Engagement Shoot San Francisco

camz · Mar 4, 2010

The 2010 season finally kicked and here's the first e-session of the year. So typically we shoot and just give coloured finishes to our clients like the finish in #1 however lately we've added these different finishes in the package for them to choose from besides our typical edit(#1). Tell me what you guys honestly think of the finish in sets 2 to 15 (Is it a waste of time? is it worth it to give to the client edits like these without them asking for it? ...). So far so good and clients seem to like the choices however a fellow photographer suggested to charge extra...I don't think I have the heart to do so since I've developed my own actions for these and a single click does it. It's not like these edits are new, we used them alot during fall shoots and fashion shoots however never included voluntarily for weddings/e-sessions. Let me know

1(Our typical edit)

2(In addition to the typical edit from here below)

3

4

5

6

7

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11

12

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15

iAstonish · Mar 4, 2010

I think its a personal preference that really only you could decide. I do really like the touch on a few of the pictures though (4,7,12 especially) because it really just adds that extra something to the image and really seems to fit the tone.

Great photos.

semiferger · Mar 4, 2010

Well that all are great photo but the thing which makes them great is the feeling of love which is also captured with the beautiful couple.And after that the skills used behind these photos are all perfect.

bigtwinky · Mar 4, 2010

I think its a good idea to give the client a look at what extra processing can be done on some images. Maybe not do them all, but just do it on a few that you like and feel where the processing just adds that much more to the image.

I did a pre-shoot of a client a few weeks ago. They asked if instead of doing an e-session if I could do some shots of their child who just turned 1. They didn't have any winter photos of him. So they got him dressed up, out we went. I ended with about 12 nice photos after the 30 min shoot and did some extra processing on top of the colour on about 6 of them. One BW, one in a more desaturated rustic look (similar to yours, but I like yours much better) on two of them and some other more random processing.

I dont do albums or prints, just images on a CD. I give them colour and BW of all images and allow extra processing on 25 images of their choice, so I wanted them to see what could be done. So its more of a marketing my product thing that I did.

SNAPaPHOTO · Mar 4, 2010

As others have said it is a personal preference to the couple, however I will echo the other comments that said. I like the pictures where the couple are portraying that they are in love, looking at each other, not the camera.

But that is just my opinion.

Cop J · Mar 4, 2010

If you don't mind me asking, what post processing did you use for these pictures? I know you said it is just "one-click" so are these just photoshop actions that are used?

I think you should give the client a choice between the regular photo and the post processed one. You technically are taking more time to post process them so I think you should charge a little more for them. If you don't the client may expect you to do this for all their photos, or may choose certain ones to do this to and others to do a different post processing effect. Eventually you may be doing a lot more work but charging the same, which brings down the value of your work in the long run.

Geaux · Mar 4, 2010

I love them all, but on #8, I don't like the watermark placement at all. It makes it look like an ad or commercial hah.

I love the poses in all of them, especially 6, 8 and 14.

#4 - The groom to be's foot being a tad blurry throws it off a bit for me. IMO, it would have been ideal to have all 4 of the feet in focus, not just 3.

Excellent job though

camz · Mar 4, 2010

I may have run out of thank you's but thanks for all the comments and ideas everyone!

Very good points and I agree that not all shots should have multiple edits as the man hours invested would be too much, I just perform them on those ones I personally like. From a revenue standpoint(if I don't place a premium) it isn't good but from a customer satisfaction standpoint it seems to work b/c it shows the extra mile effort.

Cop J said:
If you don't mind me asking, what post processing did you use for these pictures? I know you said it is just "one-click" so are these just photoshop actions that are used?

Yeah over the years I've developed my own actions to where once exported from ACR it's just one click on CS4 does the job sometimes. It's impossible to get hundreds of pictures done efficiently if it wasn't so

.

Don't get the mainstream actions being sold out their in retail as your photos will look like everyone else...

camz · Mar 4, 2010

Geaux said:
I love them all, but on #8, I don't like the watermark placement at all. It makes it look like an ad or commercial hah.

hehe I really like this shot so I slapped the watermark right in the middle...If you have a good imagination pretend it isn't there

Deli · Mar 4, 2010

Nice work, like always. 2-15 reminds me of heartpatrick photos.
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...790-heartpatrick-wedding-edmond-shiaolie.html

camz · Mar 4, 2010

Deli said:
Nice work, like always. 2-15 reminds me of heartpatrick photos.
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...790-heartpatrick-wedding-edmond-shiaolie.html

They do look similar in a way. I think heartpatrick is using more of a green filter with some gamma fade outs. I tend to blend on the warmer side with a sharpened orton. But I see what your saying

The edits I used from 2-15 are like the edits I used on the first two shots of this shoot Girl in the Purple Dress

Thanks!

sterlingp · Mar 4, 2010

What do you do to get the processing effect???

camz · Mar 5, 2010

I use ACR and CS4 to do the job. I've pretty much know everything I know from reading Martin Evening books and messing around with photoshop over a decade now...trust me if I can do it you probably can do better. I really can't say specifics b/c some of these are also developed by my partner but for these I've used a combination of desaturating, orton effect, high pass filters, olverlay blending, and sharpening.