How would you deal with this?

[Ashleigh Doll]

Hello all,

Just wanted some advice really and so far I've been dealing with my situation in the wrong way by naming the person involved. Naive as it sounds, I didn't realise the legal implications of doing this and so I apologise to the forum. I never meant any harm, I just wanted some help.

Basically, I entered into a content share agreement with a photographer. The photographer breached this agreement in a huge way and has caused some serious damage to my reputation as a result. I tried really hard to sort it out privately with him, but he just ignored my messages. It led me to 'threaten' him with further action and he reported me to the site he booked me on. My profile has been suspended and I just can't believe how unfairly I've been treated. I only threatened him with further action (and those are the exact words I used) because he wasn't responding. Now I've been painted as some kind of horrible abusive person when I'm nothing of the sort and I'm really upset about it =(

I've asked the site to read the messages between the photographer and I because they prove my version of the story without a shadow of a doubt and that I never threatened him in the way he's made out I have. So far I've had no response.

Where do I go from here? I'd appreciate any help. I know I have a legal case against him, but these things take time and money, both of which I don't have. As well as working my butt off, I also have a 9 month old child and my money is all tied up in other things at the moment. All I want is for the original agreement to be honored, which I know probably won't happen, and for my profile to be restored on the modelling site. If I'm honest, I do want other people to know what he's done because I think it's totally unfair that to date he's got away with being so awful. The way I see it, if he can do it to me, he'll do it to others.

[povman69]

Ash I saw the thread you are talking about and was amazed you got any replies without it being shut down. That sites T&C are very clear that you cant name and shame.
TBH Id say thats why your account was suspended

[jimslip]

So called, "Contents shares" are fraught with danger in my opinion, unless you have an independent 3rd party involved to act as an honest broker who makes sure all parties behave themselves.

I reckon if you do a contents share and you haven't got an honest broker,you shouldn't leave the studio or location until you have:

1/ A full set of video master duplicates
2/ A full set of stills duplicates
3/ Copies of all documentation, ie model releases etc

If you leave the shoot empty handed, you hold nothing more than a promise.........and that is all.

[Ashleigh Doll]

Like I said, I was naive and didn't realise this. I just wanted some guidance and to warn people about him. If he can do it to me I'm sure he'd have no qualms doing the same to others.

The site said my account was suspended after talks with the photographer in question in which he said I threatened him. I did no such thing. All I said was that I'd have to take 'further action' if he didn't respond to my perfectly reasonable messages. I'm not a threatening person. All I wanted was what was promised and instead I've been left with nothing and a damaged reputation. I completely understand that I did wrong by naming him, but I have apologised and that's all I can do. It just seems incredibly unfair that so far he's got away with breaching an agreement that he set up in the first place. I think I saw your comment on it, or it may have been somebody else's? It was something along the lines of 'sounds like you got a sweet deal, paid and content share'. If it was you then it was worded in a way that suggested I took the piss, which I didn't at all. The tog approached me with the deal in the first place and I thought it was odd, but of course I accepted, as would anybody. If it wasn't you then I apologise.

As soon as our messages are read by the moderators it will be proved that I did nothing wrong. I just hope people aren't quick to believe the other side of the story because it's the dishonest version.

[Ashleigh Doll]

Thank you =)

I'll take your advice on board in future!

[pinkbits69]

Wow just taken a look at some pics and you look awesome, hope you resolve your problems and have no ill effect to your career!thumbsup!

[puretotty]

Sorry if I am missing something but I aint got the faintest idea by what you have posted so far how you reckon this person who ever he may be as ripped you off...

I see one bit that says you were paid and was getting a content share ??? So what as he done wrong, not given you a copy of the content ?

Was you paid the full rate for the work you did, or a reduced rate ? Really confused... cant comment when I dont know what the deal was and how you feel he broke it...

[Ashleigh Doll]

Our agreement was that I was paid at a reduced rate and shared the content with him on each of our websites and nowhere else. This agreement was suggested by him in his first message to me, not my idea at all.

He broke the agreement by:
1. Failing to provide me with all of the content.
2. Posting the images on a public forum, when it was specified in the agreement that the only places the content be published were my website and his own.

The images were only to be published on our own websites because I had never done continental work before and didn't want any viewable until the launch of my website. That was part of the pull if you like. The photographer had no problem with this during our discussions and then, as I said, published them on a public form. Not just any thread either, but my own thread set up by my fans, promoting my work on Storm TV. This got me in trouble with Storm because they have their own website and obviously would prefer people not to promote themselves on it. If a fan had published the pictures saying 'Look what I just found' it wouldn't have been an issue. I was also using the thread at the time to promote my website (I've set up a separate, so as not to conflict with Storm) and the photographer was pretty much saying 'Bugger Ashleigh's site! I have more of her on mine!' and all because he failed to send it to me as agreed.

Hope you understand now.

[Ashleigh Doll]

Thanks. To be honest I'm thinking of just forgetting about it and moving on. It's all just become so silly. I know I'm not in the wrong and I've never ever had any issues with photographers in my six year career. That will surely be more reflective of me than one unfortunate situation.