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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Photographers and unedited images?

79 replies

Jadefeather7 · 13/02/2020 14:32

I’m currently trying to find a photographer for a family photo shoot. I have a certain number of images in mind. The photographer I like can only provide 10 images in the budget that I have. I asked if she could give me another 10 unedited but she said she can’t. I don’t really understand why not?

OP posts:
YasssKween · 13/02/2020 17:51

When you’re negotiating you always go in lower so that you can meet somewhere in the middle. Can’t believe how naive some people are.

It's not other people being naive OP, it's you.

If you're negotiating you don't start by offering your maximum amount of money.

You said you could only afford for her to "provide 10 images in the budget that I have."

If that's the whole you budget you have and you expected to negotiate you should have offered less originally so you had wiggle room.

That's assuming they would negotiate. They have no obligation to and offering less than their standard price is a risk because if they are a busy working photographer there's absolutely no reason for them to veer from their rate card when someone is already ordering a very basic package.

You get discounts more often when you order in large volume, that's true in any industry, if you're only paying for 10 originally then asking for 5 or 10 more is cheeky AF.

If you had extra budget then why did you say you only had that amount? It's odd to backtrack now people have challenged you on it almost unanimously...

74NewStreet · 13/02/2020 18:10

Asking for stuff for free isn’t “going in low” to open negotiations, op, bless you! 🤣🤣🤣

Original poster
Jadefeather7 · 13/02/2020 18:28

I asked her if we could discuss a further 10 images in unedited state. I didn’t use the word “free” in my conversation with her or in my post here.

OP posts:
FourEyesGood · 13/02/2020 18:32

This is another one of those threads:
OP: AIBU?
MN: Yes.
OP: But I’m not. You all are.

74NewStreet · 13/02/2020 18:33

Is your budget more erm.. elastic than your op suggests, then?

Streamside · 13/02/2020 18:45

It's not a cattlemart, the photographer has established their pricing structure and communicated it to you. I don't understand all the emphasis on negotiation. I'm a photographer and to be honest I wouldn't take on a client like you. It's tough competitive work and you're disrespecting the photographer. I don't allow anyone access to my raw images.

YasssKween · 13/02/2020 18:45

Come off it Grin

You said you could "only afford" the amount you agreed for 10 images.

You said you asked if she could give you "another 10 unedited".

You then said she said no to giving you these unedited images and you "can't understand why not."

If you had extra budget or expected to pay then surely you would have said she was charging you "too much extra" or "over the odds" for the extra images.

It's very clear you were expecting them thrown in for the price.

If you were happy to pay some extra for the additional frames then why would you have an AIBU about you not understanding why she can't just give you "another 10" unedited photos too...

It's a no, either agree to her terms for the budget you have told her or just use the other photographer 🤷🏻‍♀️

DesignedForLife · 13/02/2020 18:55

Would a restaurant give you a raw lump of meat free to have alongside your Steak.

No. It’s not a finished product, and it’s bad business- they need to earn a living.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 13/02/2020 19:02

I didn’t use the word “free” in my conversation with her or in my post here. No but you said "give". So really after everyone has told you that YABU you're arguing over one word in your post.

BoomBoomsCousin · 13/02/2020 19:04

Photographers (and many artists) often want to keep a tighter reign on their work than customers want them too because the quality of what their name is attached to can have an impact on their business.

If you want to raw images the thing your photographer has to weigh up (as well as any possible price negotiation) is whether she can trust you to edit the images in a way that reflects well on her. Since she doesn't know you it's not overly surprising that she doesn't feel that trust.

slipperywhensparticus · 13/02/2020 19:13

Get one of those photographers who work from home 🤷‍♀️ we had one a few years ago she gave me a disc of edited photos and a disc of raw photos for me to edit myself if I wished

Obviouspretzel · 13/02/2020 19:14

I agree that you shouldn't have been given them but I don't agree with people's assessment of the raw images on this thread.

One, the raw image can be fantastic, what do you think happened with a film camera? They didn't all get photoshopped to fuck then.

Also, the point about you doing a shoddy edit job yourself makes no sense. You could still edit an already edited photo after the fact and make it look like shit anyway.

slipperywhensparticus · 13/02/2020 19:15

They were nice photos not as high quality as the professional gallery ones we had done previously but there will always be a massive difference between a £1000 package and a £50 one

ElbasAbsentPenis · 13/02/2020 19:27

Photographers can decide not to work with nightmare diva clients. If you really want this person to take your pictures, tread carefully, OP.

Lalas1 · 13/02/2020 19:40

The negotiating only works in certain circumstances though. It has to be beneficial to her in order for her to consider this. So if she's fully booked with people who are willing to pay full price and she isn't desperate for business then she doesn't need to negotiate with someone who doesn't fancy paying full price.

If you were another business and could offer her regular work or great advertising you would then have something of benefit to her so she may be willing to negotiate her prices in exchange for this.

You will need to accept the 10 for the price stated or go with a different photographer.

AdobeWanKenobi · 13/02/2020 19:41

Perfect place for OP.

www.reddit.com/r/ChoosingBeggars/

Clymene · 13/02/2020 19:49

I would imagine a session booked with a price of 10 images at £350 is the photographer's starting rate. It wouldn't be worth the set up for any less. When you're buying the base product, you're really not in any position to negotiate.

I wouldn't want to work with you. I'm self employed and I can spot a nightmare client when I see one.

ClientQueen · 13/02/2020 19:50

Most will not give unedited. If you edit them or post as is... it's like a chef giving a meal with no garnish or sides, it's not finished
You have to agree before the shoot, I work for images, part pay/part images or pay depending on the photographer
Some I can just say edit whatever looks good, with someone I haven't worked with before we sit down and say "X amount of images for X hrs worked"
I very very rarely get unedited images unless it's agree beforehand

Waterlemon · 13/02/2020 19:51

If you’re not happy with the deal, find another.

I use a photographer that gives us all of the images on a usb stick.

OpportunityKnocks · 13/02/2020 22:03

The photographer does not want to provide their work half finished, which is what an unedited photo is. It's not representative of the service they want to provide.

If you want more photos you can probably find a reasonable hobby photographer for a lot less. Ask on a local Facebook page

Freda999 · 13/02/2020 22:18

Yikes, this is why I am no longer a photographer.

I can't imagine why ANY photographer would be happy to supply raw or unedited files for a customer to self edit.

DarklyDreamingDexter · 13/02/2020 22:34

Next time you go into Tesco to pick up some carrots, stroll up to the till and say ‘I’m buying these 10 perfect carrots, but I want these 10 ever so slightly smaller ones for free, ok?’ See how far it gets you!

drinkygin · 13/02/2020 22:41

Hahahahaha what a cheeky fucker you are

MrLeytonstone · 13/02/2020 22:42

Photographer here. No way in hell would I give out unedited images, paid or not.

The problem for people in my line of work is that literally everyone has a camera in their pocket. It's devalued the perceived skill of taking good pictures. I get chancers nearly every week asking me to supply images or do shoots 'for exposure ', quite often from entitled, self-styled 'influencers' who think they're Kim Kardashian because they've got a thousand followers on Instragram.

CakeandCustard28 · 13/02/2020 22:44

Just ask someone to take photos on their phone, what’s the point In paying for a professional and only wanting half the job done. 🤷🏻‍♀️
You’re a CF op!