How do you cull your proofs?

I'm wondering about different methods people use for selecting the

final set of proofs that are shared with the client.

 

I've only done a handful of weddings so far myself and it probably

has more to do with my lack of technique in shooting (I'm still so

nervous that I am going to screw something up that I waaay over

shoot) - but I have a TON of pictures to sift through. I used to do

the proof albums for my father when he shot weddings, but he would

come back with the exact number of shots he knew he needed, and I'd

only have to pull the obvious - hair in the face, eyes shut, someone

stepped into the shot...

 

I seem to be able to narrow it down to 50-100 good shots that I know

they are going to like, and then I'm left with a big pile of

other "okay" shots that are of them or their family and friends and

aren't bad shots, there's just nothing gripping about them - so I

guess the question is after you've set aside the really good shots

and the really bad shots (assuming you have any), how do you sift

thru what remains and determine whether to share with the client or

not?

This is also a problem for me "waaaayyy over shooting". How many images do you capture at a wedding? I know there has been the argument that the more you show, the more you sell, but I think I am showing way too much. I take between 400-500 + pics, and then take out the bad ones, and then turn the really good ones to black and white and do some special effects in PS, so when they proof online there may be 700 images to look at. I know that's just too many! I do PJ, so I'm popping off shots like crazy, and there are some great candids that I have a hard time not sharing with them, because they might really want it. I feel like if I delete it, I'm throwing away what might have been a very special moment for this person.

 

Thanks for posing this question, I would like to add to it if possible with how many shots is too many?

 

Thanks,

Teresa<div></div>

Edit out "closed eyes", pick the best 2 of 4-5 of a situation; show the rest; listen to their complaints and comments.

Misty and Teresa,

 

I don't think you are shooting too much. Especially as new wedding photographers, the more you shoot, the fast you will learn and define your particular style. It will also require patience, because with that many images, the time you spend in post-event editing also increases.

 

David Beckstead shoots 2000+ images per wedding. He may take 20 or 30 shots to get the one that works great, or a nice series of images that look good in an album.

 

So if you can afford it, and you can be reasonably confident that your shooting will result in usable images, then by all means shoot away. Over time your experience and skill will improve, and the number of usable images will also increase.

 

I found David's article on Style to be especially helpful. Here is the URL you can read for yourself:

 

http://www.digitalweddingforum.com/beckstead/

Teresa...

 

Nice image! I don't particularly care for the burned edges though. This is a highly subjective preference, but the burned edges just don't do much for me. I feel the burned edges calls more attention to itself than the subject within the photo.

 

Great work though!

Only show and give your client your best work! If you have enough "good" shots to fulfill your obligation then that's all they should ever see. Any images less than that reflect badly on you. <p>

All images are yours remember, so you don't have to give them anything that you don't want to.<p>

 

-Hal

A typical wedding coverage, for us, is 4-6 hours. With two photographers shooting >> we average about 15 rolls of 36 exposure. Since our clients keep the negs and all proofs--we are very selective how we shoot "in camera." The Bride & Groom are paying for are expertise ~~~ not trial/errors. The more you charge for your services , we find, the more that client expects!<div></div>

I typically shoot 500 to 600 shots in a full day which often includes going to the beauty

salon in the morning and the make-up salon later. When clients ask "how many images

do you shoot", I answer... "until I start repeating myself".

 

I usually cull that down to around 200 shots, which, when shooting digital, I put on a

large contact sheet and a matching DVD. 40 of those images are selected for the album.

Providing around 200 images assures that photos of friends, and family that might not be

appropriate for the album are there to make prints later. Especially portraits of older

family members.

 

I often shoot family portraits and couples who ask me how much for nice photo (they're all

dressed up and want one at a nice location). My standard reply is that it is a gift from the

Bride and Groom. A number of brides have used those portraits as Holiday gifts.

Beautiful shot C JO.

Thanks kindly Marc~~~~

Do any of you have a trusted assistant or someone whos eye you respect to

help sort through all of the proofs? I find that I am much too critical of my

own work so even when I have done shows I have had others help pick out the

images. When it comes to proofs I'll go through them the 1st time and 4

more times, the 5th time I start to notice things that I didn't get before and

even after I turn them over to the B&G I'll see one and think Oh I should send

them that. Im never satisfied and I sound like a lunatic.

I do shoot about 25-30 rolls per wedding. The more people in a group shot - the more chance of shut eyes and funny expression. I shoot 6-8 of each group. Sometimes they all come out fine and sometimes just one! I also do PJ shooting. I only remove very bad shots... Flash problem, underexposed - and the truly bad. <p>A few reasons.. One - is because I did a wedding where I had a great shot of the bride laughing... She filled the frame from waist up. Her head was slighty tilted back and her mouth was wide open in a laugh. Hmmm I could see her fillings in her back teeth. She looked beautiful though! Almost threw it out...but...I happened to know this bride more than most of my clients and thought she'd get a kick out of how much fun she was having. Turned out that 4 people including the bride ordered an 8x10 of that very shot! From that point on I try not to overedit. <p>Say you have 6 shots of a group that all look similar. As a woman - I can tell you I'd have the magnifying glass out to see which one my husband and I looked best in... How many times a bride pointed to a shot I though was "flawed" because it didn't show her as glamorously beautiful and she loved it because it was "so her". <p>As to editing. I go through the first time to get the overall feel and write the sequence of events on the bag and write the set number on the bag. When I go through the second time, I through out the obvious duds. Third time I'm in process of stickering my label on the back and maybe I'll toss out another 1 or two from each roll. Fourth time is when the images go in order into the proof books. Then I'll toss something now and then. By the time I'm finished I'm happy but I'm happiest when I go through my doubles and pull my favorites. I put these in a small Mezzo album in storybook form as a small "companion album" for the client. <p>I probably pull an average of 4 images per roll. I personally have 1400 images from my wedding. My photographer didn't edit much out! I love every single one of them and wish I had more...

Kimberly -- I do pay a very artistic neighbor of mine to help with slipping the 4x6''s into the sleeves and labeling the order boxes with the numbers. She will occassionally question me on a choice. She's often right.. ;-)