How to choose and download your digital images | Newborn Session Edition
Part of my job as your newborn photographer is culling images. I go through every image to eliminate eyeblinks, outtakes, and duplicates…any unusable images. Then I look at very similar images and determine which ones are best in focus by zooming in. If one is a sharper image, that’s the one I keep.
This is a service to my clients so that they don’t have to spend time deciding between several of the same photo. But, sometimes there are two or three similar images where your baby has a different facial expression. And I honestly don’t know which one of the two or three images you will like best. I may choose my favorite, but you as the parent see your baby every day and you have a different perspective. Or you may just see your baby make a certain face every day that you want to remember. So in this case, there may be a few similar images in your proofing gallery.
Steps for choosing your favorite images
Step 1: As you begin to choose your images for your digital files, I recommend looking at each grouping of images or pose. This will probably be easiest with the solo newborn poses. I usually narrow this down to just a couple of each pose because I know which ones are the most technically sound. Then all you have to do is choose your favorite tummy pose, bowl pose, wrapped pose, side lying pose, and back lying pose, etc.
Step 2: Next, choose your favorite close-up images of details, such as toes or up close face photos.
Step 3: Then look at sibling poses and choose your favorite or two of each pose. Maybe both facing the camera and then the sibling smiling at the baby or giving them a gentle nuzzle on the head.
Step 4: Choose your favorites of mom/baby and then dad/baby. And then both parents with the baby.
Step 5: And finally, sort the family poses for your favorite candid photos and if you requested “smiling at the camera” portraits, then find your favorite of that as well. The reason why I suggest choosing the family poses last is because it takes longer to view each person’s face. And if you have two or more children, you know it isn’t often that all kids are looking at the camera at the same time. Sometimes one has a sweet expression while the others are making a face or looking in the wrong direction. I also love candid family portraits of everyone looking at the baby! Those are my personal favorites.
Create a Favorite list in the gallery
You will “favorite” your images using the heart icon. In the upper righthand corner of your Favorites List is a paper airplane icon. Click the icon and it will prompt you to send the photographer your favorite list.
The most time-consuming part is skin retouching. And that is why you are presented with a proofing gallery. Blemishes and skin corrections are completed on your selected images. Fully retouched images will be uploaded to the gallery for you to download after you purchase your digital file collection.
Downloading from the gallery
Once your final gallery folder is emailed to you, you can download. Just open that gallery folder and click the download arrow in the upper righthand corner. This will allow you to download all images at once, but it will take some time because the files are original size resolution (aka large files). You can also download individual images.
Back up your photos
Now it’s important to back-up your downloaded files. You can have your spouse download the images too, on a different computer. But you should definitely store the digital files in more than one place. This may be on your computer’s hard drive or Solid State Drive (SSD), and then copy them to an external hard drive. Eventually, all hard drives fail, so please print your photos!
Print your photos
Ten or twenty years from now technology will change, yet again, and you will be thankful you printed your images. The more ways you have access to view your images, whether digital or tangible, the better. So order an album, fine art prints, framed art, or another heirloom product. Loose prints will also be available in your gallery, so those are another option.
How to choose and download your digital images is important. Just remember to go with your gut feeling when you see an image, as you’ll usually know right away which ones you are most drawn to. And if you still need help, just ask me and I can let you know which ones I would select. Sometimes an objective opinion helps. Ready to schedule your newborn session? Contact Rebecca Leigh Photography here.
