Determining the right number of images to deliver for a wedding isn't just about hitting an arbitrary number. It’s about understanding what's truly valuable from the client's perspective and tailoring your gallery accordingly.
Coming to you from Luke Cleland, this insightful video explores why delivering a thousand wedding photos might not be as beneficial as it seems. Cleland admits he once delivered too few photos, emphasizing artistry over client needs, then swung too far in the opposite direction after adopting batch editing tools. This shift resulted in galleries overloaded with unnecessary images, which diluted the quality and impact of his work. The real turning point came after Cleland experienced his own wedding, transforming his understanding of what genuinely mattered to couples. He discovered that not every photo is meaningful, and excessive quantity can overwhelm rather than delight clients.
Cleland highlights two essential lessons that changed his approach significantly. First, he stresses the importance of recognizing and focusing on genuinely meaningful moments and people, rather than indiscriminately capturing everything that moves. Not every minor moment, like someone walking through a door or descending stairs, requires documentation. Second, he learned the necessity of rigorous culling—not just removing obviously bad images but also eliminating mediocre ones to make the truly significant photos stand out. Shooting with film particularly helped him adopt a more intentional mindset, as each frame represented an investment, demanding thoughtful selection before clicking the shutter.
The key to a powerful wedding gallery lies in the thoughtful balance between providing enough images to capture the day comprehensively without overwhelming your clients. Cleland’s method includes multiple rounds of selective culling, each with careful deliberation. His goal isn't simply reducing numbers, but enhancing the storytelling power of each remaining photo. He advises regularly stepping back and asking specific, critical questions to maintain focus: Are you keeping this image out of emotional attachment despite noticeable flaws? Does it meaningfully advance the story or just repeat what's already covered? Has fatigue clouded your judgment during editing, making another round of review necessary? These questions prevent complacency and ensure the gallery maintains its narrative strength. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Cleland.
I do see a lot of great work on here. My wedding photographer career was 1974-2004. Medium format 6x6. I shot 120 to 144 shots each very deliberate. I shot one more wedding with a DSLR in 2008. I shot about 420 without the limitations of film cost. It was nicer for me, like having a Polaroid back for each shot. I didn’t look at the screen as much as I might have thought due to the hard work of shooting a wedding no matter what the camera one is using.
i find it funny that quite a few american photographers talk as if the reality of the US is the only one out there.
In my country, i'm expected to deliver images of each guest. weddings average 80 to 120 people and sometimes they go all the way to 200 guests. Let's say i capture 3 images per guest. on a 100 people wedding, that's 300 for guests alone. Then there is the getting ready, cerimony, reception, formals, bride & groom alone, dinner, sometimes speeches, 1st dance, dance party... Also, a regular wedding day lasts around 12h to 14h in my country (getting ready to dance floor).
I usually always ask my 2nd photographer to ask couples for shots, family members, groups of friends etc. Why ? Well, each couple is a potential new client, thus i want their picture taken. They might not be married yet or have kids parties or christenings coming up. Also, a good shot of every guest can up my sales as they can opt to buy their picture directly with a frame on my website (and yes, they can also just download it for free).
One thing is for sure - if i miss someone in the gallery, bride or groom will eventually let me know "hey, any shots of John\Jane that you might have missed? i didn't see any other than in the formals".
My average delivery is about 800 images. on bigger weddings i've delivered 1100 or 1200. My gallery allows guests to choose only their images with AI. They can also only check section by section (cerimony, party, etc).
Why on earth would i want to deliver less images?
My point it, this is my reality! Luke (amazing work and i love his youtube) has his reality and someone from other countries will probably say something different.
In the end, you do what you find works best for you. There is no right or wrong in the industry, specially when it involves different cultures.
PS. If you want to display quality over quantity, all you need to do is create an extra folder/section called highlights.
You are absolutely right on.
For me the avoidance of keeping record of how many I have to deliver to client took so much off my selection process and helped me focus more on the edits.
Will advancements in Editing Software it is much faster to edit large batch of photos in a few hours.
I stopped worrying about how many pictures I had to deliver and it took so much pressure off me.
Why would I take a picture of client and keep some when I feel those pictures are good enough to make it in the gallery. What will I do to the rest, delete them or take more money from them to deliver it?
Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of keeping a client for other services they may need down the line whiles recommending me as well.
Believe, the approach of not limiting the number of pictures to deliver has saved me so much and kept clients making recommendations to my services. I always make long time client that way.
What works for someone does not necessarily work for everyone.
Wedding in my country is like a full day event late into the night.
Why stress myself in sorting out 1,000s of photos to deliver something like 300 pictures.
If I love that picture as a Pro, my client will be fine with it and if not, I let them be the judge of it, still taking the stress of me.