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When you get work for free..
I recently put together a shoot for new models. The day before the shoot I offered to give modeling instruction to models who were attending that had never modeled before. So they would have some idea of what to expect for the next day. The entire event had a fee of $30 for the entire weekend. This was to cover my expenses for the rental of the location. I decided to wave the fee even though I had payed a lot to book the location. The photographer that did the shoot worked for free. She also offered each model 5 pics free per model. This was in the contract and all she was required to give. There were other photographers booked but were no shows. I let the models know that since the photographer was there alone and had so many models they would have to be patient w/ her on getting back photos since they were free work and she usually never does free shoots. Also the photographers studio burnt down a month before and she was behind on a lot of work. I have had no problem w/ any of the models about this and for the most part have been understanding. Except for two of them..sisters. They expect to receive there photos the day after the shoot and have drove me crazy about it since. They were the only two models who did not show up for training. I informed them that I was not responsible for the quality of photos if they didn't show up for the 1st day. BTW there photos turned out awful compared to the girls who did the training. Not to mention being the oldest girls there (20's) and were arguing w/ 14 year olds. They had a lot of conflict with the other girls. They walked in they said they were the hottest girls there... get real. From then on the other models didn't like them. Causing conflict the whole day. They are now saying that it is taking to long and they should have got there photos by now....its only been about 3 weeks. I told them the situation w/ the photographer. I told the models to contact me w/ any problems because the photographer was going through a rough time right now. They have called her repeatedly. They want fully retouched and do not want to settle for the CD images that was agreed upon. They want full color retouched 8x10. They also are telling me they want all there photos (not just the 5) in hard copy and shouldn't have to pay. This was a shoot to help all models involved to start a portfolio. Not a paid gig. From the start I told them I just do this to help other models to get started. Because when I started I had no idea were to begin. None of the models were professional models. After they have pretty much told me I'm unprofessional they contacted me yesterday asking if I would be able to find them work. I told them I am not an agency and I did the shoot just to help them get started and they informed me I should still get them work. Again they haven't paid a thing. All the models got hair, makeup, day of training, and pics for free. I don't think waiting until the photographer has time to finish them is too much to ask. She didn't have to give them the pics for free. Especially since she is going through a rough time right now. She gave up her day off to help them out and they should be grateful she is being so patient w/ them. I'm not sure what to tell them. I'm not one to get rude w/ people. But They are pushing me to the limit. Jun 20 06 08:46 pm Link Well... tell them the situation has not changed since they last contacted you. Tell them you will contact them when something does. Then say good bye, and hang up. Jun 20 06 08:50 pm Link Not sure what advice to give you other than holding your ground. Hopefully you had them all sign something stating what they were getting and you just wave that in their face. Jun 20 06 08:51 pm Link I made all of them sign a contract. And a copy contact for the photographer. Jun 20 06 08:52 pm Link Loretta Kendall A Salon wrote: Or you can just start reading the contract on the phone every time they call. Jun 20 06 08:53 pm Link Loretta Kendall A Salon wrote: Go ahead. Get rude. Jun 20 06 08:54 pm Link Mikel Featherston wrote: I like this idea. Bet they stop after the first time. Jun 20 06 08:56 pm Link i probably woulda flipped on em by now LOL Jun 20 06 08:57 pm Link No need to be rude. Firm but not rude. I'm assuming that these 20's young ladies signed the release and all other contracts and documentation which expressed what was expected of them, what they would get and approximately the turn around time due to the hardships the photographer has gone through plus the fact that the other photographer's did not show. I would kindly redirect