Bride-to-Be 'Fat-Shamed' by Photographer Who Took Engagement Photos
Social media has become an excellent resource for engaged couples. Sites such as Facebook allow for people to easily find referrals for all aspects of wedding planning.
Katie Liepold and her fiance found themselves in this exciting season of wedding planning. Liepold specifically found herself in need of photographer recommendations for their May wedding.
She made a Facebook post hoping to find the photographer who would capture those special moments. About 20 comments poured in, giving her a great selection.
The bride-to-be narrowed her decision down to Tower Photography in Medina, Ohio. Linda Silvestri was the photographer.
For $600, the package included an engagement shoot and reception coverage for two hours.
The couple didn’t need an engagement shoot but decided to participate considering it was part of the package.
They seemed to click with Silvestri as she took pictures of them at the Cleveland Metroparks. Their conversations were filled with laughter.
The couple’s experience with the photographer turned negative when they received their pictures. Liepold was disappointed with the chosen angles and blurriness.
Then, the experience became personally hurtful. Two of the photos were almost identical except for one factor that could be considered fat-shaming.
Liepold told WEWS, “She actually photoshopped one picture of us skinnier. She probably took like 30 pounds off each of us.”
The couple didn’t want to be photoshopped. It sent a message that their bodies needed to be changed.
Silvestri allowed Liepold to cancel the contract when the bride-to-be shared her concerns. The photographer did not return the $150 deposit.
Perhaps, that would only seem fair considering the photographer’s time during the two-hour engagement session. However, Liepold and her fiancé were not only photoshopped and disappointed with the quality of the photos — the photographer went even further.
Silvestri posted about them on the Northeast Ohio Wedding Professionals Only Facebook page. “And people wonder why I have scaled back on my photography business,” she began.
Silvestri continued, “Last week I did an engagement session for a morbidly obese couple…It is extremely difficult to get Pinterest worthy lovey dovey pics when people can’t even get their heads together.”
I hope that Liepold and her fiancé find a photographer who has an easier time capturing their love. Despite the hurt resulting from the photoshopping and Facebook posting, at least the couple learned about these issues before their wedding day.
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