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Question from Sarah: “How much memory is enough to take with you on an 8 hour wedding shoot? I just want to be prepared! Also, what’s the average number of images you give to a client for that period of time? Thanks”
Edi: I bring about 5 16gb CF cards
Melissa: Depends on your camera and what format you are shooting (aka how big each image is going to be.) I normally take 16GBs and have a laptop in the car to transfer images onto during the reception if necessary. Also the number of images is up to you. I show 250 edited images, but I know of other local photographers that do 1,000+
Aaron: Number and size of memory cards depends a bit on whether you shoot RAW or JPG. Keep in mind that you don’t want to put all your eggs in one basket. For any wedding, I have about 6-8 8GB CF cards, two 16 GB CF cards and two 8GB SD cards. I don’t usually fill them all, but at least I know I have enough for backup. With the number of images you give, that depends on what you specify in your contract. I recently limited the number of digital images I give to my clients to around 300. Quality over quantity is the best way to go!!
Cate: if you shoot raw, I would count on 24-30GB’s being taken up. If you shot JPEG, half that. Also, I tell couples 100 images an hour is what they should expect to receive.
Kelli: 100 images an hour? Wow! 🙂
Is that edited?
Ashley: It depends on a lot of things!
I have a D800, so my RAW file sizes are huge. Between my husband and I we fill up about 10 16GB cards. We take 12 with us, plus a card reader and our laptop just in case we run out of room. So for us, 10 16GB cards only give us about 2000 images, and we deliver about 800 images.
Jodie: 100 images an hour!?! That’s crazy? Is that edited? I sure hope you charge accordingly for that. We give between 250-300 for the WHOLE wedding. Quality over quantity is the key. And when you get right down to it most clients DON’T WANT 1000 images. It’s way too much. If they are buying prints from you they probably won’t order prints of all those and if you are giving them a disc they most likely won’t get all those printed. It’s like you did all the extra work for nothing.
Amy: I shot my first wedding two weekends ago. I shot around 2000 images. I wasn’t sure exactly how many images to offer either. I edited around 200 images, but I am unsure what to do with the rest of them. Put them on a contact sheet? or ??
Melissa: my husband and i went thru 2 4GB and 1 8GB card in a 12hr span shooting in RAW and had over 1000 images. But you have to remember those images include light set up (that may have not been deleted) and unusable images…we gave the couple 200 images.
Tom: Shot 2200 images on 2 32GB DISCs (didn’t fill them up) using 2 cameras. Gave 180 edited images to the client.
Kerry: If you are shooting alone – shooting an average of 40-70 images an hour is about right. Once you go through them all you may wind up with an average of 20-40/hour that you find “print worthy” that you would edit. You could also offer up the “unedited” pics on a CD for them after the official orders have been placed.
Getting a 2nd shooter for a few hours is a good idea, especially if it is a large wedding party. One of you could shoot the Bridal Party & one for the Groomsmen BEFORE the ceremony. Then both of you shooting the ceremony. Then while you do the “Formal” pics the 2nd shooter can get candid shots of the guests while they are waiting for the official intro of the bride & groom. Good luck. Weddings are NOT easy but can be a lot of fun.
Becky: Alone, using two camera; one 16 and four 8’s. I supply about 3-400 on a cd.
Yohan: lol 1000 photos, you should film instead lol! Who will flick over 1000 photos!! not me. and lol @ ashley fisher D800 is not for wedding wayyy too much mp for nothing your client will not buy posters!
Cate: Yup, 100 images an hour edited. Using LR… its pretty straight forward. You can sync edits in teh same lighting situation and I am comfortable nailing 90% of the image in camera. I work my tail off to do that. The majority of wedding editing is the culling and WB honestly.
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