Managing Light wrote:
It calls for a diplomatic "no, but thanks for considering me."

I prefer an undiplomatic:
" what? SHIT!  awww hell nah!"

Loki Studio wrote:
I would never deliver images for a shoot for a brand new client without payment in full.  I will not even schedule a shoot for a new client without a personal referral without a 50% deposit.  This is not a paid gig-this is roulette.

Exactly 100%.

Everyone is asking the OP to be a professional but nobody, themselves, is acting like one. What kind of company takes 4-6 months to pay a vendor? A bankrupt or unprofessional one, that's who.

OP, you'd have to be a fool to take this gig and the fact that you posted this thread to begin with says that you already knew the answer as you were writing your original post.

Shot By Adam wrote:
Exactly 100%.

Everyone is asking the OP to be a professional but nobody, themselves, is acting like one. What kind of company takes 4-6 months to pay a vendor? A bankrupt or unprofessional one, that's who.

OP, you'd have to be a fool to take this gig and the fact that you posted this thread to begin with says that you already knew the answer as you were writing your original post.

Many of my clients are sent an invoice and pay at the end of the month when accounts payable does their thing. If for example I do the work at the end of the month I won't see the check till the end of the following month.  If I do the work in the middle of the month I'll get the check in just a few days.

Bare in mind that these are all return clients and they always pay.  They just pay at the end of the month and I'm OK with that.

I use to license for print a great deal. Not so much these days since most of the magazines I worked for have long since gone the way of the dinosour but that's another story.  Anyway, all of the rags I'd license to, except one, use to pay when they invoice was recieved.  Disney however use to pay when the rag was printed but before it shipped.  Sometimes this would be 2 or 3 months or even more but they were a reputable company and sooner or later they always paid their bill.

This deal with the OP however ----- Just just doesn't sound like a good deal to me.

My two cents.

Shot By Adam wrote:
OP, you'd have to be a fool to take this gig and the fact that you posted this thread to begin with says that you already knew the answer as you were writing your original post.

ya I pretty much had my mind made up from the beginning. it's not like I'm a newbie.

it's always nice to have something to discuss on these forums tho, so I started a thread.

Paolo Diavolo wrote:
then she said I'll get paid when the photoset becomes accepted.

It sounds to me more like you will get paid IF the set gets accepted. 

In other words, all the risk is being passed back to you, which  is not a proposition that I would accept.

Rob Photosby wrote:
It sounds to me more like you will get paid IF the set gets accepted. 

In other words, all the risk is being passed back to you, which  is not a proposition that I would accept.

well put!
I just messaged the model back and told her the arrangement was crappy.

she did apologize for it seemingly being misleading. I know that wasn't her intentions.

Shadow Dancer wrote:
Pay Me Now!!!!!

Or, respond that you will release the images upon payment and see what she says.

Yes! You should not have to assume the risk that you might not be paid.
If she wants pictures to submit, she should pay you directly. If the company pays for them at some later date,
they can give her the payment then, as reimbursement. Her risk, not yours.

Flex Photography wrote:

Yes! You should not have to assume the risk that you might not be paid.
If she wants pictures to submit, she should pay you directly. If the company pays for them at some later date,
they can give her the payment then, as reimbursement. Her risk, not yours.

when I declined the shoot, she offered to pay me directly.  I'm considering it again.

Paolo Diavolo wrote:

when I declined the shoot, she offered to pay me directly.  I'm considering it again.

Now that is better.  I have shot content for model websites before, and always ask for payment right after the shoot.   I pay models at the end of photo shoots  too.   I used to  take gigs where a company is to pay me, and either they forget to ever send a check (hoping I'd forget?) or take months before cutting it.  I don't like that. If I can't be paid within a reasonable time at any job ... typically the longest wait being 2 weeks ... then forget it.   Pay me know or forget it!

Paolo Diavolo wrote:

when I declined the shoot, she offered to pay me directly.  I'm considering it again.

Make sure you have the money in your hands before you release any of the images.  However, be prepared for the scenario that you do the shoot and still get nothing for it.

Paolo Diavolo wrote:
Just curious about your advice / thoughts / opinions.

Dear MM forum,
  Do I want this gig?

... I find out that my payment will come from the company and it may take 4-6 months.

makes me think I may never see payment?
is that worth it?

,,,
do you think that way too?
what would you do?

Payment upon delivery of service or goods. If they cannot afford to pay you now, then they are likely not going to be able to pay you later. Sounds like they want to make the money off of the pictures in order to pay you back. What if they don't make the money they are hoping to? Sounds like a gamble.

Sounds like a no, really.
Jen

J O H N  A L L A N wrote:
Yeah no, just no.
Unless you want to learn the lesson of what never to do again.

well, i am a bit of a masochist.

Top Gun Digital wrote:

Make sure you have the money in your hands before you release any of the images.  However, be prepared for the scenario that you do the shoot and still get nothing for it.

And that's why professionals have contracts and that's why we get paid prior to the shoot. It's really that simple.

Paolo Diavolo wrote:
we all seem to be on the same page.

just to make it clear;
first the model made it seem like she was paying.
then she said I'll get paid when the photoset becomes accepted.
(no its not SG)

I've had quite a few photographers offer me similar deals and my answer is no.  If you believe in your project's financial success then invest in it by paying the photographer or model you want.  Don't expect others  to invest their time to hopefully get paid when and if your project is successful.

Paolo Diavolo wrote:
Just curious about your advice / thoughts / opinions.

Dear MM forum,
  Do I want this gig?

I contact a model who is looking to hire (and pay) a photographer. The content is going to be sold online.
,,,,
model has been great in talking to so far, but now we're working out the finer details and I find out that my payment will come from the company and it may take 4-6 months.
,,,,
the people are cool, and I'm not doing anything else that day, but i dont feel any other motivation to want to do this gig for little or no pay right now and potentially at my expense.

Sounds like you already answered your own question.

You are creating something commercially valuable for them.  That is worth something in exchange.

BUT

If the content isn't compelling to you,
the money is low/no/deferred,
the odds of a portfolio benefit is small,
then why would you ever care to get involved?


Here's what I think:   You're not doing anything else that day?   Go shoot your own project that gives you artistic control on a topic that means something to you.

Paolo Diavolo wrote:
when I declined the shoot, she offered to pay me directly.  I'm considering it again.

Patrick Walberg wrote:
Now that is better. ...

I agree with Patrick.   This is progress.