# Wedding photogs...have you ever been sued by a client?



## Ilovemycam (Oct 29, 2012)

Someone told me that a wedding photographer can be sued for photos thought to be dissapointing by the client. 

Is this true? 

Have you had any problems along these lines?


----------



## CCericola (Oct 29, 2012)

Anyone can sue for anything. There is a case pending in Wash State about just that. If the couple wins all wedding photogs are SOL. It will be in every frugal wedding book. Want cheap photos? just sue the photog after the fact. The case in WA is Poon v Tang (nope, that's the truth) Check out Gary Fong's blog for the details.


----------



## Big Mike (Oct 29, 2012)

There is a contract between photographer and client.  Hopefully a written & signed contract, and not just a verbal agreement.  But the jist of that contract is for the photographer to provide their service/product to the client in return for money.  Part of the contract, although it might only be implied, is that the photographer will provide service/product (photos) to the level of what they have advertised/shown the client.  If the photographer says or shows amazing photos to the client, but then ends up with crappy looking photos, that might be considered a breech of contract and thus the law suit.  They key point would be what the client's expectations were.

Of course, the problem is that it's hard to prove expectations and hard to prove genuine dissatisfaction.  People could claim they aren't happy, just to sue for their own gain.  But I've also heard some bad stories where a couple hired a photographer with a good portfolio, only to have a different photographer show up and and do a bad job.  

It terms of what to do & how to protect yourself from this...ask a (your) lawyer.  A good contract can help but the solution may also be that to be fully (mostly) protected, you would need to carry insurance as well.

Also, I think that some professional associations (PPA, WPJA etc.) may have a legal defense fund/program to help photographers who find themselves in that situation.


----------



## MLeeK (Oct 29, 2012)

CCericola said:


> Anyone can sue for anything. There is a case pending in Wash State about just that. If the couple wins all wedding photogs are SOL. It will be in every frugal wedding book. Want cheap photos? just sue the photog after the fact. The case in WA is Poon v Tang (nope, that's the truth) Check out Gary Fong's blog for the details.


speaking of which... Has anyone heard where things stand on that case lately?


----------



## CCericola (Oct 29, 2012)

Last I heard it wasn't even going before a judge until 2013


----------



## JAC526 (Oct 29, 2012)

Poon vs Tang just takes all the seriousness of the issues away.

That is just hilarious.


----------

