09:15
Faizan
Sometimes in life you have to deal with the customer from hell. I've been fortunate. Most of my clients have been great to work for. Of course, I always try to give more to the client than is promised; when the client gives more to you than is promised, well, it makes for a great day.
Sometimes though you get the client from hell. Nothing you do is right, you don't get paid or worse. With that in mind, here's a little 'cheat sheet' for all you aspiring photojournalists to help you from getting burned " like I did recently.
#1 ALWAYS GET IT IN WRITING - Last year I did a gig for a client in Wyoming on spec. The client liked the photos as well as the story that I wrote up to go with it. When I bumped into the client in D.C. this past winter, he told me they had expanded the program and invited me along to cover it. Since this client and I had a good relationship and I had a good, warm fuzzy feeling about the gig I sealed the deal on a handshake. The gig went south was before it even started. My client told me to meet the company driver in Memphis, TN and I would be given a lift to northern Arkansas where the gig was to take place. After I bought the ticket, the client changed his mind and wanted me to meet the driver in Little Rock. He made no attempt or offer to compensate me for the penalty I incurred for having to change the tickets. Thanks to a good friend in Helena, Arkansas, Ben Adler, I wasn't left stranded, but I could've been.
#2 MAKE SURE THE YOU KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE CLIENT'S SCHEDULE - The gig in Arkansas was to last four solid weeks. Mid way through, my client had a change in schedule. He and his staff left the area for a week and didn't care enough to check in with me to see what I might need while they were gone. If it wasn't for two new friends, David and Dana, I would've been at the campsite for an entire week " alone.
#3 INVOICE AS YOU GO - The client and I had agreed on one price; which was to be paid on a monthly basis. At the end of the month, the client came to me, shook my hand and said, ;Great photographs. We'll see you in Colorado. That's it? No money? If I had been invoicing the client all along I could have pointed out to him the unpaid invoices and been better positioned to insist he honor them before we take this gig to the next location. As it was, I had to make a snap decision on the spot to either cut my losses and leave then or hope things would get better in Colorado.
#4 MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHO PAYS FOR ANY PENALITIES OR FINES CONNECTED IN ANY WAY WITH THE GIG YOU'RE SHOOTING - My client had reserved a campground for two weeks. In addition to the camping fee, there was a $3 per person daily charge and a $7 per vehicle daily charge. Just counting 6 participants and myself, the fee owed was $21 a day! $21 X 18 days = $378 that the client owes the Colorado State Park system. And my client wanted to know why I didn't pay it.
Sometimes though you get the client from hell. Nothing you do is right, you don't get paid or worse. With that in mind, here's a little 'cheat sheet' for all you aspiring photojournalists to help you from getting burned " like I did recently.
#1 ALWAYS GET IT IN WRITING - Last year I did a gig for a client in Wyoming on spec. The client liked the photos as well as the story that I wrote up to go with it. When I bumped into the client in D.C. this past winter, he told me they had expanded the program and invited me along to cover it. Since this client and I had a good relationship and I had a good, warm fuzzy feeling about the gig I sealed the deal on a handshake. The gig went south was before it even started. My client told me to meet the company driver in Memphis, TN and I would be given a lift to northern Arkansas where the gig was to take place. After I bought the ticket, the client changed his mind and wanted me to meet the driver in Little Rock. He made no attempt or offer to compensate me for the penalty I incurred for having to change the tickets. Thanks to a good friend in Helena, Arkansas, Ben Adler, I wasn't left stranded, but I could've been.
#2 MAKE SURE THE YOU KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE CLIENT'S SCHEDULE - The gig in Arkansas was to last four solid weeks. Mid way through, my client had a change in schedule. He and his staff left the area for a week and didn't care enough to check in with me to see what I might need while they were gone. If it wasn't for two new friends, David and Dana, I would've been at the campsite for an entire week " alone.
#3 INVOICE AS YOU GO - The client and I had agreed on one price; which was to be paid on a monthly basis. At the end of the month, the client came to me, shook my hand and said, ;Great photographs. We'll see you in Colorado. That's it? No money? If I had been invoicing the client all along I could have pointed out to him the unpaid invoices and been better positioned to insist he honor them before we take this gig to the next location. As it was, I had to make a snap decision on the spot to either cut my losses and leave then or hope things would get better in Colorado.
#4 MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHO PAYS FOR ANY PENALITIES OR FINES CONNECTED IN ANY WAY WITH THE GIG YOU'RE SHOOTING - My client had reserved a campground for two weeks. In addition to the camping fee, there was a $3 per person daily charge and a $7 per vehicle daily charge. Just counting 6 participants and myself, the fee owed was $21 a day! $21 X 18 days = $378 that the client owes the Colorado State Park system. And my client wanted to know why I didn't pay it.
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