[roamingnome]

If any of you saw another thread I started months ago about my ordeal with David here's the final result:

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/sh...david+mullinix

After 16 months I FINALLY received my picture today!!!

I don't feel it's right that anyone have to go through the same ordeal I did, so here's some tips for those who find themselves in a similar predicament (which after a thread search with his name, seems to be a LOT!):

-Harass him for 14 months via phone/email/text/website
-Text him daily
-Leave him weekly voicemails
-Contact the BBB (around month 15 or so)
-Re-Contact the BBB when he claims the only reason you didn't get your pictures is because you were/are using the wrong email (I find this part the most amusing since we spoke on the phone multiple times)
- Contact the VSF (where the picture was taken/ordered) to let them know as a 6+ year customer that I feel they should look into other photographers
-When the BBB gives up on David (due to lack of response) and gives him an 'F' rating, you must act like the most obnoxious human in the world and harass him

- David finally gives in when you
1) Call 15 times in a 20 minute period
2) Leave 5 voicemails in that same 20 minute period
3) In those voicemails you threaten A) Legal Action B) unwavering committment to call him a minimum of 5x/day until you get either a picture or a response C) drill in in that YOU WILL NOT GIVE UP UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR PICTURE

Approximately 10 days after this a picture will magically show up on your doorstep, and you will act completely surprised because 1) You allllways gave David the wrong address
2) Your house/apartment does not accept any sort of package EVER
3)David has been terribly ill the last 16 months and hasn't left the hospital (except to shoot horse shows...)
4) This whole time you have had the wrong email/phone number for him.

I hope this helps anyone who has to deal with him!!

[CGC421]

Wow! What an ordeal, happy you got your picture. But lets see it!

[vxf111]

All I can say is OMG?!

[Mardi]

What an ordeal ! It raises a question about show management. At what point is management partially responsible for the business conduct of their service providers ? Management hires them (photogs) to provide a service to their customers (exhibitors). Is there any recourse through show management ?

Certainly a complaint could be filed with USEF on their show evaluation form, yes ?

[iEquitate]

Congratulations on getting your photo! Your persistence is amazing.
He took a few good shots of me over the summer that I loved, but I didn't purchase them because a) he removed the pics from VSF 2012 at the end of September, so I was too late by the time I got around to ordering pictures... Yet still has pages and pages of events before that? and b) The threads about his terrible business skills made me very happy to purchase from James Parker and Shawn McMillen instead.
It's a shame because his pictures tend to be good. I think VSF had an additional photographer in 2011, wish they came back for this year

[chunky munky]

Management does not hire photographers. They are independent contractors. They may choose not to invite that person on the grounds and try to provide exhibitors with a better service, but they are not responsible for a separate parties poor business practices. No show is required to have a photographer to serve the exhibitors that i know of.

[etopolsk]

Thumbs up for Shawn McMillen. The customer service couldn't be any better and they responded immediately to all my emails even when I did so after hours.

[dags]

Chunky munky is correct, shows do not hire photographers and most actually require a (sometimes quite large) vendor fee from them. I believe, though, that some of the new "A" rating requirements from USEF require an official photographer on the grounds (unless they'd rather splurge on a jumbotron or other "perk").

It really is a shame. As several of us fight to keep our pro photogs in business, this one is thwarting all efforts by being everything everyone complains about. We have a listing that's been waiting to go live for 3 weeks because we cannot get a photo from David (a digital photo! no USPS mail nor addresses required). Finally, we decided to just get photos from the past two weeks of Katy shows. They arrived yesterday, a turnaround of about 1 week.

[gottagrey]

You're lucky he didn't file a claim against you for harrassment and/or slander. It constantly amazes me that often vendors feel the best way is to ignore a customer's calls which does nothing but really irritate and anger the client - makes us feel "had" When they could simply return the darn call/email and explain the delay. I had a similar incident w/ a hat I ordered at a horse show - it was a cool hat (not riding) and dang I wanted that stupid hat, and like a fool wrote a check for it. Well I can understand having to order it from supplier but if the woman would have told me that from the get go I would have let it go for awhile; instead 2-6 months go by with nary a word. My lesson was to always order w/ a credit card so at least you can have the CC bank refund you money, you might not get the item but at least you're not out the item AND your money.

[goodlife]

You're lucky he didn't file a claim against you for harrassment and/or slander.

Not sure that he could claim slander...she had a legitimate claim against him. Slander is spoken, and while I'm sure she did voice her opinions to others on this experience, I don't think those were unsubstantiated claims...

[roamingnome]

Not sure that he could claim slander...she had a legitimate claim against him. Slander is spoken, and while I'm sure she did voice her opinions to others on this experience, I don't think those were unsubstantiated claims...

Exactly, I have an order form and a CC receipt, and until yesterday- no picture! He constantly lied about sending my picture, claiming they kept being returned to him from both my old apt, current apt and even from my parents house claiming that none of these places accepted packages... When I talked with him in July he even stated that he was 'sorry' and had completely forgotten about it and it would be shipped the next week with an additional photo and CD for my troubles. Never got either of those, but I got what I purchased so I am content. I am only telling the story of what took place, I'm sure David is a perfectly nice person, just not a professional businessman.

