The audacity, really. Johannesburg-based photographer Lance Romeo shared something so out of this world that came into his texts. The wedding photographer shared what he labels as “the craziest request he has heard in his career.”
A woman who hired his services for her wedding four years ago in 2019 has sent a text to him, demanding a full refund for the wedding photography because she got divorced and “doesn’t need the photos anymore.”
This client was a friend of a friend of his, the South African professional shared. “I was doing a photo shoot at her friend’s birthday party,” Romeo said. “Then the friend told me that she has a friend who’s getting married and needs a photographer. Then I told her ‘You can give her my number.’ That same night when I got home, that lady contacted me and told me she needs a photographer. She told me the wedding is in Durban, her husband’s hometown.
The couple paid 12,000 South African Rand (~$650), which was lower than his standard rate (15,000 South African Rand (~$815)). “After the wedding, I came back home and sent the pictures to them and I moved on,” Romeo shared. “Happy client, they loved the pictures, and that was that. Or so I thought.”
When he got the demanding text message, the photographer initially thought that he was being hired for another event. But he was taken aback by her wild request. “Well, I’m now divorced and those pictures I and my ex-husband don’t need them anymore,” she wrote to him. “You did a wonderful job on them but they went to waste as we are now divorced, I will need a refund of the amount we paid you because we don’t need them anymore.”
Insane. After confirming that she was indeed serious about her demands, Romeo explained that his work is nonrefundable as he has delivered the service and the photos. “I can’t refund you because I can’t untake the pictures,” he responded. “It’s been hilarious, I don’t want to lie. The lady still has not let on. She’s adamant that she needs to get her money back, she’s really serious, and she still wants to meet up with me. I don’t even know what to say anymore because this is the craziest thing I’ve ever experienced in this line of work.” the photographer remarked.
Image credit: Lance Romeo