Nightmare shoot, unhappy customer, advice please!

[amolitor]

My guess is that she's a scammer and has most likely done this before.

 

[Derrel]

This thread just gets better and better!

 

[paigew]

Wow!! What nerve! I would do as Kathy suggested. The ball is totally in your court now.

 

[Braineack]

Why did the username change to Rickroll?

 

[Railphotog]

Wow, I think (if I were a pro) I'd tell her to fornicate elsewhere!

 

[vintagesnaps]

Probably it would have been better to address the situation of her bringing 5 kids as soon as she walked in the door... After this situation it seems like you'll need to think about your policies or procedures/guidelines and make them clear to potential clients before they even schedule. And have it in writing along with what's in your current contracts.

In the type work I've done, not photography related but working w/kids and families, our program gave parents info. when they enrolled; when needed I could refer back to it (remember that handbook/brochure? it says this that or the other, so we'll need to do this that or whatever...). I know a photographer in my area that does something similar to John, after a certain amount of time if the child/children aren't able to continue on with the session then it gets rescheduled.

I agree with others that it might be best at this point to cut your losses and be done with this family. Since she has the pictures already I doubt there's any getting them back. Up to you if you want to make any refund or not; seems like it would be appropriate to expect at least a payment for your time but since the photos did not turn out well I don't know if it'd be worth pursuing keeping the entire payment or if a partial refund would defuse the situation.

 

[wyogirl]

I wouldn't worry too much about her ruining your reputation. Most likely, anyone she has contact with, knows what kind of person she is and how her kids behave. Also, most likely, you don't want any of her friends as clients anyway.

I realize that her opinion may be a little further reaching than her circle of friends, but what one person says isn't going to make or break you. How you handle it will say a lot more about you as a business person. It sounds like you have an already built up client base who will outweigh any negativity coming from one crazy lady with heathen children.

 

[robbins.photo]

Probably it would have been better to address the situation of her bringing 5 kids as soon as she walked in the door... After this situation it seems like you'll need to think about your policies or procedures/guidelines and make them clear to potential clients before they even schedule. And have it in writing along with what's in your current contracts.

In the type work I've done, not photography related but working w/kids and families, our program gave parents info. when they enrolled; when needed I could refer back to it (remember that handbook/brochure? it says this that or the other, so we'll need to do this that or whatever...). I know a photographer in my area that does something similar to John, after a certain amount of time if the child/children aren't able to continue on with the session then it gets rescheduled.

I agree with others that it might be best at this point to cut your losses and be done with this family. Since she has the pictures already I doubt there's any getting them back. Up to you if you want to make any refund or not; seems like it would be appropriate to expect at least a payment for your time but since the photos did not turn out well I don't know if it'd be worth pursuing keeping the entire payment or if a partial refund would defuse the situation.

I wouldn't go with a refund, partial or otherwise to be honest with you. You wasted your time and gas getting out there, and she is using the product you provided even though she claims she wasn't happy with it - and honestly from what's been said thus far I seriously doubt even a full refund would satisfy her, she'd just take the money and bad mouth you anyway. Same with a refund + reshoot I would imagine, she'd find something wrong with the reshoot and most likely want another, or something else. She just strikes me as being one of those people.

So if it were me I'd just walk away from it - whatever she is going to say she'll say anyway so it's not like you gain anything by trying to work with her at this stage. If she actually does make contact with you I would be polite and professional, but I would simply explain to her that a refund is completely out of the question. Let her know that you will not even consider that as a viable option. If you really think the situation might be helped by a reshoot then by all means, but I think your going to find that most likely that won't be the case.

I will pass along to you this pearl of wisdom uttered by my Grandfather, and it is as true today as it was in his day:

"Son, People suck."

Very wise man my grandpappy.. lol..

 

[manicmike]

Punch her in the nose.

 

[snowbear]

Do screen captures on all that usage - and then ignore her.

. . . or send her a bill for the overtime.

 

[Steve5D]

Thanks for all the input guys, I appreciate it.

I haven't heard from her today at all, which I thought may have been a good sign, however a friend of mine phoned me to let me know that she had approached him this morning asking if he was able to edit out my watermark from the proofs that I had sent over to her so that she could get them printed. My assumption is that she didn't know that we are friends and that it would get back to me, because she told him that I had sent her the proofs before Christmas (I didn't) and that she has not been able to get hold of me since in order to let me know what she wants printed, and so she is left with a selection of unusable proofs that she wants printing. He told her he wasn't able to and then contacted me. He wasn't aware that there had been an issue and assumed she was just trying to pull a fast one, which is now what I'm starting to think to, however I'm still sort of over a barrel because I can't prove that she has done this and if she still demands a refund or a reshoot I guess I'm sort of obligated, meaning I will either lose out on the money or end up working a load more hours for free. I'm not so bothered about the money, tbh. To get this over with I'd happily give it back, but I feel reluctant knowing that someone is obviously trying to do me over on this one, and doesn't have a genuine complaint.

Wow.

I would let her know that I was aware that she approached someone about removing the watermark so they could be printed.

I would get a statement from my friend to that effect, and I would have it notarized.

I would then tell her to go piss up a rope. There would be no refund, and there would be no reshoot.

Period.

 

[bhop]

Just show her Jill Greenberg's work and tell her it's the look you were going for.

The Reel Foto: Jill Greenberg: Cry Baby

 

[manaheim]

I honestly think the best advice here is to just walk away from this.

I think you've done more than you needed to, and certainly far more than I would have done.

I do think you made a couple mistakes... one, not adhering to the letter of your contract. If you don't take your contract seriously, then neither will your customers. Two... not walking out when things were obviously going wrong. You'd have been better off saying "This isn't going to work, we need to do this another time, I'll waive my reshoot fee [or whatever] because I completely understand". Three, you should never have EVER tried to edit those pictures to the degree you did.

But so what. We all make mistakes. I've made almost every single one of the mistakes that you just went through. I only did them once, though. Live and learn.

Right now, this is no-win. Adhere to your contract. Give her a refund, remind her (in writing and COMPLETELY nicely and professionally) that your pictures are not to be used, and walk away. The lessons you learned here are worth a lot more than the money anyway.

Don't go get lawyers or anything crazy like that. You're just going to incense this woman and have her blasting you as a monster everywhere she goes. It's just not worth the hassle. Even if she winds up using your pictures... meh... who cares. It's just not worth fighting over it.

 

[Light Guru]

WOW Rickroll you ignored so many red flags before, during and after the shoot. Without a doubt a much of the issue was caused by you not stopping things during the shoot.

That said, the lady is NUTS. Mail her a refund check and walk away.

 

[Aakajx]

I agree with jerry. Don't put the photos online until after. You will have people scamming the money out of you and they've got their pictures already.

I would leave it and if she complains tell her you can re shoot it. I wouldn't give her the money back. Maybe next shoot don't do it at her place. And get some funny toys or a squeaker toy. Something to distract the kids. Or talk and joke to them first. Show them the camera and the photos your taking. Get them interested.

hope all end we'll and you don't get anymore drama from it all,