Another "What should I do" thread..

[tirediron]

Situation: I have what has turned into a regular, annual charity gig shooting a "Pets with Santa" event which is sponsored by a major local animal charity and a Pet Store. My roll is to photograph the animals, crop/edit, burn to disc and return to the store for distribution. There's not a lot of editing required, but there could be up to 300 sessions over the weekend, and even a minute or two per set (sometimes more as I don't move my lights; I have them set up for a sort of 'average' lighting and when a dog or person doesn't quite fit, I clean things up in post. So, that, combined with the time to separate and burn to 2-300 individual discs add up to a bit of time. Since I'm volunteering, I feel that it's up to me to set a reasonable deadline for their return.

Onto the problem: For some reason this year, they didn't ask me when I would be able to have the images ready and I never thought to mention it. They've put on all their advertising that they will be ready next Friday... that is way too soon, as I had planned on having the weekend following to do the bulk of the work. So, there are two options as I see it: (1) Speed up the process, paying less/no time to editing, or (2) Deliver at least some of the images late. I don't want to do former since it is my name on the images, and I don't want to provide substandard product. I don't like the latter because I personally abhor being late in any way, shape or form.

So... your thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[ManhattanShutterBug]

I would have discussed before hand the date they expect you to give the final product back. But in this situation I would find a way to have the discs into them when they are expecting them.

 

[BlairWright]

Tough one.. I have a couple thoughts

Consider putting them online to save time burning 200 disks?

Or

Tell them you need more time. Honesty goes a long way in business.

 

[MissCream]

Red bull, lots of it!

If I were you I would rather be late then have my pictures not edited to my standard. They will get over it if your a few days late, I bet half the people won't even bother picking them up right away anyway.

 

[tirediron]

Thanks all!

I would have discussed before hand the date they expect you to give the final product back....

As I said in the OP:

Onto the problem: For some reason this year, they didn't ask me when I would be able to have the images ready and I never thought to mention it.

To clarify, we've always discussed this in the past, but I simply forgot.

Consider putting them online to save time burning 200 disks?

Considered but disgarded in past years because many of the clients are older 'non-computerites'; at least with a disc, we can tell them to simply take it to Wal-mart.

Tell them you need more time. Honesty goes a long way in business.

I've already told them that, and suggested they change their signs, but they don't want to for some reason.

Red bull, lots of it!
If I were you I would rather be late then have my pictures not edited to my standard. They will get over it if your a few days late, I bet half the people won't even bother picking them up right away anyway.

Yeah, thats the way I'm leaning too... but being late is something that I have a personal aversion to. Still, the lesser of the two evils.

 

[MissCream]

I know how you feel, I always have everything done really quick, if not I get time panic. I think that if you don't edit the pictures like you want you'll kick yourself in the ass for it later, I know I would!! I hope everything works out Most people don't understand how much work goes into what we do.

 

[tirediron]

Thanks MC; even though each set (2-4 images) only takes ~9 minutes from beginning to burned, it's going to be tough to find 2700 free minutes between this evening and Friday. I'll do what I can and what doesn't get done, well that's a lesson for both of us next year.