How many shots?

[TDrag27]

If you spend an hour with a family, what's the reasonable expectation for the number of shots you'll give them to choose from?

Today, I took photos of a friend's 3-year old. I'm just doing this for fun right now. I don't charge or anything. But a) I'm still learning A LOT! So I get a lot of bad shots. And b) 3 year-olds just do what they want to do pretty much. lol! So, I spent an hour, and I'm going through everything now and there are probably 10 that I really like. And more that I could probably crop to get something good.

Just wondering what the average person might expect (I know my friend will be happy with what I got, so I'm not worried about that). Asking more as a learning thing...

Thanks!

[Doug Pardee]

I'd think that one or two from each "pose" would be plenty. (Recognizing that it sounds like you weren't doing poses.)

If you give people too many things to choose from, most people will find it difficult to make any choice at all.

[Geodar]

I don't think there is a set amount of the numbers of shots you should take.
If you have the camera on burst mode and fire away, then you will get loads of similar shots, if you just take one shot when they are doing something you are going to get less.
It also depends on what type of image they (parents/family) are after. If portrait then maybe 40-60 shots but if candid because they are doing something then maybe a few hundred and pick out the best.

What I find with kids is that if you show them what you are shooting and maybe let them take a few of anything, then after a few minutes talk to an adult, the child soon gets bored and goes off to play, this way they mostly now ignor the camera and get immersed in their play time which leaves you to get some great candid shots.
Geoff

[oblivi]

I have to agree with Geo and say no set amount is right or wrong. I normally would give anywhere from 5-10 if the shoot was one where I wanted to work with a model or subject. If it is a commissioned shoot then I would go no lower then 10 and as many as 25.

[AtlantaTerry]

Don't limit yourself in either direction.

What happens if you say up front that you are going to show them (for example) 40 Image Previews. And you happen to get "it" on the fifth? There really is no reason to shoot 35 more but you are stuck because you said they would see 40.

Then what happens if you have shot 40 and you know in your gut you haven't gotten "it"? Do you stop? No, I certainly would not.

What you are bringing up is akin to why I don't quote my commercial work on a "time" basis but rather on a "per view" basis. I let the client specify what they want. Let's say it's a building and they are only interested in the front view. I may shoot dozens of angles at various times of day and (sometimes) on multiple days. I will whittle down what I've done to a few representative images and let the client select the "one view" they want. Same for portraits. I don't set a duration or fix a number of Previews. I shoot until I'm satisfied, show my favorites and let them pick the final image(s) for enlargement or framing. It works for me.

A story: a fellow advertising photographer hired out his services to photograph x number of products and quoted the client a fee for 8 hours. He completed all the photography in six hours. But instead of leaving the clients they found more items for him to photograph because "they were paying him for 8 hours". Now he does like me and quotes on a "per piece" basis. The nice thing is it's less stressful and the client knows up front exactly what the job will cost because time is no longer a factor.

Terry Thomas...
the photographer
Atlanta, Georgia USA

[WooD]

In this situation, you said you had 10 that you really liked. I'd show them those 10.

No matter what don't show them anything your not happy with, if you have doubts about a shot, I'd dump it. Quality over quantity.

[Geodar]

Another thing to remember it that people look at pictures in a different way, what you may think is a cracking shot others will opt for something else.
So don't just think that you have to show what you think are your best shots, the more choice may result in more cash in the pocket through more sales as they can't make their mind up so they will buy the 5 or 6 instead of the 2 or 3 that you think they should see.
Some may look more natural while others looked posed, one person may be looking at you while the rest are looking else where, this you may think is a poor family group shot, however they may like it due to the non posed effect.
Just make sure that they are sharp in focus, and add what they have asked for as well as some they have not.
People, uh, you just never know.
Geoff