How do I tell the mother-of-the-bride that I can't give her a DIGITAL FACELIFT!?

Question

I recently took photos for a friend of my aunt's. It wasn't her wedding, but her daughter's. I only charged her $70 because all she wanted was the pictures on a CD. Now that she realized she doesn't have her photo editing software, she asked me to edit them, which I have no problem with. The problem I have is SHE WANTS A FREAKING NEW FACE! Literally, she wants me to fix her bangs so that they're "a little above [her] eyes" because she didn't have a chance to get them cut before the wedding. She also wants all her wrinkles removed and the color on her face and neck evened out. I don't mind doing small blemish corrections, but this is out of line. How can I tell her that I'm not comfortable making the photos look unnatural. I don't mind removing zits or SOME minor wrinkles, but she basically wants me to make her look 22 again. Oh, and she's not paying extra for this. I have 400 pictures to edit, and I'm doing it for free on my free time after my FULL TIME job.

I'm not a professional, only an amateur photographer and I'm using Photoshop CS3 to edit the pictures.

Also, she works for the University I work for so she's already e-mailed me TWICE today requesting more edits and even called to see if she could COME BY MY OFFICE TO LOOK AT THE PICTURES! I DEFINITELY don't feel comfortable working on personal business during my office hours, and that's exactly what I told her. I also have told her that fixing her bangs is going to take a lot more time and I would have to charge her extra.

She still insists that it will be a simple thing to do and with her "old Nova program" she could edit the bangs real easy. So I told her she should try to find that program and fix them herself.

One thing, I've learned that I will definitely be setting limits to what I do and what I charge in the future. This was my first wedding to shoot and it's been hell. She's insane. IT WASN'T EVEN HER WEDDING. IT WAS HER DAUGHTER'S.

I really appreciate everyone's answers. It's going to be hard to pick just one.

Oh, and I don't believe in piracy so giving her an illegal copy of Photoshop CS3 is out of the question. But thanks anyway.

Answer 1

Tell her, there is only so much you can do, turn over the software (CD's or whatever) with the pictures and say you can have it done any way you'd like, but you're only supplying the pictures as promised. Don't edit anything, it's only creating more expectations. And remember the saying, no good deed goes unpunished.

Answer 2

Tell her you will do it but that she will be charged by the hour since the original agreement was to take some pics and send them on a CD, not recrate a new head on her body. (I am a art major so I am with you and understand how much work this would take)

Explain that what she wants would take hours and hours and while you are willing to remove small imperfections like a pimple or some red eye you simply don't have the time for major airbrushing without compensation.

She may get mad but her expectations are unreasonable and there's no way I would spend weeks doing that for free, even if the bride was my best friend.

Answer 3

I do a lot of freelance work. These type of people are extremely difficult to deal with. They do not realize the time and energy it takes.
You need to stand your ground here. Tell her you have done what was agreed upon. Photographers usually charge anywhere from $1500 on up for weddings. They already got a FANTASTIC deal.
I would suggest telling her you are done with your end of the bargain, and refer her to some touch up artists online. Let her go check it out and see how expensive they are.
Heck, if you want to be really nice, tell her to pick two of her favorite photos, and you will do those as a FAVOR.
Be strong girl! =)

Answer 4

OMGosh... it wasnt her wedding to begin with it was her daughters.. The pictures are for her daughter not her.. WOW..

I would tell her that in order to do the corrections as asked you would have to charge the full charge of doing pictures that you would be losing business if you took the time from other paying customers to do this.

Or you could tell her that your software doesnt allow you to make full drastic changes like that..

Or you could burn her a copy of the program and let her know that you do not feel comfortable making such drastic changes to the wedding pictures. That if she wants to do it herself then she can..

Answer 5

wow. tell her that the edits she's asking are going to take up a lot of time, so you are willing to do them for a certain price per picture (for what she wants, I would charge at least $5 a pic). if she still claims it's easy, then hand the CD over to her and tell her, "great! then here are all the files"

Answer 6

Just tell her that the program you use will only allow you to make simple changes like zit removal. Tell her that you would gladly do all the things she asks, but the program simply can't do it. If she doesn't like it, then you'll just have to remind her that you are doing the work for free and leave it at that. Best of luck.

Answer 7

You have been too generous with your time already. Explain how many hours of work it would take and you do not have that time available to you.

The work she wants you to do would cost thousands by a professional. Tell her to pick out a handful of pictures and you will do your best, but you are short on time.

Answer 8

Just tell her nicely that you're not comfortable doing that. There's no way around it, and there's nothing wrong in saying "no" in a nice way. Suggest that she finds a Photoshop wizard who can do it all for a fee.

Answer 9

Just send her the picture and tell her to have at it. She can even use Picassa in Gmail.

See if it were up to my evil self, I'd photoshop some good looking woman's face in.........

Answer 10

that kind of editing in the real world would cost a fortunate. tell her she has to cough up a lot of cash or she has to start building a time machine. she is asking way too much.