To post or not to post

goldilocksandmy3bears

I know many have gone through a similar situation even if you say you haven't lol. My question is, have you ever taken a picture of a person who is not attractive at all and the final pictures prove that, no matter how hard you tried to make them look good? What do you do?
Second question: what do you do when your clients want to buy the worst shots? I did a photo shoot a while back where I did not get many good shots due to the situation meantioned above therefore the only pictures avaiable for her to purchase I was not happy with. My husband told me that whatever pictures she purchases are a representation to me and my work. Which is true but what do you do if you just can't get a good shot of them?:dunno

Scott_Quier

goldilocksandmy3bears wrote:

I know many have gone through a similar situation even if you say you haven't lol. My question is, have you ever taken a picture of a person who is not attractive at all and the final pictures prove that, no matter how hard you tried to make them look good? What do you do?
Second question: what do you do when your clients want to buy the worst shots? I did a photo shoot a while back where I did not get many good shots due to the situation meantioned above therefore the only pictures avaiable for her to purchase I was not happy with. My husband told me that whatever pictures she purchases are a representation to me and my work. Which is true but what do you do if you just can't get a good shot of them?

I know this doesn't directly answer your questions, but we need a bit more information....

What's your deadline? Is there time to post a couple here for comment? It is often the case that we are our worst critics. Getting perspective from others might help you re-align your perspective on the situation. Additionally, others may be able to help you with post-processing advice to bring out a more flattering image of your client.

mercphoto

goldilocksandmy3bears wrote:

Second question: what do you do when your clients want to buy the worst shots? I did a photo shoot a while back where I did not get many good shots due to the situation meantioned above therefore the only pictures avaiable for her to purchase I was not happy with.

My take is, if you offered them to be purchased then let them be purchased. If you really don't want a shot to be bought then don't give the client the chance in the first place. If the shots are that bad, refund the sitting fee or offer a re-shoot at no expense.

rwells

goldilocksandmy3bears wrote:

...My question is, have you ever taken a picture of a person who is not attractive at all and the final pictures prove that, no matter how hard you tried to make them look good? What do you do?


Second question: what do you do when your clients want to buy the worst shots? I did a photo shoot a while back where I did not get many good shots due to the situation meantioned above therefore the only pictures avaiable for her to purchase I was not happy with. ...

My husband told me that whatever pictures she purchases are a representation to me and my work. Which is true but what do you do if you just can't get a good shot of them?

I'll give my .02 worth

Question 1)
The person that you took the pictures of knows what they look like, and so do their family and friends. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, not just the photographer.

What do you do? = You do your very best to try and produce an image that showcases your subject as best you can. Same as you would for a drop-dead gorgeous model.

Question 2)
You sell them what they want to buy!!!
They aren't' buying the "worst shots", they are buying what they like.
They may be the worst shots to YOU, but again, eye of the beholder... and, this is how business works.


A little commentary:

Business: I think you may have a hard row-to-hoe if you only want to shoot "beautiful" people.

Personal: Less than gorgeous people deserve the right for a nice image of themselves if they so desire. It may not be the case, but the way I read your post it sounds like you value your photographer portfolio/reputation more than providing your client a quality image.

xxclixxx

I'd sell whatever shots they want to them, but just not put it on my "online portfolio". It's something I've talked with other photographers about frequently, we've come to various photog's sites and look at their work only to find a few really bad photos in there. Just because a client likes it, doesn't mean everyone will. So making the client happy is priority, but when it's time to show people your work in order to get new clients, only show what you are proud of because that's your style.

goldilocksandmy3bears

rwells wrote:

I'll give my .02 worth

Question 1)
The person that you took the pictures of knows what they look like, and so do their family and friends. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, not just the photographer.

What do you do? = You do your very best to try and produce an image that showcases your subject as best you can. Same as you would for a drop-dead gorgeous model.

Question 2)
You sell them what they want to buy!!!
They aren't' buying the "worst shots", they are buying what they like.
They may be the worst shots to YOU, but again, eye of the beholder... and, this is how business works.


A little commentary:

Business: I think you may have a hard row-to-hoe if you only want to shoot "beautiful" people.

