WB Photography wrote:
...I explained to her that I gave her some photos and technically that because I paid her for the shoot I don’t owe her any photos and I gave her the two I promised. I told her that it was in the model release agreement she signed....

...(W)hat would you guys do?

#1: I would NEVER, EVER put terms of any other contract into a MODEL RELEASE. 
A model release is strictly that, a document which the model is allowing the photographer to use the image and the terms in which the images can be used,  Nothing more.

Anything else regarding payment, copyright assignment/licensing, contracts, etc NEED to be on different documents.


#2.  I'd use paragraphs.

WB Photography wrote:
I did a paid shoot in March with a model. I told her since it’s a paid shoot that she’s not obligated to any of the photos but I’ll give her two. I ended having to book a studio twice because she called five minutes before the shoot that she couldn’t find a ride the first time I booked. Well fast forward to the day we rescheduled and she shows up to the shoot with her boyfriend which was ok with me. He stayed out the way and was a really cool guy. They asked if I posted any of the photos to tag her as well as him in the photos so I did. Fast forward to Thursday I was at work and she messaged me telling me to untag him. I went to my Facebook and there was a notice that someone had liked the photo. So I untagged him. About 10 mins later she sent me messages saying “that was unnecessary “. And I replied saying what happened and she said not your business. So I minded my business. About 10 mins later she said “where’s my photo?” I explained to her that I gave her some photos and technically that because I paid her for the shoot I don’t owe her any photos and I gave her the two I promised. I told her that it was in the model release agreement she signed. I felt like I wanted to keep the peace and I told her that I’d give her a couple more but she’d have to wait a bit because I have work and other projects going on. Yesterday she texts me and asked “where’s my photos please email to me” So I edited  6 and Dropboxed them to her. This morning she says she can’t access the files because her Dropbox is full and her exact word after that was “Just email them to me like I asked you to”. I want to tell her to go have sex with herself but the harsher word, but I know she’ll go into the local Facebook photography groups and trash me. I’m trying to be civil. I hat would you guys do?

1. Tell her to read the model release.
2. I find myself emailing photos rather than using Dropbox, because of the very excuse she gave.

WB Photography wrote:
Yesterday she texts me and asked “where’s my photos please email to me” So I edited  6 and Dropboxed them to her. This morning she says she can’t access the files because her Dropbox is full and her exact word after that was “Just email them to me like I asked you to”.

I usually use Dropbox. I was under the impression that you gave the receiver a link and access to the folder then she can just save it to her hard drive. It does not matter if her Dropbox is full. Have I been assuming wrong all the time? never had an issue with the receivers.

As for the model, some models are the true professionals and would always be communicative and manage their commitments well. I would just move on, she already got paid and you gave her the photos, Your part of the contract stopped there. After one cancellation, don't even bother unless it is a valid reason. The "something just came up" or "i could not find a ride" and cancelling on the last minute just don't cut it. Just my thoughts.

Something to consider. maybe it is too much to have a FB page for photographers to "out" models who display unprofessional behavior but have one to list the models who are reliable and have good modeling skills.

FFantastique wrote:
In future can posters paragraph?

Ie not a solid blog of text so we can parse the situation betterer!😊

In cases like this OP, I copy into Notepad and chop it up.

Ionalynn wrote:
First I would NOT have rebooked her a 2nd time after she called 5 min before her shoot.

Yeah.
That was your first clue.
People that are a problem, will bring you more than one problem.

Michelle Genevieve wrote:
This sort of thing keeps happening because photographers put up with this childish behavior from models. Stop it! Then the children will drop out of modeling and smart, professional models will remain.

One could only wish for such a fantasy!  Please know that your side of the issue doesn't have a monopoly on stupidity or destroying what was once very fulfilling and profitable. 

To see how bad it's gotten for photographers, just cruise places like Craigslist and see the number of hacks willing to shoot a wedding for $300 with no contract required.  People jump on this deals and then complain because their images are terrible.  When people tell me they've "reserved" a whole $500 for their wedding photography but then serve steak and have an open bar, I ask them if they seriously expect me to work for that amount.  Too many times they cite the hacks on Craigslist and the "standard" they found.  I wish them well and ask them to call me after their images come back, if they come back or if the photographer even shows.  I love the last minute calls in total panic because the photographer skipped out.  Sure, my rate is XXXX and we still need to do a contract. 

I can imagine the cut to models is similar and just as depressing.

Michelle Genevieve wrote:
This sort of thing keeps happening because photographers put up with this childish behavior from models. Stop it! Then the children will drop out of modeling and smart, professional models will remain.

Maybe.  But I also think that this sort of thing keeps happening because photographers are not overly clear & definitive in their communications.  Whose to say what's going on this time?  After all, we are hearing only one side of the story.  I can imagine that if we talked with the model in question, she could claim that the OP made promised that he didn't keep.  Did he?  We don't know.

