cj Loc: Emporium, Pa

I have a contract with one company to do ad and promotional photos. Works out great. I have been shooting this company for nearly 10 years now.

So I get this phone call last night from a former employee of the company who is now in business, totally different from former employment, She wants me to shoot a monthly promotion ad for her.

I asked a bunch of typical questions, i.e. what exactly do you want? how many shots, location or studio or where?

The answers to most of the questions I had, was "I don't know, your the artist you tell me."

I have the website and will be going to a location tomorrow to look see what I have to work with. She has already hired models, I asked about model releases,,,,,, none,
Property releases,,, none

My gut is telling me jack the price so it will either be unaffordable or well worth the aggravation.

before anyone reams ne a new butt, I have had somewhat photo block for several months now. To many deaths in the family, close friends and hard time with hubby dealing with compliments of agent orange, so my heart has not truly been photography for awhile now.

I pick the camera up look through the viewfinder and set the camera back down. I cant be the only shooter that has experienced this and wonder how any of you handled it in the past.

I have reviewed the website she has up and I have absolutely no idea what direction I should or shouldn't go here.

What should I do????

Old Timer Loc: Greenfield, In.

What does your first instinct tell you, You already know the answer. First impressions are usually right in my experience. If it does not sound right it usually is not right.

cj Loc: Emporium, Pa

I think its her website that is throwing my thinking process off too.

GDRoth Loc: Southeast Michigan USA

I think I'd use this as an opportunity to re-invigorate my mind.....TAKE CHARGE..tell her that based on what you now know about her requirements (and lack of planning) you need to take extra steps to do this project appropriately. Give her a bullet point list of the steps you are going to take so that the whole process is on paper.....put the number of hours next to each task and give her a price that will make sense to you and give you a chance to deliver great results.
If she refuses this approach, you dodged a bullet.....
If she accepts....throw yourself in and get your creative juices flowing again...

just my .02

emrob62 Loc: NEPA

Have to kinda agree with GDRoth. There is an opportunity here for you to take your own career and mindset in a new direction. It does sound like she is not entirely business owner material, being too nervous to make big decisions. But if you put this together right you could help both of you. You said she worked for another client you have. Did you know her? was she easy to work with there? If so, be positive, friendly and helpful. siet her down and find out where she wants to go, sha has to have some ideas. Give her some of your views on it and give her a little push. It may also help take your mind off your own troubles for awhile which in turn can change your block into a stepping stone.
Good luck, relax and enjoy the opportunities presented.
God bless you too in coping with your home scenario, hope all comes back together there.

Terry Scott Reed Loc: Reading, PA

You are dealing with two unrelated issues. First, I have been in business a long, long time. It took the first half of my career to become comfortable with trusting my gut. Every time I went agaist my gut feeling in favor of logical argument, it bit me in the butt. So trust your instincts.
Second, If you go against that instinct as a means of rejuvenating your creativity, it won't, it'll just slide you further downhill. We all hit slumps. They all end, sooner or later, but never before their time, and it is hard to force things, but you might try a new year's resolution to finally shoot that "one" shot you have had in your mind for years and somehow have never gotten around to. We all have that shot within us! Best of luck! Terry

cj Loc: Emporium, Pa

GD, Emrob62 and Terry,

Thank you I will take all your suggestions and mash them together. I am glad I checked the forum before leaving for this meeting with her,.

Yes I knew her I have even used her as a model for Bike builders such as Donnie Smith and Eddie Trotter and Dave Perewitz. ( post Gibson Bike Build off) She has a business mind or I should say an impressive backround with Chamber of Commerece since then.

Well I am off to recon the location and talk plans with H. Or I should say lack of plans.

Last night I did make a list from mileage right down to photo releases.

If you guys would like to sneek peek at her site I will give it to you privately I don't think its appropirate to post on an open forum.

Wish me luck and I will stand my ground.

I'll check back in later.

be safe
Jan

GDRoth Loc: Southeast Michigan USA

Go gettim, Jan

Guy Johnstone Loc: Ocean Shores WA

I know all about blocks. A thing that has worked for me is to try a new technique or equipment. When I worked mostly with large format studio cameras I go rent a Hasselblad swc for example. My enthusiasm for the new would carry over to the job. Also the new type of equipment would force me back to basics.

cj Loc: Emporium, Pa

Well with 5 other photographers ready to jump on this I am happy to say, I did stick with my gut feeling about this.

Now to get my mind set to run with it. I have spent the last few days going over contracts, we came to an agreement regarding the photos and specific grants of use for them. Which surprised me as I did jack my price per print.

What we haven't even touched on is a price per location shoot on top of the photos. H has agreed to take care of my expenses with consideration that at some point I may or may not need an assistant depending on location, travel, and hours that she will need me for the shoots.

I have a 1 year contract,implied, that no other photographer will be jumping in cutting my prices or stepping in taking my work.

I just need to get it all on paper by Saturday 21 Jan @noon. I don't have much to say about the models she has chosen but I can refuse to shoot for any reason at any time with justifiable cause, Model under the influence of alcohol, drugs, late, or just being someone I would like to snap like a twig due to attitude.

If any of you have a template contract for the actual photography shoot I would appreciate maybe a copy that I can go off and or use that would outline a flat baseline price to include any expenses incurred,

I know I am running out of time here but this past week I have spent 3 days at the hospital with my s/o and another day tomorrow back again.

Today was my day off from hospitals and I went to our local Ma and pop camera store who just announced they are closing to see what equipment they may have that I can use but guess what they were closed........ go figure,