If you’re not a photographer, there’s a good possibility you have no idea what “culling” is. So, allow me to explain… Culling is sort of like the first step in the editing process.

After your photographer takes your photos, they transfer the images from camera to computer.  Depending on the photographer and the session type, this could be hundreds or even thousands of images. Once those images are all transferred, the culling process can begin.

Culling is the process of reviewing all of the images one-by-one and narrowing them down to a manageable number that includes only the best ones.

Many photographers, myself included, are so excited to view your images that the moment they’re finished transferring- or even mid-transer, we are already clicking through them one by one, “oohing and aaahing” over the cuteness captured and marking our favorites as they come across the screen.

The first images to get “rejected” in the culling process are any soft/out-of-focus images, poorly lit images, followed by any blinks or unflattering facial expressions.

Where it gets really challenging is when you narrow down the duplicates. If you’ve been photographed by me, then you know that I take a lot of pictures during my sessions.  Some would say I’m an “overshooter” taking multiple shots of the same set, when a couple would have sufficed. You don’t need to see 20 different images of your baby in the same prop.  So, I narrow it down to the very best. I generally show 3-5 per set, none of which are exactly the same but that show them at different angles, including some close ups, etc.  In theory, this doesn’t sound terribly difficult. But, take a look at the series of images below and tell me which one(s) you’d remove.  They’re technically “duplicates” in that there is not a lot of variation between them. But he’s adorable in every. single. one.

“When culling is complete, only the best images remain.”

As a photographer, when you love the images you’ve taken and your subject is adorable in them, “rejecting” any of them is tough.  On more than one occasion, I’ve had to walk away for a bit and revisit the images later with a more cut-throat attitude.  

As the client, you can be confident that a lot of time and effort was put into ensuring that the final images presented to you are the very best of the bunch.