cindy_hils

Thanks to all who responded. I have enough contributions to consider what to do. I don't have a problem with the straight-forward comments (but can do without some of the harshness). I am a nice person, performing good work at lower than normal pricing because I have always enjoyed photography. When I did this shoot I had just begun doing this as a business. The whole thing is new to me. Dealing with someone like that - was new to me. Even after 13 years in the fashion industry, I have never encountered someone so downright nasty. I didn't go into detail about how professionally I handled myself with a woman who literally was screaming at me on the phone not just about my work, but her own down-trodden situation (all after she emailed she absolutely loved the photos and couldn't stop looking at them). Any big studio would never have put up with not being paid, prior to the session. I learned my lesson - that I have to make them stick to their end of the contract as well. Even people from my own Church family. Thank you all again.

Wow. I appreciate the range of responces (this is my first posting) however, just to clarify to someone's point, I actually did NOT know this clients situation (just that she was a single, working mom). I knew nothing about how she "conducts business and tries to get everything for free" until after the shoot.

 

It is one of those things, where if she initially loved them (then ultimately disliked them because of her daughters feelings) I really want to know why she even wants them at all now. She does have the option of printing from my site and it has been well over one year since the shoot.

 

As far as I understand - prices and policies ARE subject to change - are they not? I did get a model release form signed, but I will never use the photos since the situation was so disappointing.

I am a full time mom (part-time photographer). I only do shoots upon referral - I typically charge $150 for an hour shoot.

Last summer (2007) I was asked by a member of my church to do senior photos for her daughter. Being that I had never

done senior shots, I took it as an opportunity to build my business and offered her 75% off her shoot. Her total was $45 for

my time, editing and 2 different locations. The pics turned out great and I planned on using them in advertising, so I didn't

mind taking the hit this once.

 

In short, the mom - a single mother of 5 kids - stiffed me by having her daughter tell me they'd pay me that weekend at

church for the work. I accepted and trusted in this, posted the photos to my site, but didn't activate their ability to purchase.

I got emails from the mom "I love the photos!" and by the weekend all I heard from her was that her daughter didn't like them

because she thought she resembled her sister too much, had someone else do her make-up and changed her hairstyle to

have bangs off the face for many of the photos. She said she didn't have the money yet and would try to get it from the

father.

 

The father sent me $20 and the mother gave me grief about how she had to side with her daughter, my pictures were not

good, she would never recommend me and she wanted me to retake everything. And that she didn't even have money to put

food on the table, let alone pay me for the balance of the session (and did I know that the church gave her a vehicle

because of how bad her situation was?) All of this - my fault, right?

 

Weeks later, I got the $35 and gave them the ability to print. My contract told them I would provide a disk for $25 with all

photos. Months later, I was told they wanted to order prints and get the disks. They never ordered. Today, I was pulled aside

at church and told she wants to buy the disk. At this point, I have raised my disk price and it is different that what was in

their contract.

 

Personally, I don't want them to have the disk with MY photos they apparently hated (but everyone else loved and they loved

at first too.) I made nothing on this session when you consider travel, editing and heart-ache.

 

Any advise on how to handle it? I am pregnant, so don't need any stress. I told her today my prices went up, but didn't give

her a number. I'd really like to just change my policy and not offer the disks. No one orders prints when they can have the

disk and do it themselves.

 

Please, please someone give me professional advise that will not make me stress out, get this one over with and not tick-off

the mother that wants everything for free.

thank you in advance!

Cindy