Got asked to take some photos and get paid

dod

dod

TPer Emeritus
Messages
16,678
Name
Ebenezer McScrooge III
Edit My Images
Yes
and to be honest I'm bricking it but looking forward to it at the same time :D

It's for a girl who has a horse on the UK team and she saw some of the shots I'd taken at various places and asked me to do some for her.

Any pearls of wisdom I should remember before I arrive? At least I remembered the camera this morning :p
 
Take only good photos.

There you go, you follow that one and you won't go wrong.
 
Give the horse a couple of sugar lumps and it'll do whatever you ask.

I don't know the girl well enough to comment but flowers and chocolates seem to work
 
Bachs said:
I don't know the girl well enough to comment but flowers and chocolates seem to work
Click to expand...
Bachs said:
A baby on the way,
Click to expand...

Hmmm, seems so :naughty: Don't think I'll try that :nono:
Just kiddin by the way :)
 
I don't think you should be in the least worried Doddy. Based on the work you show here you're well capable of the job. Is it just a photo shoot? ( not an event) If so don't be afraid to take charge and tell 'em what you want them to do to get pics to your best advantage, from the best position etc. :)
 
Any pearls of wisdom I should remember before I arrive?
Click to expand...

Slow down, triple check everything and try to work methodically. You can bet than if you're ever going to make a daft mistake it's when it matters most.

And be absolutley ruthless with your editing afterwards, only let the client see work that is 100% pin sharp, well framed and perfectly exposed.

If you want the real old school rush then turn off the preview/historgram and dont look at the images untill the day after. ;)
 
CT yes, it's a shoot, never done one and I have no idea what the location or conditions are like so that's why I'm a bit nervous. Hopefully it will go fine as it's a fairly big club (800 members apparently) and listening to them at the weekend there's quite a few not happy with the photos they normally get at events.

She saw the shots below which I'd printed up for someone, to be fair they did look good on paper even though they're awful on this screen, and said there and then she wanted me to come out. I wasn't pushing, she was just being nosy about the photos :)

dazzajl said:
Slow down, triple check everything and try to work methodically. You can bet than if you're ever going to make a daft mistake it's when it matters most.

And be absolutley ruthless with your editing afterwards, only let the client see work that is 100% pin sharp, well framed and perfectly exposed.

If you want the real old school rush then turn off the preview/historgram and dont look at the images untill the day after. ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks :) Got three fully charged batteries, 4 CF cards, all fresh formatted, new batts for the flash and even chucked the old 35mm 1000FN in as well, just in case. That word "Client" is a bit scary though, this was neither planned nor anticipated.

No way I'm turning off the preview :icon_eek:
three-stooges.jpg


ilikeyou.jpg
 
Get there early on the day - you don't want to be at all rushed and it gives a chance to have a good reccy of the site and plan ahead. Try to make it fun for everyone - I've seen seasoned pros losing their cool and snarling at people, generally making themselves unloved by everyone. Keep it jokey and keep it light- these people will be just as interested in getting good shots as you are, and will co-operate fully to that end.

Try to enjoy it and make sure they do!! ;)
 
That word "Client" is a bit scary though
Click to expand...

It's meant to be :D

I still get "stage fright" before big shoots, especially for new clients and I like that, it keeps me sharp. (Badum tish :eyesup: :coat: )
 
dont crack the 'why the long face' gag......
 
Sounds like there could be a 100-400L in this job Doddy. :FIcamera0

If you get orders for lots of 9X6 prints, which I would suggest is really the best size (nudge - wink). get the shots printed at a pro lab and invest in some nice folders with tasteful gold logos embossed on the front (cheap as chips if you buy a lot). A photo in one of those looks the nuts. Presentation is everything. Keep in view it's your first job and the experience will be invaluable but don't be shy about charging for quality work - any idiot can work cheap. ;)
 
EosD said:
dont crack the 'why the long face' gag......
Click to expand...

