Kimberly Jewell Photography

I don't usually do this, but you all should be warned. If you choose to have Kimberly Jewell Photography (or Studio 3100) take pictures for you or do your wedding - you should know a few things first. This was my experience: 1) She will be super nice at first - even "friend" you on facebook and offer to give you the digital copies of the pictures she takes if she ever has to get rid of them because you are her "friend". (a comment you are pleasantly surprised by - being called her friend, that is, and of course the digital copies too). You say that you'd still be happy to pay for them if she ever decides to delete. 2) When you ask for certain things that you've paid for, she'll blow it off and say that it just "takes her a really long time to get around to them". She'll even mention to the person waiting to go after you is also waiting on those same items and that person will agree. So, you'll ask her every few months and you'll continue getting blown off. Then, you decide... hmm... I'd really like to have that for this special occasion. Maybe if I give her a deadline she'll be able to do it... it is 2 years later after all... And, thankfully she does it and somewhat redeems herself. (she is a mother of 3 boys after all, and you'll understand how incredibly busy kids can make a person!) 3) After you put said pressure on her to complete the items that you paid for, the quality of the photos she takes will suddenly decrease... to the point where you start to think... hey, I'm pretty sure I can save myself a buttload of money and do these myself (and get the digital copies - because, honestly, I will never understand how a photographer can delete people's precious memories... I mean - at least offer to sell the digital copies after a certain amount of time so that they aren't lost forever, am I right?) Then, she will also suddenly start to take a ridiculous amount of time to respond to your e-mails to order prints and set up appointments. (That's right, you better learn that if you actually ask to have what you've paid for that you are no longer wanted as a customer.) 4) You had already started a package before child #2 & 3 occured, so you complete the package... only to hope that you will get what you paid for eventually... even if it takes 2 years or so, at least you get it, because to you, you just want to have it and can understand if a professional photographer/momma needs some time, even if it's a bit long. 5) You decide to put the pressure on sooner to get what you paid for, so you ask to have your item after 1 year instead of 2 years. You have to contact her multiple times with no response. You'd just show up at her office, but her office is at her home and you don't want to just show up at someone's house uninvited - so you don't. However, she doesn't answer her phone and only responds to e-mails, texts, or facebook contact - so that's all you can do... wait for a reply. Finally she gets back to you and states that her laptop was stolen (legit) and that the software to make the item that you purchased (a slideshow) was on that laptop and she has "no intentions" of making slideshows and will not repurchase the software. Also, adds in that "turning a hobby into a business has at times made it feel like a job that (she) dreaded going to everyday". (She seriously said this... still have the e-mail.) So, she offers to sell you the digital copies at a reduced rate ($3.25/photo for 50 pictures...). You think, whatever, honestly, not quite an equitable thing here, but you just want things to end and would love the digital copies, so you agree and ask to have digital copies of your other pictures as well (at full price, of course). And then she suddenly stops responding... 6) So, you e-mail a couple of times a month just to try to finish things up, you add complements about her pictures so that she knows you aren't angry but just want to hear back. For awhile, your spouse takes over because you request him to do so as a birthday gift - so as your birthday approaches he might e-mail her more often - like once a week at first to daily as your birthday approaches. Same e-mail everytime though. Just a general - hey let's finish off our order and get what we paid for. But, nothing.... dead silence. You can hear crickets at this point. So, you post on her business facebook page throughout this time too and your comments get deleted with no response. Then you decide... okay, I know her in-laws... I really, really hate to put anyone in the middle or say anything, but I just want her to contact me, so maybe if I ask them to help her e-mail me back, she will? So, that friend helps you out and the crickets continue chirping. So, you comment on her business facebook page a final time saying "Hi! I've been trying to get ahold of you! Can you e-mail or call me so that we can set up an appointment?" The comment doesn't get deleted... hmm... maybe she's coming around??? So, you wait 2 weeks, but no response... You think, perhaps she forgot... so you finally and very hesitantly write the same thing on her personal facebook wall (she friended you after all). She immediately blocks you on facebook and makes it to where you can't even write a review or comment on her business page... 7) You start to look up reviews of her online and find that one person stated that it took her a year to give them their wedding pictures. You remember that your friend (recommended by you, of course - you regret that one!) never received any of her extra stuff that she ordered. You are afraid that writing a negative review yourself will cause her to lash out and delete all of your pictures, so you deal with it... but decide that enough is enough. You finally start to realize that those pictures will never be yours. Sooo... in conclusion, you've been warned. This could happen to you if you choose her to take your pictures. It may not happen, I hope it doesn't. She can be so nice and she can (when she wants to, of course) take really beautiful photos. I really treasure the ones that she's taken of my girls... But, she doesn't treasure them and recognize how important they are to me. Honestly, I would be okay with a reply even if it said, "I don't want to do this." But, complete silence for over a year is unacceptable. That is no way to treat your customers and I just don't see how a person who does this can stay in business. I feel it is my responsibility to let others know about this. I wish I would have read reviews before going to her in the first place, but I didn't.