Reasons to quit.....

[carrbowl]

Why do people have to be such a pain!!!! Here is part of an email...between this lady and my health insurance, I'm going to start drinking heavily!!!

Here is what the family has asked.

*Cropped

*Change the head of the little baby on the extreme right (He was not looking at the camera in the original) from another picture (7244) where he was looking at the camera. I did it, but didn't have the full resolution so he was kind of fuzzy on this one.

*Also fix the glare on Mom and Dad's glasses

*Lengthen Mom's pants and my pants as in this picture

*Make my earring on the left as glittery as the right. (Also I made my hair poofier but don't suppose you do that?)

*Smooth out wrinkles in face and hands on everyone who has wrinkles

*I took pounds off of both sides of Julie, who is on the extreme right holding the baby. She is quite slim, but the lens seem to distort her a lot.

*fixed the place where Julie's husband sitting next to her (extreme right) had his stomach hanging over his pants. It was easy to do...I just raised his pants and make it even across him..to look like a belt.

*The top of my blouse is elastic and was being pulled down by my grandson, so I raised it, liked it better, then raised it more.


There were 22 people in the photo. She is a "pro" at photoshop so she doesn't want to pay me to do it...she wants to do it..."will I send her the file?" So I have gotten to the point where I won't send the file...but now all this...sometimes I wonder if the money is worth it.....

[LoungeLizard]

I'd be happy to do any of the changes you request. Here's the pricing for each requested touchup/modification and the price for the digital file for you to do it yourself. Please let me know how you want to proceed as I am committed to your satisfaction.

[Craig]

You might give her the directions to the closest "short pier".

[ndsimm]

Originally Posted by LoungeLizard

I'd be happy to do any of the changes you request. Here's the pricing for each requested touchup/modification and the price for the digital file for you to do it yourself. Please let me know how you want to proceed as I am committed to your satisfaction.

just perfect!
and make sure you don't proceed without half down to start!

[Howard Barlow]

Half? I don't think so. In full.

[carrbowl]

Ok...I am so on a steep learning curve about setting my boundries with these people. Here is the photo. Mistake #1 not demanding that this photo be taken outside. I don't have the experience to do them inside and am way more confident outside. Mistake #2 using that *&%$ sofa to sit on...could we be tackier?? Mistake #?? using that backdrop as a whole with black and white shirts................Maybe this should be a post on how not to take a photo!!! I am just so mad at myself for not putting my foot down I could scream. But it is done and overwith, so now I have to figure out how to keep her happy with my services. She lives in the neighborhood and don't want to ruin my reputation.

Am I being too unreasonable in thinking that all those things she wants fixed on the photo is a little over the top?? Skin smoothing, glass glare and the baby I fully understand. Pant legs, too big a belly, fat faces and the crop she wants is right at each side...no room for a frame?? I question those.

Jesus, I would love to do that, however without getting into more stupid things I have done, that option is out. So I'm thinking of a couple options...suck it up and do it--offfer her money back, which I doubt very much she will take, or figure out a price for the digital files and just let her photoshop the crap out of them, and hope they dont' blemish the reputation?

More suggestions please....

[LoungeLizard]

Without getting into other things, do what you feel is best for your business and to move on. Sometimes, it's best to suck it up and move on.

[J Eddington]

I think I would tell her your policy on "retouching" photos, what you do and don't do. I would never give her the digital file since you have no idea how the photo would look after and may not want your name attached to "her" version of it.

[carrbowl]

Originally Posted by J Eddington

I think I would tell her your policy on "retouching" photos, what you do and don't do. I would never give her the digital file since you have no idea how the photo would look after and may not want your name attached to "her" version of it.

I've thought about that Janice, and tell me what you think of this idea. Give her the digital files, but do not put my name anywhere on it. I think she is going to continue to be a pain, and I want her to go away!!!! She thinks she is awesome at photoshop and from what I have seen she does have her areas of being good. However some things are not acceptable (she lengthened the pants on someone sitting down, and the blacks did not match!!!) So I'm thinking give her the files without my name at the bottom. I am so torn....

[dcnctx]

Chalk it up to experience. Learn all you can from this session and move on to the next. Life has lots of rewards and speedbumps, too. (We would still be setting in the grocery store parking lot if we never crossed the speedbumps). It sounds like you've learned a lot of things already from this session and this post; so therefore, you are already better off than before the session occurred.

I understand the feeling though and I always try to remember when I have days like this, that the sun is coming up again tomorrow. Since you are inquiring as to whether or not to quit, I percieve that you don't really want to quit, just for this type of client to go away. I wish there were a magic wand; but alas, if she could have done it herself, she probably would have. Some things just go into the "write-off" column.

Good luck as you proceed.

[carrbowl]

Well it appears after a cooling off period, I will be sucking up. Thanks for your help...don't mind more offers though...I'm taking a seminar in Feb. Maybe I will learn more things I can "cut off the path" before another one of these events.

[adirty1]

The glass glare and smoothing of skin is pretty much a given in a portrait..Don't charge for that. But make up an invoice for the rest.


I would also get those marks on the carpet from the table and some of the rug on the right side of the image. From the crop it looks like you have plenty of room for a frame. You only need 1/4 inch for a frame and matte.

did you state that you would include retouching?

you need to make sure people understand that you only include basic retouching and anything else is a charge.

[Xposure Photo]

Hi Renae!

Well...you want to state your grounds and put your foot down, let them know how much it will cost for the "extra work" and let them choose either the picture as is or pay the extra, it is your business, don't let them run you over, if they want the file then give then a high price for it and let them know that you will not be responsable for the results after that, the files are your negs, it means it has to make it worth not getting the extra prints as it is a large family pic.

I hd a customer ofering my $50 for the entire CD because they loved all the images... I laught..there is no way I will just hand out 160 images unedited in a CD fr $50, yes it may be way better than what they got from the last Photographer, but that don't pay my lunch... so I let them know it was going to be a few $K's for them... I may not get much sales thre, but business is business, you can't let them step all over you... Hope that helps.

[ol geezer]

Try using bounce flash the next time. That usually will get rid of glare on the glasses.

Just remember, under certain conditions, drinking heavily may not be all bad. (humor)

[rusty_tripod]

If things get too rough, you can always become a school teacher. We do not have any equivalent to Photoshop when it comes to dealing with the flaws in little Billy and little Suzy. Talk about demands and frustrations!

Hang tough. It has to get better.