:LOL: where's that new smilie........... ;)

CT, I'm not even going to start getting carried away with this. I'm treating it as a one off and see how it goes. Anyway, the price I mentioned would mean an awful lot of shoots for a filter for the 100-400 :p Nah, this is experience and if anything comes out of it well and good.
 
Fair does mate, but don't be surprised if you get lots of reprint requests and 9X6 is a great size for putting in albums or framing without any cropping issues either as you retain the 3:2 image ratio.

Sorry about the edit - posted this in your post! :D
 
CT said:
Fair does mate, but don't be surprised if you get lots of reprint requests and 9X6 is a great size for putting in albums or framing without any cropping issues either as you retain the 3:2 image ratio.
Click to expand...

See, I wouldn't have thought of that :thumb: Got any links for those folders?
 
dod said:
See, I wouldn't have thought of that :thumb: Got any links for those folders?
Click to expand...

I used to use Colab. http://www.colab.com/

They will also supply frames folders wedding albums etc. You'll maybe get the folders from Jessops et al but they'll tend to be pricey.

I used to use Colab's Professional Package Deal which was around 40 quid or so for 36 9X6s. The difference is that someone who knows what he's doing actually dials in the proper filtration for each one when they do the prints. Whoever you use, use a quality service - the difference is startling compared to high street processing shops.

Don't even think about printing this stuff on your printer at home - the cost in ink cartrides alone will be exorbitant. :shock:
 
Thanks for the link :) Loads to think through if this is to be done properly. Wish I had a bit more time though, I'm doing it tonight, I'll post the shots later on if it goes well

Ah well, break a tripod leg ;)
 
Good luck mate!

I've done a handful of commissions...all unpaid :annoyed: but I treated them as if I was on top dollar.

They're great for your portfolio (no-one need know you weren't paid) and word gets around.

Before you know it, it will be a self sustaining hobby:woot:
I used to earn up to £200 a night as a bass player...my mrs would be well chuffed if I could buy my own camera gear instead of her!
 
Well I survived it :eyesup: My hat is well and truly doffed to you guys making a living at it :rocker: (We need an "I'm not worthy" bowing smiley :D)

Sooo, after one puncture, bad directions, 200 shots, a horse which wouldn't do what it was told, an owner who wanted closeups but with a pano of the country side behind her, harsh sun, deep cloud, barbed wire up my backside and 2 1/2 hours I don't honestly know if I've got an acceptable shot and I'm scared to look . :censored:
 
dod said:
Sooo, after one puncture, bad directions, 200 shots, a horse which wouldn't do what it was told, an owner who wanted closeups but with a pano of the country side behind her, harsh sun, deep cloud, barbed wire up my backside and 2 1/2 hours I don't honestly know if I've got an acceptable shot and I'm scared to look . :censored:
Click to expand...

See... you're a natural! :LOL:
 
I'm going to give her this one ;)

bignose.jpg
 
Sorry to bore you with these but this is the difference between something acceptable and something which isn't. The first has the ears up and forwards which is what they want.

goodears.jpg


badears.jpg
 
dod said:
I'm going to give her one ;)
Click to expand...
:D Spoken like a true pro. Just think of England.

Sorry -Scotland! :tonofbric
 
:shock: :shock:


Fringe benefits :woot: :D
 
Those are OK. The advantage you have now is that you get to use all your PS skills to really bring out the best in these shots to make them nice and punchy. That sky can be brought up nicely with a feathered mask. Don't send them for processing until you're really happy you've brought the best out of them.
 
Yep, thanks CT, and everyone else who gave advice, those were just a quick look to see what I had, they wont be used.

On a serious note, up till now this has taken say an hours driving, 2 1/2 hours on site, an hour or so going through them plus deisel. She only wants four prints, which I'm pretty sure I've got although they're going to take a good bit of work to get ready. Already this has been a real eye opener in terms of the effort really required to please a customer and a very small insight into what would be required to do this professionally.

