Sick photographer.... Advice

The reimbursement idea seems ridiculous, when you call in sick does your boss say that you owe them something in return??

We're all human. This stuff happens

Oh it was more of a response the Ferrell photography up there saying they never miss a day.

You seem upset but understanding.

Michelle, this may be a hard concept for you to grasp....but that's a what a pro does. Hospitalization etc. is something different....I know there are a ton of cheaper photographers. It's up to me to offer a product and skill they can't offer, for a price that's still affordable. With that comes accountability and doing what I have to do, to not disappoint my clients. They always have a choice who they use and they have a voice. I'm lucky to be healthy and in good physical condition, but I'm not exempt from colds etc. just the same as you.

Donte is rightfully inconvenienced but seems very reasonable too.

I know it's upsetting, but these things happen.

sounds like you need to be willing to make a change of plans or find someone else to do the pictures.

you can't force things to go according to plan.

do hope it works out for you though!

She probably didn't realize the effort you put into having that time available. This country is very M-F work week centric, so unless she knew that you worked weekends, she probably assumed you could just easily reschedule for next week.

You are in luck, though-- trees are expected to hold onto their leaves longer this year in the Carolinas, so you should have a few more weeks to work with. Even if you can't do a week day this week, maybe it will work out in the coming weeks?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2013/10/22/fall-foliage-north-south-carolina/3149803/

But to talk down another photographer for being sick and making them look bad without knowing what's going on is unprofessional in my eyes.

Maybe someone passed in their family, maybe their child broke their arm and they had to go to the hospital... Maybe they have a stomach virus that prevents them from leaving the toilet..

Its not a hard concept grasp, however, every job lets you call in sick, photography is no different.

Maybe lots of things, was giving my 2 cents as other vendors and brides here have, I stand by my comments. We clearly have different work ethics and standards, which is ok too. Your job may be more forgiving to calling in sick....mine isn't in many cases.

@Michelle, as a former retail manager and former wedding photographer, you do not ever, ever call in sick unless you're (nearly) dead.

@Donte - Did she explain exactly how sick she was? Was it just a cold/cough that she didn't want to infect you with?

I think arguing about how sick the photographer may or may not be, or what her "work ethic" or level of professionalism is, is not very productive to Donte-- it's just going to serve to make her more upset in a shitty situation that she has no immediate control over.

ETA: and everyone dissing the photographer cancelling at the last minute, keep in mind this was for an e-session, not a wedding. I am always reading about cancelled e-sessions on the forums, so clearly it's not that uncommon. I think the photographer just didnt know how hard it was for Donte to find a time that worked for her. If I know I have something I have to do at work, I'll go in, even if I'm really sick. But if its going to be a slow day, and I'm not feeling well, I won't go. That doesn't mean I have a poor work ethic or I'm unprofessional-- it means I'm smart for not spreading my sickness.

Sometimes "sick" is code for something else. I suffered a miscarriage the day of a wedding once. I still played the wedding, but the planner had a CD at the ready and my husband was waiting in the parking lot just in case I had to leave for the hospital in a hurry. The bride never knew, but I certainly didn't play my best that day. Don't assume cold or flu.

She stated she has the flu. I did not assume. Thank you ladies for your responses.

At this point, I'd be more worried about how she is communicating with you. If she's dismissive about your concerns about not having your fall concept or how difficult it will be for you the reschedule, that would be a huge red flag for me. But if she's honestly apologetic, working with YOUR schedule to find a new time, and potentially offering up some kind of compensation (which, from Donte's posts, it doesn't seem like she is), then it might work out. Otherwise, I'd think about hiring a different photographer or, at the least, having a talk with her. This isn't the normal employment situation--she seriously inconvenienced a client, and something should be done to make this right.

Awe that is a bummer! Hope you enjoyed the day off with FH and just remember life could be much worse! Hopefully you can reschedule soon and this will be a thing of the past. Sending good vibes your way!

Hello ladies!

I spoke to my WP about the situation and she contacted the photographer. Im not sure how the convo went but i got an email this morning from the photographer saying she didnt understand what was going on.

I told her it was a total inconvience for this to happen. I also had to put deposits down for hair and makeup, which i lost do to her canceling. I said that i felt the situation was handled poorly. I also told her that it was not about her getting sick, things happen. It was more of what happened next. For her its business,but, for me, its personal.

She has apologized many times and gave me her schedule for next month. She offered to speak to the salon to see if she can help get my money back, but, she has yet to accommodate me in any other way......

I would like a discount on a boudoir shoot or something off of my remaining balance LOL.

Thanks Again yall!

oh please excuse any typos!