First Job! How To Get Paid?

Joel R. is a colleague. He been selling prints of mostly macros of flowers and bugs for the last 10 years. Don't call them bugs, he says they are insects. No, they are bugs, to be crushed. I hate bugs! In anyway, business has been slowing over the last few years. He wanted to expand in the industrial field. We spent an afternoon, I consulted (meaning I charged $$) and showed him how to start (this will be included in the soon to be released “Turning Pro” workshop) without a portfolio.

In 1½ day, he found a “could be” aka the potential customer. He went back a few days later showing his 11” by 14” and 16” by 20” prints. The customer liked them. He offered $25 per photo, digital, all the rights… and $20 for each one of the prints!

The standard advice is don't do that! Always get it in writing, make them pay a deposit before starting… blah, blah… The problem is that you can't, not when you start. You don't have a portfolio, how can you build the confidence in the customer that you will be able to deliver on your promises of the fantastic photos?

Joel is going back at the end of the week, so he called so see how he could get out of the pit is dug himself in. This morning, we had coffee and I outlined my standard practice for the jobs that I take on speculation.

1. I do not charge for the session. That's why it's called speculation. Please note that there is no contract or obligation on either party.
2. If I feel that the job is big enough, I will make a couple of large prints to impress the customer.
3. We will do the review, together, on my laptop.
4. The customer selects which photos she wants.
5. I charge for usage.
6. If the order is big enough then I will give them the couple of prints that I did, as a “freebie”.

But it's always full price for the usage. No discount, zero, zip, nada. I took the risk, they didn't. They buy after seeing the finished photos!