Awkward Situation at work.......help

arc@css · 3 Apr 2013 at 07:47

Be polite, but also be honest.

platypus · 3 Apr 2013 at 07:55

4T5 said:
Sleep with his wife, That usually solves any minor issues.

I like where this thread is headed.

BunnyKillBot · 3 Apr 2013 at 08:12

Combat squirrel said:
The awkward bit is .......im not ok with it ...........I have only just setup, im not 100% on all the things and want to find my feet a bit 1st,

Either you lack confidence in your work, or you lack the skills required. Either way, you don't sound ready for the public domain yet. If its the confidence, don't be such a melodramatic queen

If its the skills, I wouldn't want you doing my studio work, and selling yourself as professional when you can 'probably do it, maybe' is not good enough.

Combat squirrel said:
im also not ok with it as, frankly I worked my ass off for years refining and learning and teaching myself techniques and don't want to 'give them away for free' to a guy I don't know, who is also into what im in to...........i'd imagine given his age (late 20's) and what bits of info I can pick up, he is fairly competent, frankly I don't want to teach others my skills,

That is a terribly selfish, egotistical, paranoid and delusional world perspective. My skills, my precious. Are you Gollum?

Combat squirrel said:
defo not while im trying to get a foothold on the market around here.

Either you are good, and the work will come, or you suck, and you rightly wont get clients. If he is better than you, then you suck and are in the wrong business.

ince · 3 Apr 2013 at 08:17

Yeh never think that you have "amazing skills" and don't want to help others. Will rarely get you far.

There are many people with as good or better skills than you and the sooner you realise that the better.

BunnyKillBot · 3 Apr 2013 at 08:24

ince said:
Yeh never think that you have "amazing skills" and don't want to help others. Will rarely get you far.

There are many people with as good or better skills than you and the sooner you realise that the better.

Exactly,

The flip side of the coin, is there is probably definitely somebody out there better than you. If you won't help the people 'bellow', why would anybody 'above' bother to help you? Altruism is the path to success.

bitslice · 3 Apr 2013 at 08:25

BunnyKillBot said:
That is a terribly selfish, egotistical, paranoid and delusional world perspective. My skills, my precious. Are you Gollum?
.

Maybe you don't understand his position?
I have a relative who was/is a Photographer, his knowledge of a special way of processing film was basically what won him a pile of Kodak awards. So if the OP says he has skills that he has learnt and wants to protect, then that is a valid reason to tell this interloper to get lost.

Brenn · 3 Apr 2013 at 08:33

Have him in for the day and catch up on paperwork, clean the office etc.....

BunnyKillBot · 3 Apr 2013 at 08:34

bitslice said:
Maybe you don't understand his position?
I have a relative who was/is a Photographer, his knowledge of a special way of processing film was basically what won him a pile of Kodak awards. So if the OP says he has skills that he has learnt and wants to protect, then that is a valid reason to tell this interloper to get lost.

In the day and age of the internet, I could build a nuclear reactor in my basement from online guides and internet parts. In fact, there is a special club of historic amateur reactor builders.

And you are worried about developing film?

Heard of cheap Chinese knockoffs of western goods?

Even in the upper echelons of trade secrets, there are ways and means of secrecy. Even the manager of a McDonalds wont know whats in the special sauce.

BigBoy · 3 Apr 2013 at 08:36

Take him in and show him how to get women naked to make Fapping pictures, take said pictures and sit down for a monster fap session whilst he is there!

I doubt he would be back for the next session!

bitslice · 3 Apr 2013 at 08:39

You kinda went off at a tangent there I think

but it depends on the secret though doesn't it?

Besides, having someone shadow you is really annoying, like having a dog or something.

mg3091 · 3 Apr 2013 at 08:40

Biohazard said:
His fault for being presumptuous, no?

Amen to that, if you are still finding your feet, then he wouldn't want his brother getting trained by someone still getting used to it all?

Friend of mine has gone into photography, expensive stuff I hear...

{SAS}TB · 3 Apr 2013 at 09:12

anticonscience said:
Start him off in the dark room.

And finish him off in the store room ?

Theophany · 3 Apr 2013 at 09:18

BunnyKillBot said:
Even the manager of a McDonalds wont know whats in the special sauce.

Oh he knows. If you are rude to him, he'll probably add more of a certain...ingredient.

Tachyon · 3 Apr 2013 at 09:28

You done the right thing. I certainly wouldn't want somebody hanging around just because they are "in to digital imaging and photography."

bitslice · 3 Apr 2013 at 09:33

Tell him his midi-chlorians are too low, he is not the Chosen One.

sbi5ar · 3 Apr 2013 at 09:34

arknor said:
WHAT? you don't want to train up your replacement ?

This x1000

He could learn everything from you, then his brother could kick you out of the premises and he could set up where your studio is. People who have used you in the past will just return to the same building and accept him as you (possibly) or accept it is the same company with similar standards (thus you lose returning trade).

[TW]Fox · 3 Apr 2013 at 09:34

So this guy is giving you help by giving you great rates and a place to start your business.

I can see why you wouldn't want to do him any favours. Best keep those super rare secrets to yourself.

Spangles · 3 Apr 2013 at 09:35

Perhaps the chap coming in to shadow you is insanely rich, and wants to plow (you) loads of money in to give you a leg up into the business! You could be the next big thing in photography! Supermodels will pose for you, legs akimbo! The world will be your oyster, while you eat oysters at top parties, where you get to have a threesome with Rihanna & Katy Perry as they find your work so amazing. All this, thanks to your new apprentice!

Or he might kill you.

Malt_Vinegar · 3 Apr 2013 at 09:38

You said that he has let you setup shop in-house, presumably this is saving you a lot of cash and making it easier for you to progress your business. I think its reasonable to give something back, maybe offer a couple of days a week (of your choosing) when a second pair of hands might be really handy. Compromise is worth a lot, especially if the guy is already giving you a leg up.

Efour · 3 Apr 2013 at 09:39

As Fox says... He has done you the favour now he is cashing his one in on you. That's how some business works.

If he doesn't take your fob off try and get him in 1 day a week or 5 days max. Not an ongoing thing. Surely there are some useless things he can be doing?

OR look for a full cost renting place were you can take your snaps in and play with photoshop. Does your camera have one of those out of focus buttons on it that makes food blurry ?