Day 172 of 365
For the past 3 years (possibly 4 years) my friends and I have done an annual camping trip. It's usually at the same place every year. Hammonasset State park a family campground (tons of rules) by the beach in Connecticut. It's always a great time but we're a rowdy bunch and getting us to quiet down at 8 o'clock is like trying to get a baby to stop shitting their pants. Baby's just shit and my friends, well they make noise.
Fast forward to this year. Kevin's parents who usually camped and booked 2 spots were no longer camping so we decided to not uphold the tradition we would find a new spot. Hopefully one with less rules and more space.
This is where Hipcamp comes in. I reached out to Hipcamp to find a spot in Connecticut. It was a success. If you're not familiar with Hipcamp it is the Airbnb for camping. If your not familiar with Airbnb it's an alternative to staying in an expensive hotel. Instead homeowners, apartment owners can rent out there fully furnished places online for short term stays. It's amazing, renting an entire home for yourself and your friends or an apartment in NYC etc. Back to Hipcamp, they have a program where photographers can photograph a property, stay for free, bring friends, and get paid $100 to do so.
The first time I used Hipcamp it was great we went to Maine, stayed in a cabin and got paid and the home owner loved the photos plus invited us back to stay for free again. This memorial day weekend I booked 3 nights as well. Little did I know you are only allowed to book 1 night. Obviously I didn't read the FAQ I didn't have any questions. I just assumed same as the first time. Don't assume. That was the first complaint. Secondly Hipcamp wants the photos edited in 3 days or less. I don't even give my clients who pay over $2500 a day the photos in 3 days. Retouching photos accurately takes a long time. So for $100 dollars editing in 3 days is crazy and not reasonable. I gave them the edited photos in a week. The 3rd and most major problem a few of my friends were very loud at 4am on the first night. It's not cute anymore when your 25 years old to be a noisy drunk and I was very upset about it as our host was extremely gracious to us.
With some surprise the hosts wife put in a complaint about us to Hipcamp.
We left the site just as clean as we found it. There was only 1 noisy night.
The photos I sent...not the ones shown below, were exactly what they wanted. Hipcamp even said they loved the photos, but the deed had been done. We had pissed off the wrong Hipcamp owner and I knew there was a reason I was so stressed about bringing my friends into something I had used for my business travels.
It was my fault I was the one responsible for everyone and I let myself down.
Hipcamp emailed me after I submitted the edited photos they said they loved them but because of this disturbance they decided they no longer wish to have me be a part of their photographer program.
I asked if their was anything I could do to amend the situation and they told me to apply again at a later date.
I wont be.
I will stick to hotels, state parks, and national forests from now on.
The moral of the story if you make a mess you have to own it and clean it up.
Even if I was in bed at 12 every night there was still only 1 person to blame and that was me.
Below are some film photos from what was still an amazing memorial day weekend.
