exciting news and a vent

[natatbeach]

We are off tomorrow AM to the beach for a week or so (i'm coming back early to work on some stuff).... the news so far..

Our store doesn't do any "outside of the business" photography...everything has been strictly studio. I have been wanting to try and get that part of the business rolling and we finally got a customer that was way willing to go for it...

We( I say we loosely) there was supposed to be me and another girl shooting (with my camera and equipment) she couldn't really figure out the flash and camera so she ended being more of a prop and stylist(out of 175 shots we took---she shot 15-20 of them)

All said and done we received $750 for the sitting fee $250 for each person(her , me, the store) We work on commision so as a photographer I should have gotten the full commision on the sale since she really didn't do jack crap...she is supposed to get full commision on the sale because I didn't really "sell the shots" I just assisted in selecting them...

Good points:
Manager said that although he had respect for me before ---after viewing the shots I took the level of respect that he had for me as a photographer "rose to a level beyond explanation" (yay)

Out of 175 shots ---125 were usebale---she picked out 48 of them to purchase...2 of them as 30x40 framed images...(yay)

She wants me to do the retocuhing because she felt that I did a great job illustrating the mood she wanted(normally we send it to a lab that does extensive retouching---digital plastic surgery)and I get paid per image(hourly + retouching fee) instead of paying our usual lab

the manager is sending a CD of the images to the owner of ALL the stores and requesting that he consider us to be the first store on the east coast to offer wedding photography and requesting that I head up the team that hires and trains incoming staff for this venture(woah like way not skilled for that photographically---time to take some classes)

the total cost of the order was over $19,000---(yes that's the right number of zeros)



Bad points

the girl entered me in our system as geting half of the commision because she took some photographs too--- so she feels she should get half credit for half the work----- %#$@^& ---- then she gets FULL credit for the sale as well....

My husband felt that since it was a first time venture and we were in it together---meaning without my photos she wouldn't have sold what she did---without her sales skills the order wouldn't have been as big....

what's your take?

she's leaving our store to go run her own store and will be gone by the end of August....deal with it or say something about the unfairness of it?

anyway that was my vent and sharing of good news all in one breathe...

[Peter_AUS]

Natalie,

She is going let it go and concentrate on the other aspects that you seem like you might have to deal with. Good luck with it.

[natatbeach]

Natalie,

She is going let it go and concentrate on the other aspects that you seem like you might have to deal with. Good luck with it.

I gues it's the principle of the matter...but you offer sage advice. guess sometimes it's best to ignor ethe things you can't chnage an focus on the ones you can...thanks Peter

[Liz]

Congratulations, Natalie!

That's great news. Good for you!

As for the deal, I would take it without complaining - for the moment. It's your first big deal - and sometimes it takes eating a little "crow" so they say.

However, I would tell her peacefully how unfair this was - after you know the deal is done......and she is on her way out and can't do you any harm. Just to let her know that you're aware of what she did.

Just a thought.

Natalie,

She is going let it go and concentrate on the other aspects that you seem like you might have to deal with. Good luck with it.

[Axle]

Nat! That's awesome!!

However, I would tell her peacefully how unfair this was - after you know the deal is done......and she is on her way out and can't do you any harm. Just to let her know that you're aware of what she did.

Yes, I agree completly with that. You have to let the person in question know exactly how you feel.

[mjs1973]

Congrats Nat, that is great news!!

As for the coworker, it's hard to say. I think somone needs to know what's going on. Maybe telling the manager what she did would be a place to start. Basing the commision on whose images were purchased could be something to think about in the future as well. Just some thoughts.

[another view]

she's leaving our store to go run her own store and will be gone by the end of August

It's only a month. You'll always run into people like that, regardless of what you're selling (believe me...). I'm not defending what she did (not that she necessarily knows how you feel) but she did help out - a little. So it's a good lesson, I guess. Besides, it's a small world. You may cross paths again, especially if this is a franchise store (is it? not sure.) and she stays with the company.

Congrads on doing so well!!

[Asylum Steve]

Nat,

Congrats on the gig, and especially on how well you did with it...

Based on what you described, I think your partner DID contribute to the whole process, and without being there to experience it first-hand, I think her equal take of the commission was fair.

In these kind of "partner" situations, IMO it's mistake to count frames taken, or things like keepers, or shots a client likes as a barometer of who is doing the most work.

The fact that this is a temporary situation makes it even less important.

Now, if you found yourself doing ALL the work while someone else took ALL the credit over the course of a period of time, that would be different. But you're on to something pretty good here, and your talents and experience with this will only grow as you do more of it, so there's really no point dwelling on the negatives.

Enjoy the beach. Don't forget the sunblock!

[SmartWombat]

If your cow-orker has trod on your toes today, is there a chance they have to make up later ?

A friend of mine said 'beware the toes you tread on today, they may be attached to an a*** you have to kiss tomorrow' and while he was joking I'm sure, a laid back attitude has served me well for 46 years (but who's counting?).

But I do let people know exactly where they stand - and then get on with life.

In the end you have to do what you can live with.
For me that's an almost horizontally laid back attitude, and only occasionally do I rear up and bite. Then people are really, really scared of me. I'm a pussy cat really
I just keep the teeth and claws hidden, and use purring and cute looks.


P.S. If you believe the cute bit, wanna by a used car?

[walterick]

Natalie! You rock baby! Go grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrll!

I say keep your head down for the month that's left. Like Steve said, you never know who you're going to end up working with in the future - her or one of her close coleagues - so don't burn your bridges. If she were staying, I would say do otherwise. Look at this as an early lesson in what to expect and adjust for in the future. You know you'll have a stricter pay scehdule figured out in the future for when you open your own business...

But I digress. Don't let it happen again. Try going to a superviser rather than confronting her. If you don't rile her feathers but still get want you want, all the better

So it just happens that your $250 will buy you a round trip tic to Phoenix! Hmm, how interesting!

Take care,
Rick

[Chunk]

I'm not sure I follow that all. If I understand this, you did a shoot with your equipment and your pay for this was $250 with the helper also getting $250 plus some other commission and the store getting $250 plus a $19000 order? I can see why the manager was happy. I don't think you were treated well at all and would have second thoughts about making a deeper commitment to a company that works that way.
At the very least let the manager know that you think that you were treated shabbily. Also tell them that you want some sort of written agreement in advance of how commisions are going to be awarded. Also tell them that you won't work with that other person as co-photographers.
I hope I've mistaken the situation and that the company is actually good to work with and it is actually a great opportunity they are offering but if they don't offer to make things right in this deal, I'd be very sure to have all dealings with them in writing.