To edit....or not to edit....THAT is the question! ;-)

[Cajungaltx]

Okay - I've been told: Never show unedited images.
Then: Don't waste time editing images they aren't going to buy....
Then: Do a soft edit...then proof.... then edit what they buy....

I can understand in specific types of photography - especially boudoir - that NOT editing would be an insane thing to do.... but seniors/families?

What do you think? What do you do? Why?

[Tom]

I put fence sitter.
All images are color corrected, changed to B&W, sepia, whatever I feel like.

I don't clone out every zit or whatever unless they are buying a print. Then I have them approve the file again before it is ordered.

[Cajungaltx]

Thanks Thomas. I'm currently doing editing prior to proofing.....but it takes too much time, and I often spend time on images that they don't even order.... which is a waste of resources....

[Tom]

Yeah, I would do your color correction stuff (lightroom editing for many) and then show them one or two fully-edited pics that have had portraiture/cloning/etc.

Anything that was photographer-error has already been corrected (dodge/burn). But things that are natural that they would want out (liquify, portraiture, pimples, cellulite, etc) are only edited on one or two of your favorites so they can see the difference and induce them to buy prints/files.

[mmuhlenkamp]

I haven't done much business, but I wouldn't do any heavy editing like skin smoothing or removing that tree branch you didn't notice until it was too late prior to purchase. Color correction, minor curves, contrast, vibrancy, etc. before showing is good though.

[reader0428]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

Yeah, I would do your color correction stuff (lightroom editing for many) and then show them one or two fully-edited pics that have had portraiture/cloning/etc.

Anything that was photographer-error has already been corrected (dodge/burn). But things that are natural that they would want out (liquify, portraiture, pimples, cellulite, etc) are only edited on one or two of your favorites so they can see the difference and induce them to buy prints/files.

I've been moving in this direction as well. It was taking toooo dang long to perfect each image I was showing. For the family I'm working on now, I know the mom is very sensitive about how she looks and told me she's always been overly critical of herself in photographs, so I am spending a little extra time de-emphasizing her double chin on all of the close-ups I show her. A little dodging and burning, a tad of liquify, it takes about 3 minutes per image and I think it will help the sale so for me it's time well spent. Otherwise I'm color correcting everything, fully retouching a few, and leaving the rest just color corrected with a few different processing looks added in.

[mrsrice22]

I usually do alittle more editing before showing but I don't have a steady stream of clients coming in so I don't mind spending time "playing" around. Once that changes then I'll opt for minimal editing up front. I have my own family that I'd rather spend time with than spending hours on the computer editing if they're not interested in those shots.

[doctahjones]

i never fully edit all the pictures up front, too time consuming.

like thomas, i run all the pictures through LR for color correction etc. then i'll pick out one or two and do a medium edit to them in PS so they'll have an idea of how much better a final picture would look like vs straight out of the camera. then they send me their picks and i edit those. all the others are not for public use unless i want them for my port, or they pay for them.

[w9ctm]

Me too, LR as needed, then wait to see what they order before anything else...

[SCone]

You want to show what "can" be done, but not to every photo. Edit one or two photos & the rest after a purchase is made.

[pbyd]

Again, I will sound like the old guy I am, I shot film for a living from 1970 until 1997 and like all other pros I did nothing until the client ordered a print and then only if they were going to pay for the retouch. My studio went 100% digital in 1997 and I never changed anything that had worked for the first 27 years. Now after over 13 years shooting digital (and almost everyone else has joined me in the digital world) I still have not changed. If you do photography for a hobby then it will not matter how much time you spend at your computer, but if you are doing this as a full time, only income job then your computer time starts to cost. I still do a good amount of business and have never had a client say a word about not having images worked on before they order and pay for such work. I would really like to find another business (baker, gift shop, or auto sales ETC) that would do all of the custom work on something for free just to see if I would like it.
To make a living at this game you must make a profit, if you don’t you can’t stay at it. Even the IRS requires you to show a profit after 5 years or claim it as a hobby. It is really simple business, you must charge for what you do or go out of business.
Just saying
Wayne
Photography by Design

[reader0428]

Wayne you make an excellent point. I have no idea what you charge for your sesison fee, prints or retouching fees, but it seems like the photogs who are showing fully edited images are including that computer time in their session fees, print prices and minimum purchase amounts. I am new at the portrait photography business, but I've had a few large sales ($800-$1,200) and for that kind of money I don't mind spending a couple of hours at the computer to give the best possible presentation (which will hopefully result in a large sale). Again, not fixing every pimple or double chin, but at least getting them to a point where Mom doesn't hate how she looks. I'm not full time but I am counting on my photography income to supplement my family's income so I don't have to go to back to an office job full time (which, with two young kids at home, I hate the thought of!), so I am definitely interested in working efficiently for maximum profit.

[ChristopherCoy]

Originally Posted by doctahjones

i never fully edit all the pictures up front, too time consuming.

Like thomas, i run all the pictures through lr for color correction etc. Then i'll pick out one or two and do a medium edit to them in ps so they'll have an idea of how much better a final picture would look like vs straight out of the camera. Then they send me their picks and i edit those. All the others are not for public use unless i want them for my port, or they pay for them.

+3

[STP Images]

I proof 24 total images for every portrait shoot. Once I cull the best 24 from the session, I run full processing on each of them. I can usuallly color correct, crop, liquify, boost color, adjust curves and run portraiture on each image in less than 2 minutes per image. However, this average time comes from years of practice using the tools I have to process the images the way I want them. For a portrait session, I spend less than an hour processing the total batch of 24 images that my clients choose their prints and products from.

During the consultation, we are VERY clear that they will only see 24 final images and they will all be print ready files. Never have had a client walk from the consultation saying they need to see more than 24 and I've never have had a client ask to see additional images during the proofing session. It's about setting expectations and managing the time you spend on workflow.

[Karebear98]

I am so glad you asked...I have been battling this question in my own mind as I gain more and more experience. Here is something I have seen that is becoming a natural progression and path with regards to my editing.

I am not an experienced professional and am still learning but this is what I personally do:

I cull all images several times over and for portrait sessions I come up with my top 20-30. Then I do what Thomas said, all basic edits such as white balance, saturation, burn/dodge, etc.

Then if I feel a special effect like B/W or something will look great on a couple, I do that.

Now I have come to the conclusion if it is a session with a woman in them, I have found all want beyond basic editing so far. I often hear: "I love this one but can you make my double chin smaller or shave some love handles off or fix my zit." I automatically assume the photos with women (21 years and up I have found) in them are going to need more work per their preference. They are much harder on themselves than I am because I usually think most of it is unnecessary.

I tell my clients (family and friends so far) that here are the best images from the session with basic edits but if you want further beauty edits or prefer something more, let me know and those can be done. Sometimes they will say: "I really love the "color pop" trend will you do one or two of these like that style."

They usually tell me the top ten or so they really love and their wishes.

I go back and do the final agreed edits and then I'm done!

I find several things: Men usually don't care if they are edited for beauty and people love all pics of their children no matter how edited they are! Just my 2 cents!

Not sure if this is how everyone does it but it is how I have gone about the process so far. I am still looking for a speedier editing process currently.