 Holly Marie Spoonley |
York Photo Labs Recently I mailed out some negatives for reprints and when I received the envelope to my dismay the reprints and the negatives were not mine. All I get from the photo lab is a we are sorry and we will do our best to find them. It was a human error and they packaged the prints and negs in someone else's envelope. AGH! How often does this happen? Do the labs ever find your pictures? has anyone heard of York Photolabs? Any feedback on them? I have used them for 10 years never had a problem and now I am so nervous and worried. All I can think is someone else has my portraits!!!!!!
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robert G. Fately |
Holly, I feel your pain and, while I have not used this York labs place, I had the same experience with Fuji's lab in Phoenix couple of years ago. I sent in a few rolls of Velvia slide film and of course they lost the roll that I knew had the best shots (sunsets in Monterey). What I did receive was a box of slides that someone shot out of the window of a plane over the Grand Canyon... naturally they were all terrible. Fuji's response was only "sorry" and that they'd look for my shots. But they were never found...so I got a roll of film "free" (oh boy!) Just put this one ounder the heading of "stuff happens". When you think about it, given the fact that the lab probably processes umpteen rolls a day, them losing a roll now and then is probably unavoidable. I have used A&I Labs since the Fuji fiasco, and they've never lost anything - though I haven't done as much film lately since I've gone a bit digital anyway...
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Mark Feldstein |
Greetings Holly. Unfortunately, you answered your own question, i.e., "How does this happen" and the answer, as you correctly noted is "human error". The first thing you can do of course is to send the negatives you received that weren't yours back to the lab, addressed to the manager ASAP. Call him/her and tell them they're on they're way addressed to their attention. If you're fortunate, whomever received yours (assuming they really were sent out to tae wrong person and not misplaced around the lab) will do what you're doing and the manager will sort this out and get you your film. Unfortunately, this kind of human error happens not only to labs that do mail-order, but local labs down the street as well. As you acknowledged, you worked with these guys for ten years without a snag. That speaks pretty highly for the lab. As Bob noted, A&I in L.A. is a great E-6 lab and used to process Kodachrome. (K-14). They run a lot of film. Even since ISGO photo bought them out, they've continued to be extremely reliable. I've used ISGO for about 15 years since it was strictly a b&w lab. They're among the best I've seen. Gamma Photo Lab in Chicago is also top notch. But look, it's still a human process just the same as the photographic process itself, regardless of how automated you make it. Now a suggestion: When most pros I know, including me, need to send film out of town to be processed, we batch it. That involves shooting duplicates using either a different camera body or magazine, or at least separate the job into multiple orders in separate envelopes or packages for the lab to process separately (and hopefully not lose). That way, if one envelope gets lost, misplaced or incorrectly processed and damaged, you have backups which will also hopefully get you through the assignment unscathed, or with minimal scathing. ;>). And Bob, if you want to reshoot those lost or missing sunsets in Monterey, drop me an e-mail, let me know when you plan to do that, and I'll show you the best places to shoot from with minimal tripod marks. I'll also be glad to hook you up with a local E-6 lab that hasn't lost a roll of mine yet. Take it light guys.
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Jose L. Garcia |
I have used york color lab,last month I paid to get double prints and I got singles,also I sent 4 rolls and one of the rolls I got the negative all tape with clear tapes,somehow they ripped the negative and tape together,and printed the pictures like that,Im glad It wasnt a wedding pictures.
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Pat Worster |
Hi Holly, I had an experience with York several years ago and I will never use them again. I lost 6 films because of them. They had no idea where they went, I even had a label on eaach one of them with my name and phone number. You will get nothing from them in return. Everytime I get a flyer or film envelope that comes in the paper I make a copy of the nasty letter I wrote a few years ago and send it to them just to remind them of how lousy their service is.
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Holly Marie Spoonley |
That is horrible! 6 rolls of film! U jbiw things like this happen but they shouldn't. My mother used a local lab after her 2nd honeymoon to develop her Hawaii pictures and they lost the film. This has been driving me crazy! Sunce Saturday I have been obsessed with this. I have been praying every day that the negatives will be returned.
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Pat Worster |
I hope they will be for your sake but please don't hold your breath.
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Mark Feldstein |
So Holly, have you contacted the lab manager / owner??? Have you returned the negatives that were sent to you in error?? Have you provided the lab with information that will help them locate your negatives?? What are YOU doing to help solve the problem? M.
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Holly Marie Spoonley |
Mark, I have contacted the mixed department at the York Photo Lab in MD and explained the problem to them. I have also emailed them photo from my webpage of which negatives are missing to help them in the search of the negatives. I mailed out the negatives and reprints that I received today, I am concerned about the other person's negatives just as much as I am concerned about mine. Is there something I haven't done that you think I should do?
