It's not often I bring business onto a public message board, but this weird ass has annoyed me to the point where I believe I'd be doing a disservice to not let others know what the hell they're getting involved in if they choose to do business with him.
I've been looking for some content for a while now, a very specific niche that most people do not have, and this guy sent me an unrequested email claiming that he 'represents' 10 photographers throughout europe. I guess he buys cheap content from photogs in Poland who don't have internet access or something, at least that's what it looks like now.
When I told him what specifically I was after, he claimed that particular niche (and it's a small niche) was HIS 'specialty'. This seemed strange since he seemed to be implying that he took these photos himself when only moments before he said he 'represented' other photographers. But the samples looked OK so I placed a small sample order of 4 photo sets and gave him clear detailed parameters for the shoots. I mentioned to him if these sets were done to my satisfaction, there might be more orders on a regular basis since I will need them for updates on my site. Something most people would clue in on as being a good opportunity.
Now before the photo shoot even starts, he began asking me questions about blogs. I don't mind helping somebody out a bit when I'm getting something in return so I gave him some advice - for about an hour or so. The fella was starting to annoy me a bit, but I just figured he had a needy personality and dismissed it at that.
Then I get a message from him saying the photo sets were done but there is a problem, 'they' (whoever 'they' are - I guess this wasn't 'his' specialty at this point again) only did three photo shoots and took video, so the 4 photo sets I contracted for were not done. I agreed to take a video instead of the 4th set, no big deal. Although one would think that a person would like to at least deliver a FIRST SAMPLE order with the correct number and format of sets purchased.
Then I looked at the content. It was OK, some of the pics were really nice, a few were fucked up a little, looking like an amateur shot them (I really don't need close ups straight up the models nostril), some of them had girls with hairy pimply asses visible, oh well nothing photoshop can't fix - though a good photographer wouldn't have been centering on that anyway since this was a non-nude shoot. Well it was supposed to be a non-nude shoot with the girls wearing lingerie, instead they were wearing knitted sweaters and tank top shirts.
So this is all taken care of, then the guy sends me an icq asking for a link to his new blog. My blog is a teen blog and I only link to the teen niche. I'm in the middle of doing other business, so I ignore the message. Then a few minutes later my ICQ is lighting up like a christmas tree with this dude repeating every few minutes:
"You owe me a link"
"You owe me a link"
"You owe me a link"...
Well that's just a bit rude and the guy had already fucked up the content order, my only reason for chatting with him to begin with, so I decided not to respond.
This morning about one minute after I turn on my PC, he sends an ICQ asking something like "Are you all right? :-)" So I respond yes I'm ok, then he starts with the "You owe me a link" shit again, to which I tell him I don't link to non-teen blogs. Then the fucker starts telling me how he hates people like me, making vague threats, blah blah blah... anyway the dude got himself set to 'ignore' faster in one conversation than anyone I've had the displeasure of chatting with in the last two years.
Anyhow, my point is this guy hasn't been able to handle himself in any kind of professional manner, didn't deliver content in the manner in which he was contracted for, and can't keep his story straight about whether he's a photographer or is merely representing photographers (which seems to be the case), and on top of that seems to be in constant need of attention. Buyer beware.