This is why you don't shoot for people you know...

[Gina9942]

So I recently did a shoot for a friend of a friend. I charged her a sitting fee, but since I had given my friend her shots on cd I decided I would do the same for this woman. We agreed on a very fair price and I promised her 25 pics on cd, she did pay extra for that. So I sent her the cd, and there are some pics she is not happy with, of course we can't please everyone. And this shoot happened to be very challenging. The 18 month old ran everytime I got close, every time! And the three year old told me she was not going to smile...at all. She didn't. So needless to say there are a lot of the kids running away and not smiling.

She did like most of them though, but then she brought up how she wants to see all of the images. Usually I go through them, pick the best ones and send them. I shoot probably about 200 photos, especially at this session because it was so difficult, and I shoot in RAW, only. So because I am just growing my business, and she's a friend of a friend, and she's a mom who could also recommend me, I tell her that I will go back, look through the photos and see what else I can get, so I send her about ten more. There was one in the set she didn't like because her daughter wasn't smiling....

She knew the kids were difficult and she is really nice and really understanding, this has taken me two weeks to give to her because of a full time job, a commute and my own kids, add in a vacation.

I told her I only shoot RAW and it requires a program to read it, she told me she has photoshop, it's like photoshop 7 so it doesn't read the file, well today I get an email saying that she got a program that will read the RAW file, can I send her a disc with pics on it.

Since I am at the beginning of my career I want to grow a following, but I also do not want to be taken advantage of. I haven't responded yet, because I don't know how to do so. I am a people pleaser, so it's hard for me to just tell her no, but on the other hand I know feel even if she does recommend people she might tell them what I did for her and that is not how I want to start my business. Do I burn the bridge, or do I try to repair it? Any suggestions on how to word it without sounding mean and witchy?

Sorry for the long post

[CheaperKings]

That's tricky, for sure. But, it's a business and that's the way you HAVE to look at it. If it were me, I'd simply tell them how the 'business' works and it doesn't work like that. Or, ask her about her job and if she'd be willing to do things that the boss would most lilkely fire her for doing (becuase if you worked for me and did all this extra work for someone, you're fired - plain and simple). There are no 'friends' in business only clients and that's how you need to look at it. You think other businesses please everyone all the time? Nupe! They don't...

[candleman]

" Sorry luv... i don’t give out Raw files.
I edit the images based on my skill and artistic interpretation. According to the contract we signed, i do not allow edits or modifications of any type to be made to the final images.
If i do it for one person i have to do it for everyone, and its possible that someone could make a hideous alteration, which i then have to take credit for.
I’m sure you understand sweetie. "


(only kidding about the Luv and sweetie)

[Gina9942]

i am absolutely not going to send her the RAW files, it's just so frustrating! They always want more!!!!

[lputman]

candleman hit it right on the head. You should have a contract signed stating what you provide and if necessary, what you won't provide (access to RAW files/negatives). If you don't have a signed contract, then still explain they are not given out and make certain you have signed contracts going forward.

[Statto]

What Im going to suggest is gonna take up some more of your time, sorry

Tell her she can have jpgs of the remaining pix within 28days
Only convert half your remaining RAW files to jpgs
slap a copyright notice across all the images
then resize to about 25%

Email her these files and tell her if she is unhappy with her 1st batch she can have 5 of these files processed, Make sure you dont give her any pix that are better than your original disk images (im sure you wont as you have given her the best anyway). Ask her to let you know which images she wants within 28days

When she either tells you she doesnt want any, or the 28days elapses with no contact from her, send her an invoice for the time you spent converting the second low-res batch

Shes obviously a trouble causer and wants something for nothing
No matter what you do she will bad mouth you (I would bet that she has already darkened your name to her friends and relatives)
Treat her as she is treating you
You will not get any repeat business from her, or her friends, even if you do hand over ALL your RAW files

[kuvahmagh]

Any business she refers to you is likely going to be told that you will hand over all of your original files if asked enough, then when you don't you will anger all of THEM, I would cut my losses with this person, explain that you have lived up to your end of the deal and then some and that you do not hand out raw files, that it is the industry practice but that she can buy them for (enter obscene amount of money here) along with all rights to them if she really wants.

[Cliffs]

Why not get rid of all the bad images and then put the rest on a cd as a "proof" set, make the size too small for her to copy, watermark all of them and let her pick those she likes and charge accordingly.

[Cypher]

I agree with the posts here, this kind of person will only spread the word that you were a "easy mark" and thats not the kind of advertisement I would want. Best of luck!

[zona5101]

she says she wants to see them. What about viewing session where she comes to you and looks at them on your pc. Hopefully thats plenty inconvenient and she'll say no -but if she says yes, then she looks if she likes, you can work the picture for a price.
At any rate the offer says your willing to work with her and traps her from saying "no what i really want is the rest of the pictures for free". Plus she wouldn't be able to bad mouth you for not working with her or say you're an easy mark if you get pestered enough.

I realize the burden is on you but it is an alternative.