form Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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It's getting easier for me to turn down clients when I recognize potential issues. I just had to turn down another one today because she sounds very self-conscious, is wanting a second photographer, and sounded dissatisfied with what I provide...she "likes my style," she just doesn't like anything ABOUT my style. The red flags for me are as follows:
1. "I notice some of your photos...show lots of wrinkles and blemishes..." - IMO, this is first and foremost an exaggeration. Second, it shows a great deal of self-consciousness that is very hard to satisfy. Third, I don't DO much skin smoothing except reducing eye bags for formals and pimples throughout...because I can't afford to charge what I do and spend that much time editing skin in each image of the B/G. Fourth, I would rate my skill at skin smoothing to be average at best, and I would need to learn more than I know about photoshop editing to pull it off well.
2. "I would like a second photographer, I don't feel comfortable with just one photographer" - not a deal breaker by itself, because I can access a second photographer sometimes for a wedding. However, when combined with other red flags, it signals dissatisfaction with what I am providing.
3. Any kind of rudeness, curtness/shortness or overly picky or demanding behavior. I don't want to work with this client.
4. Any other kind of sign that shows a great amount of self-consciousness is a red flag. This does not mean I won't work with someone who wants a specific blemish removed, as I can understand not wanting to show certain undesirable scars or flaws. Instead, what I see as a bad sign is verbalizing excessive awareness of personal flaws or flaws in other people. Bad...Bad...
5. Negotiating price. I don't negotiate price. If they want cheaper, they can get their cousin - there simply isn't a much lower price than me, and there certainly isn't a lower price that I could still justify actually doing the work for. I spend too much time and effort shooting and especially editing (even without skin smoothing). If they accept my price anyway after asking if I can go lower, it's only a half-red flag.
5.5. Telling me that they can get etc. etc. etc. from so-and-so for this-much. My response: Great, it sounds like they are the better option for you.
Anyone care to add others?
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