Clients piggybacking jobs

[6Speed]

Don't know if piggyback is the correct term, but what I'm wondering about is this. When you're at a shoot, and the client asks you to shoot something unrelated, and assumes it's all part of the price since you are already there shooting anyway.

Case in point. I was at a reception the other day shooting for a few hours. The client comes to me and asks if I would photograph the food b/c the caterer wants some photographs of the food. Should I expect to be paid extra for this? Seems like the caterer should be paying me to photograph the food. If so, how should I go about letting them know that that would be extra?

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Should I expect to be paid extra for this?

Yes.

Seems like the caterer should be paying me to photograph the food. If so, how should I go about letting them know that that would be extra?

If the caterer wants images, they need to hire you, not the other client. You should have the paperwork saying you're doing it and they need to pay you.

 

[SusieC]

What I have done is I take pictures of the flowers, food presentation, room, etc... and as a marketing method, given complimentary 4x6 prints to the florist, caterer, venue, dressmaker, etc. with my logo and website so that they keep and have your info for future bridal references. Believe it or not, I have received many references. And what does a 4x6 cost??? Not much... I have also made 4x6 mailing postcards for different vendors with one side their inf and the back side with a reference to my company so that when they do mailouts, they are actually sending all their brides my info as well!!! Just a thought...

 

[Big Mike]

You should not be expected to just shoot thing directly for the benefit of other vendors but it's not going to win you any friends by being stubborn about it. It's a great idea to take those photos and 'trade' them to the vendors in exchange for referrals etc.

With some things, it's a bit hard to judge. The cake, for example. The cake is a special part of the wedding for the couple and it should be photographed as part of the reception coverage....but for them, not for the person or company that made the cake.

 

[nossie]

...Then there's the relatives that want thier kids getting free portraits etc. Sure the caterer has to pay you but I think in this case I'd explain that you'd need to setup for the food shots and I'd make a big deal out of it, take a few snaps and pass on the business card for when their ready to do the job properly. Skip the few bucks for the full day's work.

 

[6Speed]

All good info everyone. Thank you. I don't want to be stubborn about it b/c I'm afraid it will cost me business, but at the same time, I hate shooting myself in the foot b/c once people think they can get something for free, you'll be always working your ars off for peanuts.

An example is one time I took a photo of some food for a caterer about a year ago, turned out very nice. She asked me to email her the photo, and I did b/c she let me eat some of the food.

Well, turned out she used the photo in a magazine ad, and never told me. There's no telling how much business she's pulling off my photo, and I got no credit (should have stamped my logo on it, but stupidly didn't), received zero business referrals from her, nor did she even reply to my email to even tell me thank you.

Another problem I have is people coming up to me after I take a photo of them at a reception or whatnot, handing me their business card, and asking me to email them a copy. I get so tired of having to explain why I can't email them photos.

Ok, I'll stop ranting now.

 

[NathanJK]

I've never had a situation like that where I felt that the person was trying to get me to do some advertising level work for them. Most of the time its just a little picture that they might want to put in their website gallery of cakes they've made etc. Really, its going to take 5 minutes of your time and make them like you, its ALWAYS worth it. As for what that caterer did to you, you DO own the copyright on the image and you did NOT give her permission to reproduce the image for commercial purposes. You could always send her a cease and desist letter on some legit looking letterhead. I recently had a coordinator e-mail me on behalf of a client looking for a wedding photographer. I went to her website to check things out and noticed TONS of wedding pictures and not a single one with a link back to a photographers website, a credit or anything. I would be uncomfortable working with a person like that.