Number of Photos: Client Complaint

[Cajungaltx]

I did a free session for someone I 'knew' in cyberland... she was looking for suggestions on family portraits - I explained that I was still portfolio building - and that I would do them for her, at no charge.

The reality is that I had pieced together her financial situation, and knew that they really couldn't afford to pay. They recently lost their home to foreclosure. I knew the situation wasn't a good one and I thought it'd be a nice thing to do.

They have a little one - so I took a ton of shots as I was moving him around, positioning him, etc... most of which, as with most infants, didn't work out.

So - when I sent her the images, I sent her 34.

She emailed me saying she was disappointed because she got so few images.

'Few images'.... FEW images? I gave her twice as many as I normally give because I was being nice.

I'm slightly ...well...I'm knocked off kilter. I don't know what to say.

[dracula02]

Tell her you're disappointed, you got so few dollar bills... In all seriousness, explain that, per industry norm, the number of photos she received is above and beyond the standard you would give any other paying client. If she feels that she deserves anymore, then you would deserve fair compensation. Anything beyond that, I'd write it off as, "nice to have known you," and say no more. I certainly wouldn't waste any more of your time on Ms. Cyberland.

[joedanger11]

wow, did she actually say "disappointed"??

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

When you deal with the general public you need to explain in advance that they will only see a handful of shots in relationship to the number that are being shot, too many think that clients get ALL of the shots taken to choose from and since she isn't really CHOOSING she should be very thankful for the 3 dozen that you gave her. But sometimes you just can't please a person at all no matter what you do.

(I would just blow off her remark and not say anything further to her unless she wants prints of the shots and not the digital files only-hopefully you watermarked them in some way so that she can't just run off to wallyword and get them printed up).

[jmoore01]

I am curious about and would ask her. What or how many was she expecting? My guess is that it's not based on any promise from you or even any experience from previous photographers that led to this expection.

Her expectation is most likely a result of one of two things. Either 1., she simply recalls the sheer volume of times she hear the shutter clicks, which you described as a "ton of shots." Or 2., you likely took one or several shots that she immediately thought "awww" or "that's hilarious" and she didn't see a specific one or two shots she was so anticipating.

[CaptainTom]

I would completely ignore her. You're silence should be enough to let her know that she is out of line.

This situation is classic.
People who pay a lot for something generally complain the least because they don't want to admit to themselves or others that they paid a lot of money and got a bad deal.
People who pay little or nothing have nothing to lose by complaining.

[rockpics]

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. In other words, if it's free take it and don't complain.
Some people must have missed this lesson at their mother's knee.

[brad]

No good deed goes unpunished.

It is a classic case. Remind her that because it was a free session, you also did some experimenting with new techniques - some of which did not work out. You made sure she would have some good ones in case those did not work out - and that she did still receive more than usual for a session like hers.

She may not be happy still. Some mothers are not. They want to see *all* the images, no matter how bad. This is one of the reasons I started reviewing images with them straight out of camera before they leave.

[mikebrown]

I recently had a baby and the hospital's "picture people" wanted to charge me $95.00 for 5 sheets of 1 photo of my choice. I couldn’t imagine having to opportunity to keep all the images you gave her. I think that people have no idea on all the time that is spent learning and perfecting this craft, not to mention the thousands of dollars spent on equipment.

[texkam]

Say, this is why high quality professional photography costs so much money. Because a professional photographer will invest a huge amount of time and patience and shoot many many pics in order to capture a few special images and that a professional photographer is an artist that believes in only giving you their very best.

How's that?

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by mikebrown

I recently had a baby and...........

Wow, that is a medical miracle. I double checked your profile and it says male.

Originally Posted by mikebrown

the hospital's "picture people" wanted to charge me $95.00 for 5 sheets of 1 photo of my choice.

Sounds like a good deal to me.

[island bound]

Just tell her you are sorry she has a complaint about the pictures,
(and you were expecting a thanks instead of a complaint.)
and offer to give her money back.
oh, wait...

[mikebrown]

Originally Posted by bondarnes

Wow, that is a medical miracle. I double checked your profile and it says male.



Sounds like a good deal to me.

I agree it was a good deal if the pictures looked anywhere near professional, I do agree if the pictures would have came out looking half/way decent I would have purchased them, the point was that she was doing a freebie for someone, gave them 30+ images and got a complaint. And I knew someone would catch the humor in me having a baby.

[bondarnes]

Donna, why don't you pick three or four of the worst ones of the child. The ones where the photograph is technically good, but the child totally ruins it. Send those to her with a note that the ones you didn't send her were all as bad or worse than these and you didn't think she would want to waste her time culling through them.

[Doubletakes]

Way back in the early 80's when I was a brand new dad, I recieved a coupon for a free 8x10 from a department store studio. I was naive and had never recieved a sales pitch like that and was surprised at the prices of the packages. We turned the packages down and left with our freebie but I was taken by the sight of those photos that would surely be thrown away.
I understand that is the only way for those photos to retain their value but it is hard for lay people to understand.
Since you had a compassionate relationship with your subjects, they made an assumption.
They thought they major work had been done and that it would have required very little added effort for you to give them all or more of the photographs.
Also, it is hard to convey a deferred expectation without showing disappointment even though they may be indeed very grateful.

Or they could be selfish ingrates.