PHOTOGRAPHY BASICS
01
RAW PHOTOS
Do you remember the unflattering Beyonce photos leaked from the Superbowl XLVII halfime show?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but if someone like Beyonce, considered to be beautiful by many, can have unflattering photos taken by a $10,000 camera, you likely will too. This is why photographers generally take 2-7 days to sort & edit photos, depending on volume.
If thinking of requesting raw photos, please acknowledge the following:
- For events, about 20-40% of the photos are usable
- For photos with intoxicated subjects, only 10-20% of the shots are usable (unless you want funny or blurred photos, then 100%)
- For portraits, within an hour, about 10-15 are usable
For other photographers' experiences, please visit the following links:
How many bad photos does an experienced photographer take in one photographic excursion?
How many photos do you deliver from an event shoot?
How many images can you expect from your session?
How many good pictures can a photographer take in an hour?
02
in the dark
When taking photos at night, the brighter the flash, the more the camera can capture without motion blur.
Downside: bright flashes can be uncomfortably blinding, faces and reflective surfaces will be bright, while the background is black.
Low aperture, 10 second shutter speed, & 1600 ISO camera settings allow for capturing images in the dark, but even some of the most expensive cameras will have blurring without an adequate amount of light.
When shooting with environments with constantly changing lighting (clubs, ballrooms, stadiums, etc.), please understand that photographers will have to adjust their camera and lighting equipment accordingly, running test shots, to take quality photos.
03
IDEAL PHOTOSHOOTS
It is very possible to have a session that requires little to no editing. Here are the ideal conditions:
- Outdoor lighting between 12PM-5PM during winter, 1PM-7PM during summer
- Subject holds still, giving 10 seconds between each pose
- Subject is directed by the photographer
- Photographer is given 1 minute breaks to adjust camera if lighting changes
- Photographer provides previews
- Photographer & subject work together to adjust accordingly
04
EDITING PHOTOS
Until the photographer actually does the photoshoot, there is no telling how many edits will be delivered, unless specified by the customer. For Adenis Photography, I provide the following estimates:
Portraits: 2-5 days
Couple or Family Photos: 1-2 weeks
Events: 2-6 weeks, depending on type
However, actual duration varies. After the photoshoot, the process is as follows, in which I will:
1) Review photos & sort out unusable photos from good ones
2) Select the best photos.
3) Edit the photos.
Each portrait featuring 3 or less individuals takes 10-30 minutes to edit. For event shoots, each photo takes 10 minutes to edit.
4) Deliver the photos.
During busy seasons, it takes longer to do edits.
Please do not rush edits, as this compromises the quality of photos.