Proofs

How often do you use proofs and is it possible in this day and age of digital. The other day I took some product photography shots for a client. There were only 3 products so I tried to shoot as many angles as possible, without getting redundant. The client told me she wanted the products displayed on a clear white background. Out of 80 pictures taken that day, I chose about 20 shots which I think would work. I edited them and sent a sample downsize photo to the client.

 

The reason I didn't select the other 60 shots was because they had defects(too light, too dark, blurred etc) or were carbon-copies of the ones I selected. Now the client wants to see all 80 photographs bloops and all. She wants to determine what photographs should be edited. I really don't feel too good about this. First of all, I would have to downsize each image and send via email, or create some type of link where she can view all the shots. What do you think is this a legitimate request by the client ?

What does your contract obligate you to deliver?

Don't have a contract, then it's whatever you can negotiate with the client. Next time specify deliverables in the contract.

Do you use dropbox? I had a client who liked to look at all the photos (fortunately, unedited--she was very knowledgeable). I just dumped the whole take onto dropbox and she could look at all the photos, compare them against what I worked up and ask to see any I didn't work up. In three years, I don't think there was more than three that she requested.

Do you use dropbox? I had a client who liked to look at all the photos (fortunately, unedited--she was very knowledgeable). I just dumped the whole take onto dropbox and she could look at all the photos, compare them against what I worked up and ask to see any I didn't work up. In three years, I don't think there was more than three that she requested.

 

No I don't use Dropbox, but the client mentioned Google Links which is free. I can upload the entire folder and send her a link. I'm trying to figure out how to use it. Another problem is that I would like to watermark the pictures in that folder. Hopefully I can set up a batch program in PS but i'm not sure...

Back in the days of film, when the dinosaurs still roamed the earth looking for a local source of tungsten-balanced slide film, I shot for a handful of local theatre companies. And if there is one absolute rule I learned, even more important than "do not set your beard on fire while drinking rum," that rule would be: "NEVER NEVER NEVER show them all the shots no matter what they or you say." It can only lead to misery. Tell them you showed them all the shots that came out, tell them you showed them all the shots the cat didn't eat, tell them anything, tell them you HAVE given them all the shots and you only shot 18 frames--but NEVER give them all the shots. Such says the Great Book o' Wisdom, Philosophy, and Developing Times.

No I don't use Dropbox, but the client mentioned Google Links which is free. I can upload the entire folder and send her a link. I'm trying to figure out how to use it. Another problem is that I would like to watermark the pictures in that folder. Hopefully I can set up a batch program in PS but i'm not sure...

I don't think you can batch process in PS (possibly in CC, but I don't have that subscription). You can in Lightroom.

Back in the days of film, when the dinosaurs still roamed the earth looking for a local source of tungsten-balanced slide film, I shot for a handful of local theatre companies. And if there is one absolute rule I learned, even more important than "do not set your beard on fire while drinking rum," that rule would be: "NEVER NEVER NEVER show them all the shots no matter what they or you say." It can only lead to misery. Tell them you showed them all the shots that came out, tell them you showed them all the shots the cat didn't eat, tell them anything, tell them you HAVE given them all the shots and you only shot 18 frames--but NEVER give them all the shots. Such says the Great Book o' Wisdom, Philosophy, and Developing Times.

 

Thank you Ken, great advise

I don't think you can batch process in PS (possibly in CC, but I don't have that subscription). You can in Lightroom.

Both CS 6 and CC have Image Processor in Bridge, which allows you to set up specs for files and then batch process them.

In CS 5 you can execute the Batch function by clicking on [FILE]==> AUTOMATE==> BATCH. To set up the Actions, click on [WINDOW] ==> ACTIONS.

B"NEVER NEVER NEVER show them all the shots no matter what they or you say." It can only lead to misery.

 

Perhaps I'll be forgiven for adding an illustration: I did a series of publicity shots for one upcoming play. One of the photos the director/producer wanted had a girl with a guitar on a bench at the front of a house, and an old woman at a kitchen table inside the house, visible through a window, and some secondary characters in the living room behind the kitchen. (YES: too crowded, too many subjects. This was not my own choice. You know how that is.)

 

And the guy behind the shoot was someone I'd worked for a number of times and he knew a fair bit about photography, and I was comfortable working with him.

 

This was a serious PITA but I set up lighting for the girl very close to ambient, then slaves inside the kitchen slightly brighter than the girl on the porch, and then more slaves in the living room, about the same as the kitchen. For a poor boy (poor fat old man, to be accurate), with a bunch of cheap and fourth-hand gear, it was a monster to set up. I was amazed at how good the results were--I think this was not long after I got a D70, my first real digital camera. The director was delighted, too.

 

But none of my shots were used, including my great "everybody in one shot" PR shot. Instead they used some awful P&S snapshots. One of the board members looked at my final edit of that shot on her own computer and was upset at the "crosshatch lines all over the shot." It was an artifact, of course, of the screen resolution and the size at which she was viewing the photo. I tried to explain that to her by phone, but she KNEW better--she saw the crosshatch patterns, after all. All it took was one idiot to ruin what I thought was a really nice bit of work, and I never shot for that company again. So even if you are dealing directly with someone who knows what you're doing, it only takes one idiot down the road a bit to screw things.

 

The short version of this long and perhaps boring tale is: "Because, morons." :-/

How often do you use proofs and is it possible in this day and age of digital. The other day I took some product photography shots for a client. There were only 3 products so I tried to shoot as many angles as possible, without getting redundant. The client told me she wanted the products displayed on a clear white background. Out of 80 pictures taken that day, I chose about 20 shots which I think would work. I edited them and sent a sample downsize photo to the client.

 

The reason I didn't select the other 60 shots was because they had defects(too light, too dark, blurred etc) or were carbon-copies of the ones I selected. Now the client wants to see all 80 photographs bloops and all. She wants to determine what photographs should be edited. I really don't feel too good about this. First of all, I would have to downsize each image and send via email, or create some type of link where she can view all the shots. What do you think is this a legitimate request by the client ?

You could use Pixpa, they've client gallery options and also, you can watermark your images. Hope this will help.

Couldn't one simplyuse a host site to send finished or selected image files all at once? I use Zenfolio and simply link the "gallery" to a block of images I want to share. If s someone wants prints, I have them select whatever they want in print and make it happen. I can send a JPG of RAW file out or just have Zenfolio print an image out of my gallery files.