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 07/11/2007 10:01:02 PM · #51
Okay. This is what I came up with for a reply. I sent the email and hopefully I'll hear back from her soon. Thank you again everyone for your advice. I thought about telling her it's all or nothing but i do feel that it was a huge HUGE downfall on my part to not have this laid out plain and clear from the beginning. I threw out some different prices here and there to her, so I can see how she could have got confused. From here on out I will have exact pricing number for people from day one. So, if she does happen to tell her friends that I am easily talked down on my price, they will be misinformed by HER. I now have a very good idea of what to do and what not to do in the future. This has been a great learning experience. I will let you know what her reply is. Thanks again!

"I have given this matter a lot of thought and I am willing to compromise and meet you in the middle because our understanding of the total price was so different. I am willing to do this because of the absence of a written agreement and a clear understanding of what I quoted to you in the beginning. Also, I really want you and your family to enjoy these prints for many years to come, that is the sole reason why I've chosen family photojournalism as my career. To clarify, in the original invoice I quoted you $300 and you're offering me around $150, so the middle ground would be $225. Please consider this offer and let me know if it is agreeable to you and I will deliver your family portraits. Sincerely, Shannon"

Message edited by author 2007-07-11 22:09:34.
 07/11/2007 10:04:48 PM · #52
good for you ... like I said earlier, as long as you're satisfied with the final arrangement, then that is all that matters ... good luck and I hope that she agrees to your terms!
 07/11/2007 10:09:36 PM · #53
Good luck. I hope it all works out.
 07/11/2007 10:10:21 PM · #54
Nice professional email. Now it's up to them. If things don't work out, then it's a lesson learned for not too high a cost. Hope they realize what they are getting.
 07/11/2007 10:11:05 PM · #55
I think the original price of $300 was very reasonable. I certainly would have charged at least double.

Some have told you to use these prints in your portfolio and to promote your business. Be careful with this as if you do not have a release from them you are not able to use the photographs to advertise your business in any way if I understand the law correctly. This includes use on your website and in print, as a book or otherwise. They could sue you if you do. Any pictures that you use of people need to be released in order to use them.

Correct me if I am wrong anyone.

07/11/2007 10:12:47 PM · #56
Originally posted by loriprophoto:
I think the original price of $300 was very reasonable. I certainly would have charged at least double.

Some have told you to use these prints in your portfolio and to promote your business. Be careful with this as if you do not have a release from them you are not able to use the photographs to advertise your business in any way if I understand the law correctly. This includes use on your website and in print, as a book or otherwise. They could sue you if you do. Any pictures that you use of people need to be released in order to use them.

Correct me if I am wrong anyone.


thats a good point, thank you for mentioning that!
 07/11/2007 11:35:47 PM · #57
Hey, I thought your original prices were great!!! When you are a superstar from CLICK! she will be displaying those on her mantle and showing them off with pride. :)

Next time she calls you for pictures, charge her the difference ;)
 07/16/2007 08:09:42 PM · #58
shannon,

i have read through the previous posts and agree with about everything that was stated.

- if formally getting into business, have your business well thought out. i've seen a number of photographers fail b/c they haven't had things well thought through and a clear business strategy. have a business plan. have your pricing set. have it in writing. don't jump in too fast, if you don't have everything ready.

- whatever was stated / agreed upon with the client, stick to it. i agree that you don't want to get a bad reputation out of this deal. if it ended up not working out as you would have liked it...well, lesson learned. sometimes those lessons suck but they're lessons. we've all had those lessons :-)

- really think through your pricing. i think it's key when getting into business.

- when i first got into business, i kind of set my pricing where i hoped to be and i adjusted it to where i was at by offering a portfolio building discount (which in the beginning was 40% off). they might not work for everyone but it worked great for me. i'm now very solid and happy with my pricing. my collections begin at $1500.

- continue to keep things very professional. be confident in what you do and as i said, definitely stick to what was originally agreed upon. you never want to go back on your word.

hope that helps. hang in there.
deb
 07/16/2007 08:31:56 PM · #59
Didn't read all of the above but you should have talked about your fee and print sales before even going to take the pictures. Not sure what something like that goes for but around here people do weddings for $300...(which I think is ridiculous, btw)...
 07/16/2007 08:36:21 PM · #60
Originally posted by Deb_S:
shannon,

i have read through the previous posts and agree with about everything that was stated.

