Many photographers post and refer to "proofs", but often neglect to explain to clients what they truly are or why a photographer may use them. A proof is simply a preliminary version of a photograph that may have minor adjustments but is mostly unretouched. In an ideal world, I would never post a single photo that was not fully edited and print-ready. However, in today's fast-paced digital world it is unrealistic to be able to edit large quantities of photographs and have them posted quickly after an event. This is where proofs are handy.
 

For events like horse shows, we shoot literally thousands of images. A 3-day horse show will often beget approximately 3,000 final photographs. That's a lot to edit! Let's break down the editing time for those 3,000 images. If I spent just 2 minutes doing basic adjustments to each photograph, that would total 100 hours of editing. At 8 hours per day doing nothing but editing, it would take more than two work weeks to edit those photographs. And don't forget that after the photographs are edited, they still have to be uploaded. Granted, there is some overlap as I can be uploading previously edited images while continuing to edit. But remember, I'm spending my 8 hours a day doing nothing but editing! This does not allow time for the other things that need to happen before you can view your photos online: managing massive uploads, organizing albums, setting up ordering, or allowing extra time for editing difficult images.
 

Realistically, it would take four to six weeks to properly edit and upload all 3,000 of those horse show photos. Most people do not want to wait that long, and I don't blame them! They've put a lot of hard work into training their horses, getting them trailered/bathed/groomed/braided/banded/etc. for the show, and then showing for three long days! Riders want to see the results of their efforts.
 

So how do photographers manage to get event photos to their clients for viewing in a timely manner, and also provide the best quality prints possible? Proofs! Posting "semi-edited" photographs allows clients to choose and order the ones they like, and then the photographer will adjust the photograph to optimize its quality before printing. While you're looking through proofs, you should focus more on the moment that was captured than details like contrast, brightness, and cropping.
 

You may be asking, "How can I trust that the images will turn out well when what I see isn't what I get?" That's a perfectly valid question. Your photographer should be willing to send you a "before and after" sample of what your final prints should look like. Most photographers are also happy to work with you if you receive your prints and are not satisfied with the result.
 

To give you an idea of the difference you can expect between a proof and a print-ready image, here are a few samples:
 

There is often a significant disparity in the two versions of a photograph. Instead of spending 2 minutes on every image, I'm able to spend as many minutes as it takes on just the ones that are ordered. This results in better quality prints and individualized attention to each image.
 

I hope this post was helpful! Please understand that your proof is simply a sample and not a finished image. And always contact your photographer if you have any questions or concerns.