I was hired by a sports photography company called Superkidz Photography, now called Supersports Professional Event Photography to shoot a number of sporting events (4) He tried to have me sign a employment type contract (without the employment) I refused as one line said if I canceled a shoot I would be charged three times more than I was being paid. (I can provide this possibly illegal contract)
I was asked to shoot as an independent and the first shoot went fine. He said my work was fabulous. I have a great camera and quality. Averaged 1500 shots per event. I was paid a month late on the first shoot and not paid at all for the next three shoots, ending in a series of emails promising to pay me. He continued selling my pictures pushing me off for months, then told me to sue. Last week (1 year later) he told my lawyer I was paid. That he owned my photos without a signature. Impossible in the state of California.
He had a song and dance about getting photos online fast, to maximize sales and revenue. These were for marathons and bike races. So I handed over 5000 pics and waited for payment. He was late on first payment after promising two weeks took over a month. Didn't stress him for months or even push on invoices. All of his promises were about commission checks and building a company and team.
I was promised hourly and commission from day one! Figured no issue the photographer involved was an accredited news cameraman for KTLA in Los Angeles. I'm getting $25 an hour joke wage, no travel compensation, no post processing compinsation. With all the promises and every aspect was around the sales commission checks and that "I needed to get a bunch of shoots finished for steady income".
The Scam! I will admit I was fooled completely by this person!
In the end, I was only paid for one shoot ($100) stiffed for 3 more and delivered over 5000 pics..
These shoots involved waking up at 4 am and driving up to 75 miles. Unpaid in a SUV! With hi end camera gear. I was promised to be paid numerous times, then six months later told to sue. At the last event over 10 photographers were on that shoot.
The is two companies are being 'unjustly enriched' by my hard work and actual expense.
This is a fraud situation, with conversion of property involved!
The company selling the photos (backprint.com) is in Texas and they wont provide info on sales, address for this company and may still be selling my pictures legal terms involved fraud, conversion, unjust enrichment. Not to mention the loss of my intellectual property rights. I pulled a millennium act (six months later) and they took down some of the pictures but no records for sales and the still promote the smuck on their front page.
The photography company goes by three different DBA's and is not even a real business in los angeles. I tried to file a small claims action today and find out I cant even go after the Texas company. The only real business. Grrrrrr I am suing Sam Lafoca even when it seems mute as he hides under a rock and I'll most likely never collect. Even though I'm forced to make a point. Just try and find his address!
Promoters are promoting events and this company plus a multi million dollar company in Texas all profit from my expense, and I'm run over in the worst economy ever. This is wrong on every level!
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