What pictures do you show them?

[corinnacs]

I'm just starting out, and have a simple question.
So I have a wonderful shoot-- come out with a total of, say, 40 shots. Since I am still learning the ropes, lets say 15 of those I need to weed out because of movement blur, poor settings, etc. Some of the ones left are just duplicates, shot in sequence. You know how it goes. So, I'm left with 25 or so nice shots. I've always just determined on my own which 10 are outstanding, spend my time processing these, and show them to the clients, along with the others not yet edited.
Is this the general procedure? How do you choose which ones to edit? Do your clients see all your shots pre-processed? Do you let them choose which ones you work with?
I never saw this as a difficult process until I found a very picky client who is just not satisfied!

[texkam]

1. Some people can not be satisfied.

2. I only want the client to see my best; what I'm comfortable showing. Anything else I treat as it was never shot.

I've always just determined on my own which 10 are outstanding, spend my time processing these, and show them to the clients, along with the others not yet edited.

I would not show them the unedited ones (MHO). However, there is a choice you must make about being an artist or being a businessperson (a.k.a. whore). That sometimes determines what you are willing to show. It's an interesting line that we all must walk so you're liable to get more opinions.

[HotHolly]

We market our boutique as a fine art studio. Short version we are selling heirloom art. Therefore I choose which images work best for the client and they are presented with a predetermined number of proofs that have already had extensive processing on them.

If you read our what to expect page, it kinda goes through the process from the clients POV. There is some stuff in there about processing and time lines. (You have to click through to it on the main site).

You can present them with only 3 proofs if you want...just make sure your client KNOWS this before the shoot how many proofs they will get or they may get pissed off. If you are targeting a different MO they wont like so few proofs.

[rusty_tripod]

Went to Belle's site. Her advice makes good sense and some people get so preoccupied with the process that they lose track of the basics. Hers is a good rule of thumb to follow.

[toverman]

Never show a client anything that you don't consider your best work.

[Redneck]

Agree with Todd. If I want to show/sell about 15 images to a client I most likely shoot 100 to 250 frames. Maybe I suck at shooting, maybe my expectations are pretty high. However, that gives me the freedom to pick and intensively process only the best ones. I never ever show any out of the cam images.

[Howard Barlow]

Don't show anything you don't want on someone's wall, with your name on it.

Don't show anything you say to yourself, "I hope she doesn't pick this one." She will. Every time. Immutable Laws of the Universe #42.