Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Someone informed me there's a thread about this blog in HZW.

And worse we are on Stomp now, i do not know why Stomp published our story despite we telling them not to do so!

We only posted in this blog, our own facebook and clubsnap... the rest are not posted by us!
(*edit: it slipped off my mind, i did post in flowerpod, Sgbrides and Perfectwedding too) But not much discussion over there.

Read through those comments... i really can't stop crying... did i do the wrong thing to share my experience?

Am i wrong to voice out my frustrations? 

Just because i paid $600, i don't have the right to complain?
Meaning if you pay 3k you have the right to complain?

Just because i paid $600, i deserve to accept this kind of shabby work which is a far cry from those on his website?

Just because i paid $600 and not his usual $3000, he has the right to give me $600 kind of quality?

Just because i paid $600 i should just keep quiet and accept whatever is being given to me?

Just because i paid $600, shared my story and i deserved to be laugh by others cos its our own fault?
If i had paid 3k for his services and still get this kind of work, what will you say?

Like i said i don't gain anything from sharing my experience, i just wana create awareness for all the Brides to be... We spent so long and so much efforts in preparing for our once in a lifetime wedding which we look forward to so much, nobody will want this kind of unfortunate things to happen. Who would imagine a Pro to take such pictures which are worse than anyone else can take...

I should be prepared to receive this kind of negative comments but i think i personally really can't accept/take this kind of comments... 

I do not know if i wana keep this blog.... its already such a painful experience for us but we still gotta deal with all these stress now... maybe its a wrong decision to share after all... I will not be replying to all the comments at the moment. Sorry... This is so much more than i could take :(

32 comments:

  1. hi, please keep this blog! It create awareness for BTBs! Don't mind the comments out there. If can, post the worse photo to keep their mouth shut...

    Also, you have email evidence, and the photos are all yours, able to do anything to STOMP? they're really b*stard!!

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  2. Hey chins up!

    Really appreciate you sharing your experience because bride-to-bes like me rely a lot on recommendations and reviews online to decide on vendors. I'm sure you know.

    Although you really can't replace the one and only experience of getting married, just take heart that at least the man you married is The One. :)

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  3. Hi dear,

    It is not an easy thing to get through. But I believe your hubby will always hold your hands tight, and finally you will walk through this situation.

    cheers,

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  4. I was following your story since it happened. U have my sympathy for all it has happened. I can't imagine if I were in your shoes too.

    It is okay to share to warn others about what you have undergone via CS and your own facebook. What I could not have understand was why you decided to even post it in the BigShot FaceBook page...

    With your personal fb and CS, you have definitely brought about enough attention.

    However, his joining of BigShot have definitely nothing to do with this issue. By pushing him so hard, I hope he is able to take it well enough not to do something to himself.

    You can whack and expose him but there is a fine line where you might just overdo it.

    If he can take it and move it, its fine.

    If he does something unimaginable to himself and you can live with it as well, thats fine too.

    Since he decided not to do a shit about your photos, I suggest you get the raw images from him (D3 and D800 raw files should have higher chances of salvaging somehow) and start looking for a good DI artist to look into how to salvage your photos

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  5. Hi,

    don't worry about the keyboard warriors. In fact, ignore the negative comments cos everyone is entitled to their personal opinions. I know how angry it is to see strangers judging on your personality, etc when they don't even know you or the full story.

    You paid good $600 for a normal, decent job in hope that the PG will do a good job, proved by his persistent persuasion to let him take up the AD PG. But these photos are evidently amateurish and does not warrant the credentials that the PG is claiming. So in my account, it is totally justifiable to rant about it. What you and your hubby should do now is to move on and treat this as a lesson learnt. Avoid this kind of saga in the future when you find a contractor for your new home, a maid, a nanny for your newborn.

    Get someone that is proven, albeit spending a bit more. I bet it's much worthwhile than having to go through all these frustrations.

    Take care and good luck!

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  6. I can feel you totally. I really do not know what to say, but what I can say is just don't bother about what others commented. Take care and Stay strong! =)

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  7. keep this blog!! dont let more victims suffer. those who said nasty things, wait till one day they kana same lo. see what they can say

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  8. i do not think u are in the wrong to expose him, i mean with the outcome anyone would be mad, and as a AD photog he lack professionalism

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  9. I was linked to this blog from the post in hardwarezone... it is courages of you to share your nightmare experience you had with this "fake professional" photographer. I support you to expose this Caleb guy in Stomp, make him not to lied to people about his lousy skill despite his "so-call professional" wedding portfolio on his website. If you look closer enough, not hard to tell this guy dont even have any professional photography training before.