Personal: Less than gorgeous people deserve the right for a nice image of themselves if they so desire. It may not be the case, but the way I read your post it sounds like you value your photographer portfolio/reputation more than providing your client a quality image.

I appreciate your .02.... it was well worth it I'm just starting out so honesty and experience from people like you is what I need. It is not that I value my portfolio/reputation more its just that I want to make sure I am not only giving my clients a photograph that not only I did my best to create but one they will be happy with. You are very right : beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I do all that I can to prove that. Thanks again!

goldilocksandmy3bears

xxclixxx wrote:

I'd sell whatever shots they want to them, but just not put it on my "online portfolio". It's something I've talked with other photographers about frequently, we've come to various photog's sites and look at their work only to find a few really bad photos in there. Just because a client likes it, doesn't mean everyone will. So making the client happy is priority, but when it's time to show people your work in order to get new clients, only show what you are proud of because that's your style.

Thank you

bdcolen

rwells wrote:

I'll give my .02 worth

Question 1)
The person that you took the pictures of knows what they look like, and so do their family and friends. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, not just the photographer.

What do you do? = You do your very best to try and produce an image that showcases your subject as best you can. Same as you would for a drop-dead gorgeous model.

Question 2)
You sell them what they want to buy!!!
They aren't' buying the "worst shots", they are buying what they like.
They may be the worst shots to YOU, but again, eye of the beholder... and, this is how business works.


A little commentary:

Business: I think you may have a hard row-to-hoe if you only want to shoot "beautiful" people.

Personal: Less than gorgeous people deserve the right for a nice image of themselves if they so desire. It may not be the case, but the way I read your post it sounds like you value your photographer portfolio/reputation more than providing your client a quality image.

What Randy said. Especially the part about less than gorgeous people deserving nice images of themselves. To you a client may look like the back end of a bus. But to that client's family, they may be the most gorgeous man or woman to walk the earth.

As to what you give the client - you give the client what the client asks for. You don't show the client work that you don't think is up to par. But the fact that an unattractive person is unattractive in the photos you took doesn't reflect poorly on you.

Halite

Most clients know they are not supermodel gorgeous--heck, most of us aren't! So the expectations are not that you are going to miraculously transform them through the power of your photography skills. What I've found, instead, is that people respond well to photos in which they look comfortably and naturally themselves. Many people, especially if they feel they have less than glamorous looks, are uncomfortable in front of the camera, which is almost always evident in the final image. If you can put them at ease and then apply the most flattering angles and lighting, you've likely scored a big photographic victory and made them quite happy. So unless you've really screwed up technically (and it can't be taken as artistic interpretation), you should sell the images the client wants and be satisfied in a job well done!

goldilocksandmy3bears

bdcolen wrote:

What Randy said. Especially the part about less than gorgeous people deserving nice images of themselves. To you a client may look like the back end of a bus. But to that client's family, they may be the most gorgeous man or woman to walk the earth.

As to what you give the client - you give the client what the client asks for. You don't show the client work that you don't think is up to par. But the fact that an unattractive person is unattractive in the photos you took doesn't reflect poorly on you.

thank you

goldilocksandmy3bears

Halite wrote:

Most clients know they are not supermodel gorgeous--heck, most of us aren't! So the expectations are not that you are going to miraculously transform them through the power of your photography skills. What I've found, instead, is that people respond well to photos in which they look comfortably and naturally themselves. Many people, especially if they feel they have less than glamorous looks, are uncomfortable in front of the camera, which is almost always evident in the final image. If you can put them at ease and then apply the most flattering angles and lighting, you've likely scored a big photographic victory and made them quite happy. So unless you've really screwed up technically (and it can't be taken as artistic interpretation), you should sell the images the client wants and be satisfied in a job well done!

Great advice thank you!!

VayCayMom

Will the client notice if you failed to post any of the pictures online?

I had a shoot like that, she was quite happy, she even asked me to post one, and I did.

If posting a picture would flatter your client then I would be inclined to select YOUR favorite example of your work and post it. If it will make no difference to the client either way then just do what you feel like doing.