set # of proofs?

[islandphoto]

Do you promise a set amount of proofs for each package? If so, what are your average #s? Say for example
2 hours - x amount of proofs
4 hours - x amount of proofs.

It seems like this can change so much depending on the size of the wedding, size of the family, how flexible the couple is etc... But I could understand how a client would want to know they will get x amount of proofs for sure. ANy thoughts?

[cdifoto]

I don't make promises of quantity, although I still provide as many as I can. I also ditched my "shot list" for the same reason...if I promise then I can catch hell if I miss something whether under my control or not. I'd rather them like 200 of 200 shots than 200 of 900 just for the sake of saying I provided 900.

[tim]

I tell people I give between 200 and 300 proofs, out of an unlimited number of photos taken.

[sblais]

I don't promise my clients any number of proofs. But I do reduce it to an acceptable level (100 to 200 - even for full day coverage). I don't want my clients spending hours and hours reviewing hundreds and hundreds of proofs to the point of almost getting fed up with them. I make a first selection, they trust my judgment and most importantly, I tell them that if they want to see more, that I will gladly add more to the proofs.

I used to give them several hundred proofs (300-400, sometimes may be a bit more) only to have them getting back to me months after the wedding with an almost complete selection (but not quite complete yet! ;)). While they never told me about it, I felt that at that point, they were getting really tired of going through them all. So I changed my approach.

[LeesaB]

I give my clients between 200-500....Man, sometimes I just can't cut them down enough...I shoot over 1k at any wedding...some are test shots..etc. They don't mind having that many, in fact, they love it.

[davidgr]

It seems like this can change so much depending on the size of the wedding, size of the family, how flexible the couple is etc... But I could understand how a client would want to know they will get x amount of proofs for sure. ANy thoughts?
My thought exactly.
It could be one hopping party, or it could be a real drag.
50 guests or 500.
Beer or soda.

If things are at the upper end, it may not be too difficult to get 300 proofs, but at the lower end, it could be real tough to get 200.

So you say you'll give 300 proofs, and you take 500 snaps to cover yourself (it's a decent party), and you have a few flubs in there. What do you do with what's left over? You don't know that that boring looking snap you tossed of Aunt Beth could be the last photo anyone took of the old gal before she died a week after the wedding. Or that cousin that the bride or groom used to do everything with when they were kids, but hasn't seen since moving 2000 miles away.

Besides, why put limits on things? If you say you'll give 300, then what will make you shoot more than 300-350 (other than your flub factor)? If you're there to capture the day (or whatever block of time you're there for), then capture it! Whether it's fast or slow, you get what there is to capture and give it to them.

Yyou don't really know who or what will turn out to be the most treasured photographs. If you've put any kind of limits on things, then you may not capture those moments.

But then I'm not giving out proofs, they get to see everything online or on disc.

[Philco]

It depends on the event, but for a small wedding, I would say 250 and for a big wedding, 500 easy - even easier with a second camera person since there's more depth / variety in the coverage.

[cdifoto]

I don't make promises because, bluntly, most weddings around here are stale photographically.

[jessiper]

I do, but it's well below the # of images I take, or even give them on a disc.

[CyberPet]

I never guarantee a certain amount of images. Some people are really hard to work with, so you end up with less images, and then you have a great couple where you just pull the trigger all the time and have loads of pics to choose from.

[Grace]

I say it just varies on the wedding, reception, if they want me for prep time...etc.

[islandphoto]

Thanks for all the feedback... I guess one way of doing it would be gauraneeing say 200-300 photos for 4 hours or something like that? You could explain that 200 is the minimum but it totally depends on a variety of factors. I think we as wedding photographers definetely feel that less is generally more - you only have to look at the incredible shots - but the clients won't always see it that way. Sometimes they look at a photographer that offers 500-600 prints and that will actually incluence if not make their decision :(