I really never write a negative review about a small business unless it is absolutely necessary to forewarn others. Sadly, this is the case with this company. Trinity High School had all Seniors go to get their white tuxedo headshots for yearbook etc taken at this studio at Mellwood. It took quite awhile to get an email with the proofs from which to select a yearbook photo pose and from which to select any others for ordering a 'professional' photo package.
Despite the fact that the original thumbnail proofs weren't able to be zoomed in on to enlarge well, we selected a pose and a pricey package with the extra $ for touch up. Imagine our shock upon receiving them in the mail with a dark brown shadow down the side of his face! The initial response by the owners (also the photographers) was to deny fault as if our son showed up like that. Oh my word. Many, many, many phone calls, texts, & an email trail later they agreed... promised even...to make it right & try editing the dark shadowing or whatever out. This resulted in a lit up ghost like appearance (yes). I suggested maybe they print a different pose, gave the # of it, & instead received a package with BLACK INK MARKS on his face and a weird triangle shadow on the white tux jacket.
Upset, yet trying to remain patient and retain a slight glimmer of hope, I contacted photographer and owner Kimberley Melloan immediately by text. Again, without her even having SEEN the photos we received yet, initially she was argumentative and in denial. I quickly took photos of the black ink and shadow package received by mail. She then apologized, blamed the printing company she uses (I can see that for the ink but not for the photography lighting issue creating a triangle shadow). We talked of how both of us already missed a lot with our older teens graduations not happening in 2020, & I pleaded with her to fix these photos or RE-TAKE so I'd have this important memento for my youngest graduating. She promised.
Faulty package #2 hand delivered returned to her in mid December where she gave us very late notice of a set time on a Saturday to return them interfering with timing of an athletics competition but we scrambled. She still did not offer a retake session! A month later (mid January) no different pose had been printed and mailed so they had our $ & we had nothing. More texting and email conversations. She offered to mail us back the original pose package or the 2nd package!!! Both of which were totally unacceptable with shadows and ink on his face. I had to cut off the texting as I was at work.
So here we are now into February. Still no photo package and her offer is still to send us the same original pose OR refund our $. Neither of which is the solution desired: one good photo package of our handsome son in his Trinity High traditional white tux pose. I guess maybe we will get our money back then pay an actual professional photographer and have photos taken in the full white tux following graduation in May.
Total disaster situation. The students and parents are at the mercy of hoping for one photo with proper lighting, no shadows, and no black ink marks. I will be following up with the school and showing my months of communications and the truly bad photos. I'd post the photos but it'd be too embarrassing. read more
