How many proofs???

[wrdm]

Can you guys help me settle an argument I'm having with my wife (who I run the business with jointly).

For a while I've been thinking that we are offering far too many "final" proofs to our clients, sometimes in excess of 60+, and in my opinion this is far far far too many. My wife is of the opinion the more the better.

I feel that what we should be showing to the clients is the best of the best, the knockout images, the one's that we would 100% put up on our own walls.

I think that showing over 60 photos could be potentially overwhelming, where as showing a smaller number of the best could potentially maximise the selling prints, in my opinion no one will buy 60 prints but could potentially be more tempted to by 10/15.

I'm interested to see what everyone's thoughts on this.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by wrdm

Can you guys help me settle an argument I'm having with my wife (who I run the business with jointly).

For a while I've been thinking that we are offering far too many "final" proofs to our clients, sometimes in excess of 60+, and in my opinion this is far far far too many. My wife is of the opinion the more the better.

I feel that what we should be showing to the clients is the best of the best, the knockout images, the one's that we would 100% put up on our own walls.

I think that showing over 60 photos could be potentially overwhelming, where as showing a smaller number of the best could potentially maximise the selling prints, in my opinion no one will buy 60 prints but could potentially be more tempted to by 10/15.

I'm interested to see what everyone's thoughts on this.

Hmmm..this sounds like a carbon copy of our business. We also provide customers with that many, or more proofs...so, you are not alone. Along with enlargements we also offer 4x6 reprints, and very often we will sell many of them to a client. So, is your wife (echoed by my wife, by the way) correct in her assumption? Sometimes I believe too many similar poses can make the decision process by the client more difficult. And being that I do all the post processing in our business a lot more work for me

[funcrunch]

How many images you show or deliver depends quite a bit on what you're shooting. If it's a headshot-style portrait of a single person, 5-6 images might be enough. Whereas I shoot events and it's not uncommon for me to select and edit well over a hundred images from a single shoot. However many you end up with, I agree that only your best work should be included, and the number of similar poses should be limited.

[wrdm]

I'm mainly talking about final images for client to choose following 1hr portrait sessions

[funcrunch]

Originally Posted by wrdm

I'm mainly talking about final images for client to choose following 1hr portrait sessions

Sixty images does sound a bit high in that case, unless it's a portrait of a large family with many distinct groupings and poses, and/or shot in several different locations.

[mshockley]

Originally Posted by wrdm

I'm mainly talking about final images for client to choose following 1hr portrait sessions

20 sounds good

[autofocus]

Our primary business is portraits. Babies, kids, teens, adults, couples, families,etc. Our typical sessions range from one subject to upwards of 20 or more. 60 proofs, or more is very typical for us in our business. And I have to say our customers don't seem to mind, and it has not hurt our business. Many customers like to make wall arrangements of groups of enlargements. I think if you provide 20 or less proofs you may be losing some additional sales opportunities...but, that's just my opinion

[mshockley]

Originally Posted by autofocus

Our primary business is portraits. Babies, kids, teens, adults, couples, families,etc. Our typical sessions range from one subject to upwards of 20 or more. 60 proofs, or more is very typical for us in our business. And I have to say our customers don't seem to mind, and it has not hurt our business. Many customers like to make wall arrangements of groups of enlargements. I think if you provide 20 or less proofs you may be losing some additional sales opportunities...but, that's just my opinion

autofocus he was asking about a 60 minute sesion. 60 proofs in an hour? I am gonna have to get a different job I can't do that...

[Jim Poor]

60 proofs from 60 minutes? Nuts!

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by mshockley

autofocus he was asking about a 60 minute sesion. 60 proofs in an hour? I am gonna have to get a different job I can't do that...

That's no problem for my trigger (shutter) finger partner and wife When I do the edits I'll also do some various crop configurations, some also in B/W, and some in custom actions...so, hitting 60 or more images is quite easy. But, it does keep me pretty busy