A Sydney mother has issued a stark warning to other parents after her baby daughter's lavish christening was left in tatters by what she describes as an 'unprofessional' photographer who failed to capture the day's most precious moments.
A Day of Celebration Turns to Devastation
Makeup artist Renay Harb, 30, took to social media to share her distressing experience after being left 'devastated' by the photographs from her one-year-old daughter London's grand celebration in September. Having spent over a decade working with luxury beauty brands like Lancôme and YSL, Renay felt confident she knew what to expect from a professional photoshoot. However, the reality was a far cry from her expectations.
In the lead-up to the event, and on the advice of her event planner, Renay sought a second, back-up photographer on Instagram to handle family photos, hoping to keep the day running smoothly. She paid an upfront fee of $2,000 for five hours of coverage, but warning signs soon emerged. 'I had to email her three times just to get her contact number,' Renay recalled.
A Catalogue of Photographic Failures
On the day itself, Renay claims the photographer provided no direction, failed to utilise the beautifully prepared photo areas, and did not bring any additional lighting for indoor shots. 'She just pretty much stood there snapping away,' Renay said. 'There was no 'move here', 'angle that way', and no 'let's fix the lighting'. Nothing.'
The most heartbreaking omission for the mother was the discovery that not a single photo was taken of her daughter London alone in her custom, bejewelled christening gown from Kids N Style. When a preview set of 45 images arrived, Renay was dismayed to find them either too dark or too bright, with details of the ornate gown completely blown out.
After Renay politely offered feedback and requested the images not be shared online until properly edited, the photographer's attitude allegedly changed dramatically. She became defensive, demanded payment for an additional $560 for an extra hour and parking, and threatened to take the issue to social media if she wasn't paid.
Locked Albums and a Warning to Others
Despite paying the outstanding fee in full, Renay was then largely ignored. When the final photo album finally arrived in her inbox five weeks later, it was password-protected, with no password provided. Her husband eventually had to intervene to gain access to the long-awaited pictures.
Since sharing her story, Renay's inbox has been flooded with messages from over 15 people claiming to have had similar experiences with the same photographer. Now, instead of joy, the photos only bring back stress and frustration.
Renay's advice to other families planning significant events is clear: ask for full galleries, not just highlights from Instagram, and never pay in full upfront to someone you haven't worked with before. 'I found out after the event that she wasn't even trained,' Renay revealed. 'Just someone with a camera and an Instagram page.'
