Advice on Sticky Situation

[bluman95]

Hi ya'll!

Here is a little background on my problem.

1. I am in the Air Force
2. I have a photography business
3. One of my Airman is jealous of the money he sees me making.
4. He buys a camera
5. He is getting upset because I don't want to help him.
6. He stole one of my clients
7. He is not a good photographer.

Any ideas on how to handle this as both a supervisor to him and his competition now?

Thanks

[Bruce M. Morris]

Sean,
Not sure what your MOS is but having come from a Navy Photography background, I understand the problem of having people around you that are competing for outside work.
I think that the best solution is as supervisor to keep his attentions on his official work and not on outside efforts. As his competition, if he is not a good photographer, it may take a bit for the customers to figure out that he is a waste of time, but it will happen.
If you havent already, you might let the next up on your chain of command know what is happening and how you intend to deal with it, just incase this guy decides to make trouble for you somehow.

[bluman95]

Originally Posted by Bruce M. Morris

Sean,
Not sure what your MOS is but having come from a Navy Photography background, I understand the problem of having people around you that are competing for outside work.
I think that the best solution is as supervisor to keep his attentions on his official work and not on outside efforts. As his competition, if he is not a good photographer, it may take a bit for the customers to figure out that he is a waste of time, but it will happen.
If you havent already, you might let the next up on your chain of command know what is happening and how you intend to deal with it, just incase this guy decides to make trouble for you somehow.

Sounds like good advice. I'll talk to my supervisor and see what he thinks. I am a Fiber Optic and LAN Instructor.

[centtex1]

i went through this with someone i worked with a long time ago. my first mistake was letting anyone know how much i was making, it's ok to be proud of the money, just keep it to yourself. second if you build a relationship with your customers, they are hard to "steal". I normally do not shoot friends but i do make long term friendships with my customers. third, second jobs should be just that and should not be brought into the primary workplace
(i say this as i type this out from my primary job!) i always try to help other photographers, if they are competion , there are ways to help them help themselves with out giving out my trade secrets(alot of them were to lazy to help themselves so it did not matter anyway) hope this helps and good luck!

[bluman95]

Originally Posted by centtex1

i went through this with someone i worked with a long time ago. my first mistake was letting anyone know how much i was making, it's ok to be proud of the money, just keep it to yourself. second if you build a relationship with your customers, they are hard to "steal". I normally do not shoot friends but i do make long term friendships with my customers. third, second jobs should be just that and should not be brought into the primary workplace
(i say this as i type this out from my primary job!) i always try to help other photographers, if they are competion , there are ways to help them help themselves with out giving out my trade secrets(alot of them were to lazy to help themselves so it did not matter anyway) hope this helps and good luck!

We are friends as well and I don't want to mess that up, we play in our chuch band together. I think I'll just sit him down and try and explain it to him.

[eRoc]

Why don't you help him? I dunno, I have 2 friends that are also photogs. We don't let it get in the way of our friendship. Money is only money. If my friend "steals" one of my clients, well, my client maybe liked his style better. Who knows? I'd rather him get the gig then some other photog. In fact, my friend Ivan (r6isnum1 on this board), doesn't like doing weddings, so he actually refers people to me. And if I had people approach me about doing band/concert shots, I'd refer them to him, because he's better then me at that.

Maybe what I'm saying is, why not make the best of a situation. Instead of competing with the guy, why not team up and help eachother? If he's just in it for the money, he wont get far and it wont be long before he gets tired of it and moves on. But if he's in it because he's actually taking an interest in photography, well then why not help a fellow newbie out?

[eRoc]

Oh and for future reference, lets never use the phrase "he stole my clients". People can't steal clients. Clients have to be won over, either with a good deal or good work. Obviously it was worth it to your client to try out a new photog, and there is no harm in that. Either he 1)decides that he/she doesn't like the photog and comes back to you, or 2)they like the new photog and you learn what they like about him and you improve on yourself.

You can't steal clients. That's called kidnapping. And I only do that when I really really need a gig.

lol

[centtex1]

Originally Posted by eRoc

Why don't you help him? I dunno, I have 2 friends that are also photogs. We don't let it get in the way of our friendship. Money is only money. If my friend "steals" one of my clients, well, my client maybe liked his style better. Who knows? I'd rather him get the gig then some other photog. In fact, my friend Ivan (r6isnum1 on this board), doesn't like doing weddings, so he actually refers people to me. And if I had people approach me about doing band/concert shots, I'd refer them to him, because he's better then me at that.

Maybe what I'm saying is, why not make the best of a situation. Instead of competing with the guy, why not team up and help eachother? If he's just in it for the money, he wont get far and it wont be long before he gets tired of it and moves on. But if he's in it because he's actually taking an interest in photography, well then why not help a fellow newbie out?

very good advice

[bluman95]

Originally Posted by eRoc

Oh and for future reference, lets never use the phrase "he stole my clients". People can't steal clients. Clients have to be won over, either with a good deal or good work. Obviously it was worth it to your client to try out a new photog, and there is no harm in that. Either he 1)decides that he/she doesn't like the photog and comes back to you, or 2)they like the new photog and you learn what they like about him and you improve on yourself.

You can't steal clients. That's called kidnapping. And I only do that when I really really need a gig.

lol

He did steal my client. I got a phone call and setup the photoshoot for this weekend and wrote all the contact info down. He saw it and then called them saying he would do it cheaper. They then called me and cancelled. I would not mind helping or teaching him, however I don't want anything that is photog business or personal coming in to Air Force business.

[eRoc]

Originally Posted by bluman95

He did steal my client. I got a phone call and setup the photoshoot for this weekend and wrote all the contact info down. He saw it and then called them saying he would do it cheaper. They then called me and cancelled. I would not mind helping or teaching him, however I don't want anything that is photog business or personal coming in to Air Force business.

Wow that is pretty shady. I take my advice back. You should stab him.

That's not what I would call a friend. And thats not my kind of client either. Sounds like they went the cheap route, and my guess is thats exactly what they'll get.

*NOTE- Technically he still did not steal them, he just offered them a better deal.

[bluman95]

Originally Posted by eRoc

Wow that is pretty shady. I take my advice back. You should stab him.

That's not what I would call a friend. And thats not my kind of client either. Sounds like they went the cheap route, and my guess is thats exactly what they'll get.

I agree, I'll talk to my boss and see if I can have someone else be his supervisor. I don't want any percieved conflict of interest problems.

[eRoc]

Originally Posted by bluman95

I agree, I'll talk to my boss and see if I can have someone else be his supervisor. I don't want any percieved conflict of interest problems.

That's probably the best thing to do. And I'd hide your client records from now on to be on the safe side.

Karma is a mother, and the other guy is just asking for bad karma.

[bluman95]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

[JMI]

If he's not a good photographer then it sounds like your client is actually buying an education. This is what happens when you go with the lowball price.

[HotHolly]

Wow. I cant believe he's your friend too. That stings. A suggestion, so he cant steal more clients - take the sitting fee at the time you book. Make it nonrefundable. If something comes up, illness or whatever, you can reschedule, but they cannot cancel.