How to deal with people who burns film on your camera?

[SNAG]

Hi there!
Just need some bo-liao answers for some bo-liao questions..

As I am using a SLR for my shots (I'm only 19 BTW), my friends (and some of them are also into photography, although they may not have a SLR) are very fascinated with my F80.

So much so to the extent that they tend to borrow my camera and burn film.

My camp recently had a celebration day, and that I brought my SLR along to learn from a photographer in my unit (and to learn on taking photos as well.) So there I was, together with my 'mentor' and my camera.

There's always these 2 guys in my unit that always ask me whether I could lend them the camera to take some shots. So I agreed. But little that I know that they were those 'trigger happy' types, and started to anyhow shoot. Perhaps they were trying to get those arty-farty shots (as they are from Film, Sound, Video in Ngee Ann.)

I had to ask them for my camera back, else they would have continued shooting (as I brought quite little film on that day.) I even had to remind them that "Hey, leave some film for me to shoot" before they could constrain themselves.

I have already quite a hard time spending $$ on developing and printing the shots, and sometimes, I use slides, which are even more costly on my photo hobby.

Now, the million-dollar question is:
How do I go about telling them this in a nice manner? :think:
I don't want to sour any relationships, but I can't seem to think of any nice way to put this across....

 

[excentrique]

Have your own stand for your equipment. You have all the rights not to lend it to people. Just tell them nicely that it's not that you don't want to lend it to them but if they damage your equipment, it would be a very difficult situation for all of you. And to prevent that from happening, it's best that they don't touch your equipment.

 

[jtnet]

juz tell them in a nice way that camera is yr "everything" they can loan anything from U except yr photographic stuff.

(that what i did long time ago. Since then, pple who know me never once "touch" my stuff. unless they are the same kind of pple)

 

[AJ23]

just a question, your "friends" just shoot on the film and let u pay for the development fees?

 

[Winston]

You could start by billing them for the cost of the negatives/slides and the prints of the shots they had taken.

In future, just respectly tell them that you do not have enough negative/film to go around so you cannot lend them your camera.

Then you graciously offer to help them take a picture or 2 of what they wanted to shoot in the first place. (maybe a group shot of their friends..etc)

At least you will not sound like you turned them down flat and you get to limit the number of shots taken for them to one or two, so you get to save the rest of the film for yourself.

 

[West_ray]

all my friends who knows me and my photography ... they would never ask a qns of lending of SLR ...

 

[kindred]

hmm...what if i were to borrow from someone, and as in return i pay him/her some $$$, something like rent lor... like dat izzit ok ?

 

[r32]

Let them play with it when you're in between rolls or the camera is unloaded. If they're only after the "shiokness" of pressing their shutter it probably won't matter to them whether it is loaded with film or not.

 

[sehsuan]

well, just let them know that you're using some superduper rare film, so they will be careful...

 

[green_leaf]

If they are using it to take nice picture and know what they are doing, i think it is ok. But if they are just those show-off type, give them a firm no like i did to one of my "friends"

If they are nice people, just tell them that " you can use my camera, but it will be better that you use your own film because i want to keep all my own shot in one single complete strip of flim." or " Try to use no more then *X shots because i only brought just enough for my shooting plan. Sorry"

Like that usually nice people will understand and have some limit. If they do not know how to respect others request, they dont have such privilege to use you camera.





**Let the unknown = X

 

[Noir]

Film, Sound and Video right? Just tell them your stills camera ain't a motion picture camera, can't do 24 frames per second. Try an Arriflex or Panaflex camera instead. They will understand.

 

[Ian]

There's a few ways you can deal with people who burn film on you ..

Method 1 - Make it a policy to *never* let anyone use your camera

Method 2 - Tell em to F*** off and buy their own camera.

Method 3 - Pass them the camera minus any film.

Method 4 - Charge them 10 bucks a frame

 

[Gr|ever]

If burning film & spending too much is your only concern, then go digital!

 

[espn]

Then he'll headache over storage

 

[kongg]

Ask them to browse CS buy n sell forum and pick up a 2nd hand SLR lor.

 

[patch17]

just tell them you got a rare and highly contagious form of sore eyes, and if they look through your camera's viewfinder, they're sure to catch it. ;p

But seriously, your gear is a very personal thing, imho, so just tell them that you don't mind them taking a couple of shots, but should they burn the entire roll, charge them for development and film costs. If they refuse to pay up, just don't give them back their photos.

 

[joe]

just tell them you got a rare and highly contagious form of sore eyes, and if they look through your camera's viewfinder, they're sure to catch it. ;p

But seriously, your gear is a very personal thing, imho, so just tell them that you don't mind them taking a couple of shots, but should they burn the entire roll, charge them for development and film costs. If they refuse to pay up, just don't give them back their photos.

Hi there,
I do agree with you guys to lend your cam to someone else to shoot.To develop pic it too costly and just took it any how to shoot.If I ask the person who own the cam is there any film inside before I can press any button,I Just take a look at the cam and return to the owner.

Joe :angry:

 

[reno77]

Tell them you have no extra film and you need to make it last for the whole day. If they want to test your camera, they can buy their own film and use.


PS: Were the pics your friends took better than the ones you took ?

 

[lavenderlilz]

There's a few ways you can deal with people who burn film on you ..

Method 1 - Make it a policy to *never* let anyone use your camera

Method 2 - Tell em to F*** off and buy their own camera.

Method 3 - Pass them the camera minus any film.

Method 4 - Charge them 10 bucks a frame

I'd use method 1 &/or 3.

Alternatively, I just won't bring my camera if I know they r going to be around.

 

[andylee]

If burning film & spending too much is your only concern, then go digital!

Digital or not, got nothing to do with this.......we are talking about borrowing camera to shoot or try.