need a little advice (tons of questions) from you wedding folks.

[KINGoftheVILLE]

I did a wedding for some friends, (they gave me 500 which covered the flight and motel) I have a few shots that for some reason that did not come out.

Rehersal, family picnic (meal after rehersal) Bride getting ready( hair and makeup of all the bridesmaids, Bride, Brides Mother, Some of the venue and decorations, wedding party, wedding and reception. (ok I over shoot I like options) Total shots was around 2000. I have gotten rid of around 600.

Is 1200 pics to give them over kill? I use to have the mind set as less is more but I hate just trashing them.

What is a good number to send.

I am not printing any of them just sending them CD/DVD with pics on them. With the number of Pics I thought it might be better to rename and break into different files.

Right now I have them devided into these files

The dress
Decorations
Bride and Groom
Family
Family Picnic
Freinds and Family Candids
Pre wedding
Reception
Rehersal
Wedding

Right now my thought was cull down to around 1000 pics, burn all to two or three CD's (or should it be One DVD?) Devide into the folder as stated and rename as the file name and then a number like Family(1) Family (2)

Last should I just tell them up front a few pics did not come out, (like the The cake cut shot is not there the shot after is (eating) is great. or should I just give them the pics and wait until they ask.

thank for reading this whole thing and thanks for all your help

[RogerAylstock]

First, don't include any bad shots. Out of focus, toss. Bad expressions on the bride, toss. The one with only the back of their heads and it's out of focus, toss. If I have several of the same shot, select one (maybe two) depending on the expressions. Never show the bride and groom your bad work.

Arranging them in folders is fine. Burn them on one DVD rather than multiple CDs. If you rename all the good ones, they won't know any are missing.

[KFormus]

If you give them too many shots, and yes I think 1,000 is way too many, then they will get bored looking through them and it won't be a great viewing experience. (In my opinion).

If you give them too little all will break lose :(

The studio I work for gives the client around 300-500 pictures. That's his low to high end. The amount of pictures in his albums are about 1.5x to 2x the amount of pages in the album.

Good Luck.

-K

[fatphotographer]

I would say 1200 is FAR to many.

I would look to give them a folder with a selection of only the BEST shots that you have spent a bit of time in photoshop to make sure they are spot on. I would call that their album. Be hard with yourself and don't include middle of the road pictures in that main folder. I would then put the other shots in the folders that you suggested, and explain that you couldn't delete them, and that you wanted them to have them as well as the shots that they paid you for. In any case, don't include ANY shot that it OOF or camera shaken.

Make the main album folder a good variety, and an interesting viewing experience when they scroll through, or put it on a slide show. A wide angle shot followed by a close up / detail shot, has good impact. Tell the story of the day in chronological order and have similarly themed pictures together, getting ready, guests arriving, ceremony etc, but avoid repetition, if there are a couple of shots similar that you want to show, break them up with something in-between.

I would probably give them one disc with JUST the album folder, and then a disc with both the album and the rest on it as well. This allows your best work to be shown without the "fill in" shots getting in the way.

That's how I do it, and it seems to work - hope that helps.

[tim]

I aim to deliver 300-400 images, but 400 is my max unless it's longer than 10 hours or it's an ethnic ceremony that I don't entirely understand. 1200 is way too many. If I take 5 photos in one situation I will tend to deliver the best one, unless they work as a series.

If you have to give them so many i'd divide it into two sections - the good ones, and the others. You can probably come up with better names for the sections though :)

[wyntrsnyte]

When I was getting married I checked out 7 photographers. Some told me that I would get all shots from the day (over 1000) and others told me between 300-500.

The photographer I eventually picked give me a little over 400 and they were all amazing. Some friends of mine who got married around the same time as me had their photographers give them 800-1000+ shots and it was very easy to differentiate between the "WOW!" and so-so shots.

I personally think that "less is more", especially when the shots you give them are the ones you feel are the best of the best.

[Wilt]

Bravo on the <1000 suggestions! When our eldest daughter married, the guy provided 3500 shots, and that is NOT the highest number that I have read for a wedding! Nor is that all that rare! :(
In the case of our daughther, she wanted all the shots because she would then 'composite' to translant heads when everyone's expression was great but one in the group was horrid, post processing with Photoshop. But that many shots was terrible for choosing photos to order!