Brown Stones Photography

gagement session as well as the wedding, the day was great, the wedding party was fun and cooperative. We got some great shots and I enjoyed it. Cassidy is definitely a type A personality, she wanted lots of contact, lots of meetings to go over things. I don't have a problem with that at all, but they weren't my only client. She did have a coordinator who was very nice. I met her on the day of the wedding. She was a friend of the bride, she loved the pictures so well she asked me if she could use them for her portfolio. I don't believe she reached out or I had any contact with her prior to the wedding day. I looked back at our emails and we never had to move their engagement session, we shot on the day that was planned with a back up rain date. I had asked to move them to our back up date and Cassidy said Ben took off work and she really wanted them done on the original day so I made it work. Not a problem and was happy to do it, but I want to make sure that it's clear from the review that wasn't actually the case. The engagement session went great, we created beautiful images and both Cassidy and Ben left happy and excited to see the final project. When it came to the wedding day, I had a zoom meeting with Cassidy in April to create the timeline, I met them the week of the wedding (July) at the venue to walk it and make sure the places I thought to shoot were what they wanted. I had shot in this venue several times so I was familiar with the venue, the options of where to shoot, lighting etc. I was mainly going for Cassidy's benefit to do a walk through. I came to the venue on wedding day prepared and ready to work. The package did not include an assistant, no where in the package description, contract, or invoice addresses an assistant at all. There was no charge to the couple in any way for the assistant and I was clear he wasn't a 2nd shooter, he was there to support me. My assistant for that day was my son, however he isn't a teenager, he's a college student who was 21 years old at the time of the wedding. It really doesn't matter if it were my son or another college student, I believe my son is more dependable than another person that can call and cancel last minute. My son has been on many weddings with me and he does a great job at what I pay him to do, which is assist me. His duties were to carry my equipment, and help me, he wasn't there to find family members or create groupings. I take full responsibility for creating the groupings, however I do have a place on the questionnaires asking for a family member from both the Bride's side as well as the Groom's to help locate family members, I do this, because I don't know who they are. There was also the wedding planner there, and in my experience, they help gather family especially for large groups. Regardless, that was in no way my assistants responsibility. As Cassidy said in the review we accomplished all of the groupings and completed her shot list. To be honest from what I am gathering Cassidy expected from reading the review, she really needed the 2 shooter and probably an extra hour or 2 of coverage, I do remember asking her if she wanted a second shooter after looking at the shot list she provided and she said it wasn't in the budget. So I worked really hard to accomplish all she asked. When she reached out and asked about the images around the 6 week mark, I did say it was running 6-8 weeks and that I go in order of shooting and that I was definitely working on them. At 8 weeks she emailed her I told her they would be done by the end of that week and I would update her. I emailed her when they were loading and I sent the link. I thanked her for her patience, and told her I put a $100 print credit on their gallery, she ordered a canvas. I got it in, and met her at the Studio to pick it up. She never expressed any issues, or vented any of the issues to me that she has stated in the review, she took the Canvas and said thank you. I take a lot of pride in my work, I work extremely hard to please my clients. I hand edit every images, I don't batch edit or rush through them, sometimes it takes a little bit more time. I think the main issue with our interaction was very different personality styles, and there is nothing wrong with that. I Also encourage reviews like this to see where I can do better. However, I don't accept a label of being unprofessional or less than organized, I believe there was a lack of flexibility on her part, and on my part I should have been more concrete on expectations. Totally fixable and will make sure I do that in the future. I have extended my turnaround time for images in my contract to manage expectations, and that is helpful feedback. The industry standard for turn around varies from 8-12 weeks for photography. I thought the gift of $100 print credit was my way of making the wrong a right, however I don't believe she received it that way. So to sum up from Cassidy's review They got along with me great, the wedding went smooth and I got all the shots that were on her list. The Shots were edited and delivered beautifully, from the engagement session as well as the wedding. I made them feel comfortable in front of the camera and the wedding party felt comfortable as well. The Cons- Turnaround time She assumed the assistant was a part of her package, it wasn't She would have liked more candids I take this as all positive and will work hard to improve the things I can:) Reviews are important as most of this industry is word of mouth and referrals. I want to make sure I address the positive experience I had with this wedding and then address the feedback that Cassidy gave. I had a great time shooting their engagement session as well as the wedding, the day was great, the wedding party was fun and cooperative. We got some great shots and I enjoyed it. Cassidy is definitely a type A personality, she wanted lots of contact, lots of meetings to go over things. I don't have a problem with that at all, but they weren't my only client. She did have a coordinator who was very