    May i suggest you take this "professional" photographer to court and claim your entire wedding expenses from him?

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  10. Eight years ago I was the second shooter for my friend's wedding. I'm not a professional photog but I dabble in casual photography, and since she had no budget at all the two of us friends volunteered to help for free. And my photos were much better than the rubbish that your AD photog produced, simply because I understood my task and my equipment (which was basically an entry level DSLR with kit lens).

    My point is just this - it's not about the money at all, it's about the commitment to the project and the people you are working with. Chin up, my dear. Don't let the naysayers get you down.

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  11. i was keep updating & carefully reading all the experience u posted here.
    Understand the feeling the pain & awfull

    But your move really create awareness to the public~ So they wont choose the wrong PG!
    U cant fulfill every1 idea & thought, at least u did the 1st right things is AWARENESS.
    (very appreciate about it!)

    i just curious what kind of portfolio he showed? is so BIG different from the outcome?!
    Money he offer is not the issue since is he offered it that way, is his problem.

    But 10yr+ experiences?! Shld at least take the 1st move to understand chinese wedding or research, seeking consultation about the whole event running.Probably is a lazy PG who didnt update in the market.

    Lack of responsibility & passion, maybe he is too old to be energetic, excitement, creative, consideration...etc This elements are shld gel in every PG nowsaday, instead of the old phase "Picture tell thousands word". Because i see though his work on website, nothing wrong...is jz unacceptable~

    Suggesting is tell him everything DIRECTLY! jz say u wan a simple apologize or simple solution to end this case will be more effective.

    Publishing in STOMP...is your choice, but ready to face all the circumstances~

    Please stay strong, u just getting some1 who cant fulfill ur need on your wedding day.
    (If it is another perspective of view...)


    Cheer up lady!

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  12. When you are in a better frame of mind:

    - I suggest you delete this blog. You have enough bad memories already. Anyway there are also threads left in forums. those will serve as warning enough.

    - accept that what has happened, has happened. When you sign a contract with this pg, you already know he is cheap, may not deliver since it is his first chinese wedding, plus murphy's law - shit happened. It happened in your case.

    Would like to share with you something that may make you feel a little better. I remember a few years back a wedding couple lost ALL their AD pics because their PG was drunk and left his equipment on the taxi when he return home. The couple and the PG never got his pics and equipment back. At least you have some pics you can still show and use. That couple was worse off. They had next to nothing of their big day, and it wasn't even a case of them stinging on photography.

    - As for apology, yes you may feel he owe you one, but it is still up to him. By not apologizing to you, he is showing he is unrepentant. But you have delivered big damage to him too. You have lousy memories of your Big day, he probably just lost his livelihood (if he is indeed doing this for a living) Live and let live.

    - Lastly, here is an advise for you. Wedding is one day, but marriage is a lifetime. It is true that you want beautiful pictures for your wedding. But I promise you many years down the road there will be even more beautiful pictures you will come to cherish more then your AD pics - pictures of your 1st born, your children to come, and pictures of your 10th wedding anniversary. And you will savor them more because you went through a lot more to reach that stage. That is something no camera can capture.

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  13. it helpful , when i saw this posting , I realise 1 of my potential client actually had met up with him pior to meeting me , and it was onli yesterday .. after emailing this post and another one fron CS . His reply was he wasnt keen in getting him either even thought he was frank.

    Luther

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  14. hi!

    Thank you for sharing ur experience! I think tt it's really kind of you to be doing this so that others dont fall into the same predicament!

    Pls ignore the idiots who said that you should be expecting this coz you only paid $600. The photog AGREED to this price willingly, so the service provided should be at least satisfactory! It's not like he was forced to accept this assigment! If he felt short changed, he should have rejected it from the start! Nobody want sub standard services. I believe tt if you knew this was the outcome, you wouldnt have taken his offer even if it was free! Moreover, you PAID him! $600 is still money!

    So, pls stay brave and be brave! You should definately demand compensation from him for all the truama & frustration he put u guys thru! People get away with things like tt becoz no one bothers to follow up! So jiayou!

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  15. Thanks for sharing your experiences on the web. It must have been a horrific experience to go through. I admire your strength to share this experience; and I feel it is the right thing to do.

    It is a reminder to be careful when making important choices. And in this case, it is not about the money at all but about the professionalism in the service industry. Customer satisfaction should be on the utmost importance.

    Even though, it may have been a mistake on his end; or it was not day for some reason. The least that could be done was to stand up to the facts and try to resolve the issue.

    Stay strong and true.

