Advice Needed (photography related)

[mom2aidan]

Here is my scenario.
I was supposed to have an e-session at 10am today. (Back story: This is a re-shoot because the last e-session they did it at 2pm in the BRIGHT sun and most of the photos you could not see their faces they were so bright and they were just bad period LOL. I will be honest). I am already in car driving to Frisco FROM Duncanville (one hour drive TO THEM) and I get a text from bride saying she didnt sleep good and wants to start at 11am. Okay I am already on the highway 20-30 min from house...so can't turn back now. What the heck. I tell her I am on my way but she still refuses to start at 10am. It made me mad. I think to myself I could possibly look around at some of the parks they had in mind to get some idea of what to do with poses and lighting and such.
Well, I have to take the toll road (Dallas North Tollway) and at one toll I had exact change BUT the change thing ATE $0.75 of my $1.00 so I paid $1.75 and NOT $1.00. Again made me mad.
I finally find the exit in Frisco to take and I had to pay the $0.40 to exit. Well I had exact change because I dont have a toll tag. It did NOT take my $0.40. Oooh was I mad. Figured, okay try this again. I tried again. Another $0.40 down the drain. I back up to bill changer and all I had was a $5 so I ended up getting $5 in quarters. What the hell....lol. So I put in a quarter and some nickles (all I had left in change) and the toll thing ate that too. There was a guy behind me who I yelled out window to that it was not working so he came up and helped me out...or tried to. It ate his coins as well. So we both ran the toll....great now I will get a ticket for that (is there a way to dispute that). So I am flaming mad and calling my husband telling him I am should make them pay for my ticket (IF I get one).
Then I get in the neighborhood and it is finally about 40 minutes or so til 11am. I call and tell them I am in the area where did they want to meet me at? They tell me "oh well it will take us another 30 or so minutes to get ready PLUS another 10-15 minutes to get out to Frisco." WHAT??? I thought the groom lived out here...guess not. So they tell me to go home and we will do it next week. ONE HOUR drive and SEVERAL dollars eaten later....what do I do? Charge them for gas? Charge them for the ticket (IF I get one)? Charge them for the toll I paid? That was seriously a waste of 3 hours for me this morning and I am flaming pissed....someone help me calm down and give me some advice LOL

[crazeazn]

you won't get a ticket.

[mom2aidan]

okay well there was a camera there so they could have gotten my license plate but if i wont get a ticket and you are right that makes my day somewhat better. *phew*

[crazeazn]

if they do give u a ticket, u can dispute it anyway. they know the machines go bad too. i used to use the tolls alot when i was in dallas when i went to school up there. for some reason it didnt pick up my houston ez tag, and they tried to charge me like 350 bucks. i went in and they fixed it, total: 2.50

[alamoshutterbug]

You need a cancellation clause in your contract. If you don't itemize travel expenses, work it into your pricing.

I hope it was just your anger talking and you not really wanting to charge your clients for your ticket. That's bad.

[Atfulldraw]

Just let them know that you will be charging them your standard session cancellation fee....and then make one up

Surely a bride wouldn't be so unreasonable as to not understand that you would charge her for wasting your time, right......

[bondarnes]

If you get a session fee in advance you won't have this problem. If the session fee is included then it only covers the first session. No shows will have to pay a session fee for any additional sessions.

I don't make business policies on a one time event, but this one will keep coming up if it is not covered.

[Cajungaltx]

Okay - unpopular 2x4 slamming opinion alert....read at your own risk... *grin*

You said the first session was a 2pm, bright sun session that you couldn't even see their faces in.

That is someone's responsibility. If you scheduled it then, then it's your responsibility to deal with rescheduling it because you picked a lighting condition that made you doing your job more difficult....

If they scheduled it then, then its your responsibility to either deal with the lighting conditions, or tell them that 2pm high sun is NOT a good time to do a photography session... or take them someplace where 2pm isn't going to result in that issue.

The fact that you had to schedule a 2nd session...because the first one was so awful...means that it was an issue for both of you...not just them.

It sucks that they blew you off - which to me is what they did - and I'd probably make sure you have a clause to cover a 'reshoot' being canceled... cause that was VERY inconsiderate...

[kimberley]

Teresa,

I wouldnt worry about the toll..that not a big deal...

As far the the couple, did they pay a session fee?

If they havent paid one yet I would require one before I would book another time. I would set a time..usually early in the am or late afternoon is best, 8am or starting at 5 ish is good for natural light.....

Tell them the time is XX and if they cancel again that they will need to find a new photog :)

get that session fee up front and a signed contract :)

[mom2aidan]

Originally Posted by Cajungaltx

Okay - unpopular 2x4 slamming opinion alert....read at your own risk... *grin*

You said the first session was a 2pm, bright sun session that you couldn't even see their faces in.

