# Client doesn't like half of the images



## FocusPocus (Sep 9, 2012)

I had a Senior Portrait Session this weekend and the client asked that I place all her images on facebook so they could pick and chose the ones they wanted to have printed. This is no problem since I normally upload small resolution images with logos on them for promotion of my work. Tonight, I got a text message from the client asking me to remove about 13 images. I removed the images as asked, but I'm completely floored as some of them are a few of the best ones that we got in that session. The focus is spot on and she looks great. I've never encountered this before and I'm trying not to feel somewhat offended. I know thats silly, but I am really proud of these pictures and obviously she doesn't like them since she has asked me to remove them. *Sigh*, I guess I just need to let it go since this will likely happen again someday. How do you guys deal with stuff like that?


----------



## cgipson1 (Sep 9, 2012)

why don't you post them... so we can see what is going on?


----------



## tirediron (Sep 9, 2012)

I often find that the images I think show the subject the best are the ones that he/she likes the least; it's all about personal taste & preference.  That said, I would NEVER post a proof gallery on Facebook.   I am guessing that Friend 'A' and Friend 'B' commented negatively about those images "You look fat" or "You look tired" or other typical teenage comments and this has caused your client to feel that there's a problem with those images.  Short version:  Don't sweat it.  It happens.


----------



## KmH (Sep 9, 2012)

What John said. &#8593; &#8593; &#8593;

If 13 were taken down, how many did you upload for the customer to look at?

I advocate for proofing in person. In person proofing is worth up to 4x larger ($$$$) average sales. More if you're good at selling.


----------



## FocusPocus (Sep 9, 2012)

Well, I suppose it really isn't THAT bad. She asked for 13 to be removed. There is 21 left and I still have dozens more to post from the rest of the shoot. It's just a hard pill to swallow. All the images posted are completely edited and finished so it also feels like a waste of time.


----------



## jamesbjenkins (Sep 9, 2012)

Never post proofs to FB. Problem solved.


----------



## KmH (Sep 9, 2012)

How long was the shoot?


----------



## PhotoWrangler (Sep 9, 2012)

FocusPocus said:


> I had a Senior Portrait Session this weekend and the client asked that I place all her images on facebook so they could pick and chose the ones they wanted to have printed.




*RED FLAG RED FLAG RED FLAG*


----------



## Steve5D (Sep 10, 2012)

She doesn't like half of them?

Sell her the other half...


----------



## MLeeK (Sep 10, 2012)

Facebook is not an ordering system and don't use it as such. Even though you just uploaded small images, the chances of your order just plummeted. 

As for her not liking the ones that are good images-clients don't know a good image from a hole in the ground in most instances. They aren't looking at the perfect photograph. They are looking at themselves or their child and they see things through their own feelings and prejudices for that person. It has absolutely zero to do with your work, per se, but everything to do with their perception. It's personal alright, but not personal to you.


----------



## Designer (Sep 10, 2012)

FocusPocus said:


> ...a few of the best ones that we got in that session.



If you can't take the time to educate a client about what makes good photography, then you have missed a teaching opportunity.  

You can't expect the average teen to know anything about art, but they do listen to their friends, who are just as well educated as they are.


----------



## MLeeK (Sep 10, 2012)

FocusPocus said:


> Well, I suppose it really isn't THAT bad. She asked for 13 to be removed. There is 21 left and I still have dozens more to post from the rest of the shoot. It's just a hard pill to swallow. All the images posted are completely edited and finished so it also feels like a waste of time.


That's another mistake. If you are taking the time to edit every image you post or the ones YOU like most you are going to waste a lot of time. You do a basic quick edit and full retouching is done to images ordered. Another reason not to post proofs to facebook.

Back in the day you got a proof book or folder from the photog. The proofs were kind of flat and crappy. You picked the best  ones and ordered. Your images came back retouched and gorgeous. 
Today we don't necessarily do flat and CRAPPY. BUT you also don't want to retouch every image completely or YOUR favorites completely. Do a couple so that the client knows what full retouch will look like, but that's it. Then only do what they order.


----------



## cgipson1 (Sep 10, 2012)

I would still like to see maybe three that they liked... and three that they rejected!  Maybe we could shed some light as to why they did this...


----------



## 12sndsgood (Sep 10, 2012)

I had someone do that with an engagement session, she was a friend of mine and she just didn't like how she looked in them. Just got to realise that not everyone is going to like everything you do. I would suggest putting the photos on a private site first, let the client go over them and then do the facebook postings after print purchase's have been made.


----------



## 2WheelPhoto (Sep 10, 2012)

> client asked that I place all her images on facebook so they could pick and chose the ones they wanted to *have printed*



Correction, the ones they wanted* to steal*. Since they decided to pay you for "half" of 'em. Quite kind since you provided them all of them, wouldn't you say?


----------



## jwbryson1 (Sep 10, 2012)

Facebook jacks up your images.  If posting online, consider posting them to Flickr where they will look MUCH better.


----------



## ceejtank (Sep 10, 2012)

Sometimes girls ask for pics to be taken down because of the dumbest things.. i.e. "theres a piece of hair blowing weird in this one".. ridic.


