I Was going to let is Slide

But,
I figure I'll see what the general feeling is amongst the Great Unwashed...

Couple weeks ago I get a call from a provider who I've done pics with in the past... Never had a problem with her...
Tells me she is working with two new girls and they need pics.. OK Quote her my rate and all is good, Set the appointment for the shoot for later in the week....
As is my custom, I confirm the day before the shoot.. She tells me the girls are having trouble coming up with the funds and wants to postpone for a day...
After a quick check, I tell her studio is booked and can't postpone.. It'll be a week.. I offer to do the shoot and hold the CD till payment.. She's fine with that... I've worked with her before, So I figure a amount of trust..

Next day arrives.. Shoot is for 3pm.... I get a call, there running late but will be there... 6pm they arrive... 3 hours late... I do the shoot.. one girl is great to work with.. The other seems to be having issues but I manage to get some OK shots with her regardless ..

Move forward to next day.... There having to move there inc and having other issues.. I'm asked to please work with her and she should have my payment in a week.. OK... Remember I've worked with her before and had a trust factor...

Jump ahead to the next week... I get in touch with her... She tells me the girl with the issues is no longer with her.. and if I want payment I can have her phone number and track her down myself and she wants to pay for just the one girls pics...

My point of view is.. She set up the shoot.. She owes me for two shoots.. What happens with the girls isn't my problem..
We go back and forth a few times, Her last was I should be lucky to even get paid for the one girl....
So now my so called Trusted client I feel has stiffed me for two photo shoots...

So Fellow Hobbyist.. and Providers.. Do I post a name ? Just as a provider would a bad client or hobbyist would a bad review.. Or let is slide and chalk it up to a cost of doing business ?
Yes, Yes, I know I'll get the "You should have gotten paid first" posts... But remember I've done pics for this provider for at least two years.. and some of her friends along the way... So I thought there was a understanding...

Thanks for Your Time
DFWRaven
Dang babe. So sorry this happened to you. It's completely up to you how you decide to go about this. I think by you posting this... those that did this to you... will know who you are talking to and perhaps get scared enough to pay you the amount that is owed. Fingers crossed. Being that I have personally met you and you are sooo very sweet and trusting, I hope that they will pay you for your services as owed. I hate that they took advantage of your kindness and said "OH WELL". It's up to you how you wish to handle. Maybe send a pm with the link to this thread and say that you haven't outted them yet... and will give them time to make it right with you before outting who they are.

I wish you the best and I will see you soon for that PEAKS... outting. SMOOCHES love. Get some rest and regroup. You're awesome for trusting them to begin with... long time relationship or not.. this is a risky business on BOTH ends apparently.

Oh!... I need some new pics too. HINT HINT...Nite, babe.
trynagetlaid's Avatar
I don't think posting her name would serve any useful purpose. We don't know how most of these girls conduct their personal business. Have they been evicted from their apartment three times in the last year, or do they pay their rent on time every month? Are their car payments current, or are they facing repossession? Do they pay their car insurance every month, or just pay for one month, stop paying, then keep the proof-of-insurance card in the glove box the rest of the six months without making any more payments?

We sometimes hear when a provider stiffs a hobbyist on a loan or a session advance, and that's important to some, but in all honesty seasoned hobbyists don't loan or advance money to providers.

You do photo shoots for providers. That's analogous to the landlord who lets them rent an apartment, or bank/finance company who loans them money to buy a car. Those businesses have contracts and legal means for recovery if the terms of service aren't met. You don't have any paperwork to guarantee payment; I assume the only papers you have are the model releases.

If you post her name there will be a long thread about oh my gosh how could she do this to one of us, and some of the more negativistic hobbyists will put her on their DNS list, just because that's the way a small percentage of guys are. I say let it slide. The girl will have other photographic needs in the future; you can deal with this between you and her at that time.
Wheretonow's Avatar
DFWR - I suspect that you posted this mostly to ventilate your frustration at being stiffed by someone you semi-trusted. I hope it makes you feel at least a little better. And if it would make you feel even better, I say out her.
Post their names and then ask to have the thread closed to avoid the drama. You've been unfairly stiffed". (This post was edited after the fact...) The comments below show that folks here just love to pile on. Obviously it's not an alert, since it's in in the Co-Ed discussions forum. I contend that it's nice to know the caliber of individuals playing on both sides of the board.

A service is a service, no matter who's providing it. Funny, when a lady stiffs a gent for another type of "service" the cry to name names is loud and clear. Hmmm....
TexasDave555's Avatar
Not the first time you've had something like this happen, so extending work without pay is your own fault.

This is not a photography services board, so alerting the folks here that she stiffed you is meaningless from a pay for play standpoint, she didn't take your money for promises of a date. She didn't offer an exchange for services, this was a straight forward business transaction.

Follow the example of the girls here.... take the money before giving services.

Less drama that way.......

Write it off as a bad debt and go about your day to day, or file small claims on her. This kind of thing has no real value here unless she or her other girls agreed to put out in exchange for the photos.
TinMan's Avatar
Extending credit to the uncreditworthy is no way to run a business, unless you're a pawn shop. Then you take collateral.
pyramider's Avatar
They took advantage of you, pure and simple. They did not respect your time or services so you should go straight cash prior to shooting with this lady in the future.
Before I answer, how did they look naked?
Lana Warren's Avatar
Before I answer, how did they look naked? Originally Posted by monkmonk

LMAO! Monkie, go back to your cave!
notdeadyet's Avatar
Extending credit to the uncreditworthy is no way to run a business, unless you're a pawn shop. Then you take collateral. Originally Posted by TinMan
Or a mortgage company, or a bank, or a credit card company, or the federal government, or... Gosh! There's a long list!

Raven: You were right in the title to your post -- You should have let it slide.
Call her and set up a doubles, then only bring enough money for one girl and see if you can pay her in a couple weeks

Also, be three hours late to the appointment.
bistraight69's Avatar
Maybe you should take pics for free like this guy:http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=333348
  • hd
  • 12-02-2011, 06:21 AM
I see it like co-signing a loan. She's stuck if they don't pay. I would also post names, this incident just goes to show their lack of credibility and responsiblility. No different when a provider demands partial payment for a canceled session by a client.

This could be a deciding factor if I was thinking of seeing any of the three.

You just got screwed for studio time.
Trust is such a dangerous thing and should be banned from all
Businesses! Maybe even relationships?!? Lol