these 2 young ladies to re-read all documentation that they signed. If they refuse then bottom of the pile for them. (only if you are a meanie like me ). The squeekiest wheel gets the most grease but if you put too much grease on then that wheel is mired and does not go anywhere. Jun 20 06 08:58 pm Link KM von Seidl wrote: May not need to do that..it may be on the 6:00 news..LOL Jun 20 06 08:59 pm Link And most important..... next time, don't waive the fee. People seem to have more respect for things that cost something. They too easily equate free as having no value. Although in this case, it just sounds like they are trying to squeeze you. Jun 20 06 08:59 pm Link Sounds to me that yourself and the photographer should tell the spoiled lil newbie-brats, to relax and be patient, afterall everyone involved waits to some degreee. As far as the 2 models who missed the first day, i would have streeted them right quick-like. Then for the older-less mature models tearing it up with 14 year olds, wow that's fucking classy, ooh, i'm hotter than you, one of those kids should have ass whooped her outside. You and the shooter went above and beyond and should be commended, not threatened and harassed. For the newbies who are reading this, this kind of shit will ruin you, way too quick. And understand the "real world" doesn't revolve around you, and when you think your hot, well, there's hotter, like it make's a fuck. I'd rather shoot the ugliest model around so long as she had a pro attitude and showed up when she said she would. Your word's are everything and people don't forget you or them. a half a pennies worth, Marc Jun 20 06 09:00 pm Link wow it sounds like you & photographer tried to do a great thing for some new models. Next time charge them a non refundable deposit and give one quick warning and then just start kicking girls out of the shoot for being dumbasses or not showing up to the first day instruction. I still thank my first model/photographer for the sit down and lecture on what to do and what not to do. I still made a few mistakes and will make a few more I figure but, she gave me a great head start with her advice..... P.S. I'll go to your next shoot I'm hawter then those 20 year olds and I'm kissing 30........that may shut them up. Jun 20 06 09:01 pm Link Wow. That was really nice of you to do that for those girls. Some people are just so amateurish. You should just tell them off. Or ignore them. Jun 20 06 09:05 pm Link I try to be polite as long as possible as well, or at least try to keep any sort of temper in check...but these girls sound positively bratty and terrible to work with. For the sake of anyone who may work with again, set them straight and forget being "nice". Jun 20 06 09:05 pm Link Marc Rosebeck wrote: I had a smart a@# 14 year old on the shoot who was going to take her out..should have let her. Jun 20 06 09:07 pm Link Send their photos to me and I'll finish the "retouch" myself. Step 1) Crank the contrast up so they look nice and pastey. Step 2) Roughly select the models with no feathering. Step 3) Apply maxiumum smart blur. Step 4) Tint everything in the background pink. Step 5) Resize the images to 320x240 and print them at 8"x10" That should appease them and fit in perfectly with their myspace portfolio. -PKD Jun 20 06 09:10 pm Link If I were that photographer.....fuck you and your untalented unprofessional, pushy asses.....I will give you your shit when I'm done.....don't fucking call us again, piss off.....I love you, have a nice day What rudeness.....some people. Those 2 deserve a verbal slamming. Jun 20 06 09:16 pm Link Mikel Featherston wrote: Totally agree with this comment. Waiving a $30 fee....well, they got 10x the value of $30. and one of the most important things they teach you in Marketing classes is.....if you put a value of nothing on your work or services, it will be perceived as having no value by the client. Jun 20 06 09:49 pm Link Update...I'm a bitch now! YEAH! I told her I was sending her CD of the pics. (this was what was agreed upon) They told me they should get 8X10 also. They did get the pic for free. I told her she would get them within the week. This is her lovely response...Here is the link if you would like to see the lovely pics. :^ ) (I removed the image to be respectful.) Most of the the other model photos on the page are the other models from the shoot. Girl and her sister 2nd row 3rd and 4th pics. This was the best of there shots. They were not photogenic so I chose the best from what I had to choose. Models e-mail> that will boe okay i quess. but could you change the pic that you posted of me and my sis or at least put a