Do you ever turn down customers?

[aine_01]

I think you might want to tip toe around overweight people. The reason I suggest that is most people who know they are overweight are not in denial about it. So perhaps asking them if they have a better side or however you say that, might make them feel worse. As someone who has been at both ends of the spectrum (very big and very skinny), I can tell you that if someone I did not know asked me which side of my body was better, I would feel pretty bad and not sure if I would continue the session. I know it seems harmless but they want you to do the best that you can regardless of their size.

[Ronie]

Originally Posted by aine_01

I think you might want to tip toe around overweight people. The reason I suggest that is most people who know they are overweight are not in denial about it. So perhaps asking them if they have a better side or however you say that, might make them feel worse. As someone who has been at both ends of the spectrum (very big and very skinny), I can tell you that if someone I did not know asked me which side of my body was better, I would feel pretty bad and not sure if I would continue the session. I know it seems harmless but they want you to do the best that you can regardless of their size.

I couldn't agree more, I've been in the same situation, well very big and getting skinnier as we speak, (60 pounds down I'm proud to say) anyways... I know that asking them what their better side would be seems to be a good idea... but from personal experience I never was quite sure what my better side was. My sister did a very good job taking pictures of me and making me feel comfortable though. Whenever she'd see a pose that she could tell instantly made me look good, or skinnier she would go on and on about how good it looked, and how good I looked; and she'd use the pose multiple times, if there was time. Hope this is of some help.

[Life in Motion]

Originally Posted by private

I totally agree with Lori, BUT you can be 100% honest with them. When I took photos of a blind girl and a boy with DS and autism, I was 100% upfront. That I never did it b4 I would do my best - blah blah blah. I asked questions.

If the WHOLE familiy is overweight - they know it. Its better to be upfront. Ask them if they have a better side, tell them about clothing choice, Ask WHERE they want the photos taken - I have not seen the family, but is your backdrop large enough - I really cannot do more than a family of 4 with my paper backdrops... Talk about the space where the photos will be taken...

Its more than posing, its baout making them comfortable - posing is right up there tho

Thank you for your comment. The backdrop is a good point! now that i think about it i don't think mine is big enough for their family ! unless i just do headshots close up at a higher angle perhaps. But as far as being upfront about their weight I don't really think i can come up with a way to be upfront about someones weight without it coming across as rude .

Originally Posted by aine_01

I think you might want to tip toe around overweight people. The reason I suggest that is most people who know they are overweight are not in denial about it. So perhaps asking them if they have a better side or however you say that, might make them feel worse. As someone who has been at both ends of the spectrum (very big and very skinny), I can tell you that if someone I did not know asked me which side of my body was better, I would feel pretty bad and not sure if I would continue the session. I know it seems harmless but they want you to do the best that you can regardless of their size.

Originally Posted by Ronie

I couldn't agree more, I've been in the same situation, well very big and getting skinnier as we speak, (60 pounds down I'm proud to say) anyways... I know that asking them what their better side would be seems to be a good idea... but from personal experience I never was quite sure what my better side was. My sister did a very good job taking pictures of me and making me feel comfortable though. Whenever she'd see a pose that she could tell instantly made me look good, or skinnier she would go on and on about how good it looked, and how good I looked; and she'd use the pose multiple times, if there was time. Hope this is of some help.

THANK YOU AINE AND RONIE FOR YOUR REPLIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I appreciate the advice from somone who sees it from the other side! I know it's not the same but I've had 4 kids....and after every delivery while i was trying to loose the pregnancy weight...I was sooooo touchy about what people said to me about my weight(like..."awww it's okay you'll loose the baby weight eventually--(mind you i hadn't asked and this was the first comment out of their mouth...errr...aggravated me when people thought they were helping by being upfront about my baby weight actually....i knew i had it to lose and i was working on it lol no observations were needed or asked for lol), and especially hated having pics of myself taken during these periods of losing the weight!

By the way 60 pounds lost!!!!!! that is AWESOME woot woot! That is quite an accomplishment...good for you....and keep up the good work !!!

