"Well I think you'll only need this much time"

SMP_Homer wrote in post #14356965
The original realtor has asked me to come shoot for him a few times - I just tell him I am booked/busy

That's not really a smart way to approach it.

Instead of completely dismissing him, quote him the price other realtors are paying. If he agrees, then you've got yourself another gig.

If you have no intention of ever shooting for him, at least demonstrate the integrity to not lie about the reason why...

BreitlingFan wrote in post #14360191
What I don't see anywhere here is any suggestion that the OP should've explained to the realtor why the shoot couldn't take an hour, or be done without lights, or be completed for a minimal fee.

Photographers need to be salesmen. If the OP didn't do that here, he may very well share a good portion of the blame for not getting the gig...

I tend to agree. I wonder if you have a crappy (house shot in shadow) shot, & shots taken at the "right times" to make it look it's best? Did you show them to the client & explain the difference? And if not, then why not?

BreitlingFan wrote in post #14360203
That's not really a smart way to approach it.

Instead of completely dismissing him, quote him the price other realtors are paying. If he agrees, then you've got yourself another gig.

If you have no intention of ever shooting for him, at least demonstrate the integrity to not lie about the reason why...

He flat out told me I had no future in this business.
I didn't change a thing, and received rave reviews from his co-workers.
Now he sees that the images he gets from whoever aren't a match for what his co-workers are using.

But he's never reversed his "you have no future in this business" comments. Smart or not, when someone flat out tells me I'm not cutout for it, I'm not really interested in working for/with him!

And I'm actually happy with the amount of work his co-workers are giving me - it's a nice little filler between weddings.

SMP_Homer wrote in post #14366582
He flat out told me I had no future in this business.
I didn't change a thing, and received rave reviews from his co-workers.
Now he sees that the images he gets from whoever aren't a match for what his co-workers are using.

But he's never reversed his "you have no future in this business" comments. Smart or not, when someone flat out tells me I'm not cutout for it, I'm not really interested in working for/with him!

And I'm actually happy with the amount of work his co-workers are giving me - it's a nice little filler between weddings.

You're in an enviable position to be able to turn down work.

Lying to him about why you won't shoot for him, however, is profoundly silly...

BreitlingFan wrote in post #14366744
Lying to him about why you won't shoot for him, however, is profoundly silly...

Who says I'm lying?
I tell him I'm booked or busy. I'm either booked, or I'm busy. Booked is pretty straight-forward, and busy is very open to interpretation, but let's just say I never have a calendar entry labelled "thumbs up my @ss" for the days he's looking for someone....

BreitlingFan wrote in post #14360191
What I don't see anywhere here is any suggestion that the OP should've explained to the realtor why the shoot couldn't take an hour, or be done without lights, or be completed for a minimal fee.

Photographers need to be salesmen. If the OP didn't do that here, he may very well share a good portion of the blame for not getting the gig...

That can only go so far, only with certain kinds of clients, and really only when you're looking at one of your portfolio images that are exactly what the client wants and you're describing, "How I dood it."

You can't "explain your prices." Clients don't care and don't want to hear about your problems.

But when they are looking at the product they like and you're explaining what it took to make that happen, you have a chance of getting through to them.

RDKirk wrote in post #14367380
That can only go so far, only with certain kinds of clients, and really only when you're looking at one of your portfolio images that are exactly what the client wants and you're describing, "How I dood it."

You can't "explain your prices." Clients don't care and don't want to hear about your problems.

But when they are looking at the product they like and you're explaining what it took to make that happen, you have a chance of getting through to them.

Well, right now, he doesn't have to explain anything. He has clients paying those prices; clients the first guy is acquainted with. He sees them getting the results they want, so he comes back to the OP to get some work done.

The OP had hiS feelings hurt, though, so he makes up some BS story about being booked or "busy" instead of just telling the guy "I don't want to work for you".

A smart businessman would try to work a client into a schedule. But, because the guy "never reversed" what he said, the OP's feathers are all ruffled...

BreitlingFan wrote in post #14368336
Well, right now, he doesn't have to explain anything. He has clients paying those prices; clients the first guy is acquainted with. He sees them getting the results they want, so he comes back to the OP to get some work done.

