Today we will be discussing what "Shoot and Burn" photography is. Now, there are two different meanings to "shoot and burn," one not so good and one good.
The Not-so-Good "Shoot and Burn"
One meaning of "shoot and burn" photography is when a photographer photographs (shoots) a session/wedding/event and then immediately gives the client the images (burn a disc, etc) with no post processing. The photographer does not edit, cull through, or alter the images in any way.
Why is this bad? I can tell you that for most photographers, 95% of the images that the client receives have been altered in some way. From the crop to the lighting to removing distraction elements. Now yes, photographers try to get the image "right in camera" but some post processing still occurs.
Therefore, having a photographer give you all unedited images (shoot and burn) is kind of scary.
Wouldn't it be cheaper? Possibly it could be cheaper. However, most respectable photographers would never give a client unedited images just because they want you to love your images and they want the images to represent their work. If you run across someone who says they are a "shoot and burn" photographer in this sense then they most likely do not know exactly what they are doing or are not invested enough in their photography to take the time to edit or pay to outsource their editing. Even if you are a photoshop wizard, if the photos they take aren't good to begin with, they're still not going to be good.
Not something you want to risk when it comes to your wedding day.
The Good "Shoot and Burn"
The second meaning of "shoot and burn" photography is when a photographer photographs (shoots) a session/wedding/event and then gives the client the images (burn a disc, etc) after they have completed post processing. The images that the client gets are fully edited, high-resolution images, that they are allowed to use. This is also referred to as a "shoot and share" photographer.
Why is this good? This differs from the other "shoot and burn" photographer above because all images that the client receives have all gone through post processing. This means the colors have been corrected, distracting elements removed, and they have been fully culled.
The images the clients receives here are high-resolution images that they can use as they wish. No print package is necessary.
I want to note that not all photographers operate this way and give the clients all digital files. Some photographers have a sitting fee and then require the client to buy print/digital packages for their images. This way isn't wrong or more expensive, it is just a different business plan.
What about Jasmine Norris Photography?
I operate my business under the "Shoot and Share" model- the second one listed above. This means that I photograph your session/wedding/event and then I carefully post process your images so that they look their best. After everything is edited to perfection, I give my clients the images to use as they wish either in a digital format or on a USB.
I do also offer prints, canvas, and photo books as an additional add on if they client wishes. These products do not have a high mark-up. However, my clients are not required to purchase any additional prints and will still receive all images that are edited.
Also, do print some of your images! You hired your photographer to take beautiful images of you! Get some printed and displayed, don't just leave them sitting on your computer! :)
As a side note, I do recommend getting your prints/canvas/photo books through your photographer instead of going to a drugstore or Walmart. We use pro-labs that will make sure your images stay true to color and last a lifetime. If you google pro-lab vs consumer lab comparisons you will be surprised at the quality difference! Plus most of us offer competitive print prices! :)
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Monday Wedding Madness is a blog series that occurs every Monday and answers the questions you have about wedding photography. Have a question you would like to have answered or something that you wish you would have known before your wedding or are you a wedding professional who would like to contribute? Send your questions to jasmine@jasminenorris.com.
