Where's my cd of pictures?! The annoyance of TF* anything

[Helen Highwater]

Last summer I did a TFCD shoot for a fancy dress company. They wanted someone to model plus-size costumes, so of course, I was the girl for them. The shoot was actually in their house, but I didn't mind because the set-up, despite being in a house, was pretty good. The shoot seemed to go well and I saw the RAW-file pics on a laptop and there were some rather nice shots. We all went off for a balti, got a bit drunk, and all was well.

Except I've never received my photos! I got a couple which the photographer had put up on Flickr, but they're not very big, and there's only a couple of them despite me modelling several different costumes. And they had promised me, from the outset, that they would send me a cd of photos. There were no contracts involved because it was all rather casual, but even if there were contracts, would I really bother paying for a solicitor to get my pics?!

I keep reminding them, every so often. I don't want to appear annoying, because I'll never get them that way! But I paid for my travel to them, and because it was a Sunday and the trains weren't working, it was a long and very annoying journey on various buses and I didn't get home until midnight.

So... I gave my time - where's my cd?

(I don't think there's an answer to this... I'm just having a moan, really!)

[Miss Cryss]

oooh if I had ahundred bucks every time this has happend to me! I'm soooo sick of working with photogs who don't keep up their end of the bargin. In fact... for those of you in california who read this.... NEVER WORK WITH JOSEPH CHAVEZ!!!!!! He is a liar! I did two shoots with him..... I modeled and did my own hair and makup for two shoots, plus I did hair for the other model who was there on both shoots as well. I waited and waited..... and so did the other model. He loaded two photos on his "page" that I copied to my computer..... that's I ever got. I'ved asked him a million times for my cd but he refuses to give it to me. I even offered to pick it up or meet him to pick it up... he never answered my emails. I'm furious with him. Including him, this has happend to me 4 times..... grrrrrrr I hate shady people!

[Helen Highwater]

Crystal I feel your pain! that's actually more annoying than my situation too!!!

[Cherry Pie]

I'm to the point to where I'm going to have them sign a contract as well. I have had this happen with 2 different photographers. Both promised cd's of my images which I never received. I have a strong photography background so I finally decided to buy my own camera so I don't have to deal with this anymore :)

[Helen Highwater]

Good for you!

[Violet Ecstasy]

I've had about 2-3 shoots from last summer where I never got the finished pics. One guy emailed me 5 pics, 4 of which I use and one is my favourite but I expected more and emailed him. He said he'd been on holiday and would send me a CD but it never materialised. The other guy took hundreds of photos and we went through them at his house. I gave him a list of the ones he liked and he sent me "web sized" pics by email. They are much smaller than I would call web-sized, you can't make out much detail and there are some really nice pics there too.

The last one was a retired gentleman, really nice but he said he was suffering really badly with his teeth. He sent me a CD with photos on, saying it was somewhat unfinished because he was still in pain (why send unfinished pics?) The editing was rubbish, he had photoshopped out lighting stands etc and the work was not smooth, you could see edges and where he'd cloned out the objects. Other photos were totally blurry and unusable for my portfolio. I haven't contacted him because I don't know whether he is having health problems or what...

[Helen Highwater]

I'm wondering if we should have some kind of clause - "I'll do the shoot but if I don't get the photos by a pre-arranged date then I'm going to announce to the whole world that you're crap." Or words to that effect, at least!

[Helen Highwater]

I like the idea of taking a flashdrive or pack of cds with me - I'll definitely do that next time! But then you have the problem that some photographers want to edit the pics before they give them to you, so they don't really want you to have the basic pics. But to be honest, basic pics that I can edit myself is better than b-all!!!

[Retrodolls Pinup Photography]

that sucks :(

[Hi-Tone]

I had the same prob. I took all these valentine's pics like a month before Valentine's. I asked after I waited for weeks if I could get my CD before Valentine's so that I could print some for my hubby. She said Yeah sure....... Still no pics! I understand your frustration! I drove way out to BFE to get to her house too!

[Bonbon Betty]

oh wow I'm glad I read this I'm having my first shoot coming up and well the photog says he's going to give me a cd copie of my photos...should I ask for prints insted? Its a pretty casual shoot at a upcoming car show

[Helen Highwater]

Bonbon, I think the best thing to do is follow "The Way We Were" 's hot tip and take a flashdrive or cds with you and copy the pics onto them at the time.

The trouble is, at least in the UK, copyright stays with the photographer (except if you've paid for the shoot), so even if you protested and said, "I want my pics that you promised!" they could still turn round and say, "Correction, my pics." Although a verbal agreement is still a contract. Oh pants, it's all confusing! At the end of the day, though, when someone says to you, "We can't pay you but you get to have the photos for your portfolio" to never give you the damn photos takes the piss!!!