Professional Responsibilities

Recently I was asked to quote a project for a local restaurant; interiors & cuisine images for use on their website. I submitted my numbers and was informed that I was a bit higher than they're expecting to pay. No big deal, I responded that I was willing to negotiate. Their response (after a followup email from me a week later as to whether they still wanted/needed photography) was "There is a student photographer who works here who will shoot it for free.".

Now, I'm of a mind that we as photographers are ALL responsible for educating our clients. The email I drafted & sent:


Thanks for getting back to me. Yes, free is difficult to pass up, but free has underlying costs that can run pretty deep.

Having been to XXXX and experienced the room (it's great, as is the food!), I hope your student photographer has a firm grasp on balancing different light temperatures and perspective control, not to mention preparing files for web and print. Top that off with consistently carrying the same image feel through from the interiors to the cuisine images. Prospective customers may wonder about the restaurant's attention to detail with food in the kitchen if they're viewing substandard photography on the website. It's quite a gamble, sinking all that money into something, then trusting the restaurant's primary web and print representation to a student. Don't get me wrong, I love a great deal too. We all do. Bear in mind you get what you pay for and the first taste is with the eyes... even on line.

Best of luck,
Dan



I posted this question (would you respond) to a few photographers in this market and received 'just leave it alone' suggestions. My response to that:



Thanks for the reply, appreciate your time & opinion.

I'm of a mind that all professional photographers must take it upon themselves to educate clients on the value of photography. Apathy just promotes acceptance of substandard work. Often, the client just doesn't know any better.

If the client is just cheap then they'll get exactly the photography they deserve. If they're naive however, and a letter gives them pause to think about the value of photography to them and their business, that's a step in the right direction... understanding the value of photography and the advantage to contracting a professional, no?

Best,
Dan

I'd also sent this to photographers in other markets. The responses from them were in the "Excellent response! Send it now!" vein. Imagine that.

It drives me crazy when photographers say things like, "That won't work here (local market)" or  "That's not the way it's done" or "It's standard to wait 90 days...". The reason this is the case is because we as photographers LET IT HAPPEN.

Be the change you'd like to see.