p.1 #1 · **UPDATE** Lesson Learned - Working For Friends
I know I'm going to hear it and I'll admit I was stupid for the process leading up to the wedding; but here is my story and hopefully someone will learn something from it.
So in August of 2008 my roommates sister asks me to shoot her wedding on August 15, 2009 and asks for pricing. She's very young (my age of 22) and through e-mail we agreed to a whopping $350 just to cover my expenses. Nothing signed, just the agreement and then I did confirm over the phone.
So the wedding comes and goes with no payment. I see her quite often and have asked every single time when I could expect to get paid and she tells me to talk to her husband. He then told us to talk to her because she made the agreement. I spent from 3pm to midnight taking photos and I even helped clean the reception hall. That night he did ask me how much he owed at the very end, but he was so out of it (you know...drunk) that I told him we'll talk after the honeymoon and he can pay me then. When her mother or father ask why she hasn't paid, she says I haven't told them a price. I realized I wasn't going to get paid so I sent her an invoice, Certified Mail, just so I would have a receipt that she received it.
This was over a month ago, after hearing nothing from them I sent an email yesterday morning asking if they had any intentions to pay because I have some bills coming up that it could pay for.
I got this long winded response back about how the photos are horrible, they didn't want a cd with the images, and how "what do you think wedding photos are? Obviously you don't know."
So the funny thing is her pictures are posted by her on Facebook and she says "Just a sample of Tanner's amazing work" and under the photos are comments like "best pictures ever."
So this morning I receive a phone call from the husband cussing me out, telling me he's not paying for anything because there was no contract and how he makes the money and she has not right to make decisions and that just comment just blew me away.
So anyways, read this, take a lesson from it. Don't work for friends and if you do get everything signed. Trust nobody. I know it's been said before, but chalk another one to the loss column.
p.1 #6 · **UPDATE** Lesson Learned - Working For Friends
..we should have a sticky with every post from people when this happens, too - it's awesome of you to share, because it's a crap lesson to learn, but so many people think "Oh, it'll be fine! We're friends, no big deal!" and this happens, consistently.
p.1 #10 · **UPDATE** Lesson Learned - Working For Friends
Do they live anywhere near you? If the husband wants to play the big man, I'd suggest calling up some of the hommies and paying him a personal visit to discuss the matter.
p.1 #12 · **UPDATE** Lesson Learned - Working For Friends
Everything is saved as PDFs so I do have everything documented.
Just wanted to share with everyone. I love the friend she recommended me to and she wrote "he did great work for our wedding."
For those who think I'm stupid. Every other wedding does get a signed contract and payment up front. This was an exception and I got burned... And I'm admitting it.
p.1 #15 · **UPDATE** Lesson Learned - Working For Friends
former friends; so sad you had to learn this tough lesson; it sucks big time.
very big of you to share. very admirable.
there may be alot of shoulda coulda woulda advice from Monday morning QB types..
suffice it to say lesson learned
p.1 #17 · **UPDATE** Lesson Learned - Working For Friends
Ironic post ( we are good at that over here ) I have been putting off writing this because its bad news.
I turned a passion into an occupation last year. Part of this transition was to build a portfolio. I agreed with various people that wanted my services to work on the principle of get the photo's and pay me what you think they are worth. I figured it saved me just putting myself out there and asking for expenses.. I had 5 Weddings booked and they all paid between $400 and $1000, so pretty happy with the pics. I shot them all from about 12 to 6pm standard coverage.
Well my last wedding of the year, good friend from work I started at 11am and finished at 12midnight (then packed up) I bought a full studio set up and ran a photobooth all night to the end ( my fault not requested but after you guys had them all on here I had to try it) The photo's were IMHO Excellent (ok not Fred Miranda spec yet). I made them a slideshow, offered to build a Graphistudio album at cost for them and I had spent a very long time in lightroom and photoshop with this.
So I go round there with the DVD slideshow, watch her crying and him all happy. I am there thinking surely something is coming my way here. I say good bye, nothing, a week goes by, nothing, month now nothing. I facebook'd her and she said that she thought it was all free. I have since sent a message back to the contrary just saying hey, I worked about 40 hours on your wedding, even as a friend I could not let someone do that for nothing.
So here is my question, WTF are these leaches on?? How on gods green earth can these people think its ok to do this?
