Reply To: Is there anything my friend can do?

[IHF]

I once asked a pregnant couple if I could try my hand photographing their newborn when the time came. They agreed, we did the shoot, I wasn’t happy with the outcome and neither were they. I thanked them for helping me, and asked if they wanted any of the shots. They picked four, but didn’t want prints or anything, they just used them on their family blog to show off their nursery, and a gift that someone special had made for the baby. End of story. Luckily for me, no one else got involved, and made them feel entitled to more, or that they somehow deserved better work than what I gave them, because I was incapable of better at the time. (Still am. Babies scare the begeesus outta me. A newborn photographer I am NOT lol. This important experience helped teach me that). It also would have been horrible to have them, their friends, and family angry with me for doing a lousy job of it and messaging me about it.

I don’t quite understand why the tog agreed to re edit when they saw nothing wrong and/or were unable to “fix” them due to lack of skills or what have you. I would have just let it lie and apologized and explained again why I offered to shoot for free. “I’m new to this and don’t have the experience behind me that’s needed to do a perfect session for you”. And again would thank them for the practice and learning experience.

I have a feeling if no one outside had gotten involved with this transaction of theirs, your friend would be perfectly happy. She wasn’t looking to hire a photographer, and probably didn’t even think of buying newborn photography until she was approached for a free shoot. No harm no foul. This tog may have a ego problem, and may not of handled things quite like she should have, but I don’t think your friend or her friends/family handled themselves properly either.