Sometimes You Don't Know Best...

There will be plenty of times that your favorite photo gets pushed aside for something different - something you would've never run. You won't always know what's best for your client, so you should ALWAYS shoot extra frames and turn in a few extra finished images to cover your bases (and keep your client happy).

I'd guess that half my shoots wind up having my second or third (or sometimes least) favorite shot published. Sometimes I wonder if my clients missed my favorite shot. Of course they didn't miss it. They put a lot of time and money into their publications, and they aren't going to randomly choose a photo for hundreds of thousands of readers to see. They give each feature story a lot of thought.

The real deal is that I have a very specific eye and very specific taste. I also have an urge to push myself creatively, and sometimes those edgy shots may be a little too much for the readers. Other times I second guess those edgy shots, and wind up convincing myself the safe shots are the best ones, but the clients flip over the same images I was nervous about.

A quick note: Always shoot an assignment with safe, conservative shots before you try out any wild ideas. You need to have a "safety net" of conservative images for your client to fall back on! They won't always think your crazy ideas are the right fit for their publication, product, etc...

Below is a perfect example of a client running an image I wouldn't have thought about printing as my first choice. I photographed actress Diane Lane for a feature story on the front page of the Dallas Morning News' entertainment section. I did some conservative portraits, and she looked great. As my time with her was running out, I decided to spend a minute doing something a little different . I put on the ring light and tried for an indie magazine look... something a bit more stylized - and risky for a respected, conservative newspaper.

I thought the ring light shots looked good, but in an Urban Outfitters sort of way. A bit too dirty, edgy, rough for what I thought the News would want. I was absolutely sure one of the above "safe" portraits would be published, but I submitted the ring light shot anyway, kind of like a bonus shot.

What did I know?!? They skipped over the three images above that I thought would be cover page contenders and ran the ring light shot, seen below (I think they made the right choice after seeing it published, as it looks much more energetic and exciting):

Another perfect example is this shoot I did for D Magazine a few months back. It was for a story on a bike shop and its owner. Boyd Wallace of Dallas Bike Works was very friendly and was willing to do some silly, playful things. However, I was positive the shots were just too silly for the publication. I guess I was wrong. They passed over the conservative portraits and ran the bottom image! In the end, I'm sure a lot more readers remembered that shot, because it was so fun.

I might not always be able to guess which shot a client will use, but I sure know enough to submit a variety for them to make a good final decision on their own. If you want to guarantee that only your favorite shots get published, you'll just have to start your own magazine!