Reply To: Fauxtog Horror Stories

[IHF]

I LOVE these stories!!!

My very first encounter with a fauxtog was years ago.  I was getting ready to move out of state once again, and my Mom hired someone to come and photograph my siblings and I, and all her friends (we are all like family).    She was charged $600 for the session, free CDs for everyone who ordered a print, and prints were individually priced.  The faux showed up with lighting, back drops, props, and an assistant, and really seemed legit. We all took turns having photoshoots, and we all posed for group shots as well. As she started taking pictures, they had it set up so we could view them instantly on a lap top.  Quickly I saw that her lighting was only for show, as she wasn’t using it properly at all, and our photos looked washed out, out of focus, flat, and horrible.  We all looked to have anemia. Her assistant asked her to change the settings on her camera and to move the lighting, and told her that the photos weren’t looking good.  Her response was “That’s what I have YOU for.  You can photoshop anything and make it look fabulous!”.  So her assistant sighed and grunted, came and moved the lights and directed them differently, and things improved a little, very little…  She never adjusted her camera once and used it as a point and shoot.  We all received CDs and we ordered a group shot and one of me and Mom.  We had lot’s of laughs looking at them, lot’s of laughs.  OMG they were absolutely horrible!  At the very least, I wish we had properly taken, funny awkwardly posed photographs to look at and reminisce about.  We really wanted these pictures, because we most likely wouldn’t ever all be together again and that’s the ONLY reason we bought.  To top it off she had them printed at a grocery store’s photo lab.  Since then, two of my Mother’s good friends from that day, have passed away and I have been living out of state for 5 years, with at least 3 more to go.  We’ll never get it back.  I wish she was what she actually advertised herself to be.  I wish my Mom and all of us weren’t taken by this fraud.  I think this also is something the fauxs dont understand, when people order from them, or hire them.  The photos are so wanted, whether they are well taken, printed and edited properly or not, they are so very wanted.  and when photos aren’t taken with care….it’s just not right…  We didn’t complain.  How many of these faux clients are just like us and just keep their mouths shut, and chalk it up as a wonderful time, and a hard life lesson?  How many people keep coming back to you?  How many recommend you? How many are feeling exactly as I am right now?