Scary Craigslist Ad - Cause It's So Easy

MOREGONE · Jun 25, 2015

There are plenty of people on Craigslist looking for disgustingly cheap (or free work) but this post is just flat out scary. I already emailed them saying stop now before you ruin someones wedding. Only edits was to remove the names.

This is just appalling.

###############################

Hi, my name is ____. I am interested in starting a wedding video and photo business! Me and my wife are amateur photographers and videographers, but we have pro passion in this! Of coarse we want to make money doing this... and wedding season is here!

We are looking for 1 person with a good camera and/or video camera, that also has an artistic talent when is comes to capturing scenes. Please apply by sending us just a brief description of your experience, pictures you took, and a picture of yourself. We may consider another couple to work with, too. We are looking for someone that is somewhat knowlagable in what we are doing to get our awesome company going!

This is a great gig and let me tell you why...
You get paid to attend weddings and just be that guy taking pictures and video! I shouldn't have to tell you all the exciting stuff that comes with attending a wedding.

Here's a little story about how me and my wife got started on this idea. We researched it on our own last year when we're getting married ourselves..we found that the picture and video companies wanted too much money ($3,00 and up) for their services. We realized someone could do it for less and just as good... And boy we were right! All the people we met with that showed us their work were all the same, as well as their prices! When we actually hired a "real photographer" for cheap- we "got what we paid for" great pics and vids but a crappy finished product that took months to get. While me and my wife we waiting for his edited video, we made our own using his pics and vids we requested. Turns out our video of our wedding was awesome and his was not

. Well we did pay him $900 which seemed fair, but WE Made custom DVDS and we're happy with our work.

Our Idea is to be affordable, to get a lot of business..you will do most of the important pictures and video for the wedding, and me and my wife will attend and do our own as well. I will edit all the video and make the finished product.(I am actually quite keen on video editing). So you just act friendly, point and shoot..and help make decisions on OUR business as well. YES- us 3 , you would be part owner/operator, so we are looking for an outgoing, friendly co-worker that wants to be here for the long run.

Please don't hesitate to email me-____with any questions. We want to start making money and booking events right away. And if this post on CL is still up, then we are still looking for someone. Thanx!

tirediron · Jun 25, 2015

Ouch!

astroNikon · Jun 25, 2015

nice.
pay 3 people less money than 2. Good base for a business strategy. But still workable, all dependent upon the cost of living/business.

it's funny too in it's own way.

W.Y.Photo · Jun 25, 2015

If they can handle all the editing workload and are willing to do that for minimal income they might be able to do it.. It'd be a tight budget for sure though.. They break a piece of equipment thats not insured and they'd be screwed.

astroNikon · Jun 25, 2015

There's plenty of business that start at too low prices for services.
Only after a while increasing those prices after they realize the real cost of doing business. Like many, they probably didn't really think it through, but then it all depends upon their total expenses and how much each individual wants to get paid an income.

MOREGONE · Jun 25, 2015

I could care less what they charge. I am just shocked by their impression of what wedding photography is

"You get paid to attend weddings and just be that guy taking pictures and video! "

And that they are charging ahead when it is painfully obvious they know nothing about photography. I sincerely hope nobody gets screwed over by them

astroNikon · Jun 25, 2015

MOREGONE said:
And that they are charging ahead when it is painfully obvious they know nothing about photography. I sincerely hope nobody gets screwed over by them

we've seen it before
and unfortunately I'm sure we'll see it again ...

sm4him · Jun 25, 2015

I...I...I just don't even know where to start.
Like Moregone says, it's not about what they want to charge, it's more just their whole attitude about what wedding photography is, AND about their own abilities.
Besides, how is that they claim to have gotten "great pics and vids but a crappy finished product"--weren't the pics and vids the finished product? Not to mention that they evidently reprocessed another photographer's images (of course, said "cheap" photographer was probably working without a contract, so there's that...).

People. Why do they continue to astound me?

480sparky · Jun 25, 2015

Life's too short to give a rodent's rectum about schtuff like this. Just worry about yourself and sleep well at night.

vintagesnaps · Jun 25, 2015

It just gets better the more you read doesn't it? lol Just act friendly and point and shoot, yeah, that sounds like professional quality work (not!). And... you get to be a part owner?! wow what an opportunity.

It's funny reading it, but yet it's not - I just hope some unsuspecting couples don't end up hiring these people. Or that some poor schmuck doesn't actually take this so-called job opportunity.

MOREGONE · Jun 25, 2015

Update :

This posting has been deleted by its author.

I had a quick email exchange with the poster but don't feel the need to post it. Lets just say they showed their true colors.

pixmedic · Jun 25, 2015

MOREGONE said:
Update :

This posting has been deleted by its author.

I had a quick email exchange with the poster but don't feel the need to post it. Lets just say they showed their true colors.

just out of morbid curiosity, what were their true colors?

rexbobcat · Jun 25, 2015

MOREGONE said:
Of coarse we want to make money doing this

If the Internet had shirts, this is what would be printed on them word misuse and all.

MOREGONE · Jun 25, 2015

Seriously, you should stop now. You're going to ruin someones wedding and you haven't the slightest clue what you're doing.

************************************************
You must be f#$kin retarded then it's easy b*^ch

Sent from my iPhone

****************************************

I must be retarded? Should I point out all the grammatical errors in your business proposition?

I hope you never get a chance to ruin someones wedding. But, if you do, I would love to hear about the mess you made and the inevitable lawsuit.

I posted this joke of an ad to a group of real photographers and we are all having a good laugh.
Thanks for that I guess