The OP had hiS feelings hurt, though, so he makes up some BS story about being booked or "busy" instead of just telling the guy "I don't want to work for you".

A smart businessman would try to work a client into a schedule. But, because the guy "never reversed" what he said, the OP's feathers are all ruffled...

You realize Homer is not the OP right?

Scatterbrained wrote in post #14368432
You realize Homer is not the OP right?

My mistake.

The OP isn't the one whining about that...

BreitlingFan wrote in post #14368336
Well, right now, he doesn't have to explain anything. He has clients paying those prices; clients the first guy is acquainted with. He sees them getting the results they want, so he comes back to the OP to get some work done.

The OP had hiS feelings hurt, though, so he makes up some BS story about being booked or "busy" instead of just telling the guy "I don't want to work for you".

A smart businessman would try to work a client into a schedule. But, because the guy "never reversed" what he said, the OP's feathers are all ruffled...

I'm not sure why you feel there is any need to explain to an obnoxious customer why you aren't going to do any business with them. There is nothing illegal, immoral or fattening about telling someone you are booked or otherwise engaged. Sooner or later, the jackass that made the "You've got no future in this business" comment will make the connection that he burned his bridge.

None of us are obligated to work for customers that abuse or malign us....nor are we obligated to justify our actions to those fools or nameless faces on an internet forum.

Woolburr wrote in post #14368572
I'm not sure why you feel there is any need to explain to an obnoxious customer why you aren't going to do any business with them. There is nothing illegal, immoral or fattening about telling someone you are booked or otherwise engaged. Sooner or later, the jackass that made the "You've got no future in this business" comment will make the connection that he burned his bridge.

None of us are obligated to work for customers that abuse or malign us....nor are we obligated to justify our actions to those fools or nameless faces on an internet forum.

I've not suggested that anyone is obligated to do anything.

I think it's silly to tell someone that I'm busy or booked unless I'm actually busy or booked. Doing that is indicative of a fool. Defending that is indicative of a fool.

Then again, maybe you just can't handle confrontation, and would prefer not to tell someone why you're not working for them. It would certainly save time in the long run...

BreitlingFan wrote in post #14368589
I've not suggested that anyone is obligated to do anything.

I think it's silly to tell someone that I'm busy or booked unless I'm actually busy or booked. Doing that is indicative of a fool. Defending that is indicative of a fool.

Then again, maybe you just can't handle confrontation, and would prefer not to tell someone why you're not working for them. It would certainly save time in the long run...

How a person chooses to handle their business is their choice. Simply choosing to handle it in a manner that doesn't meet with your personal seal of approval that doesn't make them a fool or a poor businessperson.

Confrontation? Seriously? Exactly what do you hope to gain from a confrontation?

Woolburr wrote in post #14368632
How a person chooses to handle their business is their choice.

Really?

You should bounce over the "lowballers" thread. There are people over there who are flat-out apoplectic that others don't subscribe to what they think should be done...

Of course, nothing's being "handled" at all. It's being deflected, that's all...

Confrontation? Seriously? Exactly what do you hope to gain from a confrontation?

Well, for one, I wouldn't have to deal with the guy coming back trying to hire me all the time. If I'm up front with him and tell him I don't want to shoot for him and why, that pretty much ends it.

The only reason not to do that is a fear of doing that...

There are clients that I will not do business period for a multitude of reasons. If they call I am not available at any price.

BreitlingFan wrote in post #14368651
Really?

You should bounce over the "lowballers" thread. There are people over there who are flat-out apoplectic that others don't subscribe to what they think should be done...

Of course, nothing's being "handled" at all. It's being deflected, that's all...

Well, for one, I wouldn't have to deal with the guy coming back trying to hire me all the time. If I'm up front with him and tell him I don't want to shoot for him and why, that pretty much ends it.

The only reason not to do that is a fear of doing that...

Again, what qualifies you as the expert in determining how others should conduct their business? I don't recall any of the posters soliciting your input on the proper manner of running their businesses. Save the name calling and petty insults for elsewhere.