Senior Forum Members, PLEASE HELP! In need of some advice :/

[pixmedic]

if your word is your bond, then honor yourself by honoring the commitment you made.
tell the restaurant that you are terribly sorry, but the dates the are asking for are already booked.

 

[imagemaker46]

There really shouldn't be any question on this, if you are working as a professional you were hired to shoot the first job booked, you are obligated to keep that shoot. I've had to turn down more shoots than I can remember. Clients hire me, they don't want someone else. I turned down a simple $10,000 5 day shoot last summer because I had already agreed to a more challenging $3,000 10 day shoot. Both are really good clients of mine and fortunately the one I turned down understood that they tried to book my time too late.

You win some you lose some, but you have to go with the first one.

 

[Steve5D]

I guess there are a couple of ways to look at this.

Ethically, yes, you made a commitment to the prom shoot. That's where your focus needs to be. Talking to the senior is, I think, acceptable. If the shoot can be done after, or even before, you could discount it as much as you want, and be freed up for the restaurant shoot.

I know folks who would simply view it as airlines view it: A case of simple overbooking. Nothing more, nothing less. The difference, of course, is that you're not some huge, faceless corporation. You're a photographer.

Some questions: You say it's been "a few weeks". My daughter, who's probably be around your age, told me she would mail me something "in a couple days". She told me that in February. Can you be specific as to how long it was?

Also, is it possible that you can do both? Sure, driving that far can suck, but sometimes it's what you have to do. If you could arrange to cover, say, he second half of the first day of the restaurant gig, perhaps you can save it.

Be creative, and make sure you explain the dilemma to the restaurant, as well...

 

[12sndsgood]

If another photographer costs double. Pay the difference out if your pocket. Send that photographer to the senior shoot (as long as you made the client aware io the switch. Then take on the two day event and make a smaller profit due to the added cost of the other photographer. Both parties are happy. You keep your senior happy and you get your foot in the door at the restraint.

Heck it might be you send the resteraunt a quote and they decide to go with someone else. And it might not even be an issue.

But either way I'd honor what you have on the schedule.

 

[SCraig]

So, why not shoot the senior portraits AT the restaurant? Sure you'd have to pay the senior's expenses to get there, and might have to buy dinner for 2, but it will save you face.

Other than that, a verbal contract is as binding as a written contract in my opinion. I never, EVER go back on my word.

 

[tirediron]

Let's think about this from another point of view. Yes, the restaurant event might be a decent payday, BUT... as Jerry and others have mentioned, the 'promised' net-working opportunities probably won't translate into a lot more if any, money down the road. They might, but in my experience, it's unlikely. What is MUCH more likely to translate into greater long-term earnings is the senior shoot. Let's face it; who talks more than teenage girls? You do a good job for her, and she's going to tell ALL her friends... likewise, cancel on her, and she's going to tell all her friends.

In short: She's booked, she's got your time!

 

[table1349]

If another photographer costs double. Pay the difference out if your pocket. Send that photographer to the senior shoot (as long as you made the client aware io the switch. Then take on the two day event and make a smaller profit due to the added cost of the other photographer. Both parties are happy. You keep your senior happy and you get your foot in the door at the restraint.

Heck it might be you send the resteraunt a quote and they decide to go with someone else. And it might not even be an issue.

But either way I'd honor what you have on the schedule.

The problem I have with this whole idea is the the senior didn't hire another photographer. It's not like renting a car. Photographers and their styles are not interchangeable.

 

[tirediron]

If another photographer costs double. Pay the difference out if your pocket. Send that photographer to the senior shoot (as long as you made the client aware io the switch. Then take on the two day event and make a smaller profit due to the added cost of the other photographer. Both parties are happy. You keep your senior happy and you get your foot in the door at the restraint.

Heck it might be you send the resteraunt a quote and they decide to go with someone else. And it might not even be an issue.

But either way I'd honor what you have on the schedule.

The problem I have with this whole idea is the the senior didn't hire another photographer. It's not like renting a car. Photographers and their styles are not interchangeable.

Totally agree; it's one thing if you're sick, your Mom dies, or some similar circumstance, but that's not the case. The OP has control over the situation and simply needs to make a decision.

 

[orljustin]

You know the answer. You're just looking for permission to dump the prom customer from us.

Good luck.

 

[snerd]

You know the answer. You're just looking for permission to dump the prom customer from us.

Good luck.

This. Beat me to it. You know the answer............ you're just looking for confirmation. Do the right thing.

