How many photos for a portrait session?

[princer7]

For a standard photo session and mini sessions, how many different images do you provide as a minimum?

[Tom]

REALLY depends on the session. I shot about 150 at my last bridal. I often shoot 10 or less for most corporate portraits. Hundreds at an E-session.

[brad]

I shoot what it takes... if you offer them too many choices at a sales session, they often will "lock up" and be unable to make a decision.

For a short shoot (like headshots), I average maybe 20 frames total.

For portrait sessions, I'll make maybe 50, 100, 150 frames.. but I'll narrow that down before the sales session to maybe 30.

[princer7]

Sessions would be mostly of young children and family portraits. Just want to make sure I will be offering enough. Right now, I am still practicing on friends to work out kinks and gearing up to a product offering. This side of photography is quite new to me.

[Flores]

How many are they going to buy?

Every one you process that they aren't going to pay for is time out of your pocket.

3 poses per scene? 5? Quantity is your enemy here.

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

I did a fun bridal portrait shoot a few months back.. I shot maybe 250-300 images. had 40 finished ones. (we were trying a lot of weird stuff. what do you expect when the bride has a sword and is wandering around someone's house that looks like a castle!)

[Tom]

However many you take, like Brad said, DO NOT show too many. It overwhelms people. Pick out your favorites and show how they can look BIG. Do not sell prints online - only in person.

[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.

[Flores]

as long as you have a clear picture of what it SHOULD look like when your done, you can probably get the vast majority of the way there straight out of the camera.

unless its sports, hoping to catch things 'just right' is going to make for long long hours with photoshop to try and salvage what you thought was an amazing picture, until you realize "there is a tree growing out of her head!" or " is that dog poo right behind them on the grass?" or "damn, they are squinting in EVERY SHOT"

:D

[JStrattonPhotography]

For a regular session I edit 20-30 of the best photos. For a mini session 10-15. I make sure they are all pretty different to give a good variety.

[brad]

Originally Posted by Tom

However many you take, like Brad said, DO NOT show too many. It overwhelms people. Pick out your favorites and show how they can look BIG. Do not sell prints online - only in person.

Exactly.

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 "that's all?" question usually stems from:

1. They thought there was a photo you caught, but they don't see it here (somewhat common)
2. They don't like anything they see (rare)
3. They are expecting to get every photo you took on a CD (sigh, too common)
4. They thought you took a LOT more photos than you did (also common)

I usually answer with "These were the best ones. I have not thrown out the others, yet, but I haven't done any work on them because they just aren't as good as what you see here. If you want to see a couple of those, I can pull them up."

I then grab a couple that are out of focus and eyes closed to show them examples of "the others."

Once in the 6 or so years I've been doing portraits professionally, I actually had a mother purchase one of those out of focus images because she felt it showed one of the kid's "true expressions" .. I told her that anything bigger than a 5x7 was going to look terrible, but she still purchased an 8x10 of it... and loved it. I told her she was not allowed to tell anyone I took it.

[Tom]

Just did a session. 17 images. Some of a group of three, some of an individual, split between Vert and Horiz.

[HotHolly]

my basic session has 7 drop-dead, gorgeous images. that's it.

as long as they know what to expect, there won't be any - where's the rest? they wont feel like u r holding stuff ransom. i have a what to expect section on my site. it spells things out so they have a good grasp of whats gonna happen.

[danchez]

I show anywhere from 7-15 images.

[texkam]

I then grab a couple that are out of focus and eyes closed to show them examples of "the others."

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.

[princer7]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

my basic session has 7 drop-dead, gorgeous images. that's it.

as long as they know what to expect, there won't be any - where's the rest? they wont feel like u r holding stuff ransom. i have a what to expect section on my site. it spells things out so they have a good grasp of whats gonna happen.

That is what I want to aim for.... every single finished photo to be a keeper.