----------



## Trever1t (Sep 10, 2012)

tirediron said:


> I often find that the images I think show the subject the best are the ones that he/she likes the least; it's all about personal taste & preference.  That said, I would NEVER post a proof gallery on Facebook.   I am guessing that Friend 'A' and Friend 'B' commented negatively about those images "You look fat" or "You look tired" or other typical teenage comments and this has caused your client to feel that there's a problem with those images.  Short version:  Don't sweat it.  It happens.



I just show images that are good example of my work and problem solved...


I hate it when a client says I don't like this one or that one due to some personal physical issue and low self esteem, but that's the way it always goes, isn't it?


----------



## tirediron (Sep 10, 2012)

ceejtank said:


> Sometimes girls ask for pics to be taken down because of the dumbest things.. i.e. "theres a piece of hair blowing weird in this one".. ridic.


Ehhh... I'm not sure I agree with you there; things like flyaway hair and other little details are things that the photographer should be on the lookout for and dealing with.  Sometimes there's not a lot you can do other than clone them out in post...


----------



## tirediron (Sep 10, 2012)

Trever1t said:


> ...I just show images that are good example of my work and problem solved...


I'd like to think I do that too...


----------



## ceejtank (Sep 10, 2012)

tirediron said:


> ceejtank said:
> 
> 
> > Sometimes girls ask for pics to be taken down because of the dumbest things.. i.e. "theres a piece of hair blowing weird in this one".. ridic.
> ...



Oh I know.  I'm just saying, it might be little things like that.  One of my ex gf's once asked me to take down a pic on facebook because and i quote "My left eyebrow looks weird in that shot".. meanwhile it was a group shot of like 10 of us at the beach... and I couldn't see a damn thing wrong with her eyebrow haha.. so that's all I'm saying.. she might be focusing on something weird.


----------



## tirediron (Sep 10, 2012)

Gotcha!


----------



## imagemaker46 (Sep 10, 2012)

FocusPocus said:


> I had a Senior Portrait Session this weekend and the client asked that I place all her images on facebook so they could pick and chose the ones they wanted to have printed. This is no problem since I normally upload small resolution images with logos on them for promotion of my work. Tonight, I got a text message from the client asking me to remove about 13 images. I removed the images as asked, but I'm completely floored as some of them are a few of the best ones that we got in that session. The focus is spot on and she looks great. I've never encountered this before and I'm trying not to feel somewhat offended. I know thats silly, but I am really proud of these pictures and obviously she doesn't like them since she has asked me to remove them. *Sigh*, I guess I just need to let it go since this will likely happen again someday. How do you guys deal with stuff like that?




You grow thick skin, get over it and move on.  You shot the pictures, the client decides what they like, it's not what you like, that's how the business works.  It's not a matter of it likely going to happen again, I can guarantee that it will definately happen again.


----------



## FocusPocus (Sep 10, 2012)

Well thanks for all the responses. First of all, the provider I'm using for my website is currently doing some massive updating and hasn't fixed their password protected pages yet so a private gallery is out of the question for now. She asked me to place all the edited ones on facebook. I'm not worried that she will steal them. Her mother is the one who hired me and was adamant about ordering through me and not a 1 hour place. Obviously, I don't put the high resolution images on facebook. I scale them down and slap a big logo on them to discourage that. I would post the pictures on here, but since she has already asked me to take them down I don't feel that it would be right to then share them on here. Suffice it to say that I know what I'm doing and compositionally they are executed well. Someone suggested that many people will find the silliest reasons to not like an image and I think that's all it is. I've since thought about it and although its a bummer to know that she didn't like all the same images I did, in the end SHE is the one who has the like the pictures not me. I will take into consideration not fully editing the images until I get a list of images the client wants. I could think a picture is the best thing yet and spend some time editing it and then she might not even take a second glance. Next session, I'll do only the basics and then finish retouching when they have picked which ones they want. Thanks for the advice everyone!


----------



## SamSpade1941 (Sep 11, 2012)

Forgive my ignorance but,  why are you not using a service like Zenfolio or another web hosting service geared towards professional photographers and videographers?  Web services like the ones I mentioned are not free, but are optimized for displaying photographs online.


----------



## FocusPocus (Sep 11, 2012)

SamSpade1941 said:


> Forgive my ignorance but,  why are you not using a service like Zenfolio or another web hosting service geared towards professional photographers and videographers?  Web services like the ones I mentioned are not free, but are optimized for displaying photographs online.



I already have a paid account with a company but as I mentioned, they are doing a company wide upgrade and haven't gotten around to adding password protected pages again. Until then, I make do with what I have.


----------



## MLeeK (Sep 12, 2012)

FocusPocus said:


> SamSpade1941 said:
> 
> 
> > Forgive my ignorance but,  why are you not using a service like Zenfolio or another web hosting service geared towards professional photographers and videographers?  Web services like the ones I mentioned are not free, but are optimized for displaying photographs online.
> ...



If a service provider hasn't fixed a problem like that within 24 hours there is a problem with the service provider. 
NEVER is facebook acceptable as a proofing system. It's not good for you-it messes with your images a bit, safety, etc. It's taking way to many chances and it's really rather unprofessional to boot. 
I do not even use a provider but if I have to proof something on-line I can easily. There are options-which if you are paying for a service you should never have to find. The time to fix a problem is not week(s) or longer. If it is I'd SERIOUSLY re-think my provider and go with something a little more reliable.


----------

