Business Note: #4 - You never know...

Ok...this past weekend I hosted another shoot-out.  I booked 6 shoots.  I took my neighbor...18 year old who graduated from high school last year...played b-ball and averaged 12 points a game...3rd in the county in 3 point percentage...a 2.5 GPA...and a basketball coach who didn't help him go to a Division 2 school...???  So neighbor is looking for something to do and he's never had anyone to discuss his future with...so I decide to take him and pay him...and be his sounding board.

Back to the shoot: I did this shoot ridiculously inexpensively!   I did this in response to my Valentine's Day shoot which was similar, except for the V-Day shoot was solely for couples. Some missed out on the V-Day thing...or they didn't have a significant other...so I offered another shoot-out this past weekend for those who couldn't partake in the first one.  I also like these shoots b/c they open me up to new clientele. 

So that's the background info...now fast forward a bit...
On Friday, the day before the shoot, I had a cancellation. Now I have 5 shoots scheduled. While shooting on Saturday, I discovered I had another cancellation...now I have 4 shoots scheduled...but wait, my 3pm appointment no showed...so then all I have was 3 shoots...

So my shoots were at these times: 11am, 1pm, 6pm...
After I realized my 3pm wasn't going to show up, I decided to go back home and drop off my helper....I paid him a miserable amount - yet more than he would have made at Winn Dixie.

I hang-out at home...rest-up...and then I think of calling my 6pm and canceling...up to this point, I was totally bummed...and the money thing didn't even make any sense! Look at this...one of my clients paid me a week and half in advance...so that $ was gone to American Express...I paid my helper with the same $ my 2pm paid me...so literally I had nothing in my wallet to show for today's work...if anything, I was losing money on gas and food...

Regress...I think about calling my 6pm to cancel...b/c I'm totally bummed and not in the spirit of shooting...vibes were down...my self-esteem crushed.......but my conscience would not permit me to cancel...

So I drive back to the location...meet the couple and shoot some of these totally awesome photos:

You know what...they're getting married 9.5.09...and mom wants to talk to me about shooting their wedding...and the couple seemed excited about working with me too!

I conclude with - YOU NEVER KNOW!  

If, in fact, I shoot their wedding, Saturday's self-esteem crusher will have totally paid off...$$$...but more importantly, I had the opportunity to meet the sweetest most pure couple on the face of the earth...and it was an honor to work with them...they made my day, regardless if I shoot their wedding or not!

(Side note:  All my clients that canceled or no showed had good reasons...one was stuck in a lay over in Miami...another, her son had a track meet...and my 3pm that no showed, texted me to tell me she couldn't make it b/c her debit card was missing and someone was out spending her $$$...and by the way, don't text me...I block that feature on my cellular....).