nice. I met her on the day of the wedding. She was a friend of the bride, she loved the pictures so well she asked me if she could use them for her portfolio. I don't believe she reached out or I had any contact with her prior to the wedding day. I looked back at our emails and we never had to move their engagement session, we shot on the day that was planned with a back up rain date. I had asked to move them to our back up date and Cassidy said Ben took off work and she really wanted them done on the original day so I made it work. Not a problem and was happy to do it, but I want to make sure that it's clear from the review that wasn't actually the case. The engagement session went great, we created beautiful images and both Cassidy and Ben left happy and excited to see the final project. When it came to the wedding day, I had a zoom meeting with Cassidy in April to create the timeline, I met them the week of the wedding (July) at the venue to walk it and make sure the places I thought to shoot were what they wanted. I had shot in this venue several times so I was familiar with the venue, the options of where to shoot, lighting etc. I was mainly going for Cassidy's benefit to do a walk through. I came to the venue on wedding day prepared and ready to work. The package did not include an assistant, no where in the package description, contract, or invoice addresses an assistant at all. There was no charge to the couple in any way for the assistant and I was clear he wasn't a 2nd shooter, he was there to support me. My assistant for that day was my son, however he isn't a teenager, he's a college student who was 21 years old at the time of the wedding. It really doesn't matter if it were my son or another college student, I believe my son is more dependable than another person that can call and cancel last minute. My son has been on many weddings with me and he does a great job at what I pay him to do, which is assist me. His duties were to carry my equipment, and help me, he wasn't there to find family members or create groupings. I take full responsibility for creating the groupings, however I do have a place on the questionnaires asking for a family member from both the Bride's side as well as the Groom's to help locate family members, I do this, because I don't know who they are. There was also the wedding planner there, and in my experience, they help gather family especially for large groups. Regardless, that was in no way my assistants responsibility. As Cassidy said in the review we accomplished all of the groupings and completed her shot list. To be honest from what I am gathering Cassidy expected from reading the review, she really needed the 2 shooter and probably an extra hour or 2 of coverage, I do remember asking her if she wanted a second shooter after looking at the shot list she provided and she said it wasn't in the budget. So I worked really hard to accomplish all she asked. When she reached out and asked about the images around the 6 week mark, I did say it was running 6-8 weeks and that I go in order of shooting and that I was definitely working on them. At 8 weeks she emailed her I told her they would be done by the end of that week and I would update her. I emailed her when they were loading and I sent the link. I thanked her for her patience, and told her I put a $100 print credit on their gallery, she ordered a canvas. I got it in, and met her at the Studio to pick it up. She never expressed any issues, or vented any of the issues to me that she has stated in the review, she took the Canvas and said thank you. I take a lot of pride in my work, I work extremely hard to please my clients. I hand edit every images, I don't batch edit or rush through them, sometimes it takes a little bit more time. I think the main issue with our interaction was very different personality styles, and there is nothing wrong with that. I Also encourage reviews like this to see where I can do better. However, I don't accept a label of being unprofessional or less than organized, I believe there was a lack of flexibility on her part, and on my part I should have been more concrete on expectations. Totally fixable and will make sure I do that in the future. I have extended my turnaround time for images in my contract to manage expectations, and that is helpful feedback. The industry standard for turn around varies from 8-12 weeks for photography. I thought the gift of $100 print credit was my way of making the wrong a right, however I don't believe she received it that way. So to sum up from Cassidy's review They got along with me great, the wedding went smooth and I got all the shots that were on her list. The Shots were edited and delivered beautifully, from the engagement session as well as the wedding. I made them feel comfortable in front of the camera and the wedding party felt comfortable as well. The Cons- Turnaround time She assumed the assistant was a part of her package, it wasn't She would have liked more candids I take this as all positive and will work hard to improve the things I can:)

surprise Jess with an engagement shoot while they were here. So Sam and I were in contact quite a bit and here comes the big weekend and it's raining! Like off and on and Indiana in the fall is unpredictable, but Sam and I are determined and we get it done! So happy with the result, there were kind of moody and romantic and I just loved the finished product. Sam and Jess did too and they hired me to come up the next July to lake Michigan to shoot their wedding and it was AWESOME! I came up on friday, we did some fun family shoots at the beach, then the wedding was the next day. I seriously love these Wedding pics, wedding party was super fun, family was awesome, and of course I loved seeing Jess and Sam again and spending time with them! I get to shoot their maternity session in March and I love that they think of me for their big moments! They are doing a Baby Moon in Brown County! How cute is that?!?! Sam and Jess thank you so much and I know we will have so much fun in March! xoxo Keely