I think that this is such a hard thing for me to figure out. I know people are touchy about their weight......I am just soooo nervous about making them feel uncomfortable and "not want to finish the shoot" as Aine said before about being upfront . So, I guess the most professional(mind you i'm very far from being a professional photog) but as far as etiquette goes I'm thinking i need to just do the shoot and try my hardest to not show how uncomfortable and nervous i am doing the shoot.......pray they don't notice.....then pray they like the way they look in a picture so i won't have to give them a refund .

Thank you all for your comments..........it has HELPED TREMENDOUSLY.......i've been going back and forth in my mind what to do!!!! you have made the argument feel more productive for sure !!!

[Life in Motion]

Originally Posted by Niresangwa

well, i was kinda relieved not to have been vilified after i posted

Obviously living in a small-town situation it's going to be a whole different ball of wax than I deal with living in a Metro area. I turn someone down, we never have to face one another... as for you, you could see them on a weekly basis pumping gas and buying coffee... and of course reputation is magnified for you too..

Idk, As awful as I've felt at the time lying to get out of it, I can't in all honesty say I regretted it. I've always just quoted being already booked - for me, doing weddings, that's perfect because they already have a firm date..

...for a family shoot, obviously that would never work...

"Hey will the 22nd work?"

"Ugh! No, sorry! I already have a booking for that morning!"

"Oh, no worries, can we do it in the afternoon?"

"I really prefer to just do one shoot a weekend so I can concentrate on one set at a time"

"OK, totally understandable... we really love your stuff though, so can we do the 29th, or even the 5th next month"

"Uhm..."


...so maybe there isnt a delicate way out of this for you. So study those posing guidelines, and then work with lots of close-quarter candids? Enough to put a set together and add some variety to the angled shots.

I'm pretty sure that they already know they're big, and don't expect to look 50lbs lighter...as long as you manage to present without highlighting problem areas and get them to laugh and have fun, you should be just fine...

I think you are 100 percent right on the head on this one.........thank you for all your replies!!!!! I hadn't really thought about the circumstance of them wanting to keep rescheduling when i say i'm booked lol.....woops. So you have made some extremely good points! also I'm glad you get it about the small town circumstance! Most people from cities don't get how uncomfortable it can be to deal with that sort of thing if there is a bad situation running into them in town on a regular basis!

I appreciate the time and thought in your comments THANK YOU

Originally Posted by scootermcq

I'm with you brother.... I really think that would be an amazing niche market to get into. Once you have your foot in the door and really look after the couple, the word of mouth could make you the "go to guy" for an entire community!

Here is the quote:

Wedding services: A same sex couple in Albuquerque asked a photographer, Elaine Huguenin, to shoot their commitment ceremony. The photographer declined, saying her Christian beliefs prevented her from sanctioning same-sex unions. The couple sued, and the New Mexico Human Rights Commission found the photographer guilty of discrimination. It ordered her to pay the lesbian couple's legal fees ($6,600). The photographer is appealing

WOW you definitely opened my eyes about how sue crazy this world has become.....thanks for the addition of your info on this thread!

[Jim Bryant]

I turned down a Bridezilla last week. Told her I just couldn't shoot a wedding at the price she wanted to pay for all the services wanted.

[funcrunch]

Originally Posted by scootermcq

I'm with you brother.... I really think that would be an amazing niche market to get into. Once you have your foot in the door and really look after the couple, the word of mouth could make you the "go to guy" for an entire community!

Same here. I live in San Francisco and I absolutely cannot wait for Prop 8 to go away for good. My very first wedding shoot was for a gay couple who could not wait for same-sex marriage to be legal, so had a commitment ceremony but with all the trimmings of a full wedding. And it was Tiki-themed and fabulous!