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  16. thanks for sharing....saw the pics this morning before it was removed...this caleb is really a Horrible Photographer ~~

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  17. there's nothing wrong with $600. It may be low as deemed by some, but it was agreed by Caleb, so there's nothing to bitch about. If he is pro, he should've delivered pro work, at whatever price HE AGREED upon.

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    Replies
    1. if he is pro, he will never insult his own standards and damage his reputation by reducing more then 50% of the price, period.

      Good and professional pgs never had to negotiate discount. discounts are only reserved for relatives and close friends. People seek them out, not the other way round.

      He can scream PRO for the whole world to hear, but his actions are nothing like a professional. Actions speak louder then words, no?

      Delete
  18. I think the issue is in the pricing. I'll admit, the photos were rather bad (from the ones uploaded) But if the job was $600 (major undercut and an insult to the photographic profession by the way), you can't expect miracle post processing on top of that. Reality is, no one would do it. I come from a design and photographic background so I know how time consuming pp is.

    This won't sound nice but it's as much your fault as it is the photographer's fault. On one end, you paid him peanuts. While on the other end he didn't deliver right.

    Word of mouth is a powerful thing, and you've probably gotten your revenge damaging his reputation. This is a lesson on both parties. If this truely have been a wedding 9 years in waiting, maybe you shouldn't skim on the photography. $600.. give me a break.

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    Replies
    1. I think the issue is in the pricing.
      ==> I don't think it is merely because of pricing. I believe there are two other factors: a) not enough sleep and b) Lack of technical competency

      I'll admit, the photos were rather bad (from the ones uploaded)
      ==> Well you only see 0.3%. Are you telling me that 100% of the photos captured by you are all the best one, even for snapshot / test shots for exposure??

      But if the job was $600 (major undercut and an insult to the photographic profession by the way), you can't expect miracle post processing on top of that.
      ==> If you have master the technical competency, you need very least Post Processing (PP). We usually submitted non PP photos to National Geographic for competition. Post processed Photos will definitely rejected. If you captured it right in-camera, you need very less PP.


      Reality is, no one would do it.
      ==> Thanks god. I am doing non-profit photography where i receive not even single cent. see http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/. The point is, only those photographers who depends on photography to live will not do it, even in Malaysia. For me, i don't depend on photography to live.

      I come from a design and photographic background so I know how time consuming pp is.
      ==> LOL, you spend 1 day to capture moments, but it ends with 2 weeks to post processing those photos, RM600 / 14 = $42 / day


      This won't sound nice but it's as much your fault as it is the photographer's fault.
      ==> It is the photographer's fault. If the photographer could not meet her requirement, he has to clarify this at early stage. Just ask her expectation and align with the expected outcome. For me, i will always give a test shot for at 2 days before the actual shots, to ensure the produced photos are exactly what he wants, without incuring any cost to clients.

      On one end, you paid him peanuts. While on the other end he didn't deliver right.
      ==> As professionals, you deliver the best to meet client's expectation. If you can't, you just don't accept the job. If you receive less satisfactory payment, please don't receive the job, otherwise Catastrophe - You will ruin the big day, and you also ruin your reputation that you have built up for years.


      Word of mouth is a powerful thing, and you've probably gotten your revenge damaging his reputation.
      ==> I think he has much room to be improved. He has all the professional gears that only senior photographers do have. Shooting @ short distance is quite risky as the movement is dynamic, especially when the subjects are moving. He needs high SS and fast autofocus camera body & lens, and shot in burst. It is not surprise to get a few percentage of blur photos for this short distance dynamic shot.

      If this truely have been a wedding 9 years in waiting, maybe you shouldn't skim on the photography. $600.. give me a break.
      ==> Believe me, most full-time professional photographers will not accept this job, even in Malaysia.

      It is not about the gear, it is the man behind the lens.
      ==> Well, i am not totally agree with this statement.
      a) With the latest AI, the camera (such as D4) is smart enough to focus accurately under -2EV lighting condition, especially for strong back-lit scene.

      b) With the latest AI, the camera (such as D4) is smart enough to expose accurately AUTOMATICALLY under -2EV, without adjusted the exposure Compensation, or balance it with fill flash.

      c) Even with V1, the camera will able to slightly improve the composition. I believe in the future, the camera will able to suggest the composition for me. I currently using a Math model to calculate the composition.

      Delete
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      Delete
    3. "Well you only see 0.3%. Are you telling me that 100% of the photos captured by you are all the best one, even for snapshot / test shots for exposure??"

      => Neh I don't claim to have seen more then the ones uploaded but I do stand by what I said. Bad shots yes, not bad photog.

