THIS IS A GUEST POST COURTESY OF CATHERINE TAPPER OF CATHERINE TAPPER PHOTOGRAPHY
1.)What kind of camera do you use?
With Google at our fingertips, I’m certain this question is asked with the mindset of someone off to research. Chances are if they’re in conversation with you they’ve both seen and liked your work. Spending money can be emotional for some. People feel they can justify their spending if they’re armed with facts of their purchase and that’s ok.
A nice reply might be: I’m so glad you’ve taken an interest in my work. I’ve achieved this look with my {insert camera here}. My favorite two lenses for the type of session you’re inquiring on are {Y} and {Z}. They’re a great compliment to the {insert camera here} and I’m both familiar and comfortable with them. I’m certain with my experience we can achieve a look your happy with.
2.)When will my pictures be done?
In the words of Shana Carter, under-promise and over-deliver. Be the hero in your own photography story. This is such an easy win in creating a great experience. You don’t do your best work rushing or at 1 a.m.
A nice reply might be: Your photographs are very important to me and I can assure you I’ll be giving them the time and attention needed to make them the best they can be. My attention to detail and artistic enhancements do take time and therefore I ask for {insert time frame here}. Please see our contract for specific detail reminders about editing time and parameters.
3.) Where are all the rest of my images?
This question can leave me feeling defensive by human nature. Knowledge = Power in this situation. With educating your clients you take control of this very common question. Manage expectations by discussing your process before the shoot. This conversation is much harder to have on the back end vs the front end after they’ve already heard all the click-click clicks. Details can be easily missed in a discussion when a client is focused on looking great, corralling wild kids, worrying about the weather, or getting their husbands to give a genuine smile. Let them know that your job as a professional is to pick the most flattering images based on lighting, poses, eye blinks, etc.
A nice reply might be: I’m so glad you love the gallery as much as I do. These are the best of the best in highlighting you. I felt you’d be the happiest with this final collection based on our discussions. My critique included flattering poses, expressions, lighting, connection, etc. Any images that did not make the gallery were not in my professional opinion ranked in the top ten {or insert package number here}
4.) Can I have the unedited pictures?
I’m a people pleaser as are most of you. We want so badly for clients to enjoy the process start to finish coming out with raving reviews and referrals. We also all want a deal, myself included. I believe the question often comes from an innocent place. The mentality being that it’s no big deal because you didn’t have to put time into them. They see our best work on social media but not the hours at the computer perfecting it. It’s ok to say no to this question. You wouldn’t serve a cake half baked right? Unedited pictures are not a true representation of your work, your standard.
A nice reply might be: I’m so flattered that you are so happy with the results of our session. RAW files do not represent the final artistic look in which you hired me to create. I am however happy to spend additional time on your session. Should you wish for additional images the fee would be {insert per image pricing here}.
5.) Can’t you just fix that in Photoshop?
How great life would be if the answer could always be yes! Even the masters have limitations. Preparation is key here. Hair, makeup, and wardrobe all have a huge impact on the overall quality and feel of an image. If you don’t already have a style guide another suggestion would be doing a complimentary consultation or a Facetime call. Let them know you’re available to give feedback prior to the shoot. Many things, however, can be fixed or improved with Photoshop…… and time. Make sure you’re charging for all those keystrokes. Your contract should include a clause stating retouching consists of basic touch-ups such as color correction and removal of blemishes etc. Any additional retouching requested is billed at $ / hour.
A nice reply might be: Though Photoshop is a wonderful tool to enhance and perfect, it is not without limitations. What you’re requesting for your portraits does not fall into the category of basic editing. If you’d like for me to make intricate changes I’d be happy to do so at a rate of $ / hour. XYZ change requested, however, is not a Photoshop correctable situation but one that needed to be altered before your session.
6.) I know it’s a mini session but I have family in town, can they join in for just one picture?
This goes back to “everyone wants a deal”. Just one picture is never just one picture. Additional people change the flow of the shoot and add additional time to every edit. Mini sessions are meant to be just that, mini. A small sampling of your full package. Often mini sessions are scheduled back to back with multiple families within time slots. To say yes to this can cause delays to your tight schedule leaving you flustered and clients angry. This can have a domino effect on your day and is simply not worth the risk (especially at a reduced rate).
A nice reply might be: What a great thing to enjoy family in town. Though I’d love to be a part of capturing your visit, I’m not able to do so within a mini session. If you’d like to upgrade your package to a full session I’d be happy to apply your mini fee towards the full package experience. This will allow us the time needed to capture the family connection while having ample time for everyone to be captured at their best. I’m also able to give your session more attention in the processing portion which will ensure you are happy with the results.
So here you have it, I hope this can help you answer your clients’ questions with confidence. Don’t be afraid to say no! Do not apologize for the way you run your business but always answer professionally because sometimes clients need to be educated and that’s just another part of our job.
This article was featured in Summerana Magazine | January 2020 issue