Friend edited my pictures and I'm not happy

[GypsyRose31299]

Alright, I'm trying to decide if I'm just being a brat or if this is legitimately annoying.

I've been interested in photography for quite some time and in the last few years have really been trying to learn how to run my camera. I have taken some decent pictures (in my opinion) of my own son and after giving a print to my daycare provider, another mom (who I've kind of become friends with) asked if I would take pictures of her son.

I took pictures of her son a while back and got some okay results....I gave her a disc of all the images I thought were worth sharing. She put them through picnik (editing software online) and posted them to her facebook. I don't remember the editing on those being anything too annoying.

She asked again if we could go take some photos, this time of her and her son. So this last weekend we went out and I feel like I got some much better shots this time. I've taken a few classes and feel like I'm more aware of the background, better practice with focusing, white balance, etc.

I haven't finished deleting the stuff I don't feel is worth sharing but I did a few quick edits (and my photoshop skills are pretty limited....I'm not good at smoothing skin, etc so I haven't been doing anything like that - mainly tweaking white balance a tad on a few, cropping a little and added a vignette to some) and posted them to facebook for her to see. She grabbed a few and again ran them through picnik......I hate them now. And I hate that she's got it posted that her good friend "GypsyRose31299" took them. She's a very high-maintenance girl and was totally over the top with blurring everything I'm assuming to smooth her skin (which really isn't bad to begin with!).....so now all I see is what appears to be a bunch of out of focus images. Granted, they were not perfect to begin with but I feel like this has totally ruined them and I don't want credit for the edited versions.

I don't know what I'm looking for here....someone to tell me I'm just being a brat? Someone to commiserate? I don't see myself addressing this with her but I probably will turn down shooting anymore for her. There was no money involved here, just as a favor...she doesn't want to (or cant'?) spend the money for a pro, and I can always use people to practice on so it seemed like a win-win until I go and get all annoyed.

[dvtldav]

You are not being a brat, your reputation is at stake here and you apparently feel like the pictures she has posted makes it look like you are a bad photographer. I would be upset too. I would politely tell her that you do not appreciate her editing your pictures without your approval and posting them online.

Dave

[Murtasma]

I'd just ask her to remove your name as a reference on the photos. Since no money was involved and you don't seem to be running a business I don't think it's worth getting her upset and starting some drama over a photoshop edit. Next time she wants a shoot charge her money.

[Digidave]

First, privately let her know how this would be a bad reflection on your work & you would appreciate her either, not do any enhancing to your work, or to at least make a notation on any photo that has been manipulated.

At the very least you may want to leave a comment that let's people know that they were manipulated without your permission.

[mshockley]

Originally Posted by Digidave

First, privately let her know how this would be a bad reflection on your work & you would appreciate her either, not do any enhancing to your work, or to at least make a notation on any photo that has been manipulated.

At the very least you may want to leave a comment that let's people know that they were manipulated without your permission.

That second part isn't a bad idea. You could comment under the images she has manipulated, and just say something like....

"I'm so glad you like the pictures I took of you and your son. I see you had some fun re-editing them at Picnik and hope your enjoying them". Then if you don't already, get one, and just post your original work to your own Facebook Album on your page. You could include in your comment the link to your page and say something like "to view the original images visit my page @".......

You remain sounding un-bitchy this way. I understand your in a situation here with someone whom is a day-care provider for you and has also become a friend. Good Luck!

[NgaiHill]

I can totally commiserate with you! My mother shows and breeds dogs and asked me to take some photos of her dogs for her. No problem. But after I sent them to her she looked at them on her old, non-calibrated CRT screen, decided they were too dark, and lightened them all. They looked awful and then she sent some to her dog breeder friends. Like you I was really annoyed that she had messed with my pictures without my permission - granted it wasn't major edits as your friend has done - but I certainly wasn't happy with what had been done to them and hoped that she didn't tell everyone that I took them!
Unfortunately I can't give you any suggestions on how to address this with your friend, although the advice already given is excellent, because it was my mother I just said nothing and let it go. Just will be a little more careful in the future.

[RLucas]

Sometimes I wish there was a self destruct code that could be embedded in to the image file when stuff like this happens. Yes, I feel a little vindictive today. I feel your pain!
It's almost like drawing a goatee on the Mona Lisa. Is it not?

[mshockley]

Originally Posted by RLucas

Sometimes I wish there was a self destruct code that could be embedded in to the image file when stuff like this happens. Yes, I feel a little vindictive today. I feel your pain!
It's almost like drawing a goatee on the Mona Lisa. Is it not?

*computer animated female voice* "The editing you've done is not acceptable. You have 10 seconds to return the image to it's original state. Begin self-destruct countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, ..........

Maybe BuddhaPi can write us all a code???

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by mshockley

That second part isn't a bad idea. You could comment under the images she has manipulated, and just say something like....

"I'm so glad you like the pictures I took of you and your son. I see you had some fun re-editing them at Picnik and hope your enjoying them". Then if you don't already, get one, and just post your original work to your own Facebook Album on your page. You could include in your comment the link to your page and say something like "to view the original images visit my page @".......

You remain sounding un-bitchy this way. I understand your in a situation here with someone whom is a day-care provider for you and has also become a friend. Good Luck!

+10 on Michelle's suggestion here. I was thinking the exact same thing before I even read her post.

[Ekir]

I had a simeler thing recently, my friend and I shooting a wedding for another friend, for free,
spending hour at the computer correcting wb (my friend was on auto) doing some pp on a few pics, burning a dvd and disk with the final images, only to be asked if the bride could have the originals on a disk so that she could have a 'play
Kinda feel like we did all that work for nothing, also although thier wasn't anything major wrong with the originals, they needed that wb correction and some where overexposed, not keen for people to see them...
So I know what you mean, if she posts them with bad editing and puts our name on it (she wouldn't, would she??) then I would have the same dillema.
I would ask your friend to add an 'originals' llink to your page, and acnolage on her page that the pp was hers.

Best of luck, its tricky when its a friend...