Looknsee Photography wrote:
Maybe.  But I also think that this sort of thing keeps happening because photographers are not overly clear & definitive in their communications.  Whose to say what's going on this time?  After all, we are hearing only one side of the story.  I can imagine that if we talked with the model in question, she could claim that the OP made promised that he didn't keep.  Did he?  We don't know.

You may have a point, but my answer comes from the perspective of a photographer (#2532377).

I have had my share of inexperienced and uneducated models who seem to think that just because they participated in the shoot that they have some sort of ownership of the outcome. An informative chat about copyright law and intellectual property rights always ends that hissy fit rather quickly. An agency represented model typically gets schooled by her agency (usually she’s advised to not even bring that up); for any other entitled princess it is the photographer who has the task of providing that education.

And the requests all seem to have the common thread of payment PLUS photos. When one model told me she required (yes, her word) all the files in addition to her fee, I asked her if she was aware that this was a paid shoot. “Yes” she replied “but this is what I have to have regardless.”

That conversation quickly ended with me wishing her luck in her future modeling endeavors.

I often do spiff the model with some images of my choice as a bonus, but I make it very clear that it’s a bonus and not an entitlement, and she gets no prior approval of the bonus images. Neither does she get to approve any of the other images I use or how. That’s why she signs the model release.

A photographer is like any other employer, whether cash is paid or it’s trade. He hires people to perform a task under certain working conditions. If he fails to communicate (and also enforce) those working conditions and terms of employment he is simply inviting this kind of blowback from a model.

Ionalynn wrote:
First I would NOT have rebooked her a 2nd time after she called 5 min before her shoot.

Yeah.
That was your first clue.
People that are a problem, will bring you more than one problem.

That's a great line - not just here, but for all aspects of life. I'm stealing it.

This is exactly why I either hire pros, or use friends or other randos I just happen to meet. I'm not say I don't get jerked around - I recently had a woman cancel on me an hour before she was supposed to show up. It was our forth date too - I was supposed to make her dinner after. I didn't hear from her for several days after that. And yes, I ask all the women I date to pose for me.

No, there was no photo shoot. Or forth date, if you're curious.

Point is, no matter how careful you are, people are going to do what they're going to do. But I find that shooting people I know, almost nobody ever cancels - and those that do generally call with a reshoot time in mind, and bring a six pack or something as apology. Shooting paid pros and people I've just met, I don't give a crap about writing them off. Randos are randos, and paid models should know better. Since I started that policy, I've had about a 5% cancellation rate - it was about 20% before. More importantly, I don't much care about the ones that drop any more - fuck 'em. Less stress for me.

And as Ionalynn says, problem people don't have just one problem. My lady friend is a good person and all (near as I could tell, anyway) , but the whole incident and the way it got handled showed me that it wasn't worth losing sleep over.

And please try and write more legibly next time. I think you'll find that when you put more care into how you write, you'll get more, and better, responses.

Paul Batterbury wrote:
Hey, I am a bit late to this party.

She sounds like a bunny boiler, and yep there are plenty off those girls modelling. You will find that there are many insecure girls or people with some sort of mental illness wrapped up in this industry.

I would simply keep to the terms that you (jointly) agreed shoot, and if you got the evidence, why not post that up on facebook and tag her in that. Sometime is doesn't matter how many images you give to models, some are out to get as much as possible.

This is one of the biggest gripes of young models or models that are starting out, regardless of which country you live in.Odd really as they expect to get paid, but no model ever wants to pay for being shot or have a portfolio produced. Also remember is these days, girls want picture to post on social media, so they can look good.

I would also ignore or block her, unless you feel she may claim down at some point in the future, at the end of the day, No one needs the extra stress or distraction, and frankly this will not be the last case and I think most people would ignore her on facebook if she wants to complain.

Couldn't agree more.

I know models want to build a portfolio and want something for their Z cards (do they still do those?) and traditionally aspiring models would have to pay quite a lot of money for those. When I started modelling, digital photography was in its infancy and many photographers, and indeed agencies, were photographic snobs and would only work with analogue film, and often large format at that. Therefore it was difficult for girls (and boys) to get decent images without having to pay for them in one way or another. Then you had the scammers move in and charge models a fortune to help launch their careers and not deliver on their promises which put many people off wanting to pay. We all want to get as much as we can for as little as possible, it's human nature and the deal should be either TFP or paid, you can't really have both, as much as you want that awesome pic, it is the photgrapher's property or the propert of whomever commissioned the shoot.

Be nice and you may get a favour, mess people about and you won't.

FFantastique wrote:
In future can posters paragraph?

Ie not a solid blog of text so we can parse the situation betterer!😊

Imagine what this persons estimate must look like if they actually had a potential client. Your post is unreadable because it lacks paragraph breaks, I can only imagine the horrible grammar.