I am a semi pro photographer still with a lot to learn. I had a photoshoot recently where it all seemed to go wrong and I don’t know how to address it with the client.
This is a client I have worked for a lot in the past and they’re always happy with my work and rehire me for all their event photography.
They reached out saying they needed a lifestyle / headshot type shoot in their restaurant. This was split into two parts, one with a child and a food product and 5 different types of shots to get the 4 different type of shots with multiple food products. They gave me 1 hr to do the whole shoot.
I arrived an hour early to set up but client turned up 20 mins late. Then the restaurant didn’t have the correct food products for the shoot. There was no representative from head office just the two staff members to be in the shoot (not models)
We spent half an hour alone trying to sort the food products out and then I finally began shooting. 1st staff member was a reluctant model and it too a while to get her to relax by which time food product had melted and needed to be remade.
By the end, I was on site for two and a half hours, even though I was only being paid for 1 hour.
I’m not even happy to provide the client with the shots because they’re not good enough. (Client with eyes closed, blurred or product out of focus)
Currently, I’m thinking of sending the client what few shots I do have and explaining the issues but I don’t want to make it should like excuses for my lack of experience.
Do I write the whole shoot off and use it as a learning experience? I have definitely learned not to let the client dictate the time of a shoot.
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I’m not addressing the quality of the photos. Enough people in the thread have brought up the out of focus thing.
I will say, however, that if I’m contacted by a business owner to shoot them in their business, and then when I show up, the business is obviously not prepared for the shoot, that’s not my problem.
If the shoot is for x, y, and z, and then the restaurant says “Oh sorry, we don’t have the ingredients for x and y, and z is just gonna be this random employee who wasn’t prepared for this.”, that’s the client’s fault, and, honestly, I have a paragraph in my standard contract that covers shit like this.
Mind sharing that paragraph?
Elements of the shoot that are planned to be provided by the client (including but not limited to: client-owned business or other location, employees, props, etc) are provided at the sole discretion of the client and are not the responsibility of (insert business name here). Appointments that are unable to be completed due to these factors will be rescheduled at the client’s discretion at the currently agreed hourly rate.
Who wrote that contract! 💪
It seems obvious you didn’t send a project plan and the client did not circulate it. Chock this up to inexperience. You screwed up too. Don’t blame the client. Don’t charge. Suggest a reshoot.
You would be surprised how much ‘food’ photography is not food, or not fresh food. Among other things, it doesn’t melt
I’ve had similar issues in my earlier days and they’re always a learning curve. Given your relationship with the client and their past satisfaction, it’s worth being transparent with them. Explain the challenges faced during the shoot (late arrival, unavailability of proper food products, unprepared staff, etc.) but do so professionally, without pointing fingers.
Now, about the photos - since you’re not satisfied with the quality, it’s better not to compromise your standard. But also maybe take a step back and re-evaluate the shoot - sometimes we can be a bit harsh on ourselves when coming off a situation like this and you might still have some decent shots you can use. If it’s really not up to par then perhaps offer a re-shoot at a discounted rate, depending on your relationship with the client. This way, you’re not just leaving them high and dry but providing a solution.
Above all else though, you’ve got the right idea about not letting clients dictate unrealistic timelines. Future shoots should have clear time allocations that consider setup, possible delays, and shooting time.
I’d put this more on them than yourself.
I’d let them know the shot was a bust due to said reasons, and it needs to be redone, correctly this time.
Seems like the planning stage of the photoshoot was skipped… all of these issues wouldn’t have happened if you guys had a meeting beforehand to plan the shoot out/ make sure everyone and everything will be there ready to go when you get there. And unless you’re working with a big team, it’s on you to make sure it’s all set up.
Now as far as the bad shot:ratio that’s something that takes practice until it’s no longer an issue.
I’d take full responsiblity and explain to the client that it was your fault. You didn’t explain the importance of having models there on time, and also the importance of having the food ready to go so you could get all the shots in that hour.
Don’t share the shots you took.
He doesn’t care about the shots you got unless you have ALL of the shots he wanted. So tell him let’s reschedule when everyone has time and you ‘and he’ can coordinate the shoot better.
Tell him you did all you could with what you had but your goal is to get him quality shots for all the plates.