- if formally getting into business, have your business well thought out. i've seen a number of photographers fail b/c they haven't had things well thought through and a clear business strategy. have a business plan. have your pricing set. have it in writing. don't jump in too fast, if you don't have everything ready.

- whatever was stated / agreed upon with the client, stick to it. i agree that you don't want to get a bad reputation out of this deal. if it ended up not working out as you would have liked it...well, lesson learned. sometimes those lessons suck but they're lessons. we've all had those lessons :-)

- really think through your pricing. i think it's key when getting into business.

- when i first got into business, i kind of set my pricing where i hoped to be and i adjusted it to where i was at by offering a portfolio building discount (which in the beginning was 40% off). they might not work for everyone but it worked great for me. i'm now very solid and happy with my pricing. my collections begin at $1500.

- continue to keep things very professional. be confident in what you do and as i said, definitely stick to what was originally agreed upon. you never want to go back on your word.

hope that helps. hang in there.
deb


ah, the portfolio building discount is a really really good idea. thanks for that tip! i really appreciate it :)
 07/16/2007 08:45:50 PM · #61
how did this end up turning out btw? just curious :)

07/16/2007 08:55:06 PM · #62
Originally posted by colyla:
how did this end up turning out btw? just curious :)


hah! well. like i wrote above, i told her that i would compromise with her because of the misunderstanding. said that we would meet in the middle at $225. She wrote back saying she'd pay me $200. At this point, there had already been 31 emails exchanged and I just wanted to be done with it, write it off as a learning experience, and vow to myself to NEVER make this mistake again. Dropped off the photos, cashed the check, and bought my sister a nice birthday present with the money earned. And that was that.

Message edited by author 2007-07-16 20:55:59.
 07/16/2007 08:59:21 PM · #63
Not too bad. Experience counts for something as well. Move one and don't think about this as something bad. Just something to learn from.

Nick
 07/16/2007 09:47:18 PM · #64
I just did a senior picture shoot and the family only ordered 9 prints. They were all 4x6 and 5x7.....nothing larger like yours. There fee was $198. They were happy. I think part of the problem today is so many people have digital cameras that can put out hundreds of shots. so they no longer value the professional like they used to, since their processing is abouth 13 cents a print (at Walmart I believe). They have no idea what you have done in editing. The only thing I can think of at this point, is to show them a couple shots of edited verses the unedited versions. Tell them the time and money you have spent on this. If they still baulk at you, then I would just cut ties, walk away and use it as a learning experience.
 07/16/2007 09:48:39 PM · #65
Originally posted by ShannonLee:
Originally posted by colyla:
how did this end up turning out btw? just curious :)


hah! well. like i wrote above, i told her that i would compromise with her because of the misunderstanding. said that we would meet in the middle at $225. She wrote back saying she'd pay me $200. At this point, there had already been 31 emails exchanged and I just wanted to be done with it, write it off as a learning experience, and vow to myself to NEVER make this mistake again. Dropped off the photos, cashed the check, and bought my sister a nice birthday present with the money earned. And that was that.


didn't read this before I typed B4, but glad it turned out decent for you.
 07/16/2007 11:28:41 PM · #66
Here is an example of a local photographer's price list. Use your own judgment. Kurt Nelson Pricing for Portraits
 07/17/2007 12:29:25 AM · #67
Originally posted by ShannonLee:
Originally posted by colyla:
how did this end up turning out btw? just curious :)


hah! well. like i wrote above, i told her that i would compromise with her because of the misunderstanding. said that we would meet in the middle at $225. She wrote back saying she'd pay me $200. At this point, there had already been 31 emails exchanged and I just wanted to be done with it, write it off as a learning experience, and vow to myself to NEVER make this mistake again. Dropped off the photos, cashed the check, and bought my sister a nice birthday present with the money earned. And that was that.


Got cash, sister̢۪s happy and lesson learned.

Pity though about them not paying the extra $100 for archiving. No files, no more printsâ€Â¦Too Bad. ;-P
 07/17/2007 12:39:23 AM · #68
I think the other point of Deb's suggestion is that you can always lower your price but as you found out its like pulling teeth to bring the price up. Thank you for sharing your story by the way. It will definitely help the rest of us out.
07/17/2007 12:42:45 AM · #69
Originally posted by ShannonLee:
Dropped off the photos, cashed the check, and bought my sister a nice birthday present with the money earned. And that was that.


i reckoned right about now, you'd drop photography and seriously consider about being an undercover agent for the FBI instead, eh? ;)

Message edited by author 2007-07-17 00:43:34.
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