Sweet 16 & Photos

[Anonymous]

Have a future Sweet 16 coming up where I originally quoted a price for a
1 camera and 1 photo camera crew to commemorate the party. Am now told
they want to be able to enlarge the resulting photos to a BIGGER size (and have
requested us to look into a bigger MP capacity camera)…. and they’re also interested
in adding a 2nd camera to the video side of the offering.

(considering I’ll have to purchase the bigger MP camera myself and add a third man to crew….)

Does this "additional equipment" request entail a revision of my original asking price??

(original asking price was based upon the equipment we HAVE and not forseeing the expansion).

[Anonymous]

If they came to you after you gave them the original quote and asked you to expand your services, then yes, you have every right to ask for more compensation if it will cost you more. Just politely explain that to give them all of the extra details they have now requested, you have to modify the quote, though you will still honor your original quote if they don’t need these extras.

Now, if they told you this before the quote was given, or if you’ve already agreed to do these as part of the quote, you’re probably going to have to suck it up and cover the cost yourself. You can try calling them and explaining what happened, but the bottom line is that if you agreed to these services for your quote, you’re more or less bound to stick to your quote.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Jim…

The original quote was based on their request for "video and pictures" so I delegated
1 photo camera and 1 video camera together….

After having sent the quote, in a follow-up call, they asked about changing the camera
to a higher MP capacity and wanting to add a second video camera.
(these details were NOT mentioned at our initial meeting and it was made clear
that it was 1 photo and 1 video…. not "2").

Have researched other videographers in this state and others offer 2 cameras & 1 photo
for upwards of $$$$ amounts. (my quote looks like a cheeseburger next to the others Big Mac rates).

Have considered removing the photo option from my quote– leaving my concentration to be video…
but then if they shop elsewhere and find another PHOTOgrapher with a video accomplice,
I’d get eliminated altogether…. (and they’d probably wind up with a TRIPLE HIGHER price there).

(so in a sense I figured I was right to think I should adjust my quote)

[Anonymous]

Further… the initial quote was based on utilizing 1 Pro-owned camera and 1 owned digital photo camera. (which they’d agreed on @ first glance).

(they requested a higher MP capable-camera for their purposes of wanting to enlarge finished photos to a higher
degree than we offered).

They’re asking to change equipment, add a 2nd camera and a third man for crew.
(neither of these elements were in the original quote).

[birdcat]

Not doing video professionally but have dealt with this type of client for many, many years in business.

The only thing I can say is cha-ching. When a client asks to modify the agreement, I tell them no problem but it will entail additional charges and may delay the project (you obviously cannot delay the event but the delivery date of final product may be impacted).

Look at this as a money making opportunity.

[Anonymous]

you’ll find you get less hassles, less "we want this for free", "one more thing" less bounced cheques, less late payments, and less "these products aren’t worth paying for" when you learn to avoid the "cheeseburger" clients and get into the "filet minion" clients.

tell them you’ll prepare a new quote to meet thier request for additional services…..do it in writing

[Anonymous]

What was your original MP and what are they asking for in MP?

You might consider renting a camera with the higher MP in order to get the job without sinking a lot of money for this one job.

[Anonymous]

Appreciate the input, all the way around, from all the above!!

Another stance, a perk about buying a bigger MP photo-camera -NOW-
could mean that in future propositions I can straightforwardly offer
PHOTOS as a standalone (or inclusion) in the overall quote…. and
offer with a bigger asking price (at the start) knowing that I’m already equipped
for that department (with a 2nd crew person)…..

Rather than face the "Let’s remove the photo option" dilemma again.

Their beef is that they intend to enlarge the photos to 14×16…. (and I did NOT happen
to see that size as an option at our local photo retailer)…

I’m thinking the bigger MP camera might be a pinch now, but it’s a benefit to
have it on-hand for when/if future needs arise (and start up with a higher quote)
on projects requesting that as a feature.

But I’m still sensing that this current quote will need to be modified/re-written
to adjust for a SECOND added video camera and the larger MP capability…

Thanks again for the insight, folks! (the more the merrier)

[Anonymous]

The cost of "Renting" is in the same neighborhood as "Buying" straight out.

It seems more beneficial to buy now… and have it on-hand for forthcoming requests.

[Author]

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