Empty Compliments
jmphotocraft
Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
I'm the official little league photographer in my town, and the season is now underway. I've rented a 300/2.8LIS and with my 1DIIN I'm getting some great shots. A D-list friend from town wrote me a message on facebook saying how awesome the photos are. I know she won't order any, because the same thing happened last year, AND she poached over my shoulder when I was taking her daughter's individual portrait. My mistake for shooting near the stands! Of course her photo will suck because she was using a p&s and didn't use fill flash, so her daughter's face will be lost in the shadows under her visor, but who cares, it's free, right? But I digress...
I'm sure I will bump into her around town and I'm sure she will say again how great the photos are. When that happens I'm very tempted to say "well they can't be very good... you didn't buy any!" Not in a mean way, just in a chiding way.
Anyone ever pull stunts like this with acquaintances or friends?
I'm sure I will bump into her around town and I'm sure she will say again how great the photos are. When that happens I'm very tempted to say "well they can't be very good... you didn't buy any!" Not in a mean way, just in a chiding way.
Anyone ever pull stunts like this with acquaintances or friends?
-Jack
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
0
Comments
Whatever her reasons, don't let them cloud the fact that your pictures are so good that she can't resist appreciating them!
But I'm not doing this just for compliments. I expect to be paid for my hard work. If I was just doing it for compliments and for fun as a pure dad-with-camera, I'd only shoot my son's team. I'm also trying to supplement my income and support my hobby here. I am busting my ass to cover all 50 teams myself.
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
No. I usually give my friends gifts....photos, prints, whatever~
Acquaintances, or perhaps you mean potential customers? I try to be careful what I say to anyone. because whatever I say will reflect on me.
I might be thinking, " oh you cheap turd", but I also try not to even think that way when around anyone, body language gives us away, eh?
As for FB and the like. I don't know...what if the gal blabs loud and clear about how you're the best photog around even though she doesn't buy anything...that'd be alright, right?
Chris
"I'm so glad you like them - and I know that you are singing my praises to others, too. Here's the code so you can get 50% off your first photo order, and here's a 20% code that you can give to people that you tell about my photos".
And next year, with your contract with your LL, put a clause in there that says that you are the only photographer allowed in the "team photo area"... that cameras other than yours are not allowed. Then enlist the help of a friend to "police" it. I assume you are giving a percentage of sales back to the LL, so if you (or your helper) explains, "I'm sorry, the league doesn't allow people other than the official photographer to shoot photos in this area - I'm sure you understand, since a portion of the proceeds go back to the LL to support the program". They can't argue or complain, because it uses the stupid LL montra: "Oh, it's for the kids".
Canon 7d
2 Canon 40d
70-200 f2.8L IS, 50mm f1.4, 50mm f1.8, 28mm f1.8, Tamron 17-55 f2.8, ProOptic 8mm Fisheye
And a bunch of other stuff
I do have exclusive rights to be the only photog on the field, but I don't enforce it for the individual portraits, because the parents could easily stage an almost identical shot in their backyard. Plus there's only been two incidents where I might have enforced it.
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
The next time she complimented me I wouldn't have any problem with asking her for her help and opinion. Say something like thank you very much!
Can I ask your opinion on something? I need your help here. While I truly love taking the photos. I do put in a lot of time and money to take them, process and upload them. I don't seem to be getting a lot of orders from the parents. What are your thoughts on this? Make her your ally.
Try to look at this through the eyes of your potential clients. Are you trying to find a market where there isn't one? Is the market much smaller than you think it is? Are your prices perceived as too high? Is you quality not perceived as high quality.
Try and see if there is anything you can do to increase sales.
Sometimes there isn't a market for what we are selling.
Sam
I shot this 49-team league last year for the first time with lesser equipment, and netted about $5k. Maybe a Sports Illustrated photog would make more, but I was happy with that. Not bad for a GWC with a desk job. So I don't feel a pressing need to solicit her as a consultant.
I'm not frustrated with my market. I'm frustrated with people who don't value photographs I guess. And it just feels kind of fake when someone goes out of their way to lavishly compliment my photos but then they don't buy any. Not even a single $2.95 4x6".
On the other hand, I'm somewhat guilty of this myself. A coworker is an amateur painter. She's done some pretty great watercolors. She posts pictures of them on facebook, and I compliment them on a regular basis. But I've never bought one. I don't have room for all my photographs I'd like to hang in my home, nevermind someone else's art. Plus I'd rather spend money on other things, like lenses. But it's not like she's creating pictures of MY CHILDREN. If she did a great painting of my kids I'd buy it on the spot!
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
Oh, and if a 50% coupon makes you lose money, you need to raise your prices.
Canon 7d
2 Canon 40d
70-200 f2.8L IS, 50mm f1.4, 50mm f1.8, 28mm f1.8, Tamron 17-55 f2.8, ProOptic 8mm Fisheye
And a bunch of other stuff
It's a good value, yes, but I think it's about what people expect. Last year I had a package for $24 that was 1 8x10, 1 5x7, 4 wallets, and a large magnet. Net $10. This year I'm using an all-coupons model.
EXACTLY. That right there is what I do not get and do not respect. What the heck is up with that? If a photo of your child brings you to tears but you won't part with 20 clams for it, there is something wrong with you!
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
That right there says: You are competing with The Mall!
www.ivarborst.nl & smugmug
I don't expect that. I just find it odd when people say how awesome the images of their children are and then they don't buy any. There are plenty of people who don't buy any and don't compliment me - that's fine, at least they're being real.
