# Shootproof



## Jarrard (Aug 21, 2015)

Hey everyone! I am new to photography and trying to learn lightroom and photoshop. I am building a portfolio right now. I did my first newborn this week. I began editing, and when I was ten photos in out of 130, I decided that I should let mom choose which she wanted, and edit those. (Before I wasted hours of my time.)

I spent half a day or longer loading my pictures from lightroom to shootproof. (It took forever to publish to shootproof) Here within lies my question- am I going to be able to allow her to select by clicking them as favorites and then edit them and re- upload without headache? Is there a more efficient way to this process? Help! I do like the idea of clients choosing before I edit!


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## ronlane (Aug 21, 2015)

Welcome to the site. Honestly, I tried to upload a few photos to shootproof and it acted like it was just spinning and not doing anything. So I quit it and have moved on to something else for proofs. I am trying pixieset as a proofing site.


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## waday (Aug 21, 2015)

How many images did you agree to provide to your client? I don't do newborn shots, but 130 seems like a lot for a newborn shoot? Were all 130 different poses or did you have any repeats? 

Personally, I never let people see my unedited photos. At the very least, if you don't want to edit prior to showing, I think you should go through the 130 and delete any that aren't up to snuff. Repeats? Pick the best and delete the others. Any blurry ones, or oddly composed ones? Delete. Any ones with eyes closed or bad poses? Delete. Any ones that you don't think you CAN edit to what you want to provide? Delete.


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## Designer (Aug 21, 2015)

Don't show her the whole set.  If you can't pick out the dozen or so good shots to edit, then you should not shoot 130 shots hoping to get the mom to buy some.  

The mom is going to want EVERY    SINGLE    ONE, regardless how many are good.  Show her your best dozen or so, IN PERSON and ask her for the print order.  

You're welcome.


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## KmH (Aug 21, 2015)

My contract stated I would pick the best 15- 20 or so photos from a 1 hour session, fully edit those, and the customer would get to choose among those.

Proofing in person is better, in many ways, than proofing online.


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## Jarrard (Aug 21, 2015)

Designer said:


> Don't show her the whole set.  If you can't pick out the dozen or so good shots to edit, then you should not shoot 130 shots hoping to get the mom to buy some.
> 
> The mom is going to want EVERY    SINGLE    ONE, regardless how many are good.  Show her your best dozen or so, IN PERSON and ask her for the print order.
> 
> You're welcome.



You are correct. She wants all of them. Which to me is not a bad problem to have being that there are so many good ones. BUT- Lesson learned. As I said, my first time. Lucky for me, it is a friend who let me practice. I would never begin on someone who I couldn't tell that I wasn't sure about programs I was using and that I may change my mind and try a different program. But thank you for your advice.


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## Jarrard (Aug 21, 2015)

Jarrard said:


> waday said:
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> > How many images did you agree to provide to your client? I don't do newborn shots, but 130 seems like a lot for a newborn shoot? Were all 130 different poses or did you have any repeats?
> ...


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## tirediron (Aug 21, 2015)

Designer said:


> Don't show her the whole set.  If you can't pick out the dozen or so good shots to edit, then you should not shoot 130 shots hoping to get the mom to buy some.
> 
> The mom is going to want EVERY    SINGLE    ONE, regardless how many are good.  Show her your best dozen or so, IN PERSON and ask her for the print order.
> 
> You're welcome.


 Can't over-emphasize this enough.  If I shot 130 images at a session, I would expect to show the client maybe 30-40 AT MOST, and I always try and do so in person.  Bring along samples, so that when someone asks for an 8x10 "enlargement", you can show them how small that really is and upsell to larger sizes.


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## ronlane (Aug 21, 2015)

Jarrard said:


> Designer said:
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> > Don't show her the whole set.  If you can't pick out the dozen or so good shots to edit, then you should not shoot 130 shots hoping to get the mom to buy some.
> ...



So you are saying that you got 130 keepers in a session? What did you shoot a few hours and like 800-1000 images? I doubt that and would second John's advice to you to only show 20-30 at most.

Learning to cull and pick the very best images is an extremely important part of the photography process.


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## Jarrard (Aug 21, 2015)

Jarrard said:


> Jarrard said:
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I took many different poses.


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## waday (Aug 21, 2015)

Jarrard said:


> Jarrard said:
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Understood, but even if you're practicing, still set a number--it'll get you in the hang of it for when you start charging clients. I recently did a wedding reception for a friend. Small, backyard reception, nothing big.

Even though I'm still learning, and she knew I never did a wedding before, and this is a close friend of the wife's, I still made her sign a contract that explicitly stated a minimum number of photographs and what kind of deliverable (i.e., digital download). In other words, you're going to get 30, but you might not get ALL 130. You're going to get pictures, but you're not getting an album or physical prints. You want anything above and beyond the original signed contract? That requires a new contract and additional payment for additional services.


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## Jarrard (Aug 21, 2015)

ronlane said:


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I was at my friend's house for five hours. We sat and visited while baby was awake and when she slept, we shot in MANY different settings inside, outside, in the nursery. I was "playing" with different ideas because I could. I took 350 images. Different angles, etc. I cut it to 130. Of course, I still need to cut it down where I have 15 different angles and poses in one basket or an antique doll stroller but I thought it was really difficult to do. I need to work on this.   You are all correct and I appreciate the feedback. I will definitely not show this many next time.


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## Jarrard (Aug 21, 2015)

waday said:


> Jarrard said:
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I understand now. This is exactly what I was looking for from everyone!


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## ronlane (Aug 21, 2015)

Sounds like a plan to me. I'll be honest, culling is something that is really hard, or at least for me. But it is something that I am extremely focused on at this time until I get really good at it.

I have never shot babies, but I can only image how hard it is to detach your emotions from it because they are all so cute. And this one is only slightly out of focus or the focus is on the shoulder and not the eye, etc.

But I can offer this advice, hang in there and keep at it because it is worth it in the long run.


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## Designer (Aug 21, 2015)

Jarrard said:


> I took 350 images. Different angles, etc. I cut it to 130.


Word!

This indicates to me a fundamental flaw in your approach.  

Let's say there are maybe 10 different "poses" that the mom wants.  Setting up your lights and/or reflectors takes a few minutes, but then you should be able to make a good shot in about 10 tries, more or less.  This will include times when the subject has blinked or turned away, whatever, so doing the math, I come up with 100 shots.  

Later, you take a good look at them and decide which ones you'll show mom.  So let's say out of the ten shots, maybe three of them have something that you think is good.  Either a cute expression, excellent light and frame, whatever it is, you've got three of each "pose".  So that gives you 30 shots to show mom, not 130.


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