      "If you have master the technical competency, you need very least Post Processing (PP). We usually submitted non PP photos to National Geographic for competition. Post processed Photos will definitely rejected. If you captured it right in-camera, you need very less PP."

      => Agree. I don't imagine much PP in National Geographic. However, glamour shots are a different story.

      "I am doing non-profit photography where i receive not even single cent. see http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/. The point is, only those photographers who depends on photography to live will not do it, even in Malaysia. For me, i don't depend on photography to live."

      => Good for you. And nice link, love the photos. I guess to each his/her own. Photography to most of us is as much a hobby as it is a business. I don't mind doing the occasional pro bono work but no, I would not throw free services around until I know what's expected.

      "LOL, you spend 1 day to capture moments, but it ends with 2 weeks to post processing those photos, RM600 / 14 = $42 / day"

      => Another reason I don't like to do pro bono work. PP is anything from 2 mins to 2 hours per photo. I don't think clients realise this.

      "It is the photographer's fault. If the photographer could not meet her requirement, he has to clarify this at early stage. Just ask her expectation and align with the expected outcome. For me, i will always give a test shot for at 2 days before the actual shots, to ensure the produced photos are exactly what he wants, without incuring any cost to clients."

      => Couldn't agree more. There's a rope incase expectations change. You obviously run a good practice, I don't think that's what happend with Caleb.

      "As professionals, you deliver the best to meet client's expectation. If you can't, you just don't accept the job. If you receive less satisfactory payment, please don't receive the job, otherwise Catastrophe - You will ruin the big day, and you also ruin your reputation that you have built up for years."

      => On paper that's usually the case, sure. Alot of the post so far are centred around work ethics and deliveries. But I point to the client because if there are 2 photogs promissing the same job, one a fraction of the price, I'd have to be a little bit suspecious. Granted we're all suckers for a bargain, but if I chose the cheaper photog and the job goes sour, where do I stand in this? I'd like to think I made a bad call.. but that's just me.

      Delete
  19. I am not disputing your right to express your unhappiness etc. But what I find odd was whilst you told stomp "not to publish your story on stomp yet" (your own words as per your screen cap), why do you still ask stomp "what information" they need? If you don't want it on stomp, why entertain them any further. Plus the fact that you told them not to publish "yet", it goes to show that this is going beyond just warning brides to be on your blog and/or bridal forums. If thats what you want to do, just be upfront about it. There is no 2 ways about it.

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  20. My suggestion to all couples are

    a) Request for 100 test shots on spot (non-studio), save all of the 100 test shots, and and see their in-camera skillset. Reasoning: The original ones are the best as you can always post-processing them anything, even after 10 years later. Who knows you want to process them in different styles in future. However, it is very hard to reverse back the processed photos to original ones.

    Remember, photographers only show the best photos in their lives in their portfolio. It does not mean you got all those pretty shots as shown in the portfolio.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Things to see
      a) Composition
      b) Lighting
      c) Focus
      d) Exposure
      e) Posing (usually, i give training on basic posing and request them to practice them. Giving test shots to ensure they look good before the day)
      f) others

      If you are unsure about those things, you can always post their test shots online for comments, before selecting your wedding photographers.

      I usually give test shots for 2 days, and give the couples to see. If they are happy with the results, then i will accept the jobs, otherwise, i will always request them to find other better photographers.

      **I am only provide photography for the poor.

      Delete
    2. Remember, you want the best unedited original photos rather than edited photos. The simple reason is, with the uedited original photos, you can always edit to the style you wish, anytime, anyway to as many styles as you wish. So it is best to get both unedited and edited photos.

      Delete
  21. Hey, please use his full name (Caleb cheong) instead of CC. People may misunderstood that he is me!!

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    Replies
    1. u can't stop crying, i also can't stop crying. Caleb cheong (CC in Singapore) may hurt you, but i (another CC in Malaysia) receive the impact! Do me a favour, please use his fullname ok?

      Delete
  22. Please post photos here or elsewhere, I have requested helps from a few influential professional photographers from Western Countries to judge this work. Ty.

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  23. Find Nelson_Tang_Photography in facebook. It is almost similar case... . See how others feedback on this matter.

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  24. Is not just abt the $$ but abt the precious moment that is not being captured...

    Ignore those people who give bad comments...

    Even if you only pay $1... u still have the right to complain as the other end/party agree to the agreement between the 2 of you~

    I can only say... the precious moment is captured in your heart~

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  25. Great post full of useful tips! My site is fairly new and I am also having a hard time getting my readers to leave comments. Analytics shows they are coming to the site but I have a feeling “nobody wants to be first”.
    wedding-photography-melbourne.net.au

    ReplyDelete