Zen, that is awful!!!!! I've never had someone touch me or my equipment, but had they, I would have handled it EXACTLY as you did. I'm all about being happy go lucky, but no one is Fing with the equipment.
The worst that ever happened to me, was a bride I shot as a desperate plea to from her Mother.
Mom calls and she's a friend of one of my favorite clients. She begs me to help her out. Bridezilla daughter has fired TWO wedding photogs and the wedding is coming up and they can't find anyone. They are desperate.
I ask to look at the other photogs work. I tell Mom that the work (Both Engagement Shoots) is technically good, and don't understand the reasoning for the firings. (RED FLAG NUMBER ONE)
Mom tells me that the photog posed only and caught no emotion. So I say, ok, I'll give it a whirl.
Then Mom says that the photogs both kept the retainers and she has little money left....(RED FLAG NUMBER TWO). I cut her a small break, but tell her that it's shoot and burn only. No album. She tells me daughter REALLY wants an album (RED FLAG NUMBER THREE), but I stick to my guns and tell her I just won't do it with an album for the price.
So I go to the wedding. Bridezilla is just arriving and barking out orders. Screaming at Mom, Bride's Maids, and even the flower girls. Then, the worst tradgedy of all happened......something soooo horrific....one of the corners of her false eyelashes started coming loose! God Forbid! So she starts throwing stuff, and breaking stuff.
By now I've had it. I told her that I would be leaving the room until she got ahold of herself. And I left, for about 45 minutes.
When I came back, she was on her best behavior. I finished the wedding, and sent her the disc.
Then comes the call....."You only took photos from the back of the church, and the other angle only shows my face, not my husband's. I explain that there are two of us, so only two angles.
She asks why one of us shot from the back, when we SHOULD have been shooting from the side to hubby.
I explain that we would have missed recession/procession that way. She tells me that's my problem...LOL.
I further explain to her, that I had to sweet talk the priest to even get upfront at all, and that when I originally told her I was able to secure a spot up front, she (Bridezilla) had told me "No". She said it was about her, not me. (Wasn't so concerned with hubby in that statement, was she?) I explained that I would duck down and no one would see me.
But Bridezilla isn't budging. She's going onandonandonandon about not having hubby angle. (Even though he is clearly seen from rear angle.) So I ask her, "Ok, what is it that I can do to make you feel better?"
You guessed it, she wants the album.
After several insane e-mails and phone calls from her, several quite threatening, I told her I'd send her an album-just to get rid of her.
She keeps sending me referrals. LOLOLOLOL. Who sent you? Sorry, we are booked.
Mom wrote yesterday. She wants an album, and asked the cost. For her, it was $2000.
We now have "The Brisco Rule" in place. One RED FLAG, and you are outta there. NO DISCOUNTS. And we no longer accept brides who have fired prior wedding photogs.
But, I've only had one Zilla in three years, so I guess I'm doing ok.
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