How many photos for a portrait session?

[princer7]

Originally Posted by texkam

That's when they say "well, can you PS this head in that image". I once had a boss ask me to do that and to reposition pupils. When you work for yourself that can mean dollar signs, but when your boss says it you just see a long day.

Found myself having to do something similar recently for a family of 7 photoshoot. Very expressive faces just not ones that were in sych with the rest of the family.

[Howard Barlow]

Originally Posted by Flores

...you may shoot a hundred shots to get the one or 2 you want.

Oh my gosh, Paul, really? Not trying to be harsh, but if it takes 100 to get a keeper, that photog is NOT ready for business.

[auddii]

Originally Posted by princer7

Thank you guys!! My biggest fear is the first one that I am charging for and am terrified of the "that's all??" question but also do not want to spend every waking moment editing photos.

The photographer I work with had one bride who wanted tons of photos - because all her friends got 4,000 photos when they got married. The mother was demanding ALL photos, which the photographer refused, because there was no way she was turning over bad photos (they're "trashed" for a reason).

One thing is to be up front about what you're going to give them and that which photos are chosen is at your discretion. Hopefully this thread will give you a good idea for what that number is (and I have a feeling it will be a range because every session will be different. And I'd word it so that if you say 30, and you give 29 because that's what you like, they won't throw a hissy fit.

Good luck with the business side of things! One reason I'll always be a hobbyist

[reader0428]

I explain up front that I will show 25-35 of the BEST session images when we meet IN PERSON for the presentation and ordering session. :). I've rarely shown less than 30 but never more than 40, unless it's a multi-family session where I'm showing both large-group images plus all the smaller family units and individuals of kids within each family unit- but even then no more than 50. At my last multi-family sales appointment I showed 45 images and left the appointment with checks totaling almost $3,000.

[StevenGWebb]

I just read through this thread and I'm pleasantly surprised. I've run across several aspiring photographers who both over-shoot and over-present. I think that if you are going to ultimately show a maximum of, say 30, proofs it's equally important to keep the number of shots taken in some sort of proportion. A fashion shoot might rack up 100:1 ratio I find that unreasonable for a portrait sitting. The idea is to limit the confusion during the sales and keep the workload of editing under control. What may get overlooked is the perception factor. The average person can guess how many times the shutter is actuated in a session. The camera clicks, the lights flash, or the photographer looks at the back of the camera. How is the client going to feel about the competence of a photographer who takes 300 pictures or worse 1500 just to get the 30 good ones?

It speaks volumes of the confidence of the photographer to set-up the shot, get it, and move on.

Steve