is that it is huge waste of money. It was literally the most expensive part of my wedding by a mile, but the now ex-wife insisted. It's literally just hundreds of fucking photos on a CD too. Could have just given out a couple of DSLRs to be used by guests and would have had the same (probably better as you'd get more candid shots). And then yeah if you end up splitting up you're never even going to look at the photos ever again. Sucks that this ended up ruining her business, but if they really already did spend thousands I can sympathize with balking at another $150 for some prints. If they at least had the media they could print them out themselves, but I'm guessing this photographer did not give them even the digital files on a thumb drive or CD.

 

[Claude Augario]

I have no sympathy for these fuckwads. They intentionally set out to ruin this women's business and succeeded - and I'm supposed to be horrified because they have to pay for the damages they damn well knew they were causing?

She needs to sue the news next. The only reason they were involved was because these shitstains are masterful manipulators but, the news knew exactly what they were doing by ignoring her side of the story (aka the truth) and signal boosting this nonsense.

 

[crisdecuba]

Anecdotally my experience with wedding photography is that it is huge waste of money. It was literally the most expensive part of my wedding by a mile, but the now ex-wife insisted. It's literally just hundreds of fucking photos on a CD too. Could have just given out a couple of DSLRs to be used by guests and would have had the same (probably better as you'd get more candid shots). And then yeah if you end up splitting up you're never even going to look at the photos ever again. Sucks that this ended up ruining her business, but if they really already did spend thousands I can sympathize with balking at another $150 for some prints. If they at least had the media they could print them out themselves, but I'm guessing this photographer did not give them even the digital files on a thumb drive or CD.

Wow, you didn't really understand much of the OP before sharing this hot take. Go back and try again.

Also a good photographer is worth the cost -- your idea of giving out a couple of DSLRs would result in a bunch of poorly composed / exposed shots of posed pictures at whatever table was using it. Forget about the ceremony, family photos, and so on...

 

[ZOONAMI]

Wow, you didn't really understand much of the OP before sharing this hot take. Go back and try again.

So it's just about an album cover? And not the actual photos? Then yeah the bride and groom are being complete picks here. Did the fabricate the whole thing with empty frames then? Honestly the OP isn't really that detailed, and I did give it a quick read, but my bad for not being more thorough.

Honestly I wouldn't just give them them to random guests entirely, but I think if you have friends/family who are decent photographers and can have some help with the staged shots I'd just go that route if I do the whole thing again. But yeah the wife to be might insist on a photographer again