fotoman150

For you pros, or anyone with an opinion.

Occasionally, I get a client that wants me to post all of the outtakes (bad pictures) on their Zenfolio site so they can see them and judge for themselves whether or not to keep them.

This happened with the last wedding. I told them that I usually don't show those because it ruins the overall impression of the gallery and sometimes people even get angry when I show them because they feel like they got bad pictures.

The groom said he had several apps that could correct the photos. I told him that is uncool and that if there is something that needed work I would have retouched them and posted them.

We went back and forth like this for awhile until I just gave in and posted the outtakes because I felt like it was going to get me a bad review if I didn't. He was like, "We paid for pictures that we're not getting."

I've had this problem off and on for years. What is your opinion? I'm thinking about putting it in my contract that the outtakes will not be available for viewing, downloading or printing.

Bill_de Loc: US

Since you have no use for them, set a fair price and let him buy them.

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Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

Sorry, I wouldn't do this. Artistic integrity is at stake. I do not give clients my PSDs. Nor outtakes. They are not their property they are mine. I have my own set of reasons for this which are very sound and which I won't go into here. And others may have their own separate reasons but I will just stand on the principle I have stated.

lowkick Loc: Connecticut

Put in your contract that for X dollars you are delivering to them X number of finished photos. If they want more, then it will be an additional amount of money for a predetermined number of additional processed photos. Either that, or cull out all the photos that you wouldn't want others to see before you even show them the photos of the day.

NormanTheGr8 Loc: Racine, Wisconsin

[quote=fotoman150]For you pros, or anyone with an opinion.

Nobody on here has an opinion LOL

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

...sounds to me like you're at the place you need to be; put it in the contract. NO!

BebuLamar

Besides from the photos you deliver to them, any others simply don't exist. How do they know that you have more photos than what you delivered to them?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Your contract language should cover this issue. Doesn't your contract speak to a range of total number of images and services to be delivered? It would seem this request is outside the documented and agreed services and deliverables. If not, update your contract going forward. Or, use the other suggestion above and sell these additional images for a fixed fee, transferring them directly, not posting them along with the contracted deliverables.

Toment Loc: FL, IL

Our daughter’s photographer gave us all 1180 photos on 3 dvd’s. She did a beautiful job of PP and we bought albums etc.
it was fun to see all the others at a very fair price.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

How did he find out there were outtakes?

I wouldn't do this moving forward. Don't even bring it up. Use a renaming option in your software (Lightroom can do this on import), so that all numbers can be made sequential. If someone asks, you've deleted them. Bottom line, they paid you to deliver what is on the contract - and it is up to your discretion what to include. The contract is a minimum performance standard and as long as you meet or exceed that standard, the client hasn't got a leg to stand on.

Your contract seems to have a bit of wiggle room, if a client can suggest what he is proposing here. However, suggesting that you would be happy to discuss an amendment to the contract for a fee is not a good move - you don't want ugly pictures out there.

On the other hand, there is nothing that would prevent him or anyone else from writing a bad review, even one that included falsehoods. So you need to decide if having some bad pictures out there is going to hurt your business worse than a bad review. Regardless, you'll need to respond to the bad review if it does come to that - and how you respond will often be viewed more critically than the fact that you got a bad review.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

Are you sure she only shot 1180 photos? Are there none with closed eyes, bad expressions, etc.? I can't see the point of taking the time to PP those. She must really be an exceptional photographer if they were all worth showing.

BebuLamar

I would say a bad picture is worse.

Toment Loc: FL, IL

All were included. My daughter picked ones she wanted.

luvmypets Loc: Born & raised Texan living in Fayetteville NC

Many years ago when I assisted a wedding photographer the only photos presented for consideration were those the photographer selected and the clients chose from those.

Consider that the best form of advertisement is word of mouth. If your client tells potential clients about the photos that you didn't do well it lowers your level as a professional; always present your best work. It is human nature to remember bad things over good. ( i.e. The beautiful decor and atmosphere of a restaurant will not be told of if the food was inedible.)

Best wishes for your future shoots.

Dodie

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

A well-written and tightly worded contract that they both initial in spots and sign would prevent this.