Idiot Camera Shop! And Idiot Me!

Remember the crazy lady I mentioned about during the Wesak weekend? Well, yesterday I sent the JPEG, along with 30+ camp photos to this nearby camera shop to be developed. I spoke in my best Mandarin and managed to get the message across that of the 37 photos, 2 has to be printed as 5R. I paid the RM10 deposit and went back. It was my first time trying out this shop, but I hoped that it was better than the other camera shop, which always gets the colour wrong.

I realize now that it's always better the devil you know.

When I went back just now to collect the photos, I was surprised that most of the photos were not the camp photos! He told me that there were 300 over photos inside, and he didn't know which to print. I was puzzled for a moment, and then realized why - my photos were all in the "Photos" folder, and he didn't only look in that folder. There were other folders inside of my various other files, and they had other photos. He wasn't sure what it was that I wanted, but he was smart enough not to print everything as he remembered that I only said 30+ photos.

I then realized why he didn't see the Photos folder - he is using an Epson printer with a CD-ROM connected to it. It has an in-built LCD screen and he's doing all the navigation through that tiny 1.5 inch screen. The software would scan the entire media for photos and not organize them into their original photos, hence causing the confusion. Even when selecting individual photos, the display shows its own labelling such as Photo 158 and not its original filename of, say, IMG_8274.

I helped him choose the correct photos again, and then he asked me to come back later. I walked away feeling frustrated and disappointed, both at the shop for using a home colour printer to do its business and at myself for forgetting to tell him which folder to print from. In my nervousness at conversing in Mandarin I had forgotten about the essential information.

I'm not sure if he would charge me for the 30+ wrong photos that he had already printed. I hope not. I really hope not.

Back at my car, I almost felt like letting them keep the RM10 deposit and not coming back. Sort of like cutting my losses, you know? But integrity ruled the day, and I'll be back at 10pm to get my photos.