Do/would you show/send unedited images?

mmaria · Oct 29, 2015

People always ask me to show them images in camera while I'm shooting them. Sometimes I show them (even if they don't ask me) one image or two because I want them to relax more when they see that they look good (this is while I'm shooting them, on the back of my camera that is)

But.. I won't send unedited images.

I explain everyone that I won't give them unedited images and I nicely explain reasons for it. I usually say at the beginning of the shoot that they will hear/see me click numerous times but that I will delete most of those images because I made mistake with the settings, or they closed their eyes etc. and they know how many images will get from me.

Anyway, after they get edited images most of people say "Oh, there are certainly more of them, never mind they're not edited, just give/send me all"

One girl is particularly persistent with her "demanding" unedited photos and I'm going out of patience, really. Last night I explained her again (for the fourth time I think) that I won't do that.. but she doesn't hear me.

I'm curious, do/would you show people/clients unedited pictures?

Designer · Oct 29, 2015

I would not, particularly if I was being paid for the shoot.

I have, occasionally, given the lot to my daughter-in-law because I simply didn't have time to sort through to delete the culls. She keeps every photograph ever taken of her family.

astroNikon · Oct 29, 2015

NO way

I gave someone a bunch of edited images once for them to select .... which meant I had to process a bunch of images that I thought weren't good enough.

Anyways, a lot of time involved for something that had no payback.

Just tell her no more exist. That you delete images that are not up to your quality standard. Thus there are no more to give.

And then recommend another shoot if she wants more photos .. with a package of $ for x quantity of shots.

Buckster · Oct 29, 2015

ronlane · Oct 29, 2015

No, I am like you. I may show a few images on the back of the camera but I don't show unedited images beyond that.

If you are using a contract, or the package says that you x number of images for a certain price, just remind him/her of that.

tirediron · Oct 29, 2015

ronlane said:
No, I am like you. I may show a few images on the back of the camera but I don't show unedited images beyond that.

If you are using a contract, or the package says that you x number of images for a certain price, just remind him/her of that.

Like Ron, I'll shot people the preview on the camera occasionally, that's it. As for the demanding client, "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but there are no images to show you. Anything that doesn't meet my personal minimum standard is immediately deleted!".

mmaria · Oct 29, 2015

... and she asks for originals of edited pictures too

and... just to be clear, I'm not paid for my photography so I don't have packages, contracts etc, I have model releases (but I must admit I'm flattered that you thought I get money for my photography

)

... but regardless, my question still stands for the rest of you

astroNikon · Oct 29, 2015

thus she doesn't want the watermarks on it ?
or she wants the freedom to edit the photos as she sees fit ?

mmaria · Oct 29, 2015

astroNikon said:
thus she doesn't want the watermarks on it ?
or she wants the freedom to edit the photos as she sees fit ?

no...
and I think not for editing also because she doesn't have a clue about any editing software

She just wants to see, have them idk

Designer · Oct 29, 2015

You've described my DIL.

Just be firm.

Dave442 · Oct 29, 2015

Sounds like an issue to resolve up front. From the clients perspective they can see it as perfectly reasonable. Like the others have said, just stand firm.

vintagesnaps · Oct 29, 2015

Some of the situation might be that you aren't getting paid so people may not always see you as 'a photographer' or 'a professional'; you're the person they got to take pictures for free, and edit them for free, and basically do work for free. Some people will try to take advantage if/when they can.

The advantage I think of having a website and contracts etc. is to have something to fall back on, something you can refer them back to (such as - remember in the contract it says____, or on my website it says____). That I think could help discourage the repeated asking.

I wonder too if you are taking a lot of photos and the person hears the camera going off a lot, that they might wonder... I'd think if you have to take a lot of pictures that maybe you need to get in more practice with just your camera, so you aren't creating a situation where the person thinks - she took a lot of pictures, what happened to those? what do those look like? I guess they might feel like they're somehow missing out on something.

Obviously you have to allow for some movement or blinking etc. but that might be enough to explain. It sounds like this got into too much explaining or justifying taking a large number of photos and they won't get many of them.

Maybe with this one make it short and sweet, be clear and firm that you will provide the finished product in _____ (amount of time - a week, 2 weeks or whatever it takes at this point). Then I'd probably get them done as quick as I could! lol and sent to her and be done with this one! I think everybody probably encounters some people being difficult at times and it's a matter of learning how to deal with people that can be challenging.

Then maybe rethink doing practice or learning sessions with people other than friends you can trust. I think too you might be leaving yourself wide open; I don't know what it's like where you are but here, I think it would be better to do a session with a contract, payment, a release, insurance, etc.

DB_Cro · Oct 29, 2015

I never send unedited images, but during nightlife events (clubbing) it's rather normal for people asking to see the image, more or less 90% of shots I show right after I take them (and they look great in camera too).

If someone asks for unedited images, I say that I shoot RAW (and I really do) and that they can't even see the image until I process it without specialized software.
That usually ends it.

Vtec44 · Oct 29, 2015

I provide unedited RAW images... for the right price!

astroNikon · Oct 29, 2015

Someone was using the analogy of a restaurant in another thread, which I'll take a step further.

So if you go to a restaurant and pay for a dinner, then eat it.
Then request another meal ...
you are essentially asking for more than you wanted and paid for.

If restaurants allowed this they'd probably soon go out of business.
So you either pay for another meal or eat the chips & salsa lol