n the same page. WALK AWAY Do not try to negotiate and make a deal with a couple, in this case bride, (I never met or spoke to the groom). It will not work and you are doing both yourself and the couple a disservice. I have been a photographer for almost 15 years, in business for myself for over a decade. I HAVE NEVER HAD A BAD REVIEW Please review my other reviews and I will have a lot more soon. I'm going to take this a learning lesson as well as point out the facts along the way. I hope that any couple reading this now, takes to heart what I'm about to say even if you don't work with me, take it to any vendor you work with on your big day. I have A LOT of experience and I have been in many different situations, and have navigated a really AMAZING career. I love what I do. Let's preface all of this with 2020 was hard on everyone When 2020 Weddings started the process of canceling The wedding industry was in shambles,obviously there were so many things going on, but we just didn't know what to do and there were a lot of learning curves, hopefully we will never have to use again. I definitely handled things differently in the beginning than towards the end of 2020 I had 19 rescheduled weddings, I had some that had to go on the same day, I found Good associates to shoot the weddings so I could shoot another on the same day. I only had to do this for 3 weddings, Erin's being one of them. I want to make perfectly clear, Erin did not get "short changed" Because she had an associate, she was serviced the same way I would have done it if I were there in person. I worked double weddings most weekends to avoid having an associate, but some just had to be done that way. I will never do it in the future, it was more stressful to have to manage all the people for me than it's worth. Lesson Learned. However, when it came to communication with Erin, it was difficult we were not a good match from the start. Erin inquired about 8 hours of coverage and that is my $2500 package. It didn't not include an engagement session and it did not include a 2nd shooter.  However, I do have a pay in full discount for 10% off, so I applied that and then too another $250 off  because Erin stated that's all she could afford and I was trying to accommodate her budget, another thing I shouldn't have done. She Paid her $2000 I agreed to a 2nd shooter, and an engagement session, again, I was being way too nice. I like doing engagement sessions because it helps me to get to know my couples before the wedding. This would have been extremely helpful in this case. However, we were set to shoot on a Friday, and Erin canceled on May 17th 2020, I told her she could use it whenever, she never mentioned it again. Keep in mind, she didn't pay for it, I just threw it in there. On May 23rd, Erin reaches back out to say that they are trying to figure out if they will cancel, or move their wedding, she talks about how it's incredibly anxiety provoking it is for her and they are having a hard time make choices, I say no problem just keep me in the loop and that I am working on calendar stuff and will give her any available date. On June 21st - I reach out and ask if she has a new plan, she doesn't reply On June 29th- I reach out again, Not trying to bug you but working on calendar. Did you decide to move, or stay or a new date? She replies, said they did postpone and that they are looking at June and July dates for next year. She was clear that nothing was set yet, she was checking with friends and family and then she would get back to me. I sent new contracts to all my "moved 2020" Couples, so the old contract was canceled and when a new date was set, a new contract with transfer of deposit sent. There has to be a paper trail and this was very important for all my clients. I had some clients decide to get married in private on their actual date, Shot those for no cost and again on their rescheduled date. Some couples kept the credit for maternity and newborn and were thrilled I allowed that. On March 22nd 2021 she reaches out and says we decided on July 10th, we should start planning, I say I'm so sorry, that date isn't available for me. She Went 9 months without telling me she moved her wedding, I didn't send a new contract because I hadn't heard from her. She didn't give the common courtesy of letting me know. So I tell her I can find her an associate and I can edit it, she claims to love that idea. Let me preface this as well, no matter when, put 2020 aside, what ever you have paid at the time of cancelation per the contract is forfeited. So I didn't have a contractual obligation to provide any service, find someone else or even entertain this at all. That wouldn't have been the right thing to do, that wouldn't have been a good business practice, even though frankly I was irritated she didn't even let me know she rebooked the Venue or her date. What I was trying to do was avoid a bad review, just get through it, put it behind me and learn to be more selective. So this sends me in a talespin to find an associate, I found one. wrote a contract with the associate, paid her. Gave her all the information Erin had given me. Wrote the EXACT contact with Erin on April 3rd, 2021. Only after she decided to take the associate photographer for the day of her wedding, she knew the entire time before Wedding and before she signed the new contract that she wasn't getting me, She was getting an associate, I gave her, her name and information. I also gave erin the option to use the credit however she wanted if she wanted to go find someone else to shoot her wedding. I would honor the credit with anything else I offered she said no, she wanted the associate. At this point and the previous 9 months Erin has never mentioned an engagement session again, that she didn't pay for, but claims I didn't provide. When I go to set up the associate shooter, Erin seems fine with this, she never mentions needing a 2nd shooter, which is different than an associate, at this point I am just trying to cover her wedding, which again, I don't have to do. I assume Erin understands that having 1 photographer for the day is priority, and Erin doesn't mention it. On the DAY OF THE WEDDING Erin asks my associate to call me and demand a 2nd shooter, said she paid for one, AGAIN, No she did not.  