I'll pay if I like your photos...

int0xicatedxluv wrote in post #16588105
I wrote he back with a combination of some of the replies above.

Hi ______

I’m sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with an unprofessional photographer. That said, there is plenty of work on my site to showcase my skills and style. There is no reason for you and your fiancé to doubt that I’ll provide anything less on my next shoot. My pricing is fixed, and it is not subject to approval.

If you are seeking photograhy that may be more in your budget, Craigslist is a great place to look for photogrpahers who are still building their portoflios and may be at a cheaper cost.

Best of luck.

A very nice reply! I would have said something like, "I've been in contact with your boss, and if your output is not exceptional or up to his/her standards, you'll only be receiving a reflective fraction of your usual paycheck. How does that sound?" Mostly because if I received an email like the one you received, I would head for the hills.

That was a great response.

Let us know their reply....

My wife has her own graphic design and printing business and deals with similar clients. Nothing wrong with suggesting that you may not be a good fit for their needs if you get a bad feeling even before working with someone. She also finds it necessary to fire clients on occasion. Thankfully that doesn't happen but once every 2 or 3 years.

Drive into a dealership and try that crap. I would like that car. I have had bad experiences buying cars so I would like to try it and if I am 100% satisfied I will pay full price...if only half satisfied, I will pay you half. Deal?

It sounds like you handled it perfectly. I wouldn't be surprised if you got the job because of your response.

Kristen Tyler Photo sells commercial products and services to more than XXX Customers. As a commercial supplier Kristen Tyler Photo sells standard products and services at standard prices under standard terms. KTP does not have the operational bandwidth to monitor or comply with different Terms for its various Customers without significant operational cost and accompanying price increases.

Thank you,

My first thought was that I'd run away from a client like that if I were a pro photographer. Having said that, I don't think the response was appropriate. The inquiry spoke to concerns about quality. The part of the reply about the web site showcasing what they can expect was perfect, but the part about their budget and suggesting craigslist was out of line imo.

Sometimes a bit of 'sarcasm' gets the point across better. My first reaction to the prospective client's enquiry was 'this is total BS!!'.

I think you handled that pretty well. I usually have a non refundable set rate for the shoot itself, clients can then purchase the pictures that they are happy with afterwards. This helps hold me acountable for producing pleasing results, but also keeps me from getting boned out of getting paid at all if the client turns out to be unrealistic.

The Craigslist suggestion could be interpretted as snarky - not necessarily, but depends on how sensitive they are. I'd keep everything the same and get rid of that line.

Nathan wrote in post #16588534
The Craigslist suggestion could be interpretted as snarky - not necessarily, but depends on how sensitive they are. I'd keep everything the same and get rid of that line.

Maybe I read too much into it but it was VERY snarky to me.

-F

Nathan wrote in post #16588534
The Craigslist suggestion could be interpretted as snarky - not necessarily, but depends on how sensitive they are. I'd keep everything the same and get rid of that line.

I agree. The girl said they'd pay your full price, so your prices are obvisouly within their budget. I don't think their budget was an issue.

Nathan wrote in post #16588534
The Craigslist suggestion could be interpretted as snarky - not necessarily, but depends on how sensitive they are. I'd keep everything the same and get rid of that line.

I agree and this is another reason why it should be eliminated:
If you are seeking photograhy that may be more in your budget, Craigslist is a great place to look for photogrpahers who are still building their portoflios and may be at a cheaper cost.

mpix345 wrote in post #16588491
My first thought was that I'd run away from a client like that if I were a pro photographer. Having said that, I don't think the response was appropriate. The inquiry spoke to concerns about quality. The part of the reply about the web site showcasing what they can expect was perfect, but the part about their budget and suggesting craigslist was out of line imo.

completely agree.

p.s. it's hard to have this kind of conversations over email. I would suggest her to call me and discuss it over the phone. If she doesn't call - it says it all.