quality over quantity (wedding photography)

[snphoto2016]

Hi all, just a quick poll. Do you cull extensively and offer only your best shots to wedding clients or go for broke and give it all because that's just what people expect these days?

 

[tirediron]

Customers should expect from me what was discussed in our pre-shoot consult, and that is: ONLY those images which meet my standards.

 

[Overread]

Why show photos that don't meet your standards?

If you show 400 photos of which some are great and most are average and some are meh to total duffers you look like an - eh did ok photographer.

If you show 30 photos of which all are outstanding then suddenly you're a really freaking great photographer!

Sure lots of people "want" lots of photos and many amateurs capitalise on this and say "500 photos" and such. In general they are a false sense of value because most of what those people tend to get are a lot of bad photos. Things that didn't quite expose or compose right; heck they might even get the repeat shots eg when the formals are done and a few are taken of the same pose of groups (to get all eyes the right way etc...).


Quality is nearly always going to be the most important factor over raw volume. Of course some setups will generate more shots than others; if you've got a photobooth setup during the party after; if you've got a reception boot setup for visitors to each get a shot - then yes you're going to suddenly have a lot more to deliver; But in those examples its a booth or similar semi-controlled situation where you can ensure that you mostly get keepers each time.


In the end you've got to decide for yourself; but ask that question of photographers and we are going to say go with quality every time. But of course ensure that you're delivering a suitable quantity of quality. For that you'll have to make your own mind where the cut-off is.

 

[snphoto2016]

Great point Overread! I was browsing some of the work of local wedding photographers and noticed a recurring theme, the same angle/image several times over for no apparent reason. I couldn't quite figure it out and my only thought was that maybe this was to increase the quantity of photos he was delivering in each gallery.? I personally might shoot the same pose from several different positions before I adjust pose but this was a little bit obvious. Of course I live in a pretty rural area where there are about 3 wedding photographers for couples in a 50 mile radius to choose from (I have yet to offer wedding packages) so I don't think anyone around here knows any different.

 

[Overread]

One problem is bulk of processing. When you've taken hundreds to a thousand or even more shots in a single day that creates a huge amount of work to just them them suitable for sensible display. Some don't really ever master that phase of things and tend to just do a memorycard dump online. They might fish out the total rubbish, but otherwise they don't use the right method and/or software to streamline their process so that they can at least get a sensible display of proofs before beginning the serious editing work. All a client needs are clear, good looking proofs to make choices from. Of course some shots are going to be "must haves" so chances are working on them to get them looking really good is going to be a must for you (eg the ring or first kiss - those are likely bread-winner shots for most wedding pros). Whilst shots taken of people dancing (barring the first dance of course) might well be suitable for a quick adjust and then put up online and then only touched up properly if sold.

Depends really how you cover the wedding and what you produce; but yes in the end you want to avoid being just a memorycard-dumper. You want to make sure everything you put up your proud to put up and fits with your standards

 

[dennybeall]

Don't do weddings any more but when I did there were two groups of photos. The first was the wedding and they were carefully culled and only the best were presented. The second group were the "informals" and they were taken to try and get EVERY person that was in attendance in at least one photo. Group shots at the receptions, hold the camera over my head to shoot into a crowd, any and all techniques to just get the shot. Nowadays I'd assume the cellphones take care of the "informals".