good one on there two cuz the pic that you post are BAD, very bad, I have snap shots that are better, and I know your trying to make us look bad but when we show snap shots that look better. Its not going to look bad on us. I'm not a bad person but I'm tired of people thinking that there better, and being a bitch just cuz they think they can. I am a model, with an agency, so don't act like you and your 15 year old friends are better and be a bitch by posting the worse pic you could find of me and my sis. Thanks _______________ (My response..I was WAY to nice. Trying to be professional.) The pics I chose were the best photos out of the set I thought came from your pics. I did the shoot to help people get portfolio pics for people starting in modeling. Mostly for people who had no place to start. Not to make people look bad. I sorry you feel that way but I have been in the modeling business for over 10 years. If I thought they were bad photos. I would not have posted them on my page. I have been more than nice about this and you will be getting your photos this week. I don't appreciate that language. I posted the pics I thought were the best. If your not happy w/ them I'm sorry. Some of the models had good photos and some did not. I picked the best from every model. I usually don't work w/ models who are just starting. As far as you being w/ an agency. You had told me you were not at the shoot and were trying to get w/ one. Also You signed a contract so you released the photos for me to use. As well as for your own use. Being w/ and agency makes no difference to me. I have been w/ and worked w/ agency's. It doesn't make a professional model to be w/ an agency. Experience does. I was trying to be accommodating and make you both feel comfortable. I am not an agency nor I photographer. So I have done the best I can. I heard many things the day of the shoot that I was not impressed w/ such as when you and your sister walked in and one of the two said "we are the hottest girls here." Also things about the boys girlfriend I did not think appropriate. Which made her very uncomfortable. As did some the other girls and, I told them the same. I'm sorry but that is why the problems w/ the other girls started. You two were the adults in the situation and coming in w/ that set for a bad day. The things that was said regrading you two I addressed the other girls about and told them I didn't allow that behavior on my shoots and for it to never happen again. As far as me, Tammy, and the pics. As I told everyone at the shoot. Tammy's studio burnt down and I had photographers who could not show. With her working alone she did what she could. Tammy usually doesn't work w/ models and I think she did as best she could with what she had. I did not post bad photos I thought they were the best of all your shots. Jul 02 06 06:31 pm Link Well, good for you! She definitely doesn't deserve your professional attitude, but we all know better than to stoop to the level of people like that, regardless of how dumb they are being. Let us know what she says in response! And you are a saint for dealing with all of this so well. :-) Jul 02 06 06:37 pm Link The response.. same old crap different day. Just spoiled brats wanting something for nothing. Jul 02 06 09:50 pm Link PK Digital Imaging wrote: LMFAO! Jul 02 06 09:54 pm Link PK Digital Imaging wrote: thanx for the laugh, great advice:) Jul 02 06 10:07 pm Link You keep emphasizing the term "free". Free pix, free MUA, free everything. WTF? Does what you do have no value? Evidently your models seem to think so. Jul 02 06 10:15 pm Link Hi I feel sympathetic for you. Does your cintract mention how long will take for them to see the proof? Or what they need to expect in regard of prints, CD, Etc.,? I am sure you know this but I am going to say it any way, not matter how inmature they are you need to keep your cool and be the pro. If the contract is in your side, you can suggest to them very nicely that if they are not happy with your and or photographer work that you will delete all their images from the shoot, and that you will take it from your online port. Make it in writting, have the sign that they agree and proposse to meet them and delete the files in front of their eyes. Seems like you are not happy with the result and you have better images for what I can see. Why do you need to post their? Thanks and hope that my comment help. Jul 02 06 10:24 pm Link "Models e-mail> that will boe okay i quess. but could you change the pic that you posted of me and my sis or at least put a good one on there two cuz the pic that you post are BAD, very bad, I have snap shots that are