[metric_photography]

To Life in Motion: I think you are worrying too much about their weight. As many have already said, they are well-aware of their appearance. Do the shoot, but keep in mind poses and positions that will make them look better and not worse. Basically, don't shoot them from below (puts the focus on the chin area) and make them extend their necks a bit forward to move the face from the neck, preventing too much of a double chin. I really think you are getting all uptight and worried for no reason. They know what they look like, and are obviously okay with it if they want pics done. Maybe they each just lost 20lbs for the portrait and are feeling good. Read up on slimming techniques and keep the tips in mind when you are shooting.

Would you turn down a woman who wanted a portrait done because she had a large nose? You are worrying far too much!!!

[Life in Motion]

Originally Posted by metric_photography

To Life in Motion: I think you are worrying too much about their weight. As many have already said, they are well-aware of their appearance. Do the shoot, but keep in mind poses and positions that will make them look better and not worse. Basically, don't shoot them from below (puts the focus on the chin area) and make them extend their necks a bit forward to move the face from the neck, preventing too much of a double chin. I really think you are getting all uptight and worried for no reason. They know what they look like, and are obviously okay with it if they want pics done. Maybe they each just lost 20lbs for the portrait and are feeling good. Read up on slimming techniques and keep the tips in mind when you are shooting.

Would you turn down a woman who wanted a portrait done because she had a large nose? You are worrying far too much!!!

Honestly I think just having an overweight person want me to take pics off the internet before has got me nervous. Going over it in my head if i can't come up with the poses/locations i want to do before hand i get nervous about being able to execute a smooth controlled and somewhat easily directed photoshoot. But as you get more involved and actually start taking peoples hard earned money the pressure to succeed in your final product is amplified! Also as you get more demand for different types of paid photoshoots you learn what your niche is in photography. You can ask any photographer and there are going to be certain shoots he/she has on their"no thanks list". For example it is not just one overweight person but 4. I have a really hard time right now with group photos...i've only done a handful paid group/family photos.......and they make me a nervous wreck anyway! Mainly because i like to get that nice bokeh and still have each plane with people in it in focus lol. Not always easy task with groups for me . Unless i get extremely more confident and experienced with groups, they may become on my "no thanks list". now everything you read about overweight pics, you'll see them say put people infront of the overweight people....well this works good unless they're all very overweight.

Just saying.....I am a very detailed person when it comes to planning my shoots. i like to know each location in what order and what poses i plan on doing at each location to ensure a certain number of acceptable shots to review. also during the shoot i love the in the moment "candid" shots(my personal fave shots to take) but you can't do a whole shoot on just that and say run around and i'll take your pics.

Anyway maybe i do put too much worry into it........but i think this will deminish a lot with experience and time. You are only as good as your last photo shoot-while some things may get easier that will always be a contstant worry lol .

[Ronie]

Originally Posted by Life in Motion

Just saying.....I am a very detailed person when it comes to planning my shoots. i like to know each location in what order and what poses i plan on doing at each location to ensure a certain number of acceptable shots to review. also during the shoot i love the in the moment "candid" shots(my personal fave shots to take) but you can't do a whole shoot on just that and say run around and i'll take your pics.

I think this is a very good way to be. I've been learning with each shoot I've done that planning is very key. I was very much a "candid" shot type of photographer when I started out, and I still love those shots. But experience and suggestions have been showing me that having a game plan makes everything run much smoother, and you're sure to get the shots that you want that way; on that same token you're also going to get the better shots as well.

It seems to me like you're heading in the right direction, and you've got the right idea. Planning ahead, and (this one I have to force on myself every time) remind yourself not to be nervous. You have the talent, and they wouldn't have asked you for a session if they didn't think you were capable of taking the pictures they wanted.

[jwlavo]

Originally Posted by Niresangwa

Now i'm off to hate myself for half an hour, and second guess posting this honest response.

Thank you for giving the honest response! I feel quite the same as you. I have turned down work before because I knew (gut feeling) that it was just not going to work out. It is hard to fake enthusiasm and as a result the creativity might suffer.
On a side note.... Niresangwa... I checked out your site and you have some incredible work! But why do you have to hate on Idaho? lol