- Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE now-a-days thinks that photography is the easiest thing in the world, and definitely something they should get into.
- At this point in my life, I'm totally ok with that-but I hope they are prepared for some of the following.
- Clients and all of their woes. People often wonder why my contract is 2 pages long. It's because of awful people. People that cancel their weddings the last minute, people that demand that their wedding pics are done a week after their wedding is done, and people that try and re-edit or mess with my pictures.
- And nothing angers me more than re-editing my pics, or better off, trying to claim pictures I took are their own!!
- I especially love re-editing late into the night because the bride has a miniscul zit and all 300+ pics that she's in it needs to be removed. Or the Mother doesn't like some small random thing...oh and can we edit someone else in that wasn't there? Photoshop is just like a magic wand, right?
- Speaking of editing-I'm so tired of people wondering why it costs so much for just an hour or two of shooting time. Your hour photoshoot is another 6-10+ hours of editing, and SOO much more if it's a wedding. Those 200+ pics from your shoot don't edit themselves.
- Why don't I want to just give away all the negatives? Because you'll print them at the cheapest place you can and they'll look like crap! That's the truth, and I don't want my name on it!
- Favorite: business taxes. Oh yes, the worst thing that ever happened to me. And yes, they put a lien on your credit real fast but will not call back no matter how many messages you leave....awesome.
- Family pics are hard. Kids cry-always. They can't hold still, they don't want to hold still, and I don't blame them.
- And please, PLEASE put your outfits together BEFORE the 5 minutes before your family shoot. No, bright teal is NOT an earth tone, and never, ever will be. For some reason, lots of people have different definitions for the word "pastel" and when you say pastel, everyone but 2 may just show up in blue. I even send out guidelines for this stuff!!
2/28/11
{jaded}: foto
I get a little jaded when it comes to foto. I really do. I LOVE taking pictures so much....I really, really do. The things about it I do not love include:
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this was said ABSOLUTELY PERFECTLY. well done. i couldn't agree with it more!
ReplyDeleteyes yes, but do keep in mind that even though everyone now a days thinks they can be a photographer they will hardly ever be as good as you or good at all. Keep chuggin sista.
ReplyDeleteApril I'm so impressed that you own your own business!
ReplyDeleteYou mention there are a lot of new photographers who think it's easy. Your advice is worth moolah sister - you could package up some tips and a PDF (or editable) version of your contract and sell it to newbies. Maybe along with an hour or half day of instruction and charge them good money for it.
Just an idea to help with those business taxes :)
xoxo
Love this rant, girl. And I SO know the woes of the photography business!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry. I fall into the re-edit category but it was just the coloring, so it would match the Christmas card background. We love the pictures you took and I always brag that you took them for us :)
ReplyDeletethe teal thing rings a bell...hahaha!! and I hope I didn't offend you when I showed you that baptism pic the other night! I didn't mean to; I was just excited that it turned out ok! You are way better than I am and I know it! You're my hero! ;)
ReplyDeleteha ha... you sound like Marchet. I totally sympathize with you... though I don't really know anything about photography.... it's better to leave it to the professionals, like you!
ReplyDeleteI used to spend a lot of energy being so irritated that people who were poorly trained artists were somehow making a living at it. Trust me, it's not worth wasting your energy.
ReplyDeleteJust do the best you can and share your passion and talents wherever you can. I think you're already getting there because I think that your photography has vastly improved in the last year or so.
And as far as people who don't want to pay you: be upfront about your costs and walk away from those who give you a bad feeling or who scoff at the price. It's that simple.
And good luck. It's a jungle out there.