justin_greene

<p>" the print quality will reflect poorly on the photographer." I'm not interested in being an advertising medium for the photographer. He can make his own prints to demo his skills. I'll print the images as I find satisfactory, if that's what I want to do.</p>

<p>"If I did offer the digital images, I would only create them for a 4x6 print quality."<br>

Why? What's the point of that? If I was shopping for a photographer, and I wanted the digital images, I would make sure I would acquire full size to do with as I please, at an appropriate price.<br>

So, not you, then.</p>

<p>If you are serious about this, you should hire a web designer. The website looks like a 5th grade project from 1999. Sorry, but lens flares? Misspelled words and poor grammar? A subdomain under a free website? Your writing style also needs assistance.<br>

You also need more experience. The images are 90% snapshots that anyone could take. You need to develop a style, learn to use lighting, etc.<br>

From what I see there, you are not someone I would contact for anything, currently. If you are determined, you may get somewhere with learning, practice and practice. And practice. Sorry.</p>

<p>You can sell "art prints" of pretty much anything you like.</p>

<p>From the five photos in your gallery, I would say stick to shooting for fun.</p>

<p>"I am a 21 year old student and I've been taking pictures professionally since early 2008."<br>

.<br>

I think you need more experience (based on your list above) before saying the above. People don't take you seriously based on what you charge, but what the end product is.</p>

<p>Write a letter transferring copyright to the organization and let them upload to smugmug or any other online fulfillment site they want.</p>

<p>"Why do so many people think that a potential customer being in another country is most likely a scam?"<br>

.<br>

Because looking at the skills - model, photographer, whatever, of the person in question, it is ALWAYS very unlikely that someone 5,000 miles away is not able to find someone as or more skilled in there local market, and that they were somehow so astounded by this person thousands of miles away that it is worth the trouble to deal with them. Sounds like the OP was lured into an online relationship with the goal of lowering guards and eventually getting him to participate in the scam. There is NO reason some guy in the Czech Republic would pick someone randomly in Arizona to do work like this, especially when Eastern Europeans are know as a source for cheap outsourcing.</p>

<p>Run, do not walk, in the other direction. See money order scam here:<br>

http://www.lets-ride.com/classifiedadvertisements/thescams.htm<br>

(or just google for money order scams).</p>

<p>Yep, sounds like a scam. Why would someone half a world away pick you out of the entire internet?<br>

.<br>

Don't cash any checks he sends you, especially if they are via Nigeria!</p>

<p>Maybe you meant flickr? http://www.flickr.com/photos/tki_photography/<br>

.<br>

Images there are adequate enough, but they are all in bright sunlight. A party doesn't have that kind of light.</p>

<p>The only Tiani Kayden I see on Facebook is someone who looks 30. Next time, provide a link.<br>

.<br>

Sounds like you're a teen with a point and shoot camera who's just going to roam about taking snapshots with the tiny on camera flash. I don't know what "self taught" means with a P&S. Charge her $35 and give her the pics on a cd and put the money into a savings account for a Rebel.</p>

<p>Yep, sounds like you are a hired staff photog. No need to worry about "usage fees" or anything. Just your hourly rate. And I'm sure they have a rate to pay you no matter what you have figured it should be. Well, good luck anyways. Money is money!</p>

<p>1. I go to your website, go to the children section, get the flash interface, click on information, click on prices, and what pops up is a full frame picture of foamy ocean, with white text over it. I see now, that if you wait long enough, it starts to slideshow, but some of those provide an unreadable background as well.<br>

.<br>

2. If she has already bought so many images, why not give her a deal? Why be so greedy? In the future, if I was looking for a photographer, I would certainly not hire one who thinks they can charge more than $300 for one image of my child, to use as I like. I might buy out a series of high res images for $300, maybe even on top of a reasonable sitting fee, but I think you're being ridiculous. Giving her the session for "free" and trying to make it all up afterward is no "deal" for a "friend of a friend", imo. If she had all the information from the start, why was she so surprised you pulled out this $300 an image pricing?<br>

.<br>

If I were hiring someone, and this is just me, I would find a photographer who charges a reasonable sitting fee up front, and then a non-outrageous package deal for the digital files. Heck, when I shoot images for friends, like headshots, I process 5-10 of the set, charge them $50 and give them a cd of the images. Keep the crazy charges for the people who are going to make money from them, like corporate shots for an annual report or something.</p>

 

<p>Yes, you're nuts. Trying to gouge a friend of a friend for over $300 for a single image they can print out. You aren't selling cancer drugs. It's pictures of a 1 year old. No wonder so many people are happy to get people to shoot them off of Craigslist.<br>

"She is a friend of a friend, so I shot them at no cost, and gave her (for free) 800x800 digital copies of all the photos. She bought several canvasas and prints from me, and then emailed me asking to buy high-res files of the shoot."<br>

Friend of a friend? Shot them at no cost? Gave her free low-res copies? I think you're lucky you got some print sales out of them. You need to clearly state up front - "Hey, as a friend of a friend, I'm going to shoot you for free, but dig out that wallet later if you want a copy of the image you can use."<br>

I see "pricing" information buried on your site, all but unreadable - white text over a white foamy sea. It's no wonder she wouldn't know what you are setting her up for.</p>

<p>"Maybe I have miunderstood - You have agreed to give them the photos on a CD, but you don't want them to be able to print them? If I was your friend, I would feel cheated."<br>

Seriously. What's the point if they can't do with them as they wish?</p>

<p>Also, good spelling and punctuation give a good impression. That includes capital letters at the start of sentences.</p>

<p>Like I said, talking to HU might give her ideas on how to work it.</p>

<p>"Doesn't make any sense at all, especially taking into consideration what the outcome was when you did it."<br>

Because she is trying to run a BUSINESS in her HOME. They will likely not want her to do that, and doing it and having something happen, and them not knowing, regardless of having some other insurance, will not make them happy.<br>

Talking to "a professional insurance company specializing in coverage for photography businesses such as Hill & Usher" will likely not help, since they are not a homeowner's insurance company. However, they might be able to tell her a way to convince her homeowner's policy to play ball, so it might not be a bad idea.</p>

<p>You don't need a professional legal advisor. I can tell you that I called my homeowners company to inquire (just to inquire) if it was possible to cover a home based business where people occasionally came to my house for business purposes. I was told that no, it wasn't possible, and was I asking because I was doing it? I hemmed and hawed my way out of a positive answer.<br>

<br /> A week later, I get notice my policy was cancelled. I had to call and yell at them to get them back on. Umbrella policies are not meant to cover business at your home (part of the inquiry). Just really large lawsuits from idiot friends that fall on your steps.<br>

So, as I said, go ahead and inquire. Let us know what happens.</p>

<p>Yes, go ahead and call your homeowners insurance and tell them you are going to have clients coming to your house multiple times a week. Be prepared to look for a new homeowner's policy after that.</p>

<p>You don't really need any of that paperwork above. You just file as a sole proprietor under your SS on your taxes. The local government won't know, or likely care, until you get huge. Same for licensing, etc. Just do your thing (away from your house) but report income as you get it for the year under your SS.</p>

<p>I wouldn't work out of the house, having people come over. If your home owner's insurance company finds out, you'll loose coverage. Don't even call to ask.</p>

<p>Most people would think they would be paying you to take photos which they then receive. You gave her a rate, she expects to get the images and be able to use them as she wishes. If that is not your usual agreement, then you did the right thing.</p>

<p>Go to Getty Images, find a rights managed image, sign in, and then play with the numbers.</p>