{"id":6217,"date":"2014-06-09T07:17:34","date_gmt":"2014-06-09T07:17:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/arjunkarthaphotography.com\/?p=6217"},"modified":"2014-06-09T08:04:11","modified_gmt":"2014-06-09T08:04:11","slug":"5-ways-deal-negative-feedback-photographer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arjunkarthaphotography.com\/5-ways-deal-negative-feedback-photographer\/","title":{"rendered":"5 ways to deal with negative feedback as a photographer"},"content":{"rendered":"
Negative feedback<\/em>. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n It happens; No matter how good a photographer you are, it’s bound to happen at some point or the other. It could happen in the most innocuous of ways, like a random follower posting criticism on something you’ve just uploaded on your Facebook page – or in the most serious of ways – which is an unhappy client.<\/span><\/p>\n As a photographer, I put in my heart and soul into what I do. Being a commercial photographer, I get paid to take photos. It could be photos of weddings, of food, of a product or anything else a client needs shot. Whatever be the subject matter, I’m obsessed with making that image as perfect as it can be at that point in space and time. It’s just how we do it – unless you love taking pictures, it’s just not going to be fulfilling. Once I’ve made a picture – I’m proud of it. And that’s where it starts getting tricky: most of the work I do is commissioned work. Though I’m getting paid; it’s not the cheque in the bank that results in creative fulfilment. It’s a happy client. A client who takes one look at the final image and is blown away is worth more than a client who pays me triple my fees but makes no comment on the final product. It’s just how it is; appreciation drives satisfaction.<\/span><\/p>\n This cycle works well most of the time, until the day it happens: an unhappy client. This always makes my world come crashing down: it preys on mind, gives rise to all sorts of dark and unhappy thoughts. Every fibre in my body wants to blame the client for not being “educated” enough; or “sophisticated” enough to appreciate good art when they see it. Very quickly I go from angry to depressed; and start questioning my own skill – and whether I’m actually good enough to go around handing someone an invoice for work that I do.<\/span><\/p>\n When this happens, it’s important to shake it off – and remember that this is a professional transaction. I started my career as an advertising professional, and heart of hearts I think I’ve always been a client servicing person. A satisfied client is important to me. In my agency days, I had to sell the art director’s work. Today, as a photographer – it’s my own work (and that much more personal).<\/span><\/p>\n So, if you’re a photographer – or any sort of service provider, here are five things you need to examine if you find yourself with an unhappy client:<\/span><\/p>\n Many times, I’ve found that clients have trouble articulating exactly what it is that they feel. Maybe they’ve never really been exposed to the creative industry, and find it hard to sum up their feelings into constructive and bullet-point based critique. Shrug off your disappointment, and find out what the problem is? Many times I’ve found that when I actually start to listen, I find that the problem could be something very minor; and in some cases, something that I wasn’t responsible for at all!<\/span><\/p>\n Hard as it may be, once you understand the problem – there are times when you realise that the client is right. You could interpreted the brief completely wrong. If your client is a bride, you could have given her what you thought were ten stunning portrait photos. However, every bride views herself differently – and she may not be fully satisfied with them. Work with her to find pictures that SHE loves, and and you can shake hands and have a fully satisfied customer on your hands. If your client is a brand manager, you may have photographed the product against it’s core brand messaging – even though your photograph is technically brilliant. Once you’ve understood what and where the problem is, you can then start to move forward to address it. Speaking of which…<\/span><\/p>\n1. Take a step back, and assess WHAT the problem is<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
2. Is it justified<\/strong>?<\/span><\/h2>\n