Client requesting to edit work herself

[ted_suss]

<p>I would not agree to this. It's always best to work with clients who want you for what YOU do. As soon as you start to bend, it's he beginning of something that will continue to snowball. She'll always want more because "everyone else" does that too.....-TED :-)</p>

[justin_thyme2]

<p>This is an excellent question, because it gets at the heart of "How To Handle Unreasonable Customer Requests".</p>

<p>Because we all have different business models, then what one photographer regards as being out of line might be totally acceptable to someone else.</p>

<p>For instance, some photographers will shoot a wedding and literally burn a disc right there on the spot of the unedited images, and exchange that disc for cash, right on the spot. In their business model, it was a great trade, because they see themselves as being hired merely to SHOOT the images, and nothing more. in fact, they relish the idea of not having to do any "Post" work once the initial shooting is done. (And if you've ever spent seemingly endless hours at the computer editing your pictures, you know may sometimes envy their freedom, too.)</p>

<p>But for those of us who see the picture-taking as being merely the START of a much more involved process, then handing over the pictures before we have worked our magic on them is like asking your local celebrity chef to cook your food about one quarter of the way through, and then put it all in a doggy bag and let you finish up at home. ("I've taken some cooking classes, so I know what to do!", you might add.)</p>

<p>Well, there's no way this chef is going to let his food go out the door half-cooked - especially in a bag with his restaurant's name on it! When you hire a chef, you are not merely hiring someone to go to the store for you and buy the ingredients. That's not a chef, it's a personal assistant. And when you hire a photographer to shoot your wedding, (or whatever event it might be), then it is incumbent upon the person doing the hiring to spell out in advance the fact that they ONLY want the digital negatives, and nothing more.</p>

<p>Personally, if someone tried to hire me with that stipulation, I wouldn't take the gig. But again, that's just my business model. Rather than being a stringer for a photo agency or a freelance photographer, my name is my brand. To me, that makes the most sense. But because there are tons of freelance photographers out there, then I think it needs to be clear exactly what the client is receiving when they hire you.</p>

<p>I always let them know in advance that the picture-taking process is just the first step in a process of image making. </p>

<p>As a Nikon user, my cameras are actually designed to look a bit flat and uninspiring straight out of the camera. (Which I discovered after I first went digital, and I complained to the place where I purchased my cameras.) Because they are designed to err on the side of retaining as much highlight detail as possible, the images pretty much always need some loving handiwork to make them look their best.</p>

<p>So I would be loathe to hand over my images "as is", because they don't represent nearly what I am capable of by the time I reach the end of the process.</p>

<p>I have been asked this question a number of times in the past, so I actually created a number of dramatic "Before & After" side-by-side comparisons to show clients what an image looks like right out of the camera, and that same image once I am finished working my magic.</p>

<p>But I also go a step further and demonstrate how it's not merely a matter simply a matter of adjusting levels or sharpening an image. I demonstrate that unless a person is a Photoshop expert, then they simply cannot achieve the same results as me. And even if they had my same level of proficiency, there is one thing they will always lack; they are not me.</p>

<p>Every artist is faced with numerous choices in the creation of an image. (In fact, sometimes we create several versions of an image, to see which one appeals to us the most.) And each of those choices represents a road that we took, to the exclusion of another path. That is a highly personal process, and it's what differentiates your work from anyone else's.</p>

<p>So, in my business model, at least, the client is paying for not merely my vision as a shooter, but also my vision as an artist who best knows how to present my images to the world.</p>

<p>Quite simply, I explain that what they are asking for is for us to collaborate on a project. But, I tell them, I don't collaborate. Not because I think I'm better than all others out there, (because there are plenty of artists whose work I admire), but because I like to see the process through- from start to finish.</p>

<p>Now, you may sometimes find a client who is very insistent and whom you think might damage your reputation, (or cause legal problems - justified or not), if you don't give in to their demands. In this case, it is still possible to grant their demand, while still making it clear how important you consider your start-to-finish workflow really is. And here's how you do it:</p>