better, and I know your trying to make us look bad but when we show snap shots that look better. Its not going to look bad on us. I'm not a bad person but I'm tired of people thinking that there better, and being a bitch just cuz they think they can. I am a model, with an agency, so don't act like you and your 15 year old friends are better and be a bitch by posting the worse pic you could find of me and my sis. Thanks " _______________ On top of everything else, she gives the sure sign of an immature amatuer that knows nothing about professionalism - she write and spells as though she is in an AOL chat room. Jul 02 06 10:26 pm Link DarioImpiniPhotography wrote: This is the only time I have ever done free work. This is why I don't. Jul 02 06 10:29 pm Link Loretta Kendall A Salon wrote: You have to be kidding me??!!?? These two are just not even worth the time. STOP!! being so nice to them. They can't get work because they are not hot. Their thinking they are hot is a figment of their imagination, (or something the poor suffering bastard that wants to bang them said). Jul 02 06 10:36 pm Link Ok, here's my 2 cents on things: Remember how High School use to be? That's how they're acting (oh wait, ARE they in HS?). And a model doesnt have to be HOT to get jobs, I'm sure they could get other jobs (not what they were looking for I'm sure... but jobs none the less). But the attitude has GOT TO GO! I mean, I'm pretty new to modeling, but I know that you have to get along with people (that's the other half of your job, besides holding a pose). So if they want to continue to have a bitchy attitude, then let them. Bad things travel faster (word of mouth) than good things. Let them ruin themselves, then you wont have to deal with them anymore. On a good note: I've worked with Loretta and she was awesome! Makes you feel at ease, very professional work, and just an all around good person to work with. Jul 02 06 11:02 pm Link In the immortal words of my hero; my brother: "I'd give them a ham sandwich and a roadmap." Jul 03 06 01:58 am Link I would tell them to read the contract again and make sure they understand it because that is what everything will be based on. If they didn't understand it when they signed it, then it's their own lack of maturity. Also, since their behavious is so unprofessional, I would tell them not to ever expect any work and recommendation from me or the photographer due to their unprofessional and insensitive behaviour. You don't have to be mean or rude, just honest and blunt like they deserve. Loretta Kendall A Salon wrote: Jul 03 06 02:08 am Link damn, the link isn't showing. I hear you, though. I worked with a model that was just determined to make my life a living hell. I just eventually stopped opening her emails, and took down all of her images from my portfolio. You can only be so nice to people, and then you just have to flip them the bird and politely walk away, all the while thinking "Thanks for teaching me a lesson I won't soon forget." Jul 03 06 03:28 am Link you should ask her who her agent is, so you can send the disk of images to them. it's what we call.... calling a bluff... ten bucks says their "agent"/"manager" (if they even exist) is a boyfriend or another photographer. who is with me on this? Jul 03 06 04:10 am Link PK Digital Imaging wrote: LOL! I almost choked to death! Jul 03 06 04:24 am Link Loretta Kendall A Salon wrote: Not photogenic? Noses like $30 bird dogs. The only thing that would make those two "hot" would be a gallon of premium... EACH! Jul 03 06 04:33 am Link I blame their parents. If they had been smacking a bit more when they were growing up, we wouldn't need to do it now. Here's the plan: 1.) Buy video camera 2.) Offer to reshoot them 1 at a time. 3.) Pair them with the bad @ss 14 yr old. 4.) Push record 5.) Step out of the room. 6.) Come back when the thumping noises stop. Don't forget to post the video....we want to laugh too. Jul 03 06 04:43 am Link Jon Tiffin wrote: I wouldn't do them two with your dick. LOL Jul 03 06 04:46 am Link You shouldn't have given them anything. Tell them that the contract became void when they broke your terms and conditions by turning up a day late, harrassing the other models and then again by harrassing the photographer with their rude phone calls. Or even better delete all the images from the site and tell them they can have a copy of their pictures when they pay your full 2 day fee as well as the 2 day fee of your assistant and the photographer. Jul 03 06 04:48 am Link Sian Louise wrote: Hell girl, you should forget about modelling and become a photographer's business manager. Jul 03 06 05:50 am Link |