Complaint Review: A Fine Image Photography

A CANDID IMAGE / A FINE IMAGE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY RIP OFF

I worked for A Candid Image. I know for a fact that there is at least one couple who are having issues with them right now. There wedding date is 3/22/09. I can provide you with emails & contact information for the couple. I feel sorry for them that this company is so completley bogus.

I cannot believe that these people have been awarded Best of the Knot in 2007, 2008, and 2009 in EVERY SINGLE MARKET that they are in. They are horrible and very unprofessional. I was promised training and it was never provided. They do not pay their consultants, videographers or photographers on time. When they do decide to pay the checks bounce. This company is based in Massachusetts and has "offices" all over the US. These offices are basically addresses provided by UPS STORE. The company has had at least 2 names in the past 3 years....A CANDID IMAGE & A FINE IMAGE. The change office locations like I change nail polish and will completely mislead everyone.

I started working for them last year and at the beginning of the year Mark Zaki decided not to pursue the market canceling all advertising. I was never informed of this and only found out when I became concerned when I was not receiving any email leads. I sent an email and after the 4th time I resent my email was finally answered with a phone call stating that they canceled all the advertising two weeks prior. CURRENTLY, THEY HIRED A NEW PERSON AND WILL CONTINUE TO RIP PEOPLE OFF IN DALLAS!!!

When I first accepted employment I was told I would be trained and that the owners Mark Zaki & Jennifer Jakulyte would be available to answer any questions. That was a lie. The girl I leaving was going to manage the rest of her weddings and I would get trained by her. This did not happen. I was offered the opportunity to stay on overseeing the remainder of the weddings because the woman I replaced had no interest in continuing her relationship with A CANDID IMAGE. I was also offered the commission on any remaining weddings the problem is that I had to do all the work until 30 days before the wedding to see any money. I agreed because I was told that all her weddings were taken care of and just needed payment reminders sent. THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE!!! A few weddings had no photographers scheduled, others had photographers canceling after lack of payment for previous weddings or bounced checks, and brides were calling for weddings at the end of 2008 because they were missing albums and prints.

IT BECAME A TOTAL NIGHTMARE --- I had no way to help these people or confirm anything they had to say since I was never supplied any paperwork or documentation for them. It took me about a week before I decided to end my employment with them. All this time, I was not paid a single dollar to take their collection calls, handle customer service issues, find new photographers/videographers to take over their mess and make them money. WHAT A WASTE OF MY TIME!!!

After I terminated my contract employment, I was verbally abused via telephone by the owner Mark Zaki when he did not receive the ups package with their company property. He called me a wide variety of names which I do not even use in my personal life all vulgar. He continued to berate me calling me a stupid woman and how I disgusted him. He told my that my husband was an idiot for marrying me and he would make sure that he left me. He called my references and threatened to sue them for $10,000 each. They did not know who he was because he never even called them prior to offering me my contract employment. He only called when he felt he needed to be unprofessional.

Mark Zaki contacted at least one photographer and brides to tell them that the two previous consultants were stupid and worthless women who were bimbos. He completely talk down about us and the one photographer knew both myself and the previous girl and stated she felt the problem lied with him and his company. This made him angry and he changed the subject.

He threatened me that he would have me thrown in jail for withholding his company property, he threatened to take my home and car away from me. He also stated he would call every employer that I have ever worked for and make it impossible for me to ever get a job again. I have emails I can provide anyone with the information above and how completely unprofessional the man is.

I was going to be professional about this and let it go, but the more I thought about it I realized that by not coming forward I was only hurting future brides and potential employees that could be suckered by this man, his wife & their company.

I am not posting this as a disgruntled employee, I am posting this as someone who planned my wedding in 2006 using mostly THE KNOT vendors and checking out references on the BBB. Please take the time to research this company via Google & the BBB. All it takes is 5 minutes and you will find that they are not what they seem. The potential for a few extra dollars is not worth all of the hassle and frustration this company will cause you.