Are you kidding me?

[sanmay]

I shot a family session last year for a florist I met at a wedding, we traded the session and images on cd for some flower arrangements she made for me she does beautiful work and I like her, so why not.
She contacted me this year again in regards to doing an other family session for the extended family/husbands side. I shot the session got some great images tons of them. I let her know ahead of time that this session would follow my regular pricing structure. The images are online and they are welcomed to order, I checked in to see why they had not ordered yet she wants to know how much is the CD with all the images on it ( they rather just buy the CD).
I never said that was an option....HELP before I respond to this email please calm me down..
DID I MENTION I COMPED THE SESSION AGAIN....WHY? WHY?

[HotHolly]

Calm down! You can handle this. She isnt trying to screw you. Odds are she doesn't realize what's going on at all.

You're not gonna want to hear this, but she's following your cues. If you comped the session, the same as last year, she's wanting the same service and product you provided her with last year. You kinda set the president.

It is VERY HARD to change horse mid-stream - meaning this client will always want what you already gave her. It's near impossible to get them to change without causing major issues.

She also wont understand why you won't sell her the disc this year since you sold it last year. Policy changes that big dont make sense to normal people. Not selling the disc also leaves a lot of people scratching their heads, since everyone and their dog sells their session negs. Its become more common to sell them, than to NOT sell them. That issue wasn't fully addresses prior to your session, other wise she wouldn't ask for them.

You are gonna have hard feelings if you dont sell her the disc. It sounds like this is someone you like. If you want to remain friends, I would sell her the disc, and not shoot her again so this doesnt happen again.

You can totally handle this! Assume she doesnt understand (rather than she's evil) and you'll calm right down. :o)

[sanmay]

Thanks Holly! I knew from the begining that she would probably expect that. That is why I explained to her that this session would have to follow my portrait price list which I provided with the first conversation "last time was a one time deal"...But you are right I don't want any hard feelings so I think this will be my response.

I normally do not sell the images on CD, specially all the images.
But I can certainly make an exception this time only and work with you, if that is what you would like. I sell the wedding archives from a wedding after they buy a package for $300, so I think you can have the same deal eventhough you are not buying a package.
The images will not be retouched or in any way enhanced. You are still welcomed to purchase prints from me if you would like to display any of these images arround your home.


WHAT DO YOU THINK???

By the way I saw the report about your Budoir Sessions, so awesome!!!!Congrats.
I am thinking in offering that service. It looks so much fun...HOW DID YOU START DOING THAT? WHAT WAS YOUR APPROACH?

[toverman]

Well, even when giving some sort of deal, I never show a client untouched/unedited files. I can understand not wanting to process all the files, so maybe you tell her to go online and pick her favorite 10 (or whatever number works for you). Then you will process them and sell her the disc. Giving someone untouched files, who will turn around and find the cheapest place to print them, won't result in images that you'd be proud to call your own. Just my .02 cents!

[mtyler24]

Bad idea to not retouch the images, IMO. They may edit them themselves, oh gosh, or the prints may come out bad (depending on how your untoched images look). You don't want that to represent your work. I'm still setting myself up but right now it's about 30 edited files. I do like the idea of having them pick out their faves for you to edit.

[sanmay]

I have asked her to pick her favorite 10...We'll see what she says

[HotHolly]

I would do what you did last time. Its what she expects. If they were edited last time, do the same thing. If you gave her the whole thing last time, do the same thing.

Thanks for the kudos on the boudoir. I started b/c brides were asking me for it. I never thought Id shoot that or have fun doing it. Shows what I know. I practiced a little bit, and then jumped in head 1st. That division took off running from day 1.

[sanmay]

I just got a reply. I offered to do the same as last time which was indeed pick their favorite 10.


Sorry Bety, I didn't know. If we can't is not a problem. Katy knows many photographers because of her job and that is what they have done for them in the past so we assumed that we could just buy the CD.

It's a long story, but I highly recommended you because I didn't feel comfortable having my pictures taken by one of Katy's friends(photographers). They were supposed to be my photographers for my wedding, but we ended up not using them because they made Patric and I feel like we couldn't afford them and they were too good for us.

I will ask Patrick to talk to his mom maybe they can just order the ones they like best. I will definitely order some of my family.

Thank you so much for everything :)

[sanmay]

MARK MY WORDS....NEVER EVER.
The lady is very nice I like her, but she had never bought anything from me or sent anyone. And it looks like the inlaws are spoiled by another photographer.
the sister-inlaw is a wedding coordinator at the Four Seasons.

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by sanmay

but she had never bought anything from me or sent anyone.

there's a reason for that. she got a good deal. anyone else who comes to you from her knows that she got a better deal than them, which mentally translates to overpaying.

it does something psychologically that prevents WOM spreading from the free person. in the cases ive seen where word did spread, that was the anomaly, not the rule.