Shoot and burn type request

[Familyphotog]

So I had some people inquire about a pre-wedding shoot. They are not having a professional photographer shoot the ceremony or celebration. They just want me there for an hour or two beforehand, taking photos of the group and then maybe some of the bride and groom as well. Most of them will be candid, although I am sure some people will want some posed.
Their inquiry was how much I would charge "per hour" because they are basically just looking to load the photos off of my card onto their computer AT the location. I am very apprehensive about this, but it does have some "freeing" kind of quality to it. The family member that contacted me had mentioned he works in PS, and he would edit the photos if necessary. I do NOT offer CDs to my clients, and I like to have control over my products, but it is tempting to just show up, shoot and leave. It does bother me that someone else will be editing and messing with my photos though, and that I can't really even download, delete, crop, or view on my own before passing the torch to the client.
So many things about this are weird, but I would hate to pass up the opportunity to do a shoot. I am wondering if I should take this on, what I should include in the contract, and how much is reasonable for charge for something like this?

Thanks so much for any advice.

 

[Familyphotog]

I should add that it is not a typical wedding, it is of a unique faith, but is in a very beautiful, expensive location. They did reiterate the fact that they were on a tight budget.

 

[e.rose]

I should add that it is not a typical wedding, it is of a unique faith, but is in a very beautiful, expensive location. They did reiterate the fact that they were on a tight budget.

What faith is that? "Drop loads of cash on everything, but cheat the photographer out of his bread and butter?"

If they want shoddy editing done to snapshots (and I'm not saying you're ONLY capible of snapshots, but that's probably what would end up happening if you in-out-bam-thankyou-seeyoulater-ed outta there...) tell them to hire the high schooler in the family who just got a camera for their birfday. :er:

 

[Kerbouchard]

I would recommend passing on a job that has so many conditions that obviously make you uncomfortable.

 

[D-B-J]

IT's not so much a bad idea, but i personally would not want my work out there that is unedited and unsorted. For me, i'll shoot a ton of photo's and only keep a few. I definitely wouldn't want the one crappy one i took to be the one they chose and showing their friends. But maybe that's just me.

 

[tirediron]

I'd pass on it. I prefer to work 'per hour', but there's NO way that I would just dump my cards on to their computer and walk away.

 

[Familyphotog]

I agree on the dropping the photos and walking away... There is too much at stake with creating a bad name for myself. I am just hung up on the fact that I could make a couple hundred dollars for a short time frame doing something I enjoy, and possible make some contacts too.

 

[Sammie_Lou]

Off topic, but would this be an LDS wedding?? I know there are rules about what (and who) is allowed during the ceremony in the temple, so it would make sense that they don't have a photographer during the ceremony. If so, their temples are always BEAUTIFUL and would be a great location for taking pics (outside, of course).

 

[Mecal]

Yeah, I wouldn't want to put all the photos on their computer and then have someone else edit them. if the person edited them poorly your name would still be attached likely.

 

[Tony S]

I do NOT offer CDs to my clients, and I like to have control over my products,

Why compromise now? Any contacts you make there will most likely want the same thing later on, are you willing to make that compromise again? Tell them what and how you do it along with the cost and if they don't like it they can move on to someone else who will compromise their way of doing business.

 

[Paul Ron]

Charge then for a package, not by the hour. You are being hired as a photographer to deliver pictures of an occasion and as such you are giving them so many albums n singles and wahtever your contract will entail. You're not a rental truck!

 

[Familyphotog]

Wrote them back and offered a package, gave them a price, and said I would take the images home and burn them to a disk. I think this is a good compromise. I just don't want to upload right there and then at the event and let go of the photos. If they really want to edit them, they can, but I still choose which ones.

 

[johnh2005]

Wrote them back and offered a package, gave them a price, and said I would take the images home and burn them to a disk. I think this is a good compromise. I just don't want to upload right there and then at the event and let go of the photos. If they really want to edit them, they can, but I still choose which ones.

I think you compromised too much. Like a person said earlier, any contacts you make from this will expect the same thing. "But you did it for Sally and Bob! Why won't you give me a CD too?" There is a reason you don't give people your photos. Unless you are willing to change that, don't start it. If you give them photos and they edit them like crap because "they" think they look "nice" and then they say, "Oh hey we paid Familyphotog for these aren't they great?" while showing the crappy edits to someone, that someone will NOT be hiring you. Just my 0.02c

 

[Familyphotog]

I agree, and this was one of the first things I said to him. He totally understood and recognizes the issue, and said he would not share the details about the shoot with anyone who asked. Of course it is just his word, but I would like to include if in the contract too.