Mom's Unreasonable album requests

[geo_martin]

<p>Mom signed the contract. </p>

[geo_martin]

<p>Many times I personally don't do the consultation and don't witness who actually signs the contract. Other times we don't give the contract until the client selects their collection, then we mail it out to them. In those cases, anyone could theoretically sign the contract without our knowledge. <br>

It brings up some very interesting issues that I have to find solutions to. Great thread.</p>

 

[keith__richard_terry]

<p>Get them together, ask them exactly what they want, do it, take the money and be shot of them !<br>

I pity the groom !</p>

[innerglowphoto]

<p>Sounds like this Mom runs the show here and this may in fact be a short marriage. I feel bad for the husbands...havent heard a peep from them in this saga. So, be careful being too nice, as they may ask you to photograph her daughters 2nd wedding too. You can make up the profit on that one. :)</p>

[steve_bellayr]

<p>The mother's requests are unreasonable at this date. They should have been made prior to the production of the album. Adjusting color is one thing but the removal of items from the background and her "double chin" certainly should not be included without explicitly being written into the contract. (Double chin, indeed...that's a Jenny Craig problem!)</p>

[boinkphoto]

<p>A number of friends have asked me why I don't shoot weddings for a living.</p>

<p>Well, there you go.</p>

<p>PS: I have shot plenty of <strong>friend's</strong> weddings, and damnit if those aren't complicated enough!</p>

[landscape_shooter]

<p>How much does a new album cost for the mother? The bride already said she's happy with her's. Maybe the price isn't too bad and you can just make one new one for the mother?</p>

[geo_martin]

<p>I have done two reprints already. This would be the third. The first one was due to my error. The second one was at their request. Now we're into the third reprint. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$</p>

[bobcossar]

<p>Wow....all these responses.... Geo, seems to me everything has been said. So now <strong>you </strong> need to quit whining, learn what you can from all this and, <strong>decide</strong> what you will do and just <strong>DO</strong> it.</p>

[picturesque]

<p>Geo--I think the first one (your fault) does not count. So the one the bride got was the true 'first one'. We are now talking about a second printing. The $$$ that was spent on the one that was your fault does not figure in any of the reprint reasoning.</p>

<p>As I said above, 'legal client' determination helps nothing about the present situation. I still think you should reprint it as the mom wants, chalk it up to experience, benefit of the doubt, etc., but then do two things. First would be to check and double check with both the mom and bride before printing this 'last' copy. Second would be to clean up and clarify your procedures on album printing for future use.</p>

[kiva]

<p>(Unable ,due to time constraints, to read all of the above responses.)</p>

<p>In my contract, right where the "Contractual" person signs the contract I make it clear that they are the person who pays for the service and that they agree, per contract to give all decision making over to the bride and groom. </p>

<p>If it's not clear that the bride and groom are the only persons you are communicating with regarding all elements of the wedding photography then focus on what you need to change in your contract for future weddings. I'm sure my statement is merely an echo of some of the above messages but sometimes we need to hear things a few times before we become believers. </p>

<p>Right now you have to get approval from the person who hired you and no one else: this is why you want to work Only for the Bridal Couple no matter who pays you. You do this per agreement upon signing the contract. <strong>I only take direction from the bridal couple</strong> , before / during / and after the wedding day, no matter who pays for the contract; this is per contract and none negotiable. </p>

<p>It's just good business to be clear on lines of communication; in fact, <strong>it's imperative</strong> .</p>

[darrengold]

<p>As interesting as this thread is, it's not the first, nor the last time it will feature on this forum. I am not a wedding photographer, but I would by now have amended my contract as follows:<br>

One page for "Responsibility for payment" signed by the person who will pay the invoice. A second page for "Responsibility for picture and album content," signed by whomever was to be responsible, probably the bride and groom. If this or these persons were different to the person who signed the "Responsibility for payment' page, I would get them to countersign it.<br>

The chances of this kind if thing happening would be greatly reduced if not negated altogether.</p>

[aimee_pieters]

<p>Geo,<br>

I'm not sure what you're looking for here. Do you want actual opinions or justification to either have the client pay for another album or just refuse to do it for her?<br>

Yes, the album will cost you, but the bad press will cost you more....-Aimee</p>