bob_peters Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Thought I'd start a fun thread. What are your least favorite comments you get from your customers. Here's mine: the "you must have a good camera" comment that dismisses everything you put into getting a good shot and implies it's entirely down to the money you spend on equipment. I handed over some photographs last month and there was one of the couple on a beach. They had requested a particular backdrop to kiss in front of which, at the time of the day of the wedding was harsh sunlight and huge shadows over their faces. With their timings on the day too it gave us around ten minutes to get the shot before they had to move on. So I went to the beach the day before (about 30 minutes drive) and found the spot I could with the best light in a bad situation. I asked my wife to pose so I could judge the best spot for my off camera flashes, and whether I could get away with using a reflector as a diffusing scrim without getting it in shot. In all I spent around two hours setting up the shot and an hour round trip driving. On the day we got it out of the way in less than 10 minutes, and hit the jackpot (I'd love to post it here but I have an agreement that I don't use their shots on the internet). I handed over the photographs and they were over the moon with them. When they came to that shot (that had been in their "must have" list) the bride cried. The groom said "we've tried that before but it didn't look anything like this - you can tell the difference having a pro camera makes can't you? How much would it cost me to get one of those?" I wanted to let him know it had taken a huge investment in learning, several years experience, hours and hours of practice, 3 hours of my time setting it up in advance and had nothing to do with the camera I used. The secret is in the making it look seamless and knowing what you are doing, not in the camera you buy. You could have shot it with a P&S and it would likely have been just as good once the groundwork was in place. But I didn't let my art-side override my business side and I smiled sweetly and just said "I'm glad you like it. It was a Canon 5D..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_schultz1 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 "I could do this too, I just bought a (fill in the blank with expensive camera)" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 "How many pictures do you take?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_schultz1 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Are you getting the shots over there? (Guest taps me on shoulder and points to another wedding moment, one I usually just got a second ago) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kari douma Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 "Can my friend take some pictures with you? She wants to be a photographer." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrodgers Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 "I'm a Nikon guy myself.." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin_hall Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I've actually taken people up on their comments, one lady said "I have a Canon SLR too", I said "Go grab it, we can both take a picture of the same thing at the same time", she did, we did. And she shot away happily in Auto with her little kit lens, flash firing wildly. "Oh" she said looking perplexed - mine looks a bit odd. "Hmm I said". You wouldn't compliment a chef on his pots and pans would you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrodgers Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Not that there is anything wrong with Nikon.. It's just that when you've had the conversation at almost every wedding... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_schultz1 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 "You wouldn't compliment a chef on his pots and pans would you?" Love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrodgers Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Here's one I heard on strobist: Q: "Why are you using flash outside?" A: "Maybe I know something you don't." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_schultz1 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 My camera is 10 megapixels, what's yours? (sorry I keep hijacking this thread but this is very entertaining!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin_hall Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 One plonker once told me his Samsung point and shoot had 10 Megs whereas my lowly SLR had just 8. I said I wished I had a nice camera like his and maybe I should upgrade? He nodded earnestly. Looking sorry for me with my crappy little EOS and 70-200 f2.8 IS... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve george Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 "ooh! you missed a lovely moment just then!" (when I haven't missed it at all) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve george Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 One more: "I've photographed a few weddings in my time you know...have you thought of..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve george Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 One more. A few weeks ago I had my 70-200 on the camera for a shot of 4 people from a reasonable distance. One of them said to the groom "I hope you haven't paid him. I know a bit about photography and there is _NO WAY_ he could have got us all in." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 My fav to date, (from a videographer): "If your partner gets in my shot one more time, I'm gonna knock him out." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_man Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 "What's this guy doing? He hasn't even got them facing the sun" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairieimages Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I get alot of the . . What kind of camera do you use question too .. . as well as.. . Where do you print your prints at? ARGH!!! Some people are just so nosey .. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memecafe Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 ok, so my last wedding the bride's mom was not too hot on her hiring a photographer. She figured that everyone's disposabes combined would make a fine album, I guess. Before the wedding started I was standing next to the bride and her mom, getting some candid sweet moments of them together. I also was getting some beautiful shots of her alone with her flowers. The mom starts to take photos of her daughter and insists I move because "I need to have photos of my daughter on her wedding day!" when her camera stops working...out of batteries. She is upset and says RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, "Well, I hope SOMEONE else brougt a camera!" I am standing there with about $10,00 on my neck and waist...I just laugh a little and assure her that I will take good care of it for her and not to worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memecafe Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Ed...how about this one.. "someone tell her that her flash is pointing up! The photos will all be dark!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrodgers Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Stacy, Just keep telling yourself: "They mean well." My in-laws were married in 1970, and the photographer left the lens cap on his range-finder camera for the entire day. Nobody said anything. I guess lack of photographic understanding among the guests works both ways! "Is that a digi-cam?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memecafe Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 wait another flash one! "can she turn her darn flash off in here? it is like the 4th of july!" I wasn't even shooting a lot at the time...and we were inside a very dark reception hall at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memecafe Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 wait another flash one! "can she turn her darn flash off in here? it is like the 4th of july!" I wasn't even shooting a lot at the time...and we were inside a very dark reception hall at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memecafe Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 OK OK one more I swear...Once a videographer asked me to "turn off the red X" because it was messing up his video. And sometimes I get "photography is so easy now! you can see what you are taking and just delete it, and you have photoshop to change everything!" Arrgh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ_konrad Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Your camera takes nice pictures! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now