Would anyone on here let a fellow Tog or just a friend work at their event, home or anywhere and not give something, a token.. Bottle of wine even, just a card.
I live next door to a plummer, he helped me fix my leaking basin tap, would not take money as he is a neighbour so I drop a case of beer in his porch ring his bell and go home.
p.1 #19 · **UPDATE** Lesson Learned - Working For Friends
MaximusW wrote:
Ironic post ( we are good at that over here ) I have been putting off writing this because its bad news.
I turned a passion into an occupation last year. Part of this transition was to build a portfolio. I agreed with various people that wanted my services to work on the principle of get the photo's and pay me what you think they are worth. I figured it saved me just putting myself out there and asking for expenses.. I had 5 Weddings booked and they all paid between $400 and $1000, so pretty happy with the pics. I shot them all from about 12 to 6pm standard coverage.
Well my last wedding of the year, good friend from work I started at 11am and finished at 12midnight (then packed up) I bought a full studio set up and ran a photobooth all night to the end ( my fault not requested but after you guys had them all on here I had to try it) The photo's were IMHO Excellent (ok not Fred Miranda spec yet). I made them a slideshow, offered to build a Graphistudio album at cost for them and I had spent a very long time in lightroom and photoshop with this.
So I go round there with the DVD slideshow, watch her crying and him all happy. I am there thinking surely something is coming my way here. I say good bye, nothing, a week goes by, nothing, month now nothing. I facebook'd her and she said that she thought it was all free. I have since sent a message back to the contrary just saying hey, I worked about 40 hours on your wedding, even as a friend I could not let someone do that for nothing.
So here is my question, WTF are these leaches on?? How on gods green earth can these people think its ok to do this?
Would anyone on here let a fellow Tog or just a friend work at their event, home or anywhere and not give something, a token.. Bottle of wine even, just a card.
I live next door to a plummer, he helped me fix my leaking basin tap, would not take money as he is a neighbour so I drop a case of beer in his porch ring his bell and go home.
It seems to me you did shoot it for free and were relying on tips afterward. Just like a waiter sometimes gets stiffed even after good service, so did you. It was a risk in how you worked. You would have been better with the mindset of not expecting anything and getting any added cash as a nice bonus.
Next year shoot for money, have a good contract, don't put yourself in that position.
p.1 #20 · **UPDATE** Lesson Learned - Working For Friends
MaximusW wrote:
Ironic post ( we are good at that over here ) I have been putting off writing this because its bad news.
I turned a passion into an occupation last year. Part of this transition was to build a portfolio. I agreed with various people that wanted my services to work on the principle of get the photo's and pay me what you think they are worth. I figured it saved me just putting myself out there and asking for expenses.. I had 5 Weddings booked and they all paid between $400 and $1000, so pretty happy with the pics. I shot them all from about 12 to 6pm standard coverage.
Well my last wedding of the year, good friend from work I started at 11am and finished at 12midnight (then packed up) I bought a full studio set up and ran a photobooth all night to the end ( my fault not requested but after you guys had them all on here I had to try it) The photo's were IMHO Excellent (ok not Fred Miranda spec yet). I made them a slideshow, offered to build a Graphistudio album at cost for them and I had spent a very long time in lightroom and photoshop with this.
So I go round there with the DVD slideshow, watch her crying and him all happy. I am there thinking surely something is coming my way here. I say good bye, nothing, a week goes by, nothing, month now nothing. I facebook'd her and she said that she thought it was all free. I have since sent a message back to the contrary just saying hey, I worked about 40 hours on your wedding, even as a friend I could not let someone do that for nothing.
So here is my question, WTF are these leaches on?? How on gods green earth can these people think its ok to do this?
Would anyone on here let a fellow Tog or just a friend work at their event, home or anywhere and not give something, a token.. Bottle of wine even, just a card.
I live next door to a plummer, he helped me fix my leaking basin tap, would not take money as he is a neighbour so I drop a case of beer in his porch ring his bell and go home.
I don't know for sure but I think there are some articles out there on the internet that probably tell brides that if they are on a budget they can find a friend who is just starting out and ALLOW them to shoot your wedding without charging your friend for the fantastic opporutunity to photograph you.
In her mind she's probably pissed off you haven't sent her a bottle of wine and a thank you card.
Oh and if the general sense of entitlement permeating pretty much every level of society is new to you then you just got a nice free lesson in 21st century sociology.
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