next »

[MichaelT]

I think this attitude of "only tale a few photos" is somewhat of a snobby trend that photographers use to brag about their prowess.  If I shoot a portrait session with 500 images I don't even blink.

That "snobby trend" to get it right in few shots has been status quo for over a hundred years.  The "new" trend is to shoot till your batteries die hoping that you have at least a few good ones.

Did you build a room in your new house just for Drobos?  (500 images? good grief...you don't have time to blink!)

Some day they'll come up with a way to tax digital exposures and we'll all be back to getting it right the first time.

[Gavin Seim]

I don't see whats been happening for 100 years as relevant when the medium has totally changed. If cars that never run out of fuel came, would people still worry about gas mileage?

I don't have a problem with people who like to take less images. Sometimes I get in that mood too and like to be minimal. Generally (especially with portraits and weddings) I like to keep clicking because often it leads to spontaneous moments.

Taking more or less shots does make made someone more or less of a photographer. If I have a really good portrait session there's so many opportunities for great images that 500 shots is easy as pie.

Of course the client does not get to see all 500

[MichaelT]

Ah, but we digress.  The question is, do you run presets on every single image before you present them to the client, and how involved do you get with them?  I think grego is shooting heavy, like you do, but is getting tangled up with the workflow. 

I really can't help him as I don't shoot heavy and do very little, if any, enhancement before client previewing.  For me, the margins don't show pay back.  In other words, the time spent enhancing images prior to the presentation does not result in higher sales.  In fact, clients will often order images that are not my personal favorites.

[Gavin Seim]

I correct every single image the client see's, whether with a preset, a little manual tweaking or some PS work. Having an efficient editing workflow is key though. It's why I've been able to make a good business out of tools to make it easier for people.

If I have a session with 500 images I can easily buckle down and have them sorted, edited and ready for proofing in about two hours.

I think the reason clients don't pick your favorites as much is because the difference is not apparent. I generally have two or three that I spend more time on, know they have the most potential for a wall portraits. Because those selection are so polished they nearly always go with them.

Not saying your method is wrong. I just know I can edit efficiently and like showing a finished product right off.

[MichaelT]

So there you go grego.  Two very different approaches.  I would bet there are more ways too.  Did you get anything helpful?

[FullMetalPhotographer]

It is not about showing off your technical skills. Here is the way I look at. There are five basic parts of a portrait shoot that has to come together.
(1) The technical, the lighting, exposure and camera.
(2) The composition and pose.
(3) The relationship between the subject and the photographer.
(4) The post processing.
(5) Presentation of final work.

If any of theses pieces are missing then the portrait, client and photographer suffer. So if you are are talking motoring out 200 plus shots during a 1 hour portrait shoot, and you are not working with a professional model, then I would make a strong bet that the composition and the relationship between the photographer and subject is suffering.

I will say this way. I have seen a lot of shooters that figure if they are shooting lots of frames then they do not have to work on the relationship with the client. It is using on aspect to cover a weakness in another aspect. As for closed eyes there really is no excuse for that in the digital camera age

Back to the original question I do see a lot confidence issues here. The big killer to me here is showing the client incomplete work unedited images. That has to kill the clients expectations.

In terms of post processing, every image is in someways is tweaked by the photographer unless they posting strait out of the camera. I take a basic concept an old professor said to me. If you are spending most of your time in a darkroom then you are losing money because you are not out shooting and making connections with clients. That goes for the electronic darkroom as well.

One of the reasons I brought a 4X5 view camera is not about the exposure but the process of capturing the image. A view camera is one of the most simple cameras made. No AF or auto exposure in their design. But that simplicity is what makes it complex. You have total control over focus, depth of field, perspective, and exposure. That control can  exciting and frustrating. As for them not being used any more not really true, product shots, food shots and architecture shots are were these cameras are used commercially a lot. Digital still can't touch the film. I suggestion is shoot one for a week even if you use a scanning back. It is a different beast.

It makes you focus on capturing the best image possible with each frame.

[webmaster705]

I agree with the point that mature photo grapher takes few shots and just finalize, but i think may be taking few extra shots chnage the whole story, they may result your never expected?