Should photos really be THIS hard??!

::Saint:: · #1 07-18-2007, 06:26 PM

So, my band has been playing together for almost a year now and we've had a couple public shows starting last month. We've never band photos, however, but I thought to solve this at the first show by asking a friend of mine to come take some photos, as this is a hobby of his. So he says he will do it and the only cost is that I get himself and his date on the guest list. Fair enough.

Anyway, he took a bunch of photos throughout the show and seemed pretty stoked about the music, etc, but it has been three weeks since then and he has not sent me any photos. He posted a few on livevictoria.com, which is the online local music scene community, but the website shrinks them, and he only posted 6 shots to start with. I've asked him several times to send me the whole full-size, unedited batch over, even if some didn't turn out I'd rather have them and be able to work with them than have nothing. No response. Very frustrating and yet I don't want to get peeved at him because he is a friend, sort of, and he still has our pics.

Second show is at a small restaurant, almost a coffee-shop environment. No pay in it for us, even though they were charging a $5 cover to everyone who came, most of whom were our friends. Okay, fair enough, first show they've had there and obviously they wanted to hedge their bets. They've asked us back and next time I will definately be asking for a hefty percentage of the cover charge, as it isn't as though they were really doing much in the way of promotion or postering or anything anyway.

But here is the really frustrating part - the guy who organized the show (not the venue owner) was taking pictures and I asked him specifically if he would send them to me, which he said he would. After the fact, though, he keeps saying "Oh the lighting wasn't very good so I have to edit them into an art-like form" .. which I specifically asked him not to. I have been very clearly asking for him to send me unedited, full-sized pictures for some time and he keeps posting up his artistic edits of the pictures, also on Livevictoria.com but hasn't responded to my request to just get some frickin pictures we can bloody use! It's great that he's "artistic" and all, but honestly, what the hell am I supposed to do with a picture of myself playing bass superimposed with what can only be described as hallucinagenic magic mushroom vomit??! Again, getting really close to blowing up at this guy -- we did him a favour by supporting his show and playing for free - the least he can do is send us photos in the format I've asked for. He's had time to screw around and create his "art", and to post several of these on the internet, so I know he has been reading his email and has had the opportunity to send them to me.

Again, I'd rather not have to blow up at this guy because he might be a good source of shows in the future, but this is REALLY getting frustrating.

Thoughts?

JOHNNY CHINGAS · #2 07-18-2007, 06:28 PM

Sounds like you need to hire a pro. Should be worth it if you guys are playing out a lot.

::Saint:: · #3 07-18-2007, 06:33 PM

Well that's part of the problem - we're not playing out a lot at the moment, and photos would really help to promote us. Plus, professionals are pretty danged expensive (I'm guessing $500 +) to come and photograph a 30-45 minute set). Can't really afford it at this point.

chaosMK · #4 07-19-2007, 11:49 AM

We suck at photos.

louieeadg · #5 07-19-2007, 12:11 PM

Um...if you have a camera, get a friend to take pictures of the next show or take pictures at practice, prefereably both, and then after the show, since its your camera, you'll have the pictures. There's no need to blow up at anybody. Its not like you paid them and you didn't buy them film(unless they use digital). Instances like this are often a lack of communication from both parties. Did you let both guys know that you wanted the pictures, non-edited, non-interneted, in YOUR hands as soon as humanly possible...prefereably, the next day? If you really want this stuff, handle it yourself, stop complaining, and do something about it.

cheers

Edit: Oh yeah, not trying to be a dick, just a few years of experience with me asking people to do stuff. If you really want it done, it can happen. Take the initiative!

::Saint:: · #6 07-19-2007, 01:29 PM

It was definately a case of asking someone to do the photos for us precisely for the purpose of getting them in our hands unedited as quickly as possible, yes. I realize I wasn't paying them, but they knew what they were doing and why.

Just frustrating.. I don't actually own a camera, and the one we had been going to use was broken, so it left me with few options!

CoolHat · #7 07-19-2007, 03:59 PM

I guess you´ll just have to find someone else to shoot your next gig. You may be better off with someone who doesn´t take photography too seriously. You see, most pro and semi-pro photographers do not want to give out their photos before they´ve gone through them themselves, weeded out the duds and done some basic adjustments and edits.

Fair enough, but what separates pros from semi-pros is that the former will deliver the finished photos in due time, whereas the semi-pros may keep you waiting indefinitely. So if you don´t have the money to hire a real pro, you can as well get just some Joe Blow with a camera, who will be happy to give the memory card to you after the show. Chances are he´ll be able to take at least one or two decent shots.

jive1 · #8 07-19-2007, 04:42 PM

The truth of the matter is that the photgrapher owns those pictures, and can do as he pleases with them. If they are taken in plain view, they do not require a model release, so they are his. Many photographers are reluctant to give away negatives, full size pix, etc. as they are his/her property. They can be used outside of the photographers intent and right to compensation, so they hold on to their negatives. But, they should expressly state that.

The rule is that if you want something done in a timely, professional manner you have to pay for it in some way or another. Most times, the things that pay the bills will always supercede favors. Best bet is to hire someone who does this to pay the bills.

Tnavis · #9 07-20-2007, 08:58 AM

The other thing I would reccommend is checking with a local college or even high school art department, for students interested in doing some photo work. The best bet though is to just hire a professional.

My last band did our photo shoot at a Sears portrait studio, only $20. We had a LOT of fun with it, but our image wasn't very serious, so it worked out well.

::Saint:: · #10 07-20-2007, 09:39 AM

It's kind of frustrating when somebody actually advertises that they will do band photos for you and specifies "I do this as a hobby and not as a business" and assures you the only cost is no cover at the show. Seriously, how fricking long does it take to put some photos in an email and send them off? It just kinda boggles my mind.

With the other guy, he's no professional photographer, or even semi-pro .. I think the problem is that he is an odd guy who fancies himself an "artist" by way of taking photos of people and manipulating them in, shall we say, unorthodox ways (making breasts bigger on women - inserting centaurs and wild and wacky tie-dye colours, etc) .. and it's like UGH.. we're a frickin' band - give us something that WE can use!

Dave Martin · #11 07-20-2007, 09:53 AM

And with the greatest respect, you got what you paid for. Amateurs. Sure, professionals cost money, but they also deliver product on time.

I suspect that you can find a local professional photographer for less than $500; I've paid that for the photographers doing album covers for major labels...