Unhappy Customers

When I shoot kids I have a remote control monkey that sits on my shoulder. He speaks, waves and even farts.
Tends to get the kids attention he does.
 
PsiFox said:
When I shoot kids I have a remote control monkey that sits on my shoulder. He speaks, waves and even farts.
Tends to get the kids attention he does.
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Really where did u get that? I get asked to do alot of children so it would help :)
 
If you feel the need to edit the pictures then do it, personally I think one of these people are taking you for a mug and dis-respecting you. I'd contact the person who's happy and let them know you're not really prepared do do anything more than you've done already. Demanding pictures by a deadline when you've done work for free is just damned rude.

Talk about wanting something for nothing!
 
Did you invite them for a free shoot to begin with? Or did they ask you?

Just wondering, because if you put it to them, then you should probably treat it as if it were a paid shoot. You asked them for the experience. Even though they're being a bit of a pain, and expecting a bit much from you for free, you should treat this experience as if you were paid. It'll do you good in future when it happens on a fully paid shoot.

Learn from it. Don't get mad, it won't do you any good - also, think ahead, if you sweeten this group up and re-do the shoot, and keep them happy, they may get you some paid customers in future. Moms have friends who also have kids - they may like what they see on the re-shoot.
 
Keep them happy and maybe get future customers out of it? plus shots to build your portfolio out of it? Has to be worth a re-shoot, no matter their attitude.
 
If you can't deal with demanding customers then not much hope or point in starting a business up though is there. Okay they were not technically real customers as such but they felt like they were and how well they are dealt with is key.
While the temptation is to tell them to get lost you need to keep the longer term affect in mind. Surely tongue biting is 90% of dealing with customers isn't it?
 
Have one of the kids shot. The others will then stand still. :razz:
 
Cagey75 said:
Did you invite them for a free shoot to begin with? Or did they ask you?

Just wondering, because if you put it to them, then you should probably treat it as if it were a paid shoot. You asked them for the experience. Even though they're being a bit of a pain, and expecting a bit much from you for free, you should treat this experience as if you were paid. It'll do you good in future when it happens on a fully paid shoot.

Learn from it. Don't get mad, it won't do you any good - also, think ahead, if you sweeten this group up and re-do the shoot, and keep them happy, they may get you some paid customers in future. Moms have friends who also have kids - they may like what they see on the re-shoot.
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They asked me,
 
Not so fond memories - reminds me of why I usually ducked "kiddy portraits" - they're an awful lot of hard work, especially with several kids, and they can be a "pr" nightmare - sadly, these days, kids parents are too frightened of them to tell the little s*ds to behave, and you're expected to work miracles with nil co-operation from any of them (I remember one gormless mother shooting me a horrified look when one of her little darlings was rattling one of the lighting stands in an attempt to dislodge the flash head and softbox (when they should have been in the picture with their siblings and cousins), and I dared to say "please stop doing that").
I had one "entirely sane" family who were the exception that proved the rule - their kids were a delight, and I shot them every year or 18 months as they grew up, and I'd often shoot them completely informally larking around on straw bales in the field next door, but families like that were a rarity.........
 
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Cagey75 said:
Keep them happy and maybe get future customers out of it? plus shots to build your portfolio out of it? Has to be worth a re-shoot, no matter their attitude.
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Yh I'm redoing them Saturday so hopefully it will make her happy :)
 
kellyanne1703 said:
Obviously I won't tell her to F off that me not the sort of person i am ...
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Kellyanne, all of your posts lead me to think you're being a bit of a doormat and they know it ... and that's exactly how they want you.

To continue being abused just redo the shoot, redo the editing, give them the new set for free.

And next time smile and do it all again.

...or you can show a bit of backbone, draw a line under that particular session and re-think your arrangements for subsequent sessions.

For them not to actually put out any effort/cash/politeness for a gift (mother's day you said) says a lot about them. Are they good people? Did they offer to pay but you stubbornly refused?
 
Ulfric M Douglas said:
Kellyanne, all of your posts lead me to think you're being a bit of a doormat and they know it ... and that's exactly how they want you.

To continue being abused just redo the shoot, redo the editing, give them the new set for free.

And next time smile and do it all again.

...or you can show a bit of backbone, draw a line under that particular session and re-think your arrangements for subsequent sessions.

For them not to actually put out any effort/cash/politeness for a gift (mother's day you said) says a lot about them. Are they good people? Did they offer to pay but you stubbornly refused?
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I get what your saying, im going to redo the photos and once there done, i think im going to stop doing favours for family and there friends.
 
Bet she is not happy with the re-shoot either - anyone care to take that bet ???

