Cindy B
New Martinsville,#2REBUTTAL Owner of company
Wed, December 08, 2010
This report was filed by a 15 year old girl and is completely untrue.
Anyone who knows me and has done business with me can attest to my integrity and willingness to go over and above for them.
The truth is this...Kayla McElaney was the daughter of very good freinds of mine.I photographed Kayla and her brother on several occasions. Kayla was tragically killed in an ATV accident.
I immediatley pulled every negative I had from every session that I photographed of Kayla and had prints made of all of them for her parents. They were greatful and have even thanked me at the begginng of Kayla's personal memorial web page.
A few years later Courtney's mother (Courtney is the girl making the accusations) won a gift certificate for a free 11x14 portrait that I generously donated to a local charity...they did not purchase a $300 gift certificate.
Her mother asked if she could use the certificate for a photograph of Kayla McElaney for her daughter. I called Kayla's mother and asked her if it was ok...she found it strange but said it would be fine.
I had been two years since Kaylas death and I had recently moved my studio into a new location...and I looked hard to find the files...as I was pretty upset that they had been missplaced in the move.
When Coutrney's mother called to ask about the photograph I told her that they had been misplaced in the move and I was sorry but I couldn't find them. I told her that Kayla's mother had prints of every image that I had taken of Kayla and that if she could get one of the prints from her that I would gladly make a copy for her and her daughter.
They continued to call and harass me about it...my guess is that they either never asked or Kayla's mother didn't want to give them a print.
The day that Courtney came to my door it was a weekend my studio was closed..she knocked loudly on the door when I opened it I did not know who she was. I kindly asked her what I could do for her. She practiacally screamed at me that she wanted "her" picture...I said "what picture honey" she said "the one of Kayla!".
I explained that I couldn't find them and she screamed back at me..."YOU NEED TO LOOK HARDER", and she began to cry...I told her I was sorry that I couldn't find them...and I am sorry...these are images of my very dear friends daughter and it upsets me just as much that I can't find them...anyway she continued to yell at me and step in closer...she was out of control and I told her I was sorry and that I have done all that I can to find them...she continued and I got sick of listening to her rant and cry and tell me that I didn't care..etc..etc..I gently said I'm sorry and tried to close the door..she pushed it open and continued to yell at me...all this while her mother sat in the car.
I also have a witness to what happend, a photographer friend of mine and her husband were both right inside the door listening to every word of it.
I can provide hundreds of personal character references and "great customer service" references from friends, colleagues and past and present clients.
I generously donated a gift certificate to a good cause...I gave the girl and her mother the option of either getting me a picture of Kayla that I could copy or that I would take a photograph of Courtney herself and give them an 11x14 of her to fulfill the certificate obligation. Her mother did not purchase a $300 gift certificate...she won it at a raffle. I tried to make it right with them...as I do with all of my clients.