1 HR Extended Family Session-# edited images/fee

Epiphany · Sep 2, 2017

I am a amature photographer. I still have a lot to learn and so much to ask the pros!!

Recently, I have had family and friends ask me to photograph different events and family photos for them. They have offered to pay me. I have a hard time accepting money or knowing an appropriate fee. I know my photos aren't professional quality or the way I dream of them looking one day. Though I am satisfied with my product.

The most recent session I did was an extended family session for my sister-in-laws parents, kids and grand kids. We have agreed on $100 for an hour session. I did drive a total of 80 minutes to their home where the pictures were taken. How many images do you typically edit per session? I have been editing the best images from the session. I usually include the unedited images as well on the disk I give. However, on this session it was a bright, sunny, hot day. With that being said I have a fair amount of hot spots on faces in photos and don't necessarily want to share those. This session was a challenge for me! They had specifics as to where they wanted pictures taken. I was competing with bright sun and sun dapples through trees. Would it be acceptable to only give them the best edited images? I am about half way through the images and have edited 17 so far. I am figuring I will have around 25-30 edited images when done. Thoughts? Thanks in advance!

tirediron · Sep 2, 2017

You NEVER, EVER, EVER give out "un-edited" or any other images that don't measure up. If it's not 'A' list, it goes into the bit bucket. Full stop.
17 images from a one hour session seems reasonable. I don't do a lot of family location work, but for me a typical session lasts 60-90 minutes and will produce 6 - 8 poses with 3 - 4 selections from each pose. The session fee is $175, exclusive of product. Don't let the client 'drive' the shoot. If they have specific ideas, poses, or locations, that's fine, but part of your job is to tell them why those won't work (if they won't) and to suggest alternatives. If they insist on something, fine, shoot it but then shoot yours as well.

Epiphany · Sep 2, 2017

tirediron said:
You NEVER, EVER, EVER give out "un-edited" or any other images that don't measure up. If it's not 'A' list, it goes into the bit bucket. Full stop.
17 images from a one hour session seems reasonable. I don't do a lot of family location work, but for me a typical session lasts 60-90 minutes and will produce 6 - 8 poses with 3 - 4 selections from each pose. The session fee is $175, exclusive of product. Don't let the client 'drive' the shoot. If they have specific ideas, poses, or locations, that's fine, but part of your job is to tell them why those won't work (if they won't) and to suggest alternatives. If they insist on something, fine, shoot it but then shoot yours as well.

Thank you for the feedback,very helpful! I did shoot my own ideas. The location was hard to work with. The back yard was small and backed up to woods. The sun was the wrong direction to have the woods as the back drop. I did the best to my ability given the location. I usually like to shoot a location I have been to before and know the lighting conditions I am working with. A learning lesson for sure! Thanks again!

vintagesnaps · Sep 2, 2017

What John (Tirediron) said in red... and it doesn't sound like you're ready to do a session yet. That could turn out to be a disappointment for you if the pictures don't turn out as well as you wanted and for them if it doesn't turn out the way they expected.

Instead give them a suggestion on where to find a portrait photographer. If you have a family member that wants to help you learn just for fun then do that. Figure out how to explain that you still need to develop skills etc.

If you're going to a family event, and taking along your camera, you could offer to give people a couple of pictures if you get some good ones. Those could be given as a gift. And that's it. From your questions you still have a lot to know how to do to be ready to do portrait sessions. Besides being good at the photography you'd need to get on a pro site like ASMP or PPA and start learning what you'll need to know. You don't want to set yourself up for failure, you want it to be successful for you and enjoyable for your relatives.