OR

set all the equipment up - stand back and offer her the chance of doing all the shooting .. after all .. it's really easy isn't it - any old idiot can take photos ..........!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Explain you are still learning again, and ask what they would like.

Tell them how you would like to do the shoot and use the shoot to your advantage, getting to try the type of shots you want to do for others.

Make them work to your style (if you have one), ok they are getting the shoot for free but use it as a learning experience.

You could make them sit in the same pose for hours if you felt that way inclined :D
 
Hi all, first post but....

The attitude of the mother might explain the little brats.

All the best with however it goes.
 
Kellyanne,

The more I read this, the more I think that you are allowing others to dictate to you how you should feel and what you should do. I get that you are a nice person and don't want to antagonise anyone or cause any rifts in relationships.

That said, you really should step back from doing anything else for this lady who may well not be happy with anything other than 'the best' and won't get it from whoever does a photoshoot with her kids.

IMO, you should not retake the photos, you should NEVER apologize for what you gave her (unless it really was bad ;)) and you should refer back to the conversation you had with her when you said it was gratis for the experience. Next time, unless you agreed a timescale fro processing, don't let anyone else dictate that for you.
 
Good luck with the re-shoot
 
...And this was one of the very reasons for this post http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=5392231&postcount=4 in this thread http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=468175 a few days ago.

Granted, this wasn't a paid gig, probably just as well, but the principle remains the same.

If it were me, I wouldn't be doing a re-shoot.
You delivered what you promised within the timeline stated.
Also, if she's that unhappy with the photos you provided, obviously she doesn't want them so ask for them to be returned.

By the way, can we see some of the images she's not happy with so we can see what she's complaining about.
 
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You do a freebie, but she treats you like a paid contractor, becouse..... she wants to give YOUR freebie away as a Mother's day Present?

I'd tell her to give her mum chocolates instead.... Over a coffee, in a pub... where they give you a fancy minty chocolate with it!

When she grumbles, she cant give her mum 'that'... say so why do you think you could give her MY photo's?
 
Actually... reminds me of my Dad....
He's a Doctor, & lives in Canada. Finds a conference in the UK in December, so he can get a Drug company to pay for his flights.... first class... back to blighty...... then tries to suggest that he has come ALL this way JUST to see me, and why do I have to do anything so inconvenient as, ooooh..... go to work...... while he's here...... and Christmas day? What presents do we get? Yup. The free samplers and curtecy gifts from the drug company paid for flights and hotel!
He gave me a Parker Pen when I was about eleven.... "Why does it say "Fluflenflixol" on it Dad?!"..... "Oh! Its a limited edition"
Talk about cheap-skate! Actually I could.... all day!
 
I want to know what Fluflenflixol will do if I take eight tablets at once ...

And I'm still waiting for the OP's pictures posted! Aww, c'mon Kellyanne.
 
kellyanne1703 said:
Haha
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Sorry for the silly reply :D

I've had a similar problem with kids. I was asked to take their pictures but they just wouldn't behave (three of them) so I pointed this out to their mother and said words to the effect of "If they wont cooperate I can't take their pictures."

They wouldn't and I didn't :D so I drunk my tea, ate my cake, and went home happy :D
 
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You wanted to gain experience, now you have some - never work for free. A balance is always needed between the photographer and the client and in this case the client gets to label you a rubbish photographer at no cost to themselves. At this stage you can't win.

If clients don't fawn over your photographs the first time - they will for ever remain deeply suspicious of you and your work.

Good luck with your next shoot. Hopefully it's with animals, as they always come with a wrangler.
 
Ulfric M Douglas said:
:D Looking forward to Kellyanne posting some samples!
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I've been trying to upload photos to see what I all think if it was that bad :) but I can't seem to be able to load on the page with out a link
 
Either put them in your gallery on here and copy and paste the link or use a hosting site like Flickr and grab the BB code and paste that.
 
Two words...... Good Luck.... Bit more constructive than the other two I could suggest.....

Ste
 
Teflon-Mike said:
Actually... reminds me of my Dad....
He's a Doctor, & lives in Canada. Finds a conference in the UK in December, so he can get a Drug company to pay for his flights.... first class... back to blighty...... then tries to suggest that he has come ALL this way JUST to see me, and why do I have to do anything so inconvenient as, ooooh..... go to work...... while he's here...... and Christmas day? What presents do we get? Yup. The free samplers and curtecy gifts from the drug company paid for flights and hotel!
He gave me a Parker Pen when I was about eleven.... "Why does it say "Fluflenflixol" on it Dad?!"..... "Oh! Its a limited edition"
Talk about cheap-skate! Actually I could.... all day!
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:lol::lol::lol::lol:
You needed to get that off your chest didn't you. ;)

Kev.
 
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