I'm cringing at the thought of doing this. A bride contacted me wanting me to do two photos with selective coloring at a size of 20x30 for each one. I am half tempted to tell her that I will have to put a disclaimer at the bottom of the photo stating this effect was done with the photographers disapproval. Doesn't she know that every time a photographer does selective coloring babies in heaven cry?
I know some people will tell you to do it because it's what the client wants, but I think your images need to reflect your brand and if selective coloring doesn't do that, you need to explain to her why. I would hate to have something that doesn't reflect my best work printed at 20x30.
Another paragraph to add to your contract about how editing is performed solely at the photographers discretion. But you could try to explain that selective coloring is just a trend and will ruin the timeless quality of the image. Like all trends they go out of style, and this one went out of style 3 years ago. It's all about the imitation film/hipstamatic/VSCO look now.
If you're a professional then you do this for a living yes? If you pay the bills with your photography, what is the problem supplying one of your clients with what they want?
I can't think of any other industry that would refuse to supply a product to a client, because it didn't 'fit' with their branding?
I'm affraid she's your client and we all know that clients are always 'right.' Give her what she wants and just let her know that it's not something you would usually recommend.
If you're a part-timer/hobbyist who doesn't rely on this gig for their income, and you're happy to blow-off her request for a product because of concerns about your image/branding etc, then just explain this to her and say NO.
Professional photographers the world-over right now are having to do things they never thought they would just a few years ago, in order to stay in business as the photographic landscape around us changes faster than most of us thought was possible.
Nic Cleave wrote:
I can't think of any other industry that would refuse to supply a product to a client, because it didn't 'fit' with their branding?
Nic
If wedding photography is a luxury aesthetic product (not to mention art), which we claim it to be, then just about every industry like ours enforces some form of creator control.
The thought of one of my images in selective coloring at a massive size makes me want to kill the crying babies Marc mentioned in heaven. I would kindly tell them "I don't know how to do that actually, but if you would like an unmarked hi res image to send to wherever to get it done, I'd be more than happy to! Just make sure they get credit for the edit, because I would hate to see them get upset."
Charge her for the edit (more than you would for a normal edit, in order to pay for the next thing).
when you deliver the prints, deliver 4 instead of 2. two with the selective color and two timeless prints.
Tell her the timeless ones are your gift to her... you want her to have gorgeous images that will stand the test of time if she gets "over" the funky selective color version as most of your clients in the did when the effect was popular 5-6 years ago. She can mount them behind the selective color ones and replace the selective color ones when she's ready for them.
lisy78 wrote:
Charge her for the edit (more than you would for a normal edit, in order to pay for the next thing).
when you deliver the prints, deliver 4 instead of 2. two with the selective color and two timeless prints.
Tell her the timeless ones are your gift to her... you want her to have gorgeous images that will stand the test of time if she gets "over" the funky selective color version as most of your clients in the did when the effect was popular 5-6 years ago. She can mount them behind the selective color ones and replace the selective color ones when she's ready for them.
Try going into a high quality steakhouse and ask for a Big Mac?
or pop into Walmart and ask where the 7 For All Mankind Jeans are located?
That's a terrible analogy.
The analogy here is going into the high quality steakhouse and ask for Ketchup to spread all over the steak or a coke as a drink. Yeah the chef will cringe, but the manager will bring you a nice sealed bottle of either.
Wow...smooth idea from the Alessandronator. I like that. Not sure I would personally be willing to lose the $60 or so for each additional print. But if I was, that's what I would do. I guess with how things are today, I don't think a print on a wall will hurt my brand anywhere close to what photos online would.
Arguing about this is useless. Drawing analogies with other industries is not much more use either. Our professional industry as we know it is dying...fact. We can see on a weekely basis here in the UK, pro photographers going out of business because they haven't been able to adapt quickly enough to the rapidly changing market.
We have to adapt (and quickly,) or we will all (and I mean top guys and gals too, not just the low-ballers,) die out.
If this client is asking you for a product which you can sell to her at a profit for your business, I can't see the problem?
I'd rather sell album only wedding packages and not include the high res files in the basic package, but here in the UK in 2010 and 11 this almost finished our wedding photography business off for good.
We changed (reluctantly,) and now give the market what it wants (demands,) and things for us have turned around completely. Note that we are not 'giving the digital files away for nothing.' We have restructured our wedding photography business to ensure that in supplying only digital files to our couples, we can still make enough of a profit to stay in business as full time photographers.
We still try to 'educate' our couples that an album is still by far the best way to look back on the story of their day, and more than 85% still add one to their basic photography package. The key here is that if they don't add an album, we still make a profit that will sustain our business.Do we like it? No way, but do we do it to remain in business...you bet.
Obviously it's your business and you should do what you feel comfortable with, but as you posted this question on a public forum, I'm just giving you my own personal opinion.
Try going into a high quality steakhouse and ask for a Big Mac?
or pop into Walmart and ask where the 7 For All Mankind Jeans are located?
I think you ran with just the verbatim of what he mentioned instead of getting to meaning of what he tried to convey. There is point in keeping customers happy. As others mentioned dont showcase that work anywhere in your collection, as long as customer is willing to pay and want to hang on her wall it should be fine. She might come back after a year and ask for something different once she gets over selective coloring part.
If you do it properly, it will work out just fine. Don't promote it, but if clients ask for it, give it to them. More than likely only people going over to their house will see it in prints. And you might get other clients that want similar prints.
I've done it for a portrait, she wanted it, she got it. The picture never made it to the internet
Nic Cleave wrote:
Arguing about this is useless. Drawing analogies with othewr industries is not much more use either. Our professional industry as we know it is dying. We can see on a weekely basis her ein the UK, pro photographers going out of business becaus ethey haven't been able to adapt quickly enough to the rapidly changing market.
We have to adapt (and quickly,) or we will all (and I mean top guys and gals too, not just the low-ballers,) die out.
If this client is asking you for a product which you can sell to her at a profit fo0r your business, I can't see the problem.
Obviously it's your business and you should do what you feel comfortable with, but as you posted this question on a public forum, I'm just giving you my own personal opinion.
I think you're rather conflicted... you brought up the idea of comparing to other industries and then decided that its not valid to do so... you then sight that our industry is dying and your suggestion is simply to give in and proceed to kill it more.
I disagree that our industry is dying. Changing, yes. Dying, no... this has no relevance though in regards to our personal decisions as artists and business people. We all decide what type of client we work with and what products we offer that client. We do this both directly and indirectly... We do this indirectly through our branding... we show the type of work we want to produce and it attracts the type of clients that find that work pleasing. We can do this directly by not bowing to the clients demands if they undermine out brand and style. I'm not suggesting that the OP tell his client NO. I'm suggesting that he educate the client as to why that particular style is against is or her tastes... offering the 2 versions sort of accomplishes this.
I may also suggest that the OP be a touch more discriminating when booking clients. He has suggested in the past that he books 60+ weddings a year. A booking rate that high suggests that his services are valuable and wanted... but perhaps not everyone is buying into his personal vision. I suggest raising rates and focusing on those that really get into the OP's style. The increased rates will allow him to work less and still maintain the level of lifestyle he's accustomed too and work with clients that are more directly in line with his ideals, limiting the possibility of this happening in the future which ultimately leads to even more satisfaction in the long term.
The analogy here is going into the high quality steakhouse and ask for Ketchup to spread all over the steak or a coke as a drink. Yeah the chef will cringe, but the manager will bring you a nice sealed bottle of either.
Alle... I suggest you venture to a higher level steakhouse then... I've seen them tell a friend that they do not have ketchup.
