How do I leave a reference?

Have you recently had a photoshoot with someone and want to tell everyone how it went? If so, leaving a reference is the perfect way to do this, and this guide will show you how.

Below are some other articles that you may be interested in:

• Late cancellations and 'no-shows'
• Deposits, Payments and Cancellation Fees!
• References System & Rules Explained

You can also click here to see all of our articles about references. 

How to add a reference

Go to the member’s portfolio page who you wish to leave a reference for:

• Scroll down to the heading References (near the bottom of the page)
• Click Add a reference (right-hand side of the page)
• In the pop-up, enter the date of the shoot you and this member attended together and choose the type of reference you wish to add
• Click Add reference

Date

You will need to add the date of the shoot using the calendar provided. If you have booked a shoot using your PurplePort calendar, then the date of this shoot may already be automatically selected. Make sure you check that you have selected the correct date.

Reference details

There are three types of references which you can choose from:

• Cancelled with less than 72hrs notice
• Did not show up
• Showed up

Note: For a Showed up reference, you also need to add whether you would recommend this member. This is a simple Yes or No option.

Types of reference

References should only be added to another member's portfolio for an actual shoot attended or arranged, and where the shoot date is today or in the past. You must only add one reference per shoot. You cannot add a reference condoning your 'general experience' of someone. The shoot must really exist and not be for a shoot that hasn't happened yet.

For more information about the rules surrounding references, please read References System & Rules Explained.

Cancelled with less than 72hrs notice

If someone has cancelled your shoot with less than 72 hours (3 days) notice, then this is the appropriate reference to leave. Cancellations where more than 72 hours' notice is provided do not require a reference because it is deemed that, however frustrating it may feel, there is still enough time to find a replacement for the shoot. 

Did not show up

This reference is for two types of scenarios:

• Not showing up 
• Cancelling with less than 24 hours notice (e.g. on the day of the shoot)

Showed up

This is the only reference where you can add whether you recommend someone or not. A simple Yes or No answer is required here.

• If you choose No then you can simply click the button Add reference
• If you choose Yes then a small text box appears allowing you to write some personal feedback about the shoot and your experience with this member. Remember, this is only for positive feedback. If you use this option to write any negative feedback then your reference could be removed by the Admin Team. Once you've written your feedback, click the button Add reference 

Editing/deleting a reference

Once you have added a reference, you will then have 5 days where you can edit or delete that reference yourself. To do this, go to the reference and on the right-hand side, click the appropriate option from the following: Edit, Delete, and View images. After the 5 days have passed from the date you have left the reference, you will need to contact the Admin Team via support ticket to request that a reference is edited or deleted - we will only do this when circumstances demand it. We won't rewrite history for you.

Short notice cancellations due to Covid-19

What happens if I need to cancel a shoot due to Covid-19?

Please let the other people involved in the shoot know as soon as possible, clearly stating the reason why you are cancelling the shoot and specifically stating that it is related to COVID-19. If we can see this information in your communications, we will be able to remove any negative reference you receive for this short-notice cancellation. Please report these cases to us via support ticket. 

Can I leave someone a short-notice cancellation reference still?

Yes and no. We are asking all members of our community to exercise empathy regarding short-notice cancellations related to Covid-19. However, shoots cancelled at short notice for any reason not related to COVID-19 can still expect a negative reference to be left should the other member wish to leave one. 

If someone receives a negative reference for short-notice cancellations specifically related to COVID-19, they can report this to us via support ticket, and we will remove it. Please note that this is only for cases where we can clearly see that you have stated the cancellation is due to a Covid-19-related reason.