help

[Derric Slocum]

i know this is not automotive related but i need some help and i figured this is where i would get the best answer.

i landed my first paying gig a couple weeks ago. the job was 8 photos of asain style foods to use as wall are in a restraunt, a couple framed shots and a couple menu board shots. I told them i would give them 30 shots that they could pic 8 from with xxx amount for supplies and xxx amount for the photos.

after getting throught the shoot i uploaded about 150 photos thinking i would help them out and let them choose from all the styles instead of me picking the 30 that i liked. i really wasnt sure what they wanted and i only had one sample image to work from so im not sure they really knew either. maybe this was a mistake but its my first reall paying job and i really want to make the customer happy sine i just stumbled into this.

they decided that they wanted more of a plain background, just white so that the food would stand out, so i did another small shoot and uploaded another 50 images. imo these came out well, they where very plain backdrops on single colored plates so that the food would really pop. i was told that they would need the images yesterday so i was expecting a call or email all day. i didnt revieve one so i sent them an email this morning.

i got a message back from the designer today saying that they decided that the plain backdrop is not what they want, and now they want more color and pop from the whole image which is what i planned in the begining.

now comes the issue, this shoot was supposed to be done last week so now its cutting into more of my time, and i have some other work that needs to be done. i have also used up about all of my budget for materials so now im cutting into my profit. since i am an amature im makeing good money off this, but i would like to keep my profit where its at.


i really dont know what i should do with this, should i just suck it up and keep doing what im doing to try and make them happy. am i going way to far with this and letting them take advantage? any input you guys have would be very helpful.

thanks,
Derric

[Jim Sykes]

You do have a contract in place for what you were expected to deliver right? ;)

As your first gig I would expect not...but use this as a learning experience and realize that is important for the future.

They hired you to take the food photos. You did one shoot in a way that they asked for. They didnt like it so you did it another way they asked for. They didnt like that either so now they want to do a third shoot...at their request.

So where do you stand?

In the real world, the contract would state that you are being paid for a specific shoot they request. Then if they are not happy with the design (not your execution, but their idea for display) any additional shoots should be additional time and money at whatever day/shoot rate you agreed to.

Now again, after THEY WANTED the plain background they dont like it. They should be responsible for all costs associated with the third shoot.

Bottom line is you delivered what they originally asked for and they didnt like it. They should be responsible for any additional shoots.

Now, without a contract you may have a tough time convincing them of this and may have to actually suck it up and take it as a learning experience. However, I would certainly try to make them see that you delivered what they wanted and its THEIR CHOICE to shoot again, therefore you need more money to make up for the third shoot. Be firm about this and try to make them realize this. If they are real hesitant, maybe split costs with them. If there is no way, do the shoot and learn from it if you have nothing in writing to the contrary. But they should be responsible for the additional costs since its not your fault that you are shooting again, its theirs.

Good luck.

[Derric Slocum]

there is a contract in place calling out a price for the photos and materials but it doesnt list any specifics about what the photos should look like. that has been an ongoing discusion through email that i have had with the designer of the restraunt.

im thinking about just sucking it up for this shoot, but if they decide to change again we are going to have to renegotiate. i am a little pissed that they keep changing their minds though.

[Jim Sykes]

If you have a contract about a specific shoot and what that entails, then any change they want to make should be additional.

If the contract was to come out and spend X amount of time to do a shoot, then you have done that. If they want a second shoot, then its an additional job.

Dont suck it up too fast. They know what they are doing and are just trying to take advantage of the situation. Try to hold firm and only give in if there is no other option and you dont have any legal ground to stand on within the contract.

[Derric Slocum]

thanks for the input, i really apperciate it.

[Jacob Leveton]

Definitely stand firm. They can't make their minds up, that's not your job. Your job is to shoot photos as they ask. If they leave it up to you (as it sounds like they did on the first shoot), then that is their decision. If they give you more direction (like the second shoot) and they still don't like the photos, again it is on them. Assuming your photos are in focus, properly exposed, and otherwise not a catastrophe, then you should reiterate to them that you don't have the time or resources to continue to reshoot the images to make them happy. If they are interested in more photos than the ones you provided them, they will need to compensate you for your time once again.

[Derric Slocum]

i sen an email aksing for additional funds to cover expenses. i will donate a little time since this is something i am new at and there is a learning curve, but i dont feel that i should have to keep paying for additional materials for them to change their minds. If it was shooting cars or landscapes then they would be paying for the additional time also.