contracts, organization, and retouching

[teresa]

Hello all! I have several random questions, feel free to respond to one or more.

I am curious to know how long you keep a contract on file after a wedding.

Also, what type of system works best for you for organizing cds/dvds? (binder, box, individual jewel cases, etc) Do you keep your personal pictures filed with your business ones (if you have a home office)?


I've come across several photographers' sites that indicate an additional charge for retouching. Do you charge extra to remove blemishes or tan lines? If so, do you charge a flat fee for the entire album or for each individual picture?

Thanks!

[tim]

1) Why would you throw a contract out, ever?
2) I don't trust CD/DVD for archiving, all images are kept on two hard drives (one in a different location) and a DVD also offsite.
3) My album/print fees include minor retouching, or fixing mistakes I made. For major work that'd take a long time i'd probably charge. Tan lines and blemishes take seconds to remove so i'd not charge for them.

PS Welcome to POTN :)

[sapearl]

Much to the extreme aggravation of my wife :mad: , I've got contracts, negatives and order firms going all the way back to my first wedding in 1974. These are neatly stored in envelopes inside of labeled xerox cartons, throughout the house. The house is climate controlled year round, so the the material in the basement is bone dry.

I periodically move them around like Sadam's old scud missiles, so she doesn't always have to look at them; out of site, out of mind.

Regarding retouch work, for basic (and even more than basic) retouching I include that at no extra charge in order to stay competitive. If somebody wants something extreme, like removal of a mother-in-law or ex husband, I indicate that will be about $50/hr for PS time (which is extremely cheap).

Nice to have you here Teresa and hope you have fun. There are a lot of extremely knowledgable, generous, talented and crazy people here to play with! ;)
- Stu

Hello all! I have several random questions, feel free to respond to one or more.

I am curious to know how long you keep a contract on file after a wedding.

Also, what type of system works best for you for organizing cds/dvds? (binder, box, individual jewel cases, etc) Do you keep your personal pictures filed with your business ones (if you have a home office)?


I've come across several photographers' sites that indicate an additional charge for retouching. Do you charge extra to remove blemishes or tan lines? If so, do you charge a flat fee for the entire album or for each individual picture?

Thanks!

[PHOTOBYSHIRL]

question, what do you do with the( want be photographers )that show up with there 8,meg camers and start taking pictures of my setup shots. especialy at weddings i cant seem to explain why this is not an accept practice. HELP photobyshirl.

[liza]

I just told the ones who did it at the wedding I shot last week that it ruins the picture the bride and groom already paid for. They stopped taking the pictures long enough for me to get my shot.

[mackb]

question, what do you do with the( want be photographers )that show up with there 8,meg camers and start taking pictures of my setup shots. especialy at weddings i cant seem to explain why this is not an accept practice. HELP photobyshirl.

PHOTOBYSHIRL, your kinda off topic (maybe a new threat would get more response)

But here is my 2 cents

I won’t mention any names, but a photographer on this forum said he requires the formal area to be off limits to non wedding party. I took his advice and I currently do not let anyone in the area unless you’re getting your picture taken or you are a parent- grandparent watching. With that said there will always be some exception. I personally use humor to point out that I don’t approve with the person taking pictures. (Again the original advice I received pointed out that on a tiny LCD you can’t see the eyes, if they are looking off to the side…oops).

My advise to any photographer in an undesirable situation would be don’t get upset! If you allow yourself to demand respect you may lose respect and may damage your reputation. I use humor because it keeps me calm and I don’t appear to be angry wedding guy! I guess it’s all about prepping the wedding party and then when you go “live” trust your “soft skills”

[newgenphoto]

1. Never throw them away! I like looking back at my year and saying, "Wow, I shot a lot of weddings... ;)"
2. I also have an external HD that goes into a fire safe at my home. I have a custom program (thanks to a friend) that does an auto back-up every morning of my "business" drive.
3. I just do it. I'm always picking on myself so I will ALWAYS do something to the 5x7's or larger prints going to my lab. Besides, I think my prices justify a little bit of personal attention to the images after my weddings.

[mackb]

1. Never throw them away! I like looking back at my year and saying, "Wow, I shot a lot of weddings... ;)"

lol

[sherief]

i know its kinda hard for wedding photographers retouching thier photos .. its almost the only kind of photographers who sometimes hire retouchers to do it ..

[sapearl]

That used to be the case in the past when paints, tints and negatives were involved. But today's photoshop skills, retouching and post processing pretty much go hand in hand with the camera work.

i know its kinda hard for wedding photographers retouching thier photos .. its almost the only kind of photographers who sometimes hire retouchers to do it ..

[sctbiggs]

what's with these years old threads coming back...

[sapearl]

Surprised me too Scott :D...... I did a double take when I discovered I'd posted to it 4 years ago....

what's with these years old threads coming back...

[images by Paul]

Wow, I don't envey you (or your house!!)
Negatives from 1974? All my digital stuff is on two sets of externals.
Film shoots are well over the five years my contracts used to call for. After five years, I offered the negatives to the clients for a fee. If the didn't want them, the local dump was happy to take them.


Much to the extreme aggravation of my wife :mad: , I've got contracts, negatives and order firms going all the way back to my first wedding in 1974. These are neatly stored in envelopes inside of labeled xerox cartons, throughout the house. The house is climate controlled year round, so the the material in the basement is bone dry.

I periodically move them around like Sadam's old scud missiles, so she doesn't always have to look at them; out of site, out of mind.

Regarding retouch work, for basic (and even more than basic) retouching I include that at no extra charge in order to stay competitive. If somebody wants something extreme, like removal of a mother-in-law or ex husband, I indicate that will be about $50/hr for PS time (which is extremely cheap).

Nice to have you here Teresa and hope you have fun. There are a lot of extremely knowledgable, generous, talented and crazy people here to play with! ;)
- Stu

[sapearl]

Well Paul, I have to say that things have improved significantly since that 2006 post :D.

Much has already ended up in various recycle dumpsters, and shredders with a minimum going to landfills. Like yourself, the past few (digital) years and their associated contracts and invoices sits in a small file cabinet of folders.

As I've been going through things I'll call the old clients if I still keep in touch, offering them the negs. The remainder ......

Wow, I don't envey you (or your house!!)
Negatives from 1974? All my digital stuff is on two sets of externals.
Film shoots are well over the five years my contracts used to call for. After five years, I offered the negatives to the clients for a fee. If the didn't want them, the local dump was happy to take them.

[jho288]

[QUOTE=sapearl;1649676

Regarding retouch work, for basic (and even more than basic) retouching I include that at no extra charge in order to stay competitive. If somebody wants something extreme, like removal of a mother-in-law or ex husband, I indicate that will be about $50/hr for PS time (which is extremely cheap).
[/QUOTE]

LOL! I love the service you provide here!