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How long would you wait?
JohnR
Registered Users Posts: 732 Major grins
A week ago last Sunday I took photos of a wedding for a friend. I had agreed beforehand to let them pay me after they got back from the honeymoon. They got back this past weekend.
Since then I have emailed them twice, once as a "welcome home" type message and another with links to their photos.
I got 0 response. Yet I noticed on a local message board that they had viewed and responded to someone else's photos who were at the wedding too, but not getting paid. (A friend)
In the meantime, the photos had gotten like 1600 hits per gallery after only a day! They were the only ones I gave the links to.
It wasn't until last night when I put a password on the site that I finally got 2 emails..one from the bride and one from the groom, both asking for the password and about printing.
I gave them the password and the hit count went up again. Still no mention of when they will pay me or how they liked the photos... :scratch
I just changed the password again and sent them an email asking when (for the 2nd time!) they can let me know when they have the time to get together and pay me.
What is the tolerance level I should have?? :dunno
Since then I have emailed them twice, once as a "welcome home" type message and another with links to their photos.
I got 0 response. Yet I noticed on a local message board that they had viewed and responded to someone else's photos who were at the wedding too, but not getting paid. (A friend)
In the meantime, the photos had gotten like 1600 hits per gallery after only a day! They were the only ones I gave the links to.
It wasn't until last night when I put a password on the site that I finally got 2 emails..one from the bride and one from the groom, both asking for the password and about printing.
I gave them the password and the hit count went up again. Still no mention of when they will pay me or how they liked the photos... :scratch
I just changed the password again and sent them an email asking when (for the 2nd time!) they can let me know when they have the time to get together and pay me.
What is the tolerance level I should have?? :dunno
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They may not have a lot of money right now, and are trying to decide which ones they want and how to pay for them. You said they were a friend and you agreed to let them pay later. you just learned something......later isn't on a calendar.
If they are your friend I would call and maybe start with something like. " I worked my butt off taking those photos, and processing them. I am dieing to know which ones you like"
If they are your friend and haven't got with you, something is amiss. Rather than changing passwords etc, be upfront and just ask.
You know them.....are they reliable or flakes?
Sam
What I would do, and be able to stay friends, is to lock out everyone. When they call to ask why they cannot see their pictures, say that you have no money and cannot afford to run the site, you need to eat first. Hopefully they will realize that they are hurting themselves.
It has been my habit to charge $80 advance of any wedding, to cover my film and battery expenses. I expect to be paid at the close of the wedding reception. I let a friend not do this, and 4 months later he stil had not sent a penny. I asked for payment and got angry letters from him, there goes one friendship. Therefore say you needed the $ to pay for the site, so if there are no pics then it is 100% up to him to pony up.
I have emailed them 4 times now, twice asking how they liked the photos and when they would like to get together so that I can give them the DVD.
No response to those, but they sure did respond asking for the password.
would probably do no good now except taking away the easy access.
Hopefully, you have the contract in writing?
Good luck!
Ian
Since they got curious about the passwords, obviously they are looking at the pictures quite a bit. I remember one photographer telling me (and in turn he has told all of his clients) "I am a photographer, and the proof site is for reviews only. I am not a photo hosting site, and all galleries expire 30 days from creation, unless a minimum order of $50.00 is reached" and I also have done that to my site. Sales have gone up because of this, and if they want to bring a gallery out of the archives, then it will cost them a few bucks to cover my hosting fees. Something to consider.
---
Atlanta, GA
1) Always get a signed contract outlining your responsibilities.
2) Always get a 50% deposit before the wedding and make it very clear that you will show the proofs only to the B&G for selection of final prints--if MOB/FOB is paying the freight, include them in the proof session.
3) Never shoot your friend's wedding--always go as a guest. Friends can behave oddly, as you have discovered.
At this point I'd probably give them a disk with the full res images on it and write this one off to the "lesson learned" department. It just depends upon how important the friendship is to you.
At this point I would remove the gallery and let them know it will be restored and online again when business has been settled. Business is business doesn't matter if its friends or family, if they agreed to pay then they don't get anything till payment is made.
www.zxstudios.com
http://creativedragonstudios.smugmug.com
John, how did this resolve with your friends?
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