That is someone's responsibility. If you scheduled it then, then it's your responsibility to deal with rescheduling it because you picked a lighting condition that made you doing your job more difficult....

If they scheduled it then, then its your responsibility to either deal with the lighting conditions, or tell them that 2pm high sun is NOT a good time to do a photography session... or take them someplace where 2pm isn't going to result in that issue.

The fact that you had to schedule a 2nd session...because the first one was so awful...means that it was an issue for both of you...not just them.

It sucks that they blew you off - which to me is what they did - and I'd probably make sure you have a clause to cover a 'reshoot' being canceled... cause that was VERY inconsiderate...

Okay here is my .02 on that

The couple was the one who wanted the 2pm because the groom had to work that morning.
Here is a a quote from MY email to the bride about her first engagment session "Let me tell you one thing though, sun is NOT always a "friend" in photos because it causes squinty eyes, furrowed brows and "hot spots" (bright spots on clothing and skin) and doesn't always look good"
And then this was my email to her after seeing the photos "there are quite a bit of "harsh lighting" in the photos and I want to provide you guys with the best photos possible." They didnt see all the photos. They only saw maybe 5 DECENT ones even though the bride had some issues with her weight but I did all I could and I am not all that great with the liquify tool. I OFFERED to reshoot it. I had no issue with reshooting it because I wanted them to have more than 5 photos to pick from since they were buying prints. I just didnt offer to reshoot to play these reschedule/cancel/blow off "games". Seriously, when the time and date is planned....STICK WITH IT unless you are vomitting your insides out or you are deathly ill.
I learned my lesson...I wont reshoot and then I will schedule for a time of day or location that isn't so "bright" and has harsh lighting.

[carrbowl]

Teresa, I had something similar to this kind of thing..What I learned is that I am the one in charge and it is my responsiblity to take control of my business and what is best. I have learned that if they can only do photos in the middle of the afternoon, than they don't care if their photos look good. (Of course I first explain that good photos are taken early or late in the day) They expect you to know what to do ...they may pretend like they know everything, and some may know some...but the way I look at it, if they knew so much, they'd be taking their own photos. So view it as a lesson..one that alot of us have learned...and go on...it's not worth losing sleep over!!.

[mom2aidan]

Originally Posted by kimberley

Teresa,

I wouldnt worry about the toll..that not a big deal...

As far the the couple, did they pay a session fee?

If they havent paid one yet I would require one before I would book another time. I would set a time..usually early in the am or late afternoon is best, 8am or starting at 5 ish is good for natural light.....

Tell them the time is XX and if they cancel again that they will need to find a new photog :)

get that session fee up front and a signed contract :)

I did get a session fee and the rest of the total....about 3 months before her engagement session.

mom2aidan added 1 Minutes and 50 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by carrbowl

Teresa, I had something similar to this kind of thing..What I learned is that I am the one in charge and it is my responsiblity to take control of my business and what is best. I have learned that if they can only do photos in the middle of the afternoon, than they don't care if their photos look good. (Of course I first explain that good photos are taken early or late in the day) They expect you to know what to do ...they may pretend like they know everything, and some may know some...but the way I look at it, if they knew so much, they'd be taking their own photos. So view it as a lesson..one that alot of us have learned...and go on...it's not worth losing sleep over!!.

Ya well I figured that out when they got there that they really didnt care about their photos. They were in a rush because they didnt like their photos taken. She had blotchy make up and he was wearing a striped shirt while she was in a COMPLETELY different colored shirt with polka dots all over it. Her hair looked as if it hadn't been washed that day either. Im sorry but please...primp and care for yourself before some of the most important photos before your marriage are taken. That is my advice!

[Imagebuffet]

It is helpful for me to read how to handle the business end of this, as I don't know how to take care of that aspect. As for the tolls, you don't need to worry much about that. The cameras read your license plate, find you in the motor vehicle records, then issue you a bill for the toll plus a convenience fee, assuming it is working. In fact, some parts of 121 don't even have toll booths; they just read everyone's license plate and bill you through the mail or charge your tag.

And, no, the Dallas system won't read Houston toll tags.

[123canon]

i refuse to schedule sessions at times or locations that i do not have the skill to overcome the challenges. reshoots be it mechanical failures or lack of skill make me look bad (i do that enough by accident with out intentionally putting obstacles in my way!) i know i don't like to reschedule hvac work on my house, even if i am not paying again, it is taking time away from me.

[mom2aidan]

well it wasn't to make me look bad...i didnt want them or the bride at least to see the photos and say "man i look fat" or "why does my make up look blotchy" or "man my hair is very greasy looking" or something of that sort and i wanted her to have great photos especially after just having jaw surgery but man i guess next time....to each their own and if they come to my session (or their session more like it) all nasty looking then they will have to deal with it.