Can I get the unedited pictures too?

I can't tell you how many times I get asked this question. You may recall this post here where I discussed what I perceived to be common misconceptions people/clients have about what exactly goes into being a photographer.

Recently I have been asked why I don't give out unedited pictures. Truth be told, at first I was shocked when inquiries came in but now I am realizing that most people just don't get it...and that should be expected.
It can be difficult to understand another man's journey until we have walked in their shoes. This applies to just about anyone and anything. It is hard to see all the work and time that go into producing images that clients pay you the "big bucks" for.

Like I mentioned in the earlier post, it takes hours and hours to get your images edited and back to you once your session is over. Indulge me a little and let's calculate again, shall we?

Time getting to photo shoot location: average of 20 minutes
Time taking pictures at the photo shoot: average 90 minutes
Time driving back home: average 20 minutes
Time uploading pictures to computer: average 15 minutes
Time uploading pictures to gallery for clients to see and select proofs: average 20 minutes
Time editing: average 8 minutes PER image... (average session is about 20 images, so  20x8= 160, about 3 hours of edit time)
Time transferring images, packaging to be delivered: average 15 minutes
Time to deliver them or to ship via post office: average 20 minutes

Total: 6 hours from start to finish.

Doesn't seem like it is that much work, does it?

So, here is my point. It takes time, a lot of time, to produce the final product you receive after your photo session. I want you to be happy with your pictures, so I invest time in them to make sure they deliver my artistic style and meet the quality standards I have set for my work.  I want people to ask "Wow! Who was your photographer?!" when they see your pictures,  and not ask who you hired so that they can make a mental note of my name and put it in the "never call this photographer because her pictures suck" folder.

Think of it this way... if I were a hairdresser and you wanted to come in for a balayage, I wouldn't let you come in, let me do one side of your head, and send you home to finish the rest on your own. I have yet to meet a hairdresser who would be ok with their client walking around with a hack job yet gladly telling everyone who their hairdresser is.
Same thing applies to photography.
Granted, many of you out there may be very good at Photoshop and editing (perhaps even more so than I am!) and would do just fine editing my unedited pictures, but in the end it is my work and the only name that should be associated with my images is my own name. Logical, right?!
My pictures showcase my talent, my style, me. It would be wrong to put your touch on a piece of work that does not belong to you...and I like to take full responsibility for my images, whether it is good or bad.
So please, please understand that you are getting the best version of the snapshots my camera took and help me let my pictures do all the talking.
After all, what you see is what you get and sometimes we only get that first impression to captivate that potential client. Please don't alter my pictures to something I didn't produce and then put my name on it. Don't be the reason someone thinks my pictures stink. I'm not saying they are all fantastic but at least I can take full ownership for my crappy ones. Make sense?

In case you still aren't sure about what I just said, let me give you a visual example. But first of all, a bit of a disclaimer:  I am in no way implying that the people in the photos are guilty of the very issues I am complaining about. Instead, I have included these images to give you an idea, and to continue to remind you as you read, that there is a lot more work that goes into photography aside from the basic, "Take my picture."

BEFORE {straight out of the camera)

~AFTER~ ~BEFORE~ ~AFTER~ ~BEFORE~ 

~AFTER~ Hopefully you will agree that the difference is pretty vast between the before and after images...and that is why my clients are ok with only receiving edited images :)