I am very mis pleased with the art center i shoot for in my town ( this is a small town it is hard to make a living here photo or otherwise)
I do all of their photo calls, head shots, video work and sometimes more than that. some months i spend most of my time there shooting all for free... (free 15 dollar ticket for me) this is thousands of dollars of free work on a monthly basis I am doing.
they have paid me for a few things that they had grants for and really really like my work.
I do high end work and edit the photos high end
they are getting a LOT of quality and hard work from me
they are also my friends the owners of the center put on all the shows and direct them as well they do everything
they have said I can put a display up of my work and I can put business cards out to get business. ther front lobby is very large and an art gallery space full of great art works
TODAY I walked in to do some video work of one of their rehearsals..
and I see a very large display of my main competitor with his business cards under the display (my personal opinion is his work is horrible and should never be in an art gallery to begin with it looks like bad 80s high school photos)
I should also mention he has continually tried to lock me out of getting any work with the city, kids rec leagues and has talked behind my back. why should i let him on my turf when he gets pissed at me and locks me out of working for other parts of the city.
He has done no work for the center, but has tried to take the gig away from me. his family is rude to me when they see me.
should I be upset about this? its pracitically a giant bill board right on the back wall where everyone will see advertising for this guy.
I imagine if this where any other business a person in my position would be livid.
even if he paid them for advertising space isnt this a huge conflict of interest
mind you these people are supposed to be my friends and know I would be totally against this.
please advise with your wisdom. and what your thoughts are
ive literally thought of telling them im not shooting for them while that display is up
Can u please write more about the compeditor being a different issue. It would be one tging if it were displayed as art but its like a advertisement display
Give the PTB at the Art Center a copy of your post and see what they say. If they do not respond favorably, tell them to find someone else to do what you have been doing for them.
Reading your post there are three issues: your competitor, your work and your relationship to the client.
Brush off the competitors rudeness with a smile. That forces him further into spotlight in the effort to snub you. People will notice, and few things are as damaging as being seen as being rude and petty. Even if the Center folk don't pick it up at first, others will and being cheerful and positive can only help you.
RE Your work: some months i spend most of my time there shooting all for free... (free 15 dollar ticket for me) this is thousands of dollars of free work on a monthly basis I am doing.
Why? If you donated an hour for every paid hour you would be working half price. Most Art Centers here in Florida are shoe string operations --- have you talked to aspiring actors, performers and support folk about building their own portfolio? How would they react if they saw the difference between your shots and inferior work by a competitor?
As for the community, maybe invest some saved 'free time' from the Center in getting to know coaches, youth league leaders, and local groups. Spread your wings a bit. Would the local cable channel use your seasonal weather shot? How about the local paper? That gets your work and your name out in the community.
As for your relationship with the Center --- as you branch out you will open new doors for work with income --- confirm the value of your work and take the upper hand in defining how much time, if any, you want to invest in the Center.
Most important get creative --- make a plan, try novel ideas and explore.
While always maintaining a positive cheerful front, start increasing the competitive pressure on your competitor. Find out some of his key clients, and approach them with a portfolio, a good deal (that's fair to you), and a smile. No need to be unethical, but business is business. When asked about your competitor, say something dead simple and short like "I find his work inferior but you will have to be the judge yourself for your purposes" and then refuse to be drawn out further.
Whenever possible, educate your clients in a positive way about the quality issues of photography, point out things where your photographs excel over the competitor, but without reference or comparison to the competitor. The clients will start to make their own comparisons, but many times they don't know what to look for.
When he hears of your approaches, he may get even nastier and negative with his clients and prospective clients. He is likely to reveal his true nature and flame out and go out of business before long.
It's like "Please Br'er Bear, throw me into the briar bush!" (Please dear competitor, make as many as you can foul untrue disgusting remarks about me that reveal your true personality.)
You may take a short term hit as he amps up his pissiness, but in the medium and not-too-long run clients will get wise and come to you and stay with you.
Push him on his turf, but by ignoring him as if he doesn't exist. Everything he thinks he has locked up is negotiable, and if it seems locked up it will become unlocked after you knock on the door politely a number of times and he reacts to the client by trying to tighten his strangle hold on them. They won't like his behaviour, regardless of what his prices might be.
Regarding true natures, positive and pleasant fronts come most easily and clearly and genuinely from a calm positive interior deep down right to the core. You can hide worry, but not pissiness or anger or negativity.
So take a long view and realize that time wounds all heels (all jerks).
He has done no work for the center, but has tried to take the gig away from me.
thousands of dollars of free work on a monthly basis I am doing.
How is what your doing a "gig"? It isn't even charity unless you are the charity. Giving away "thousands of dollars a month" is business suicide. You should showcase your work there and move on, not make a career out of it. Spend that lost time developing your skills, and learn how to advertise yourself more effectively. Put yourself first or you will end up doing something other than photography.
even if he paid them for advertising space isnt this a huge conflict of interest
No, it's competition. Do you have something in writing that excludes others from showing their work?
ive literally thought of telling them im not shooting for them while that display is up
Good idea. And forget about the so-called "competition".... one guy with a bad attitude. You have to rise above that nonsense if you are to be successful.
