"I only need one final image. More is just icing on the cake."

I wish I could take credit for this awesome statement. But I can't. 

Rachel Vos, of Rachel Vos Photography posted it today on her facebook page. 

She is AMAZING and her work is fab!
 I'm inspired to do better every time I see her new work.

Here is her blog as well. 

Now, lets break this down. "I only need one final image. More is just icing on the cake." 

This image was taken with a Large Format camera and 4x5 film. I only had one shot, one piece of film.

As I have stated, when I started shooting I was giving clients about 40+ hand edited images that would take me about 10+ hours to complete. It was insane. But I listened to other people when they said "You MUST give the clients ample images or else they will not want to come to you." That's just not true. I supply an experience. My photo shoots are not just about the images that I create, it is about the time spent bringing out the best in the clients. 

My policy now is VERY different, and I urge all to listen closely. I tell clients when we are going through the raw images "Pick the images that you would put on your wall, and only those images."  Some people are not too keen on this idea at first but quickly realize that it is best. You are not going to display 40 images EVER in your home from the same photo shoot... EVER...   But you will put up five with no problem. On average, I get clients down to between five and 10 images and they normally print about their top seven-ish. 

This comes from the idea that as humans, especially Americans, we get tired of looking at the same stuff. We get sick of our clothing, change our hair and color of our nails. We also get tired of looking at the same art work on our walls. If you get five-ish images from one shoot, then next time you can build onto that wall with another 3 prints. And then mix them up with photos from another room when you have another shoot. If you want 40 images on your wall from the same shoot *shudders* I just don't want to think about that. :)

I apply this to everyday life as well. When I go shopping I only pick what I like best, think about it, and then purchase after I know it is exactly what I want. You've heard the saying "waste not, want not". If we have fewer of something, we will take better care of it and cherish it longer. If you only have one coach purse in your life, and you saved for it for 12 months to get it, you are going to cherish that more than if your husband goes and purchases a new one every month because he can. 

Therefore, if you have fewer images, only the best images, you will cherish them more and think they are more meaningful than if there is a surplus.

During wedding ceremonies, I take very few images. I will never understand taking a million images of two people standing there with no real action happening. The key thing is, making sure you get the moments that matter. (This image was created with a Tilt Shift lens.)

From a Photographer's perspective:

If going into a shoot, the client is on the same page that you only need 10ish images, your life is so much easier and more focused. Anxiety goes down, you know that you can focus on being creative and getting the images that truly matter. You don't want to give people 50 of the same pose or in a similar fashion, but five truly unique images that will warm their hearts.

Push yourself with the rest. If they don't turn out, that's ok. But if they do, there's your "icing on the cake". You will then have the images that the clients expected plus some extra killer shots that you, and they, can be proud of.

Scarlett J

All images are owned by Scarlett Jewel Photography, not to be reproduced EVER without permission.