[roamingnome]

It constantly amazes me that often vendors feel the best way is to ignore a customer's calls which does nothing but really irritate and anger the client - makes us feel "had" When they could simply return the darn call/email and explain the delay.

Yes, I was perfectly cordial the first YEAR I didn't have the photo, but this is my now-retired forever horse at his last show-there werent anymore opportunities for another photo like this, and I was determined to get the one that I paid for!

He refused to respond to emails and texts and calls, but nothing was going to stop me!

[Guin]

I suggest you take that photo and scan it at a high resolution so you can always make new prints of it!

[gottagrey]

Not sure that he could claim slander...she had a legitimate claim against him. Slander is spoken, and while I'm sure she did voice her opinions to others on this experience, I don't think those were unsubstantiated claims...

That's why I said harrassment (slash)/slander - it could all depend on if she said things on a public forum or place which could harm his business etc. Certainly calling him 15 times in 20 minutes could be viewed by some as harrassment (as well as the other things the OP claims she did) However, as I mentioned previously it continually amazes me why some vendors simply ignore a client's message by not returning calls or responding - that just adds more frustration to the mix.

[S A McKee]

Management does not hire photographers. They are independent contractors. They may choose not to invite that person on the grounds and try to provide exhibitors with a better service, but they are not responsible for a separate parties poor business practices. No show is required to have a photographer to serve the exhibitors that i know of.

It's sort of scary that you would respond like that.
Maybe not as a judge but as a sometimes part of show management I'd hope you'd be aware of USEF HJ rules.
In particular HJ210 which lists the options show need to select from.
There are 17 options listed in Group 1. One of those option is required at A or AA shows.
An AA show needs to select 8 of the remaining 16 options to keep their rating.
A show photographer is one of those options..
Sure, you can select other things like a jumbotron or permanent bathrooms or showers but on the expense list having show photographer satisfies one of the requirements and may even make $$ for a show.
Management may not ' hire ' photographers in a narrow sense but they do approach them and designate one or more as official show photographers.
That's close enough for the show to have some responsibility in the selection and hiring process.

[Tha Ridge]

It's sort of scary that you would respond like that.
Maybe not as a judge but as a sometimes part of show management I'd hope you'd be aware of USEF HJ rules.
In particular HJ210 which lists the options show need to select from.
There are 17 options listed in Group 1. One of those option is required at A or AA shows.
An AA show needs to select 8 of the remaining 16 options to keep their rating.
A show photographer is one of those options..
Sure, you can select other things like a jumbotron or permanent bathrooms or showers but on the expense list having show photographer satisfies one of the requirements and may even make $$ for a show.
Management may not ' hire ' photographers in a narrow sense but they do approach them and designate one or more as official show photographers.
That's close enough for the show to have some responsibility in the selection and hiring process.

I knew I could count on you to be rude to someone on this thread!

Anyway, what chunky munky said is completely true—shows, regardless of their rating, are not required to have photographers. As you said, of course, they can "hire" one, but that photographer is still likely paying vendor's fees and might not even break even at the end of the day. (And my experience comes from years of working for a horse show photographer.)

Regardless, there is no excuse for Mr. Mullinix's behavior. He is really doing a disservice to the good photographers out there who work hard—it's no wonder people steal proofs every chance they get!

[chunky munky]

Well you know, Tha Ridge, S A lives to insult people and of course hides behind a screen identity. We can always count on her rudeness and her need to assert her superiority over all others. Please genuflect now.And yes S A a photographer may be ONE item that you may include as part of your rating, but is not a requirement. And no some horse shows just allow anybody to shoot and sell their photos. Few shows that i know of charge photographers a vendor fee ( Oh I know you will come up with at least one just so you can try your best as usual to make me look inferior to you, all knowing one) And what you copied is regarding A and AA rated shows. Quite frankly it has gotten difficult to get any photographer to shoot your show period. And though I hope that they are good at their job and customer service, no, I do not feel that the quality of their work is my responsibility. And if I need the fact that I have a photographer to be one of the reasons I can be an A rated show i would think I must be running an otherwise pretty bad horse show.And if you find that to be "scary" S A, well then shiver me timbers.

[Shortstroke]

I had a very difficult time getting DM to fill my prepaid order awhile back. When I finally got it, it was not printed on good quality paper and it was fuzzy, although the proof was clear. When I spread it out with pictures from other horse show photographers, the poor quality is especially evident. Ironically, it was more expensive than the other photos. I love Hoofclix and Shannon Brinkmanship.

[Event4Life]

Wow, check out the similar threads to this....seems like lots of people have had trouble with this particular photographer. It amazes me people who can't get photos out in a timely manner stay in business!

[furlong47]

That's why I said harrassment (slash)/slander - it could all depend on if she said things on a public forum or place which could harm his business etc.

You can say as many things as you want in a public forum and hurt someone's business as much as you like as long as the things you are saying are TRUE.

Libel (written) or slander (spoken) must be FALSE and damaging.