I forwarded all the info to my associate well before the wedding, and she didn't see anything either. I go back to her contract, while on the road to my own wedding, I stop look it up, she doesn't have one, because she didn't pay for one. I provide these as line items in the contract. At this Point Erin is just looking for things to throw back at me to make me look bad, be unreasonable, demanding, rude. I check in with my associate several times through out the day, I asked her how things were going, she said very unorganized, lots of issues Erin forgot to address, Erin was blaming everyone else. I said do your best, get through it and we can move on. It was pouring down rain, Erin had planned to get married outside, it needed to be moved in, and this is a Brewery. Lot's of metal tanks, cramped, dark walls and windows on one side of the venue. None of this is what Erin wanted, so once she got the images back, she started picking them apart, her claim that it could have been taken with a disposable camera and my associate shouldn't have used flash are ridiculous. I saw every raw image, I edited all of them, she had to use flash it was completely dark in there. The few I was able to edit with natural light were not what I would consider quality images. She absolutely needed to use flash, it's not her fault Erin's background was a metal beer tank, Erin picked the venue. A photographer isn't responsible for what you put in front of them to photograph, they can only photograph what you provide for them to shoot. We can't change the weather, we can't change the time of day, we can't change your getting ready spaces, we can't change your insecurities. We are documenting what is in front of us with the skill set and technical skills we have acquired. Erin emailed me comparing her images to other images on my social media, they are completely different venues, different details, and not in the same category of weddings. They are just different. My associate shot the wedding the way I would have shot it, Erin just didn't like the end result, and that's not our fault. This is also a good lesson, Photographers see things differently, we see that you like the natural light windows on the day you went had lunch on a bright sunny afternoon, but what if that's not what it looks like on your wedding day? Do you have a back up plan, did you ask your photographer. Does your photographer have off camera lighting? Do they know how to use it? I edited all the images, then at Erin's request went back and re edited some images, she still wasn't happy. Once she received her full gallery and there was nothing else to email me about she wrote a LONG, RUDE, CUSSING, DEGRADING, NASTY email to me. I read down about a quarter of it, when she turned really nasty and cussing and I stopped reading and didn't reply. I knew going round and round with her wouldn't help anything, for me or for her. I would have replied with a simple I'm sorry you feel that way, I did all I could, but I didn't think that engaging at all with her was a good idea. I then blocked her on social media and chalked it up to learning experience that I needed to be more selective with my clients. She and I weren't a good fit from the start, she didn't respect me, she didn't show respect to my associate, the other vendors at her wedding, a couple have reached out to me. I DO NOT take being a wedding photographer lightly, I understand how big of an honor it is to capture this for you and your loved ones. I get butterflies before every one even after HUNDREDS of weddings, I believe I'm at least at the 300 mark for How many weddings I have shot and have gone on to be maternity, newborn and family photographer for my couples, some of my couples I took their senior pictures. I have over a decade of an established business under my belt, I have never had a bad review. I go above and beyond every time and it shows in my other clients. I went above and beyond for Erin to avoid a bad review. Unfortunately, my business relies on word of mouth as a primary source of referrals for new couples, this website is part of that, avoiding a bad review is essential to keeping your business thriving. I have been in the customer service industry for a long time in different roles, I believe I did the best I could with this situation, without sacrificing quality or the integrity of my business. It's ok that she's like that, I just should have read the room, and turned her down as a client. 2020 has taught me a lot about where I want my business to go, so I am thankful for this lesson as well. I'm not a confrontational person, I don't like it, but when I have been directly attacked and something I created and is so personal to me is attacked I have to respond. I wouldn't have ever said a cross word about Erin, I would not gone after her in any way. She came after me on numerous occasions and I took the high road, not responding nastiness with nastiness. I was patient, I was accommodating, I was gracious. I tried to put myself in her shoes. I can't imagine what it was like for my 2020 couples. However, I had 19 rescheduled weddings, only 1 acted like this. Every other wedding, went off without issues, and I really bonded with my couples. I was praised for my flexibility , not taking extra money to shoot their "elopement" before, what ever I could do to make it better for my couples. I was really upset when I got this review, and that right there shows how much I truly value my couples even after how poorly I was treated. If you are reading this as a potential couple for me to photograph, please consider that this is 1 in almost 300, not every wedding has been perfect, but please give me the benefit of the doubt and reach out anyway, I promise to speak up if I feel we aren't a good fit!

eful you chose me to capture your memories! xoxo Keely