The Negotiators

There is always those out there that try to get things for less than what it cost, and don't feel they deserve to pay full price. As a photographer I am always running into these types of people. So how do we deal with them?

Well firstly, make sure you are comfortable with your prices and your product. If you are not comfortable then you can easily be talked down. Make sure you have a compliant contract and terms and conditions, compliant with the Consumer Protection Act. With this in place you are not infringing on your clients consumer rights. It's also very important that you communicate during the shoot and inform your client of any additional charges and let them sign for the confirmation. A Verbal agreement is a valid agreement but it is just difficult to prove, it becomes a "he said she said" debate. This is what you need to make a stand... and don't be scared to stand your ground, your client wants their photos... 9 times out of 10 they will pay. 

There is an option for you to get payment upfront, and in the case of extra charges, expecting payment before work is done; or get a deposit first and payment on delivery.  My opinion on this is that if you have additional money due, you do all the work and take money on delivery.  You may get the run around from the client and end up batteling to get you money, and with the client in possession of their photos, you have no bargening tool.

You always need to be prepared to deal with these type of people, stay calm and make sure you have everything in order. The worst that can happen is they don't pay, and you don't have to work on their photo's.