soooo another photographer dogged me.

I am freaking pissed. Two years ago I opened a photography studio on Main street in a town of about 2500 people. Very small. There has been another photographer here for about 30 years. He is very very traditional and I am the complete opposite. He used to do everything concerning photography in this town and recently the school as well as families and senior have all been coming to me. He has already been freaking out to the superintendant of the school saying that there is not room enough for two of us and that he can't believe they aren't "grandfathering" him in. He's badmouthing me around town...And now I found out that the senior class had a can drive and he pulled one of the girls aside and told her that he would donate a large amount if she agreed to run my name down out at the highschool and try to convince members of the junior class into not coming to my studio anymore!!!!! Now... I have never said one word about this man, even when my clients **** about his personality AND his work. I say, "He's good, he's just traditional." So, the only thing I have done to him is to take his business. Isn't it the clients choice WHO they come to? What should I do about this?

Well...it's a few days later and another photographer from 20 miles away just called me. He heard about it and said he was outraged by this man's behavior and was going to be calling him and telling him that he might as well sell all his equipment because he clearly has lost his professionalism and that he just blackballed himself by pulling that stunt. ahhhhh, sweet revenge that i didn't have to execute myself.

larann78 wrote in post #5522838
Now... I have never said one word about this man, even when my clients **** about his personality AND his work.

There you go. Looks like he'll take care of it for you.

larann78 wrote in post #5522838
So, the only thing I have done to him is to take his business.

This is a pretty cold statement. I don't know either of you, of course, or whether my interpretation here is correct, but let me add on to that line, what you haven't written: " the only thing I have done to him is to take his business, his livelyhood, his income, food off his table, and potentially damaged his ability to retire comfortably."

Not that what you're doing isn't legal, by any means, but it doesn't seem like you may have an appreciation for what you've done to him, and what effect it may have on him?

Dave

I have a family too...what should I have done? Work at McDonalds until he decided to retire so that way I didn't hurt his feelings??? Maybe he should have stepped it up a notch instead of **** about it.

um... last I checked, the OP also has a right to establish a business of his own, regardless if there's other people in the same field. He should fold his business down because someone is whining that they're getting shafted by someone who may be providing a better product? My advice to the person who's backstabbing the OP - improve your business, do something to be able to better compete with your competition - he should know there will always be competition in every area of commerce. Both the OP and the competing photographer have families and bills to take care of, why should the OP put aside his needs for someone else's?

Seniority has nothing to do with this. People obviously like the OP's work. They want HIS eye, HIS creativity, HIS work! The customers go where they feel is a better product and better value, and that's just the nature of things.

tracknut wrote in post #5522889
This is a pretty cold statement. I don't know either of you, of course, or whether my interpretation here is correct, but let me add on to that line, what you haven't written: " the only thing I have done to him is to take his business, his livelyhood, his income, food off his table, and potentially damaged his ability to retire comfortably."

Not that what you're doing isn't legal, by any means, but it doesn't seem like you may have an appreciation for what you've done to him, and what effect it may have on him?

Dave

How that man is handling the whole thing is hardly what I would call mature, much less professional.

Why you worry if your work is good. Let it speak for itself.

tracknut wrote in post #5522889
This is a pretty cold statement. I don't know either of you, of course, or whether my interpretation here is correct, but let me add on to that line, what you haven't written: " the only thing I have done to him is to take his business, his livelyhood, his income, food off his table, and potentially damaged his ability to retire comfortably."

Not that what you're doing isn't legal, by any means, but it doesn't seem like you may have an appreciation for what you've done to him, and what effect it may have on him?

Dave

Just because you're old and have been doing something forever doesn't mean the world owes you a comfortable living or retirement. If he's still putting out images that look like they were shot in the 80s, he needs to be the one adjusting or getting out of the business, not trying to shut everyone else down. Talk about trying to be a one-man Microsoft...

larann78 wrote in post #5522901
I have a family too...what should I have done? Work at McDonalds until he decided to retire so that way I didn't hurt his feelings??? Maybe he should have stepped it up a notch instead of **** about it.

All I suggested was that your comment in this post ("the only thing I've done is take his business") was rather cold. I said you didn't do anything wong, and that I don't know anything more about his or your personal situation.

Dave

Insecurity makes people do all kinds of stupid things that they may not otherwise do.
As far as taking his livelyhood, his income, food off his table, and potentially damaged his ability to retire comfortably, doesnt anybody that starts a business have the potential to do that..How many of you here have opened a shop in town even though 1 or more already existed..

If your competition is complaining about you then you KNOW YOU ARE WINNING! You got him RIGHT where you want him. Now you have to learn to develope that killer instinct! To put your foot on his throat and make him beg for mercy!

How, but stepping up your creativity and being even nicer in what you say about him. That will really get him worked up!

And then, when he really lashes out at you, send him a nice letter stating that you are sooo busy you would like to maybe hire him to do some of your hum drum day to day stuff....lol

what can I say, I have a mean streak and am a little competative...lol

Poor guy is worried. Instead of evolving his business he trying to do the easy way and drive you out.

Time are tough. It seems you have more marketable reach than he does. Let skill do the work. Having a business is tough work in itself.

It seems that being the only photographer in town for 30 years has made him complacent. I bet all the wedding photos of the town folks all look the same. Same poses, just replace the heads.

People come to you because you have a product that people want. I guess if you are not actively poaching his clients, It's up to him to do what it takes to keep his clients.

I opened my business this year and forgot to check with other photographers in the area to see if it was okay. Dang, I'll have to send them a note to see if I have their permission.

Well you could either try and be civil or make it a war.
1) I feel bad for the other guy's position. He had a good business going and you moved in on his area which apparently can't support two photographers very well. You could pick a niche and try to expand the overall market by targeting sports or photography on location / at events while letting him keep most of the studio market. You could even do this with out the overhead of a brick and mortar shop. This might even include talking to him at some point about how to split the local market.

2) I would throw out the option of being nice about the time I heard that he was offering to pay someone to undermine your business. The first step would probably be talking to the student and talking to the local police to find out if anyone would prosecute him soliciting a minor to conduct illegal activity (slander). At that point I might also work a little cheaper then I would otherwise to make sure I got contracts with the school for the school pictures and things of that nature.

I am one of the nicest guys I know, almost to a fault, but when someone makes it clear that they are playing stupid games then I have no problem going after that full force.