It sounds like it was a team effort and you weren’t the leader you needed to be… He will respect your approach if you sell this right. And for the next shoot, if he agrees…show up early and dressed nice, have a plan for each shot, be super engaging to the models, and say how great the food looks often. Say please and thank you a LOT. In other words…make up for your fuck up.
op already said they were an hour early and I wouldn’t presume to tell someone to dress nice in a professional setting (and assume they don’t). Bit overkill. Sounds like talking down “say thank you and please little jimmy”
Flint you’re too sensitive. Its time to man up when a man screws up. Not be a defensive pussy. If it sounds like you’re being talked down to, then you’re not realizing what the customer thinks of you because you were paid and didnt deliver.
OP’s showing up early didn’t help did it? Next time make sure your settings are right so your photos are in focus as part of your earliness.
If I know I’m going to be late I wear a tie. When I say dress nice I mean don’t wear a nicer t-shirt like you haha. I’m not saying be a simp…I’m saying be respectful with pleases and thank yous.
I’ve shot more than 500 events and had a few fuckups along the way and I know how to best resolve them by satisfying the customer…what about you,little Jimmy?
Lmao thanks for the entertainment. If I’m late I wear a ball gown. It makes everything better. 💃You’re never going to convince me you were hired 500 times, you’re just a try hard.
more than 500 because I do what I say and say what I’m gonna do…and I don’t let people down. Half my business is repeat business. If I fuck up I make up for it…jimmy!
Just keep wearing your tshirt and underwhelming your peeps…
Nahhh. I’d rather hire a chill guy in jeans and a tshirt over you and your obnoxious personality. Can’t sell me the story is real. Loud mouth bc you have a lot to prove and little going on. Good luck out there champ.
Yeah you go your way I’ll go mine, FandF… I’m betting your going to have to get the last word…bring the snark biotch!
Uh. Wow. I don’t think I have to, with those replies you are your own worst enemy.
I would give it to her for free if the shots aren’t good and apologise. I never set a time for product / food photography because you never know how long it will take, I just say a rough estimation and set the price based on the number of photos purchased
Next time you face a situation like this it’s ok to offer a re-scheduling even if you’re 100% setup and ready. The client wasn’t ready and unprofessional by showing up late and not communicating to whomever the necessary dishes that were required. One thing you can do in a situation like this is start working with the models to put them at ease. Even if there isn’t any food, you can still do the shoot as if there is and bring the food in after, re-shoot or even shoot it without the talent. But definitely walk away from something like this before it gets worse. And communicate.
One thing I’ve learnt from food photography is you make 3 copies of the food. Always. Use hair spray. Shoot humans and food separately. Compose them in post.
Early on in my career I used to shoot for 5 star hotels. I’m glad I moved on
Offer a free one off reshoot then tell them similar bookings will be on a $/£/€ per hour basis with a 30 min overshoot thrown in for goodwill (actually to keep their business as the client is always right), and anything over is charged at the hourly rate. If the company are decent they’ll think you’ve made a special allowance for this job and rebook you. If they’re ***holes to work for then you’re better off without them.
Your first mistake was agreeing to do so many shots in 1 hour, but I’m sure you realize that by now.
When I worked in a commercial advertising studio (as an photo assistant, set stylist, and graphic designer), food shoots were a half- to full-day project (depending on the client), using stand-in food while the stylist made the ‘hero’ food look presentable. These shoots for well-known fast food restaurant menu boards and didn’t even including any models.
Can you do it in less time? Maybe. But this was for a single shot of [whatever type of sandwich] plus creative directors from the ad agency coming in & out to oversee everything. The food styling itself took hours to get right (separately-paid professional), and then you have get the shot in a few minutes before it goes bad. Model shoots with a product like exercise equipment were often equally time consuming.
Sure, you can squeeze in a couple of shots in a half day, but you’re on location (we never did food shoots on location) and you’re talking multiple models and multiple food products… and you agreed to do all that in 1 hour? That’s just craziness, IMO.
Someone already mentioned preparation. All of this could’ve been solved in advance with a meeting to discuss creative direction for each shot and how much preparation each shot would require.
Hopefully you get a chance to re-shoot this, and hopefully you are able to explain tactfully how expectations went wrong all-around. It would be nice if you could actually get paid for all the time it takes to do what you set out to do. Good luck!
Honesty is the only way forward.
Now to you learning something from all this.
First of, you should not have started shooting without the client present. Second, food photography is one of the hardest to get right. Most great food photography does not include actual foodstuffs. Third, use this as a learning experience. Never accept a job without knowing you’ll be able to achieve it.
How did you handle lighting for the foodstuff? On camera flash? Strobes? Did you have an assistant so they could move things while you stood behind the lens and guided them?
Offer to reshoot for free
Stop charging/accepting 1 hour gigs! Charge half day rates or full day rates!!