Cornell McBride Photography Thief, con-artist, fraud, fake, bootleg, Atlanta Georgia

You have to ask yourself. Why would ONLY 1 stylist working in a salon would create this report if 4 stylist working side by side every day were all ripped off. Why not include their names? Why not get on their phone and file the same report. The beginning of the report says. We COULDN'T use the pictures and we COULDN'T use them on the website. Interesting because the 3 stylist who had models show up, were ALL PUBLISHED in the magazine. See images below.

see photos

I will start off by saying this and I will accept accountability for my mistakes during this situation. The owner of the salon and I have known each other for years. When she contacted me several months before this shoot it was about shooting the inside of her new salon, and at least 8 models for marketing. My rates are $150/model which included a professional make up artist. But because she was starting out and wanted to save where she could. I have her a rate of $100/model. We scheduled a photo shoot and a date a couple weeks later to collect the deposit of $400, 50%. That photo shoot was postponed by the owner, because she was focusing on getting more stylists/employees. I understood that because I've worked in the hair industry for 20 years and I know how it is. She contacted me a second time with a new date to shoot. Same scenario. Same deal. $100/model with a min of 8 models.

Deposit to be collected at least 2 weeks in advance. She chose a date for me to come and collect a deposit. When I called to confirm the day before a time I would arrive to collect. She mentioned she hated to do it, but she had to postpone. Everything she needed wasn't in place yet. This is Cancellation number 2. Keep in mind that shooting 8 models, getting hair and make up requires a photographer to block the majority of the date. It's discouraging when you clear your schedule for business and it doesn't happen. Its worse when you allow it to happen a 2nd time, but in this industry. It happens. We reconnect months later and the owner is ready. I meet her at the salon 2 weeks prior to shooting and collect $400 towards an $800 balance for shooting 8 models. The morning of the shoot I was running behind because of car issues but the person who filed this report, didn't know that the OWNER who scheduled the shoot and I were constantly in contact.

And at 10am explained that the models hadn't arrived yet so no worries. I've said it a 1000 times. I know this business. Things happen especially with models. Ask anyone. We kept in communication. Instead of having my car towed. I had it fixed and I did arrive at the salon at 1pm. And there were No models that came and left. There were 3 models there getting there hair done by 3 stylist. By 3pm. That's the total number of models that showed up of the 8. The deal was to come back the next day to shoot the other 5 models. But unfortunately, I was asked to come out and shoot one, Genia's. That evening I spoke with the owner and told her first off that the 3 models that were photographed came out FANTASTIC. How FANTASTIC. All 3 of them were Published in the National publication I submitted them to. I sent her photos of all 3 of them in the magazine while I was looking at the magazine in Kroger. Genia and I had a few conversations.

After those conversations came some misunderstandings but regardless of what either of us had control over, I owe her $100.00 since we were not able to complete her shoot regardless of the circumstances. I was a bit more stubborn 2 years ago when this situation happened. And when I got the email from ripoff alert and her misinformed story I was pissed because the images were great, published and delivered. You can't please everybody and now I understand the importance of contracts on every shoot, big or small. I've shot images of thousanda of people during my career and this is the first situation of this kind I've ever had to deal with. Fast forward to today. Over 2 years later. I won't carry this situation into 2016. So I will get this refund to Genia and see what the response is then to my rebuttal. At the end of the day. It was my mistake. I've never been a fake, fraud or thief. I've made mistakes in business but who hasn't. I will learn from this one and keep it moving. Good day everyone and God Bless