<p>A friend of mine in television was being cajoled by a client to completely change the look and structure of a project he was overseeing. The client wouldn't budge, and was very insistent that their limited knowledge of the medium was equal to his numerous years in the field. (Just as many people who purchase a copy of Photoshop elements will say, "Oh, I use Photoshop, too!", people who grew up watching TV think that they therefore have enough skill to MAKE a TV show.) So he did something very simple; he threatened to remove his name from the show.</p>

<p>He went so far as to say, "I will agree to your requests only on the condition that you sign this agreement that my name will never be associated with the production of this show." THAT got their attention. If he thought that the quality of the broadcast would be so seriously degraded that he didn't even want his name attached to it, (in a town where everyone is crazy to have their name appear in the credits), they finally took him seriously. In the end, the client backed down, because they realized that not wanting credit means that you must realize that there's a real stinker that's going to result once you loose the reigns and give up all control.</p>

<p>And there's a lesson there for photographers, too. If you feel comfortable with someone who may or may not know what they are doing in Photoshop, (or Lightroom, or Aperture, etc.), attaching your name to their final product, then feel free to handle over the raw and unedited files. But if using analogies such as a chef stopping midway, or a surgeon letting an untrained and untested doctor take over a surgery - while the original doctor is to blame for any and all mistakes - then simply requiring them to sign a form which states that they will never attach your name to the finished files, just might get their attention.</p>

<p>For me, even doing that is asking too much. If I have to shell out a refund, then so be it. I would merely say, "I'm sorry we had a misunderstanding on this one. But I'm happy to give you a full refund if it means that much to you. Because, as an artist, I would never hand over my canvas to another artist - no matter how skilled they might be." (You have to let them save a little face, by granting that they could possibly have some talent.) But, by sticking to your guns, and offering a complete refund, (when it obviously cost you both time and money to shoot them), you have demonstrated your commitment to your artistry. They may not like it, but they'll at least have a grudging respect for you. And, they'll probably back off, too.</p>

<p>(If a full refund is too galling for you to contemplate - or afford - then even a partial refund shows your willingness to be reasonable. But you, of course, keep all copies of the images. They can't have their money AND your photos!)</p>

<p>The only way I would ever give someone my pictures straight out of the camera - and I've never done this - is if I was shooting for a photographer friend whose work I respected. (Because it's hard to be the groom AND the photographer simultaneously.) But aside from knowing I could trust them to do a decent job, it's hard to imagine any other scenarios where give your raw images would ever be acceptable.</p>

<p>But, I'll say one last time, that's just MY business model. If you're a student who's advertising hundred dollar photo sessions on Craigslist, and you just want to shoot, burn a disc, and be done with it, then you may think my persnickety policies are pretty silly.</p>

<p>I never consider Craigslist photographers to be my competition, because we are going after a totally different clientèle. Just like the guy who sells exotic birds doesn't feel threatened by the pet store owner who sells 99 cent goldfish across town. They both sell pets, but they also have radically different customers. Exotic bird owners may buy a goldfish now and then, but people spending a dollar on a pet are less likely to go buy a $5,000 bird.</p>

<p>The bottom line is this: be clear upfront that your process is threefold; (1) shooting the images (2) working your magic in post production, [i rarely mention the word "Photoshop" because even amateurs think they understand the program], and (3) the presentation of the finished photographs.</p>

<p>A person who asks for the pictures before you have completed your process is either an artist themselves, (in which they should be more understanding of YOUR needs as an artist), or they are simply cheap and want to nip your profit in the bud. Either way, you can't build a long-term business with people like that.</p>

<p>Adding language to your website and contract can go a long way towards preventing misunderstandings, and it can also weed out the cheapies who disrespect your abilities as a professional. Gladly refer them to Craigslist so they can hire a student with low skills to shoot-and-burn as needed.</p>

<p>And while you're at it, you might even hire one of those shooters yourself, so you can display those "grab shots" to clients, just to contrast the quality between what you offer, and what they will likely get by hiring amateurs. If they are fine with mere snapshots, then they aren't going to build your business anyway.</p>