Reply To: Fauxtogs who should end up on the main page…

[iliketag]

I have two I’ve been meaning to share.

Though they may not be front page worthy in terms of their work, their attitudes tell me they are flying high and racking up miles in fauxtog land. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate place to share them so, please, forgive the sort-of-off-topic-ness.

Let me start with the first story:

Have you ever been driving down the road, excited to get home from a long day at work then BOOM! Someone is practically running you off the road while cutting you off and driving like a bat out of hell? Even better, that person has their business name plastered ALL OVER their vehicle? Now, I’m critical of anyone who behaves that way. However, driving like a lunatic while representing your business is just pure stupidity.
Of course, I look them up.
http://www.exlotus.com/

This “company” randomly switches from first person to third person in their descriptions, has a terrible grasp on the English language and adores ellipses. Plus, their work is rife with poor editing choices. Some are not so bad, some are actually ok or even good. BUT, if you’re going to behave like a complete jackass, at least have the decency to WOW me! Also, their logo is a stock photo… and after contacting the artist, there is no record of them purchasing it… hooray!

The second happened the very next day! Gosh, it was a fun week for interactions with “photographers” for me!
As a lot of you know, I work in retail. It’s a crappy full time job but it pays the bills and supports my photography habit as well as feeding me on a daily basis. I answer phones all freaking day. Usually there is some unintelligible being on the other end with whom I go around and around with trying to figure out just what the hell they want from me and why they’re incapable of coming into the damn store. I digress.

I got a call from a gal who said she got a new monitor and that the color wasn’t good enough. I asked if she had had the monitor calibrated and she said no. She asked how much it would cost to get it done and I told her; she of course freaked out at the price and exclaimed that she could buy a whole new monitor for that same price so she would either do it herself or buy another monitor in hopes it would be better.
I went on to explain the Spyder calibration software for either home computers or professional business computers. When I told her the prices those could run, again, she freaked out. “I’m a photographer,” she said “I need to have the right color on my monitor! I shouldn’t have to pay for something the company should do for free!”
I have to stifle a giggle. I told her how several of the photographers I knew had spent hundreds, if not thousands, on their computer equipment and print calibration. Then I explained that most labs also ask for color profiles anyway.
She told me she would be returning everything and that this was “ridiculous”. I told her that that was her decision and we’re sorry she feels that way but unfortunately there’s not much else we can do after offering those solutions. She hung up.

I got curious so I put the phone number into google and came upon this:
http://capturelife.printroom.com/

It looks like something made with geocities in 1999. Apparently it’s a “Professional Photography Storefront”… I couldn’t help but think that, if those were the kind of photos she was taking, it wasn’t worth getting the equipment calibrated…

Then she called back! The next day. Asking how much photoshop was… and guess what? She was outraged at the price. I told her about Adobe CC but she still wasn’t having it. Too expensive.
*sigh*

I get phone calls from “photographers” all the time that are mad we don’t have certain lenses in stock at any given time because they “need them for a job today” or furious at the cost of spare batteries or a replacement charger… but I rarely get calls from a “business” that doesn’t understand that it costs money to operate one.