# Client questioning your methods?



## tirediron (Sep 27, 2016)

An interesting experience I had the other day:  I received a call from a fellow who was starting up a real estate practice in my area, and wanted the usual headshots & social media images.  He had some very specific ideas about what he wanted, one of which was that he wanted most if not all images shot against a white background.  Fair enough... then he asked me what kind of equipment I used.  I explained I used professional-grade Nikon lenses & bodies and professional lighting gear. 

He asked me if I had a white background to which I responded, 'No' (somewhere I've got a 53" inch roll of white seamless, but that doesn't travel well), and wanted to know if I would change the colour in the computer.  I explained that I could do that, but as it's always best to get the image as close to 'right' in the camera as one can, I would do it by controlling the lighting.  He didn't seem at  all happy with, or confident in my answer, and asked me if I was sure that would work.  I explained that this would work perfectly, and there would be no issues with the background "colour"...

Since our schedules didn't work out, I didn't actually wind up doing the session (a good think I suspect), but I was a bit taken aback.  I've had lots of people ask me how I will do something, and a few even ask what equipment I use, but I've never had one actually question my methodology. 

Anyone else have a similar experience?


----------



## Designer (Sep 27, 2016)

Not in photography, but in other lines of work.


----------



## astroNikon (Sep 27, 2016)

So you chatted with a newbie, inexperienced  photographer wanting some work done?


----------



## SquarePeg (Sep 27, 2016)

If I knew nothing at all about photography I wouldn't understand the "control it with lighting" concept either.  

PS - As the mother of a 13 year old girl, my every move is questioned and critiqued.


----------



## paigew (Sep 27, 2016)

I would probably have sent him a quick example because I agree, it just went too far over his head.


----------



## table1349 (Sep 27, 2016)

SquarePeg said:


> PS - As the mother of a 13 year old girl, my every move is questioned and critiqued.


Not by any of us that raised girls through their teenage years who lived.


----------



## tirediron (Sep 28, 2016)

Designer said:


> Not in photography, but in other lines of work.


I guess it happens in every field...


astroNikon said:


> So you chatted with a newbie, inexperienced  photographer wanting some work done?


Very likely!


SquarePeg said:


> If I knew nothing at all about photography I wouldn't understand the "control it with lighting" concept either.
> 
> PS - As the mother of a 13 year old girl, my every move is questioned and critiqued.


Perhaps not, but if you hire a professional <trade> and he/she tells you that they're going to do something, would you lead off with , "That doesn't make sense" or ask more questions?  The second part, well... that's a self-inflicted injury.  Can't help you there! 


paigew said:


> I would probably have sent him a quick example because I agree, it just went too far over his head.


Had we actually got to a face-to-face meeting I would have shown examples.


gryphonslair99 said:


> SquarePeg said:
> 
> 
> > PS - As the mother of a 13 year old girl, my every move is questioned and critiqued.
> ...


*Shudder*


----------



## waday (Sep 28, 2016)

tirediron said:


> Designer said:
> 
> 
> > Not in photography, but in other lines of work.
> ...


These two responses explain it all, IMO.

_A little learning is a dangerous thing / Drink deep or taste not the Pierian spring_


----------



## AceCo55 (Sep 29, 2016)

SquarePeg said:


> If I knew nothing at all about photography I wouldn't understand the "control it with lighting" concept either.
> 
> PS - As the mother of a 13 year old girl, my every move is questioned and critiqued.



Reminds me of the Mark Twain quote:
*“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”*


----------



## RyanLilly (Nov 1, 2016)

Its like in audio, when someone wants to know "how many watts your speakers are." 
I find there are 3 answers. 
1) you actually explain SPL, power, and sensitivity, and either they are intrigued, or it goes over their heads.
2) The numbers are not important, and I can show you that these are loud and sound good.
3) 500,000 watts.

3 is usually the best answer.


----------



## Vtec44 (Nov 1, 2016)

I'm a wedding photographer.  Everybody and their grandma at each of my wedding is suppose to be a better photographer than me.


----------



## Gary A. (Nov 1, 2016)

Vtec44 said:


> I'm a wedding photographer.  Everybody and their grandma at each of my wedding is suppose to be a better photographer than me.


Especially Uncle Bob.


----------



## Gary A. (Nov 1, 2016)

If I was your client ... I'd question your methodology.


----------



## tirediron (Nov 2, 2016)

And from you, I'd expect nothing less!


----------



## Gary A. (Nov 2, 2016)

LOL


----------



## ashleykaryl (Nov 6, 2016)

This reminds me of weird experience I had many years ago as a photography student at art college. I somehow wound up photographing some local amateur models for a hairdressing salon and a rather uptight hairdresser was present at the shoot. I don't remember much else, except that it was an unpaid college project. 

She viewed everything I was doing during the shoot and saw there was a grey background. She was happy with the Polaroids showing a grey background. At no point did she say the background need be anything other than the grey I had chosen. 

When she saw the processed film she was horrified that the background was grey and for some reason was expecting it to be white. Having some sense of the approaching storm if I failed to come up with a quick answer I assured her that while it may look grey, technically it was white... 

Incredibly she accepted that as being correct and thankfully that was the last I heard of it...


----------

