I got married 7 years ago and purchased a wedding album and loose prints from my photographer. We recently contacted him to either purchase more prints and offered to buy the negatives.
He refused to sell us any reprints - stated they were going out of business and closing their books. He also stated that if we wanted the negatives we would have to send a check for $10,000!
Do I have any recourse or options with him? I am not sure I believe that he is actually closing down his business - he has been running his business out of his home for over 10 years. When we stated we thought he was being unreasonable about the $10,000 pricetag for the negatives (we paid around $2000 for his services back in 1999), he stated that they had no value to him but obviously had a value to us, & if we wanted them we would have to pay that non-negotiable price.
I am sick over this - if anyone can provide info that would be great. These pictures are of MY wedding and won't sell me any reprints!
2007-02-24 12:42:21 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
WTF if you still have the prints just scan them. With today scanners you can make just as good prints as with neg's. Then tell him to k.m.a..
2007-02-24 12:52:01 · answer #1 · answered by Flat_out_Bob 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You only have recourse if you had a contract with them to sell reprints.
Contracts are rarely open-ended. You probably had an agreement to take the pictures on that day and then buy them in a package one time after the wedding. Why would you assume that they are eternally responsible to keep your negatives if and when you decide you want more?
(His price of $10,000 is unreasonable on purpose. He doesn't want to waste his time.)
2007-02-24 20:48:12 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well, he doesn't have your negatives anymore so he can't make any reprints or sell you the negatives. He has no legal obligation to hold onto your negatives or reprint pictures seven years after they were originally printed, unless of course this is explicitly stated in your original contract with him (it usually is not).
2007-02-24 21:01:11 · answer #3 · answered by msi_cord 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Try small claims court. You may need a lawyer to prevent him from destroying the negs or intimidate him into turning them over for a very reasonable price. He sounds very unreasonable. I doubt if a judge would find for him.
2007-02-24 20:48:32 · answer #4 · answered by The Rabbi 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he gave you a contract, regarding reprints of future photographs, read it.
2007-02-24 20:54:37 · answer #5 · answered by newyorkgal71 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
he sounds like a pig and is going to make things as difficult as possible. could you scan photos you already have? ortalk to anyone else who might have taken their own photos. i know what its like to have a wedding photographer stuff you around. it happened to me and 3 years later i still dont have the DVD i was promised
2007-02-24 20:51:25 · answer #6 · answered by prettylittlegardenfairy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. better business bureau or consumer affairs office
2. news media--see if you can get the 6 o'clock news or the local paper to cover this...they love this sort of thing
2007-02-24 21:02:03 · answer #7 · answered by njyogibear 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
cause he don't have em any more.
2007-02-24 20:46:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