Living in a small place just outside a bigger place (Schoenmakerskop/Port Elizabeth) has probably caused me more stress than what it is worth. I don’t talk to other photographers as there are none around and when they do come here we take pictures and talk about other things.
So, does the concept of the “invoice horries” even exist? It can arise as a result of an almost everyday shoot like the one I had last week. Never done this before: “Please make me a canvas print of my painting for my daughter in Australia” was the request and so I did it. I used natural diffuse sunlight and lay the painting on a couch and took a picture carefully (bracketing as I went). Was careful to get parallel and avoid shadows etc.
Went home and sharpened and saturated a bit and went to have the print made. Someone delivered the canvas and I prepared to email the invoice. Then somewhere on a forum I saw how real photographers copy paintings and then I got worried. Some use umpteen lights, reflectors, light meters and copying stands and are still not satisfied with the results. With a brief curse I sent the invoice mail and vowed to be more careful in future. About a week later got a message to call the lady in question. Worried and stressed but made the call! She was happy and just wanted to thank me and she said she had made the payment.
Then I had a shoot this week of a new factory. Went and did it thinking that it would be easy. It was not as everything was shiny and new and I have never seen so many reflections of myself at one time. Did the shoot and chatted to the manager afterwards. Said I did not understand the cement making process and asked how the stuff travelled down the shiny pipes. He told me they were a brand new tomato sauce factory. I tried to remain calm and spoke of the joys of tomato sauce with breakfast, lunch, supper and tea and then went home.
I felt guilty when I made out the invoice – there must be big differences in the way one photographs cement factories compared to tomato sauce plants. Wonder if they will pay me. Does anyone else have these kinds of hassles with invoices?
So, does the concept of the “invoice horries” even exist? It can arise as a result of an almost everyday shoot like the one I had last week. Never done this before: “Please make me a canvas print of my painting for my daughter in Australia” was the request and so I did it. I used natural diffuse sunlight and lay the painting on a couch and took a picture carefully (bracketing as I went). Was careful to get parallel and avoid shadows etc.
Went home and sharpened and saturated a bit and went to have the print made. Someone delivered the canvas and I prepared to email the invoice. Then somewhere on a forum I saw how real photographers copy paintings and then I got worried. Some use umpteen lights, reflectors, light meters and copying stands and are still not satisfied with the results. With a brief curse I sent the invoice mail and vowed to be more careful in future. About a week later got a message to call the lady in question. Worried and stressed but made the call! She was happy and just wanted to thank me and she said she had made the payment.
Then I had a shoot this week of a new factory. Went and did it thinking that it would be easy. It was not as everything was shiny and new and I have never seen so many reflections of myself at one time. Did the shoot and chatted to the manager afterwards. Said I did not understand the cement making process and asked how the stuff travelled down the shiny pipes. He told me they were a brand new tomato sauce factory. I tried to remain calm and spoke of the joys of tomato sauce with breakfast, lunch, supper and tea and then went home.
I felt guilty when I made out the invoice – there must be big differences in the way one photographs cement factories compared to tomato sauce plants. Wonder if they will pay me. Does anyone else have these kinds of hassles with invoices?
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