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Mark Feldstein |
"Mixed department"??? Are those the guys who mix-up the negatives in the first place? Yikes !!! Bout the only other thing I'd do, is contact the lab owner (preferably) or the manager, (not just a dept. manager), and tell them they need to get aggressive about solving this because of the bum rap they're starting to get on sites like this one. Aside from that, keep your fingers crossed and of course, keep on learnin'. ;>) Mark
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doug Nelson |
I worked decades ago as a store clerk for an outfit in Richmond, VA who embarrassed me constantly by losing or switching orders. It seems the problem was new management hiring illiterate people from the streets and paying minimum wage, with no benefits, and, it seemed, minimal supervision. A local shop who does them in house may be a better bet. Thanks for putting out the word on York. Full Spectrum Photo in Decorah, IA has done good work for me, www.fsprolab.com.
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Holly Marie Spoonley |
Mark, The mixed department is the only contact that I have. The number for their labs are unlisted and it took a few night sof reseraching before I could find a number online for them. It's like they are top secret or something. They will only correspond via email and even then it is a computer generated response. I have asked to speak with a manager and each time they tell me he is out to lunch or something stupid like that. Crazy! We have used this lab for many years, I have never received bad service until now. I do know that I will be looking elsewhere to develop my film. You are right, keep learning! This is definitley a learning experience for me. Doug, That is scary that occurred in that lab. For the photographer whether professional or not it is devastating. I will look into Full Spectrum Photo. I am also going to check out some local labs and check out reputations. Thanks for reading my cries. It made me feel a tiny bit better, to vent.
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Mark Feldstein |
Hey Holly, you know what I'd do... I'd get the phone number from the City Clerk's office along with the name of the guy who's got the business license. Or, if it's a corporation, give a call to the Secretary of State's Corporation office and THEY can easily tell you in one phone call who their agent is for service of process and who the corporate owners are. Armed with that info, you can give them some significant grief that would command their attention and favorably resolving your problem. In fact, you can try google, "Corporate Officers for York Photo Lab in Maryland". See what you get. Don't give up. Persistence pays. Pull back the curtain and get ahold of the wizzard. I'll lay odds that guy is gonna care about what you've got to tell him. Or, just call the lab and ask them who their agent is for service or legal process...as in lawsuits. They don't HAVE to tell you but they should. Tell them you're calling for Dewey, Cheathem and Howe. And either your law firm will serve them or the Sheriff's department. Their choice. Now...how do you spell the owners name??? LOL !!! Mark Mark
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Holly Marie Spoonley |
They found my negatives!! I just got off the phone with the customer service and at first she gave me a runaround. But when I asked to sepak with the manager and explained to her that I was a professional photographer and that I didn't believe they were taking this seriously she quickly placed me on hold looked around the lab. When she came back on the line she said the gentleman that received them returned them and they will mail them out to me today! To whom ever received my negatives, thank you for returning them!!!!
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Mark Feldstein |
I warned you Holly. Persistence pays off. LOL !!!! Good for you ! Mark
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Brock E. Litton |
and now were all ready to go digital..lol..
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Holly Marie Spoonley |
If anyone has had trouble with York Photo recently the customer service number is 301-937-5300. This number is extremely hard to find. I would suggets anyone that is using York Photo Lab to file this number just in case! Thanks to everyone for their suggestions! Mark your advice is golden!
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J S |
i called the maryland number 301.937.5300 on a holiday and did get a service rep quickly. she said 'distirct photo' and I asked about york photo. she siad I was calling the right number but she didn't have a number for york photo in parkersburg. the purpse of the call was to get a photo enlarged to poster size - yorks mail fliers do not have that feature. yorks website does have that feature. I am leary of sending this picture in the mail to disctrict photo for the reasons mentioned all above - I am afraid I will lose the pic of my dad. over the last ten years I have used york for getitng pics enlarged to poster size and am veyr satisfied...but I haven't had any lately....i see the york faciltiy is for sale on the website so I am not sure of their status....probably were bought out and moved and now customer service is quesgionable. sam pittsburgh
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Kathy A. Tarrios |
I do not like york photo. They erased all my online photos and I had to request twice to restore albums to order prints. DO NOT STORE THERE! it is in the fine print we seldom read.... if you do get your photos removed or log on and see your whole families memories missing... contact them, they have them in holding and will restore. p.s. I am very sorry about your negatives. I guess it could happen any place. But, at my local drug store I would go crazy on them!
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Raquel S. |
Here's an idea: For each roll of film you start to shoot, take at least one clear pic of your biz card or a clearly written note stating ownership of that roll of film and who to contact if it gets lost. While it's not a perfect solution, it's better than anonymous photos floating around. Mailing out my film for development always makes me nervous. I will also write my name on the film metal canisters with permanent markers or address labels to avoid mix ups. I'm tickled to pieces that the lab was able to find your film. That's great news. Kudos to the person who had them for returning your photos. And kudos to you for not giving up.
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