[Mark T.]

Wow. Nothing like screwing your own industry, huh?

http://tinyurl.com/kkelnz

From
Andy Ebon @ The Wedding Marketing Authority--

"This interview starts calmly enough, with Wedding Channel Co-Founder and Bella Pictures Co-Founder, Jenny Lefcourt being interviewed by a Fox 5 Chicago TV Reporter.

The segment is purportedly about ’saving money on your wedding in today’s economy. It quickly degenerates into a badly conceived infomercial for Bella Pictures, accompanied by a mish-mash of largely bad advice and misinformation about a whole range of choices to be made by the bride.

The reporter overly credits Lefcourt’s association with the Wedding Channel. That is a past incarnation, no longer current at the time of the interview. Lefcourt never corrects her, leaving some uncertainty as to whether she is a neutral expert or representing Bella Pictures.

After this interview aired, the Wedding Channel had to issue a firm disclaimer, stating clearly that Lefcourt was no longer associated with their firm, and they were in no way endorsing her on-air comments.

I encourage you to view this two to three times to get the full effect of it. Please share this with every wedding professional you know. It is the worst kind of propaganda and disinformation. Things like this should never go unchallenged (more to follow)."

[ericaferrone]

i got to the link but it wouldn't play

[Mark T.]

By the way, the sound sync is horrible. You might want to listen and not watch. It's worse than a Japanese horror movie.

[Azul]

WOW!

[sdjeffy]

Wowzers.....

[Bob Davis]

As the former Chief Photographer and founding member of Bella Pictures, I must agree with how disappointing this segment is.

I would like to make it known public that I am no longer affiliated in any way with Bella Pictures. Our values were no longer in alignment so as of March 2009 I was let go. When we set forth to create Bella Pictures we came up with core values that I feel are not in practice and therefore I no longer want to associated with Bella Pictures. I wish them well and hope the company can someday return to its original path that myself and other core founding members forged.

Please enter into any working arrangement with Bella Pictures with your eyes and expectations wide open.

Respectfully

[Kristina Lynn Photography]

I must agree with everyone else and just say WOW! nothing like throwing your fellow professionals under the bus!

[Christos]

Bob Davis, on June 23 2009, 04:03 AM, said:

As the former Chief Photographer and founding member of Bella Pictures, I must agree with how disappointing this segment is.

I would like to make it known public that I am no longer affiliated in any way with Bella Pictures. Our values were no longer in alignment so as of March 2009 I was let go. When we set forth to create Bella Pictures we came up with core values that I feel are not in practice and therefore I no longer want to associated with Bella Pictures. I wish them well and hope the company can someday return to its original path that myself and other core founding members forged.

Please enter into any working arrangement with Bella Pictures with your eyes and expectations wide open.

Respectfully

Interesting, is it possible for you to elaborate on this further? I believe you are making individuals very curious.

[Ginger]

I had seen this on a DJ site a while back.... needless to say they were quite incensed. You can't help but feel that the only thing holding her back from saying "put disposable cameras on each table" was her association with Bella. Just wow.

[Jon Morton]

Bob Davis, on June 23 2009, 01:03 AM, said:

As the former Chief Photographer and founding member of Bella Pictures, I must agree with how disappointing this segment is.

I would like to make it known public that I am no longer affiliated in any way with Bella Pictures. Our values were no longer in alignment so as of March 2009 I was let go. When we set forth to create Bella Pictures we came up with core values that I feel are not in practice and therefore I no longer want to associated with Bella Pictures. I wish them well and hope the company can someday return to its original path that myself and other core founding members forged.

Please enter into any working arrangement with Bella Pictures with your eyes and expectations wide open.

Respectfully

WOW... To hear BOB (I'm like the founder of Bella) DAVIS say these things is pretty interesting. A lot of people had differing opinions on the whole idea of Bella, but to see Bob basically quit (or I mean, be "let go") tells me that they're headed in the wrong direction. Or I guess ALREADY be in the wrong direction.

Way to go Bob, good to see the respect of your profession is more important then money

Jon

[Tim Halberg]

Bob, my respect level for you just went way up! Thanks for sharing this here and being open about that.

Though I see some positives in what Bella does/has done, there are some gnarly stories over the years that have developed because of Bella (and true stories at that) and I'm glad to hear that you will no longer associate yourself with all of that.

[DDuggan]

Jon Morton, on June 24 2009, 10:34 PM, said:

WOW... To hear BOB (I'm like the founder of Bella) DAVIS say these things is pretty interesting. A lot of people had differing opinions on the whole idea of Bella, but to see Bob basically quit (or I mean, be "let go") tells me that they're headed in the wrong direction. Or I guess ALREADY be in the wrong direction.

Way to go Bob, good to see the respect of your profession is more important then money

Jon

Yes, but Bob was neck-deep involved in creating the mess. He is certainly not the innocent here, by any means.

He is going to have to do a lot to redeem himself with some photographers that he personally has alienated and hurt, in addition to what Bella has done.

The industry has been hurt by Bella with their cheap photography idea and oftentimes using mind-boggling inexperienced photographers. Photographers they can pay cheap. They do not realize how badly they are getting screwed IN ADDITION to the bride and groom. Which, btw, WERE DEFINITELY some of the core values of the company

No, he is most definitely to share the blame also.

Sure took him a while, huh? But can we forgive, I think most assuredly so. Even if he didn't apologize to those he has hurt. Which he didn't in his post.

But, I do not think he has come completely clean.

[always_autumn]

brides will ALWAYS get what they pay for. i've met some of bella's "quality" photographers. i've got more talent in clipped toe nails than the photographers i met that work with bella. it sucks that people looking to make cash on a lot of brides all at once have so much time to talk about what they do and that a lot of the great quality shooters aren't afforded the same publicity.

regardless, i don't even consider bella photographers to even compare to the caliber of work that my shooters and i produce. not arrogant...just don't like the "wal-mart" approach to planning weddings.

-courtney