Don't think I'll be giving up the day job :headshake
 
Well, you'll be surprised how word gets around if people are pleased, and you may be surprised at the variety of work which starts to come your way.:)

You have to realistically price jobs taking into account your time, expertise, expenses and shattered nerve ends. :D

Also while the customer is always right of course, you need to gently persuade them sometimes to see things from your point of view, as what is best for you photographically is usually best for them anyway. ;)
 
I can understand what you mean.
I have done one commission myself (repeated), but it was for a friend and her business partner.
Although she wasnt a stranger like I say, there is still no room for sloppyness.
I didn't have a flashy camera (no pun intended ;)), but I had enough to do what she wanted, my trusty g3 and tripod (photos of wedding jewellery, bridal accessories and cakes and flowers etc). I took all the photos round at her house and scanned in some that she'd taken previously from a 35mm/Boots processing ;).
The ones I did weren't magnificently professional, but at the time it was the best of my abilities. She knew the limit of my talents and knew exactly the sort of shots she was after.
When I showed her the final results she was more than pleased, so much so her supplier asked me to do some shots for their products too.
It's all well and good doing it in a friends house (her business works from home), using various things for improvisation / backdrops, to doing it for a complete stranger.
Mind you we did have some laughs, using breakfast bar stools to attach various sheeting etc to create backdrops and a makeshift studio..lol

Anway, I'm waffling now. I can understand that although it's something you are capable of, it can still be very easy to get nervous. I know I was, and I see my friend every day at school (picking the kids up......Im not 12 ;))
 
:thumb: It's amazing what computer processing can do these days! ;)



:whistling
 
Marcel said:
there is still no room for sloppyness.
Click to expand...

Exactly, I don't expect to make anything out of this particular one and I don't really want to get into this on a regular basis, but I want to make sure that the shots she gets are the best I can make them. Especially as she mentioned a couple of her pals were interested but were wanting to see how these came out. I don't know them at all so would have no qualms about giving them a realistic price. She knows shes getting this cheap because she's a friend of the wife and it's the first one I've done.

At this stage I'd say 90% are for the recycle bin because of either her expression, the horses or some other issue (I accidentally knocked the exposure compensation to +1 for about 20 before I noticed and the sky's totally gone :eyesup: ) . Looking through them again I've got two I'm really happy with only minor tweaks, three or four which look decent and a few others which might be okay with some work.
 
Sorry for bumping an old thread but just a quick update to this, she did actually end up liking the 5 prints I chose to show her. Initially I just took inkjets of them, which she was happy with, but I'm just about to organise proper prints.

But, the good news is that it's led to two other "jobs". Her mate wants something similar to her, plus one of the clubs has a ride on this weekend and I got a call asking if I would come and take photos of the entrants out on the course with a view to selling them prints :) There about 60 riders entered and I should be able to catch them at two different locations so there's pretty good potential :)
 
It's surprising how much work you can pick up just just on word of mouth and recommendation. ;)
 
well done Dod!
 
Well done!

I've just agreed to take some (ok, lots actually) pictures for Sustrans in the North East for use on their brochures and website, etc. Seeing as it's a charity I don't mind doing it for nothing (and I use the cycle routes myself) but it's going to be great experience and allow me do have demonstrable commercial work so I get a spin off like you have.
 
Thanks guys, if it's a success hopefully I'll get some more :) First riders are out at 7.00 AM, that's a 5.30 start for me :(
 
That was a decent weekend :)

Went to the event and the saturday was a bit of a washout and the number of riders was down to about 25. Having said that did the proofs on saturday night, got orders on the day (and payment :D) for about 20 prints and a couple of calls last night for another 4. Sunday was better for weather, eventually, and the shots are a lot better.

I think it would have been even better if I'd had some way of letting people see the shots there and then, next time I'll have the laptop set up.

The main thing is I've got over asking people (some of whom I know) for money for photographing them. Most were asking if I'd go to the next ride as well :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top