by Stacie Jensen, Owner of Rock My Photography and Colorvale Actions {Actions, Presets & Templates}
This is a heated subject for me … It drives me insane to hear that a client has asked for unedited photos! I can’t even find justification for a client to ask that question. When you go to a restaurant and order a meal, do you ask the chef to also provide all the raw ingredients and hey why not throw in the recipe too? No! You respectfully allow the chef to create his yummy delights and you eat them up. If you are not happy, then you simply do not go back to that establishment. But never do you have the authority to ask for raw products so you can go do it yourself – maybe you should stay in your own kitchen if that’s your objective.
I, for one, will never provide my unedited images to a client or anyone else. These photos are not what makes my style, it’s them PLUS my editing that gives it the piazzas that I define as “me”. My clients do not pay me to hold my index finger down on a trigger, they pay me to transform their memories into art.
What do you tell your clients in this situation? Simply NO, No way, No How, Not Ever! There are multiple reasons why you would do this. If you provide your unedited photos to a client, you are opening the door for them to edit your work. Ok, that’s just scary because have you seen what someone who doesn’t understand exposure or photography can do to a photo? That’s your work, your name, and people will assume its your style too. You also open up the door for them to post the photos in their organic state … hmmmm … I don’t know about you but my exposure is not always up to par and certainly not something I want people to assume is my artistic style, hence why I edit in the first place. {Do I also need to state the obvious, that clients wouldn’t like to see the before, if they have already seen the after? I mean, there is a lot of work done to make their skin flawless, eyes sparkly and more!}
Don’t be bullied, don’t make your client pressure you to do something that you do not have to do. If your contract states that they will receive edited photos that are chosen by you, then there is no reason the question even needs to come up. I would simply refer them back to the contract that they signed.
If your contract does not state this, I would certainly add it in now. My contract contains the line:
Negatives, raw digital files, and any unedited photos are the property of the Photographer. Photographs will be chosen by Photographer to edit and supply to Client. Client will not receive every photograph taken, only those chosen and edited by Photographer.
Finally, there is not a single reason why providing unedited images to a client is a good decision. This is your work and your vision, let your hands be the last to touch before the final print state. Do not let others recreate what you were paid to envision. Trust yourself and be the boss of your company. Its success lies in your hands and the decisions that you make.
* Rock My Photography does not provide legal advice. Do not interpret this as legal advice!
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Yay! I love this! It drives me insane when people ask for the unedited photos or the ones they see ‘missing’ from the final set. I always ask them why they would want images that are blurry, over exposed, underexposed or where they just don’t look good? I use the metaphor. Would you go into Macy’s and ask them to buy the shirt on the rack, but you’d like it with holes and a stain in it?
In order to represent our businesses the best we can we have to only give our best work – no matter who is asking otherwise. For me, it’s usually my friends who want the other photos and I get the “oh I won’t show anyone” spiel all the time. It doesn’t matter to me, the most important thing is that whatever images I give my clients represent me in the best light possible.
How about the “before & after “?
I see that posted alot.
Is that a good move?
Before and after’s are fine because you are showing that you push your talent farther than just a camera can go!
My daughter was in a situation where I feel she had every right to ask for the “unedited” version. Long story short…photographer did stills and video both. Our understanding was that the video would actually be of her wedding. She spent hundreds of hours picking out the music for her wedding and HATES the traditional “wedding march” that most brides walk down the aisle to. Also, her father was the minister who gave her away and then conducted the ceremony speaking special words to her and her fiancee. When she received her “wedding video” it was an “Edited” version, with just the highlights (photographers idea of what the highlights were) set to music they picked out! Yep, here she came down the aisle to “Here comes the Bride”! She was horrified to say the least. Then they totally cut out her father’s part of the ceremony AND her brother singing! She wanted a video of HER wedding, not what someone else’s idea of what they thought it should have been like. She did ask for the raw video and they very reluctantly gave it to her for an added fee. She has not shared it with outsiders and she doesn’t pass it off as the final version, BUT i feel she deserved to have what was actually HER wedding! Am I wrong here??
This is definitely a tricky situation because it sounds like it wasn’t what she and the photographer decided on. I would contact them and describe the way she envisioned it and ask that it maybe take a new spin. I definitely believe my clients should be able to tell me what they expect prior and we then develop a plan. I hope this works out for you. I wish you the best. I can certainly feel your daughters discomfort. Weddings are so special and those memories are important!!!!!!!!
Thank you!
I had an awkward moment with a friend who I had taken some photos of (just for fun and to expand my portfolio). She asked me for the unedited images so she could practice her editing. I kindly let her know that I didn’t want any of my photos out there that didn’t match my style. Luckily she was understanding. Stand your ground and be assertive!
How about for Makeup Artists? Not all Photographers are skilled at Retouching/Editing photos. Some Makeup Artists (myself included), prefer to use our own (which is discussed prior to working with each other, AND with a SIGNED agreement).