No good deed goes unpunished

So back on Wednesday I get an email from Kim Stark, editor and publisher of the Miami Sun Post.

She wants a picture I shot of Miami Beach author Gerald Posner.

Bill, can you send me more images? My deadline is today. We go to press tonight. Thanks, Kim

Funny, I say to myself...she didn't mention payment.

I email her back and ask if she can pay.

Unfortunately, we don't at the moment.

We are on a very, very tight budget right now.

Things have been pretty rough.

I really want to run your photo because you are mentioned in the book and Gerald suggested it, instead of having my husband, also a photographer, do the shoot.

I was also going to suggest you send a pic of yourself to include in the article.

Let me know asap, because then I have to arrange a shoot for this afternoon.

Thanks, Kim

"Pretty rough" would turn out to be a major understatement on Kim's part.

But I liked the fact that she tried to charm me by asking for a photo of myself.

But I tell her: no dice...photography is how I make my living.

Later on in the day I get another email begging for a photo.

I relent and offer a couple for $25.

Send them off at 5pm think that's the end of it...

At 10pm I get a frantic call. Kim tells me that they can't open the pictures.

I tell her I'm done for the night.

"Won't you talk to my husband,?" she asks.

OK, I say.

Guy gets on the phone and I ask him why he waited so long to call.

He says "We just got the pictures."

Impossible, I say. I sent them at 5pm.

"No you didn't," he says.

CLICK...I hang up!

Not nice to ask me for a favor and then essentially call me a liar.

A little later I get this email from Kim's husband.

Bill,

It was an absolute pleasure dealing with your sunny personality.

Here is what was received from photo 1.

Don't know if you know how to actually send a simple jpg.

Maybe it's because you are too much of a loser to have to go to your local donut shop to access the web.

None-the-less karma's a bitch. The email was only received at 7:30p possibly due to the file size and problem opening it.

At which time Kim (my wife) was working on other components of the paper. Not sure if you are having a bad day or you are just an asshole. Your point was well received by how fucking rude you are. Have a nice life douche-bag.

Stuart Davidson

Yes, Stuart...karma is indeed a cruel mistress!

I did a little checking today with former Sun Post staffers and learned that the inability to open jpegs are the least of the paper's worries.

Today I called my friends at Miami New Times and they did some digging on their own and learned that the once proud Miami Sun Post is foundering and headed for some very sharp rocks.

Karma indeed!