PS: I'm a "senior member" in age only.

 

[sm4him]

I missed this, as I haven't been on much the last few days. And because I am NOT a "senior member." I've not been on TPF nearly long enough, and I'm not old enough--don't let the early onset dementia, the middle-age spread, the deteriorating vision, the bad knees or the loss of hearing fool you.
But I absolutely agree with what seems to be majority opinion: Honor the commitment you've already made. Because, in the end, your integrity is worth FAR more than either of these jobs and it's not worth going back on your word just for the "hope" that this will get things going for you in Chicago.

Like SteveD, I wonder if there is ANY possibility of doing both? Tell the restaurant that you are SO sorry, but you've booked this specific amount of time, and then see if they'd like for you to be available later in the day, that evening, the next day, whatever. Yeah, you'd have a lot of drive time, but it's an option.
Plus, it would say to the restaurant that you are willing to do just about ANYthing EXCEPT not honoring another commitment--and it tells them that you are busy and "in demand" as a photographer, and that booking further ahead (especially for a grand opening) is a REALLY good idea.

Lastly--what I would NOT do is talk to the Senior about this situation and "explain" your dilemma to her. This is NOT her problem; she booked a photographer already. This is YOUR problem--back out of your commitment to her, or don't, but don't try to make it her problem. I think talking to her about it would put her in a VERY uncomfortable position. I mean, really, what's she going to say?? At 18, there's NO way I had the kind of confrontational skills to handle this. I'd have just said, "well, sure, I understand. You have to do what's best for your business." But I would have FELT like you'd backed out on me, and I would very, VERY likely not have hired you again. Heck, that would probably still be my response to someone TODAY, because you know, if they came to me and basically say they want MY permission to back out of a commitment to me, well, I don't think I want to rely on that person much anyway.

 

[tirediron]

...Lastly--what I would NOT do is talk to the Senior about this situation and "explain" your dilemma to her. This is NOT her problem; she booked a photographer already. This is YOUR problem--back out of your commitment to her, or don't, but don't try to make it her problem. I think talking to her about it would put her in a VERY uncomfortable position. I mean, really, what's she going to say?? At 18, there's NO way I had the kind of confrontational skills to handle this. I'd have just said, "well, sure, I understand. You have to do what's best for your business." But I would have FELT like you'd backed out on me, and I would very, VERY likely not have hired you again. Heck, that would probably still be my response to someone TODAY, because you know, if they came to me and basically say they want MY permission to back out of a commitment to me, well, I don't think I want to rely on that person much anyway.

This. Exactly. Perfectly put Sharon!

 

[bribrius]

ditch the prom queen. pay her limo, give her cash, hire another photographer, whatever. But DITCH the prom queen. your first commitment was already made when he said he would get you in the door and you agreed.

apparently you thought he was joking. Business isn't like that. If you don't do that job now, you are backing out on the guy that said he "would get you in" and depending on how or what this business entails he or they could very well be PISSED.

The prom queen is the double book. I think YOU misread this entire situation.

 

[pixmedic]

ditch the prom queen. pay her limo, give her cash, hire another photographer, whatever. But DITCH the prom queen. your first commitment was already made when he said he would get you in the door and you agreed.

apparently you thought he was joking. Business isn't like that. If you don't do that job now, you are backing out on the guy that said he "would get you in" and depending on how or what this business entails he or they could very well be PISSED.

The prom queen is the double book. I think YOU misread this entire situation.

If a client wants a date reserved, they pay a deposit. No deposit = no reservations.
Time isn't "booked" until we have money in hand, unless other arrangements have been made.
That's how we do it anyway.

 

[tirediron]

ditch the prom queen. pay her limo, give her cash, hire another photographer, whatever. But DITCH the prom queen. your first commitment was already made when he said he would get you in the door and you agreed.

apparently you thought he was joking. Business isn't like that. If you don't do that job now, you are backing out on the guy that said he "would get you in" and depending on how or what this business entails he or they could very well be PISSED.

The prom queen is the double book. I think YOU misread this entire situation.

Ummm, sorry, but I think you've mis-read the entire situation. An "I'll get you a gig" is worth exactly nothing until you have a commitment. It I kept space open for every tire-kicker that was thinking about hiring me, I'd have a LOT of open space and precious little income. If the restaurant gig had been serious, they would have committed to a date & time. I'm willing to bet their intent was to keep the OP "in reserve" in case their primary bailed. THAT is how a lot of business works!