Quantity Vs. Quality: The Photographers Edit

As portrait and wedding photographers we work with people who may not be accustomed to the professional workflow from the shoot to the presentation. So when we show just under 30 images for a portrait/engagement session we sometimes hear the question, “What happened to the rest of the pictures?” The short of it is that professional photographers are extremely selective of the images they show their clients and I’ve listed some reasons below:

• Any  commissioned photographer wants to WOW their clients, so only the best of the best make it to the presentation; any weak images in the collection take away from the stronger ones.
• Any unflattering pose, facial expression or angle may be seen by the photographer only in post-production and will be immediately discarded.
• During a session the photographer will take multiple variations of a single pose but may only show the absolute most stunning image. Any repetitive images in the presentation tend to clutter the group. Variety is key to an overall strong collection.
• There are times when a photographer is trying a new technique or having fun with the subjects to keep them engaged in the shoot. These images may not turn out but they are still a productive part of the photographic experience, for the artist and the subject.

So when preparing for your photography session ask your photographer how many images to expect and you’ll most definitely get a ballpark figure. This may positively affect your immediate reaction to your images.

Photographers: How many images do you show for an average portrait or engagement session?

Comments are welcome and encouraged… thanks

~R & A