Like I said, I think if a photo of your child moves you to tears, and then you turn around and say it's not worth $20 (or even $3), you are probably an obsessive-compulsive cheapskate. I think that's a fair assessment.
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
What's not real about that? There's lots of things I like and will compliment people on, but it doesn't necessarily mean I am going to run out and buy all those things!! Sometimes a compliment is just that- a compliment!!!
Now, if she repeatedly says, " Your photos are awesome and I am going to buy 20 photos!" and then doesn't buy any, maybe then you might reasonable wonder, "what's up with that?"
Canon 7d
2 Canon 40d
70-200 f2.8L IS, 50mm f1.4, 50mm f1.8, 28mm f1.8, Tamron 17-55 f2.8, ProOptic 8mm Fisheye
And a bunch of other stuff
nah, there's just people "like that" out there. It didn't help that this was a very low income daycare, I was doing the shoot for my friend who owns it, more as a favor and for PR for the business.
Didn't really bother me, in 20 years in the wedding business, I've heard it all (twice, at least) and nothing really surprises me anymore.
I will say that we won't be doing shoots at that daycare (or probably ANY daycare) anymore, though... for other reasons mainly that it isn't worth our time and we already did our "favor"
Canon 7d
2 Canon 40d
70-200 f2.8L IS, 50mm f1.4, 50mm f1.8, 28mm f1.8, Tamron 17-55 f2.8, ProOptic 8mm Fisheye
And a bunch of other stuff
Right, like I said, I don't buy art, even though my coworker is a good painter and I compliment her work. I think it's something else though when the art in question is of your own children. If somebody took a great photo of my kid that I couldn't reproduce myself during a significant event, I'm buying it!!
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
We're talking about during the posed shots... team shots and individual photos. The ones he arranges, poses and takes photos of by hire of the LL itself.
Canon 7d
2 Canon 40d
70-200 f2.8L IS, 50mm f1.4, 50mm f1.8, 28mm f1.8, Tamron 17-55 f2.8, ProOptic 8mm Fisheye
And a bunch of other stuff
I think it is unbecoming to think that way. Take the compliment and leave it that.
14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
85 and 50 1.4
45 PC and sb910 x2
http://www.danielkimphotography.com
Now, my wife...she will buy one just because she feels obligated to. She even buys a school pic and I feel safe saying my photography blows the school pics away!
<Insert some profound quote here to try and seem like a deep thinker>
Michael Wachel Photography
Facebook
um, acting that way might be behavior unbecoming an official photographer, but I can think whatever I want, thanks.
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
What that says to me is that you think a compliment isn't worth anything or isn't genuine unless they buy something from you. This has been reinforced by the fact you think someone who doesn't buy a photo that brings a tear to their eye is an obsessive compulsive cheapskate.
Your thinking and attitude will come across to your clients.
Just my 2¢
<Insert some profound quote here to try and seem like a deep thinker>
Michael Wachel Photography
Facebook
Yes and no. I understand some people simply do not value photographs. And then I also have some friends who's house is so disorganized and messy, that any prints they might buy would just end up lost in the chaos in their house. I understand everyone has a different situation. But nobody in this town is too poor for a $5.95 5x7 or a $2.95 4x6 or a $0.95 1mp download. $6 means nothing to me, it's more the token of appreciation. A compliment is a nice token of appreciation, but it's just curious when it is followed by no sale. It makes me wonder what their situation is.
OCD or some other hang-up. I do believe that. Do you disagree? Someone looking at a photo of their child and weeping followed by "no thanks" doesn't add up to me. Unless the kid had passed away.
I am aware of how my thinking may come across and I am good at being polite. Isn't that one of the costs of membership to adulthood?
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
This year I am shooting game photos for 22 teams, but also doing their individual posed shots for "picture day". I am going to print a flyer to drop in the package envelopes when they come back that offers a coupon code for some % off the action shots (which are linked to from the league website). I am hoping that will stimulate sales quite a bit. If not, then I know better for next year and won't bother with the action stuff.
Lakewood, Colorado, USA
My Pictures | My blog
Facebook | Twitter
Yep...
Yes, and the woman I'm talking about in my OP actually told me "oh your images are all over facebook with your logo in the middle!" intending that as a compliment. Even though they are right click protected and external links disabled. Right-click protection only protects against the computer-illiterate, so your watermark needs to serve as "free advertising" as well.
I had decent sales last year using a combination of the smugmug business model and pre-paid packages which I fulfilled myself. That was a monumental headache, and now that smugmug has coupons I am using an all smugmug model using coupons instead of packages. Now I just shoot, PP, upload, email the teams, and wait for the sales to roll in. We'll see how it goes. Last year, 50 teams, paid for our family vacation to Jamaica.
An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
I'll definitely be curious to hear how it works this year for you. I chose to do fulfillment through Black River Imaging because they have the cool stuff that gets kids excited - buttons, pennants, stadium tickets, etc.
Lakewood, Colorado, USA
My Pictures | My blog
Facebook | Twitter
To Be shown only at:
(your website name)
Other use is a violation of copyright laws.
-or-
Ahem, image "borrowed" from
(your website name)
Canon 7d
2 Canon 40d
70-200 f2.8L IS, 50mm f1.4, 50mm f1.8, 28mm f1.8, Tamron 17-55 f2.8, ProOptic 8mm Fisheye
And a bunch of other stuff