A UK-based bridal ceremony photos enterprise, South West {Photograph} and Film, has declared chapter remaining week leaving an entire bunch of {{couples}} and newlyweds out of pocket, with out their images, and in some circumstances with no photographer – merely days sooner than their giant day was anticipated to occur.
The company (moreover beforehand usually often known as Lee Brewer Pictures and Film) has shut down its website and on-line social media pages, eradicating all elements of contact after sending out reluctantly worded apologetic emails to consumers as a result of the data broke.
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A publish was shared on Fb by Lee Brewer, the enterprise proprietor of South West {Photograph} & Film, that has since been deleted. The publish from 28 July 2022 explains his aspect of the story, the place he states “Because of dimension of my debt and reviewing my selections I was instructed chapter was my solely alternative”. Screenshots of his full (and actually prolonged) assertion may be current in a comment half (opens in new tab) on Fb.
In all probability probably the most robust ingredient of this agency’s downfall should not be solely the devastating loss to an entire bunch of brides and grooms, nevertheless a lot of photographers and videographers who had been sub-contracted out beneath South West {Photograph} and Film (opens in new tab), which means they too aren’t receiving any funds for weddings they’d already shot, and are throughout the robust place of dealing with reasonably distraught consumers.
Fortuitously, the wedding photos neighborhood has come out in full stress to help these {{couples}} by offering suggestion, help, and discounted re-booking expenses for his or her obtainable dates to the unfortunate consumers of the company that has now ceased all shopping for and promoting. Advice on deciding on a further reliable new bridal ceremony photographer has moreover been supplied by completely different native corporations, after many purchasers have developed understandable perception factors on paying any further deposits to photographers.
A Fb net web page has been organize titled Moments For You (opens in new tab) organized by a gaggle of former admin staff for South West {Photograph} & Film (SWPF) to help out all the {{couples}} affected and be sure that they nonetheless get the photographer and/or videographer that they’d booked for his or her bridal ceremony, and help brides and grooms uncover completely different native photographers at fast uncover. It is said that the net web page had gained over one thousand likes and follows inside 24 hours!
Marriage ceremony ceremony photographers are merely as furious and indignant regarding the state of affairs as consumers, with the commerce reputation moreover put at risk. Many photographers actually really feel accountable to help and have carefully discounted their prices, knocking off an entire bunch of kilos to help these which were let down by South West {Photograph} & Film.
One couple from Devon had been left with merely ultimately to find a remaining minute photographer for his or her bridal ceremony, and others have expressed the shock of being suggested their bridal ceremony insurance coverage protection couldn’t help as safety started just a bit too late to acquire any compensation for his or her funds to SWPF.
An additional Fb help group Let’s Uncover you One different Marriage ceremony ceremony Photographer/Videographer 2022 (opens in new tab) has been created by photographers as an additional helpful useful resource to hyperlink {{couples}} with photographers and videographers who is also obtainable on their bridal ceremony date. The group in the mean time has 1.7k members.
A complete lot of {{couples}} have posted on the group since, looking for photographers and sharing how they’ve been drastically affected every emotionally and financially by the data, with many having paid up entrance for his or her weddings with SWPF, and are literally having to produce funds to pay however as soon as extra for a substitute photographer.
Screenshot of an e mail despatched from Brewer to a client couple (Image credit score rating: Fb comment half)
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In speaking with (opens in new tab) the BBC, a Taunton based totally videographer, Sam Richardson, has outlined how overdue invoices from his work contracted out by Mr Lee Brewer (proprietor of South West {Photograph} & Film) had began to pile up and he was struggling to receives a fee for his work. “Inside the ultimate six weeks funds had slowed to some extent, not just for me nevertheless for all the shooters, the place the overdue invoices had been enhance throughout the lots of,” he shared.
After contacting Brewer repeatedly, Richardson lastly acquired acknowledgement that money was owed to him, nevertheless it was just a bit too late as on 27 July 2022, he heard from one different employed SWP&F photographer that “it was all through” and “none of us had been getting paid”.
Be taught further: Marriage ceremony ceremony photographers shamed by shopper over beautiful images?
A shootproof shopper provide website for SWP&F (opens in new tab) nonetheless stays energetic in the intervening time, with a lot of galleries of bridal ceremony images uploaded which is able to sadly expire rapidly, as some have recognized that the website operates on a pay-monthly basis from the proprietor, who has now ceased shopping for and promoting.
But yet one more Fb group with 520 members has been created titled Lee Brewer/ South West {Photograph} and Film Money Restoration (opens in new tab) offering help and financial suggestion for everyone that has been affected and in several phrases scammed by the proprietor of the company. Many say that that they had been hounded and badgered by Brewer for price in full and impressed to pay a “faster modifying” fee after their bridal ceremony for a quicker turnaround of receiving images, which they did not receive.
Fb clients describing their experience of South West {Photograph} and Film (Image credit score rating: Fb comment half)
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It’s unclear as to the validity or actuality behind many statements made by members of this Fb group, in order that they must be taken with a pinch of salt – nevertheless a quick scroll by the comment sections has revealed gorgeous accusations that Mr Brewer is in the mean time “hiding” throughout the US, seen in New York and Vegas, with completely different claims that he has beforehand acquired three wonderful CCJ’s (County Courtroom docket Judgements) for debt in direction of his establish, relationship once more to 2017.
Some enraged consumers have reported Brewer to insolvency teams, Movement Fraud, Shopping for and promoting Necessities, sufferer help, spoken with approved reps, and some are considering taking the enterprise proprietor to small claims courtroom. There are in reality two sides to every story, and whereas many publications and knowledge retailers have reached out to Brewer for comment, all now we’ve got to go on is his genuine (now deleted) Fb publish the place he did not come off in a very apologetic or remorseful delicate.
People are sensibly very indignant, hurt and naturally shocked by your complete ordeal, in quest of any means important to get their a reimbursement. As a result of the story seems to keep up unravelling, we’ll change this textual content as best as we’ll with any further updates on how these affected can purchase genuine help and hopefully some justice.
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