A keystone of quality wedding photography is the comfort that the client has with their choice of photographer. This cannot be overstated. In looking at the changes you've made to my contract, I am convinced that you would be better served by a photographer with different business practices.
Regretfully, I will not be able capture your wedding under the conditions you've demanded. I do wish you and GROOM the greatest happiness and the best of luck.
Met with a couple this evening who wanted the exact same thing, only they brought it up because their "florist" wanted to make sure that NO ONE would use the photos of her "one of a kind" floral designs without her permission. I laughed when they told me that......"one of a kind floral designs"......yeah right........and you want copyright ownership for that ?
If they cannot see your value past your contract, then I would walk away. They can go hassle another photographer. If you let them know that proper wording for specific contract statements can be further clarified, but NOT re-written, and they still want to work with you, then maybe. When someone wants to change a contract it means they don't trust you, period.
D. Diggler wrote:
I don't see why everyone's so concerned about the copyright. Don't you have enough other jobs under your belt to promote your business?
I've been asked a few times not to use a client's wedding in promos. Not ideal but I shoot a lot of weddings and most of my weddings are never used in any promos at all even though I've got permission to do so.
sure they can get it, but for price. they want something i prefer not to give, they are going to need to convince me.
i had few couples asking for contract rewrite, but i answered that it would add costs to me as it was composed by a lawyer and i would need to recheck it with him, so they would have to pay for it. few backed up from needed changes, one or two canceled the booking.
now already on first meeting, i explain them that regardless of what they think, we need to be friends. even best photographer when is sad, demotivated, or angry at couple for any reason, will make bad results, so they need to trust us, and handle as as precious, as we do them. that's the only way. they seem to understand it.
haha Gary Harfield - I KNOW that was my thread from, what, 2 years ago? I had a MOB rewrite my contract. Included partial payment after wedding, clients receiving commission from online sales, clients receiving commission from any use of images in print or web advertisement, and a sentence that we would be provided a hot meal but would be required to sit in the basement of the venue out of view of the guests (yes she wrote THAT in). Then she had the balls to say I agreed to those changes over the phone earlier.
Goodbye! (I rebooked the date only 2 weeks later IIRC and the couple/wedding was WONDERFUL)
That is pretty much what I had told those clients, that any contract modifications would have to be reviewed by my attorney. Then, because I'm not a liar, my husband took it to work with him (he is the business manager of a law firm). His boss read her email for entertainment value over lunch and laughed. Hey, he reviewed it!
one more post - I've had NUMEROUS clients now who were attorneys, in law school, or had parents who were attorneys. I have a wedding in April where both the bride AND groom are attorneys. I've never had any of them even blink at my contract.
Sarah Dickerso wrote:
haha Gary Harfield - I KNOW that was my thread from, what, 2 years ago? I had a MOB rewrite my contract. Included partial payment after wedding, clients receiving commission from online sales, clients receiving commission from any use of images in print or web advertisement, and a sentence that we would be provided a hot meal but would be required to sit in the basement of the venue out of view of the guests (yes she wrote THAT in). Then she had the balls to say I agreed to those changes over the phone earlier.
Goodbye! (I rebooked the date only 2 weeks later IIRC and the couple/wedding was WONDERFUL)...Show more →
Wow, commission from YOUR sales......what a black widow....
Sarah Dickerso wrote:
one more post - I've had NUMEROUS clients now who were attorneys, in law school, or had parents who were attorneys. I have a wedding in April where both the bride AND groom are attorneys. I've never had any of them even blink at my contract.
You probably have a well written contact that covers all the bases. Sounds like the OP had a few holes in his.
Micky Bill wrote:
You probably have a well written contact that covers all the bases. Sounds like the OP had a few holes in his.
Not sure you can say that so easily. OP's client was at the extreme end of things. The point was not about the OP having holes in his contract but more to do with a litigious individual putting hole in his contract.
the corollary of that there will also be a bunch of sane minded attorneys who are more interested in the photography than the contract.
OP's client only cared about a potential courtroom outcome.
And I'd write something about the common practice and law in the US is for the photographer to maintain copyrights - this isn't Canada
The other stuff is scary-
Always get all the money - except maybe albums at least 30 days before so the checks clear
Your contract should be written that the most you are responsible for is the money you were paid less any goods received
The arbitration has to go
Tell them what they are asking is not common for photographers
How does the couple feel about all this. If I liked the couple I' d be asking them what's up?
No trust - no shoot
The couple gets involved and realizes they will not find anybody to shoot their wedding then they yell at the parents, get the money themselves and come back to you to sign your agreement
Just sayin... Find out a bit more
Maybe the parents just throwing in a monkey wrench to block the wedding
Kittyk wrote:
i explain them that regardless of what they think, we need to be friends. even best photographer when is sad, demotivated, or angry at couple for any reason, will make bad results
I've never actually explained this to the couple at the meeting but I agree with you. If I don't feel I'm being treated by them very well on the Big Day, such as being treated with lack of respect, then quality of the pictures starts to go down.
Hey, I haven't heard back from this client. I doubt anyone any good would take this client under the circumstances. The wedding is in late May 2012, so I'm sure I wasn't the first guy to say fu, and the time to get someone in is shrinking. I feel bad for the daughter, because her parents care more about themselves than her.
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