Portrait Session

[jgrindal]

I'm going to propose a theoretical situation, looking for some feedback to know how it's done.

Let's suppose that you've been hired to take some publicity photos for a client for use on their website / marketing materials / portfolio / whatever. You inform the client that you'll spend 1 hour in a few locations (since you don't have a studio) taking some shots - a mix of headshots, 3/4 shots and full body shots with a few backgrounds. You'll then retouch the photos and deliver the final product to them on a DVD / flash drive.

In your experience, how many photos do you wind up taking? How many do you deliver to the client? What is your general turnaround time to get them their retouched photos?

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by jgrindal

In your experience, how many photos do you wind up taking? How many do you deliver to the client? What is your general turnaround time to get them their retouched photos?

you decide all that stuff before you start shooting. we may shoot 60 shots, but i choose which ones make the cut to proof and are presented to the client WITH pp already done. others do it differently. your client will conform to the expectations you set. dont let them assume anything - spell it out.

[jgrindal]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

you decide all that stuff before you start shooting. we may shoot 60 shots, but i choose which ones make the cut to proof and are presented to the client WITH pp already done. others do it differently. your client will conform to the expectations you set. dont let them assume anything - spell it out.

Can you give some typical numbers, though?

The reason I ask is I'm going to do a dry run with my loving, dear wife as a model and I'm looking for a target. Something that is 'real world' as I know it's much different shooting people than objects.

[bondarnes]

Most clients are looking for one or two images from a session like this. I might shoot 30-40 images in two or three locations. I would show them no more than six images. The best two from each location. Anything under $250.00 is probably selling yourself short. Is that the info you were looking for?

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by bondarnes

Most clients are looking for one or two images from a session like this. I might shoot 30-40 images in two or three locations. I would show them no more than six images. The best two from each location. Anything under $250.00 is probably selling yourself short. Is that the info you were looking for?

what he said.

[jgrindal]

Originally Posted by bondarnes

Most clients are looking for one or two images from a session like this. I might shoot 30-40 images in two or three locations. I would show them no more than six images. The best two from each location. Anything under $250.00 is probably selling yourself short. Is that the info you were looking for?

Thanks so much, this is PERFECT.

[ShaneKislack]

Like Holly says, negotiate how many images they are licensing before hand with it in the contract. Like, Don says most are only looking for 1 or 2. Unlike Don and Holly, I shoot hundreds of images and do minimal processing to them until they make their selection. I do an edit to take out the blinks, etc...but then I try and give them many shots. It's an opportunity to sell more licensing. If they want more (because they are so awesome, they'll pay more). After they make their selection, I'll do MY processing and deliver the number of files they are licensing.

On the last CD cover I shot, I shot about 600 images gave them about 225 good ones to choose from. And I've been on shoots where 600 is the first hour. I also usually deliver files via FTP.

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by ShaneKislack

It's an opportunity to sell more licensing.

totally agree with this. im such a perfectionist it doesnt make sense for me to personally do that. others with different personality disorders may have better luck not being such a control freak and selling higher volume. there are lots of different and successful ways to do things.

[ShaneKislack]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

totally agree with this. im such a perfectionist it doesnt make sense for me to personally do that. others with different personality disorders may have better luck not being such a control freak and selling higher volume. there are lots of different and successful ways to do things.

I'm not so perfectionist, but I'll shoot variations. I've found that often they'll use the one select for their original purpose...then find a reason to use the others they like. For example, when I shot George Huff they were looking for a cd cover shot. They ended up using 4.