j_c38

To play devils advocate here, NOT ONE OF YOU would have said, just give them the stuff if the child had not died. If 6 month's ago Larry would have asked you what to do about this client who hadn't paid and picked up their stuff yet, what advice would you have given him?

 

Why is it these pictures are so precious to them now that the kid is dead but unimportant before hand?

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm by no means saying stick it to them. There is a lot of info missing here. Did Larry try contacting these people earlier? What if any were the interaction between Larry and the client previously?

Why not work for you dad?

 

Why the US? Sales or Wedding Photography? Not much difference in those professions is there?

 

You come off as, someone with lots of expensive equipment, invite me in so I can rob you blind!

 

If you actually had interest in photography why haven't you posted here before?

If you actually read before your post you would have seen to do a search before asking a question. This topic is like beating a dead horse. This is why no one has replied.

Size does not matter. You've already booked the bride, so you're not impressing them by your size. The guests, if they consider you as a photographer its going to be the prints your provide in the end.

 

Most business is word of mouth. Do you think your past customers are saying go hire Joe, he had this big camera? Or maybe, just maybe they say go hire Joe because he gave us some awesome prints?

 

If and when you put out advertisements do you put examples of your work or pictures of your big camera?

 

I'd like to see the pre-wedding consult. "Use me, I have a big camera"

If this is something they want him to do on a regular basis and be committed to photographing a bunch of stuff that they would otherwise hire someone, then go for it, I'd charge my church too.

 

I have done quite a bit of photography for my church, but its all little one hour commitments here and there and have not charged.

 

At minimum I would charge for your costs with no guilty feelings. No reason you need to pay out of your pocket. Another way to do it is to charge the church full rate then donate it back to the church. This way you get a tax right off. You better claim the income too!

 

I'm all for helping my church, but do you see the minister working for free? It is HIS church too! To me it really depends on the relationship between the church and the photographer. Are they asking you do help out with a task or are they asking you to do a job? I know, I know its a fine line, but only you can make that decision.

Have you bought a camera and learned how to use it yet?

Take a picture of the display. Ask for a copy of the copyright and find a lawyer!

Walking is the worlds best exercise. Some light weights high rep weight lifting on the side won't hurt.

 

Just like life its self, if you take your body it will take care of you.

I manually expose my camera. TTL on flash. Dial -1 to -1 1/2 direct flash. The amount of flash being added to the highlights is nothing, but opens up the shadows nicely.

 

In short, Yes you are correct.

This is why clients either come to me or I can mail them the contract. Once the contract is signed and they are committed to me, then I am more the willing travel to meet with them off site.

When you hand someone a high res file with no contract attached, then you're pretty much giving your rights away.

 

Granted I'm no lawyer, logic tells me, whats done is done.

"file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau"

 

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! The BBB is a joke. They can't do anything. IMO their a scam, but thats another thread.

 

Lawyer or Small claims court. You may have poor business practices by being lazy and not getting invoices out in a timely fashion, but you still deserve to get paid.

 

Speaking of poor business practices, start using contracts and receipts.

The lighting is important, but its not the only thing. The same photographer can do everything the same but use two different lens (same focal length) and have two different outcomes.

 

Equipment doesn't make the photographer, it makes him better.

 

Some lenses produce better contrast, saturation, sharpness, bokeh, etc...

 

We can even bring up post processing too! The same RAW image given to two different people will result in two different pictures as well.

 

There are multiple variables that go into making top notch photographs.

 

Knowledge is power. Keep shooting, keep reading, and keep learning!

Do you shoot manual? Full auto?

Do you have a contract in writing?

 

If so, you need a cancellation in writing!

If writing up a contract is more then you want to invest

 

What in the @&$%#* are you doing shooting somebodies wedding?

 

Please let us know the couples name so we can warn them.

If you actually listen what Nicola is saying, its probably the best thing out there. Apparently he hates it, yet kind find anything better!

I currently have ProShow, not the gold, but I am going to upgrade pretty quick.

 

ProShow is highly respected.

It doesn't matter if you own the copyright or not. What matters is the contract you had with him over these images. Did your contract state he could not alter the images? Did it state you had to be given credit? Did the contract state a certain length of time the images could be used?

 

Do not mistake copyright with you or your clients right of use. This is why have contracts. Specific ones at that. Don't assume anything. If its not in writing, then it could be a crap shoot if you have a leg to stand on.

I carry 12 Gigs. I own two 2Gig cards. The rest are 1Gig. Yes, stay with smaller cards. DO NOT put hundreds of hundreds of images on one card. Cards will fail.

 

I shoot with 12 gigs of memory. Just about the right amount of memory for me. I usually use 9-10 gigs worth. I shoot RAW.

shutter speed has nothing to do with the background. The background is controlled by the ap.

Check your batteries in your wireless trigger.

Jon,

 

You are something else. You have some people here trying to help you and all you do is give them attitude.

 

So what if the message came from cornell.edu? One of the parents, or band leaders works at the university. What does this along with the price of gas and onions have anything to do with anything? The same argument about the cost of gas and onions was true 10, 20, 30, 40...years ago.

 

I truly am sorry that you are such a bitter person.

 

If your poor and hungry, maybe you should try to find another way to make money then photography.

The key is "basis". Unless there is something unique to you're photo that really makes it different then any other photo out there... To sue would be quite costly and I don't see you winning. (I'm no lawyer either)

 

Why not try to make some arrangement with them. Credit? Free advertising in the school sports programs? Yearbook ad? Season pass to school sporting events? Find something they can give you, that doesn't cost them anything, yet is of value to you.

Sounds as if the B&G were your clients. If so, who cares what the MOB says. If this is so, and she calls again I would politely inform her that if there is a problem that the contracted parties need to discuss problems, not her. Also do not to call back. Any more calls from her would be considered harassment and treated as such.

 

If the B&G have a complaint you can ask why it has taken them 9 months to say something. Take it from there. Pretty much 9 months is a little late to be complaining. I'm completely done with clients in less then 9 months let alone just getting a complaint!

 

Another thing, as far as contracted parties, if it is with the B&G then you shouldn't have been saying anything to the MOB in the first place. The MOB is not your client and discussing issues with someone besides the contracted party is just bad business and can cause you a bunch of headaches (not that you don't already have one at this point)