Woudl you give client all wedding photos taken?

[j28]

No way. I do not release images I am not 100% happy with. I want clients to have my best work and nothing else.

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[manaheim]

What does your contract say about it?

This should be something that is in the contract and thus discussed up front. You should let them know that you will take a lot more photos than you will deliver and you will use your professional judgement as to which photos you give them.

That was exactly what I was starting to think and am now realizing I need to update my contract. Glad OP posted this question.

[PerfectCanvases]

No i wouldnt send them all the photos at all.
Rub took the words right out of my mouth "Not a chance in hell"

[tallbootsphoto]

Hope I'm not too late
2. when asked: "How many pictures am I going to get?" There was a time when I used to give approximate number, BUT changed to "As many as it takes to tell a story of your wedding day"
3a. On few occasions I was asked by a client if they were to get ALL THE PICTURES - Some pictures are test shots, some are blinks or half-blinks, etc. These are about 5-15% of the frames. I want you to look at your wedding and enjoy the memories and not wonder I took a picture of a guy with some card things that has 3 colors on it. These are the things that get deleted. I had few instances that clients asked the same AFTER received the job at which point I already deleted the images so told them that.
3b. Some even asked to get non-processed work as well. My response was that I'm being hired for a specific style and if want to work w/ me, have to trust me.
Good Luck

This is great advice-am so happy you posted.

I follow a lot of photographers on Facebook and am always shocked when I see albums with 200+ photos most of which are the same poses 10 times and not all of which are in focus.

I've been shooting a lot of models off of model mayhem lately and average about 10 great photos/hour. I worry that people will not realize 10 amazing photos is better than 100 so-so.

I read somewhere that when you consider a magazine photoshoot there is one fabulous image and that's the cover. I always tell the models that I will be happy If we get that one photo, the rest is icing.

I will definitely be using some of your phrasing in the future so again, thank you.

[aliancer]

There is a saying (or just something I read somewhere)....

The difference between a good photographer and a great photographer, is the size of their waste basket.

In other words, a great photographer only shows their best work...while a mediocre photographer shows all the photos they've taken.

I've heard it whiles ago. Thanks to reminds me again, it'a good 1...

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[earthwindandfire]

Great advice here, wish I'd seen this earlier this is a bug bearer of mine! I agree with an earlier poster, novices are usually inclined to handing over an excessive amount of photos.

I don't send all the images as I was given to think it usually implies a lack of confidence or experience. I assisted a top portrait photographer who sent one final image, thats it, no negotiation - people knew they were getting his expertise and trusted his judgment. Agreed not ideal for weddings though hehe, I liked that his ethos was never to compromise artist integrity over commercial (and usually misguided) demands.

Sometimes I really want to say to the client "its about quality not quantity" - some clients seem to think that a truck load of photos (most that they wont use, or be able to distinguish a decent shot from a dustbin one) is more value for money - but why have 100 crap items when you can have a dozen brilliant ones.

I dont see the point? I refuse to send blurry, underlit, blinkers thanks v. much! Why would they want to wade through the bloopers anyway, thats what they pay us to do isn't it? Plus its you the photographer not them that has the professional, trained artists eye, (unprofessional) clients may, and often do need reminding