Cynthia, that's an excellent argument against allowing them to keep the photos, although if you're really taking different elements from different photos it does mitigate somewhat against comparisons. But you're right, it's a good idea to retain possession of them. That helps me to firm up my own resolve!
And Mari, I see your analogy regarding chefs and food preparation, but it's not quite the same situation; the chef isn't attempting to capture the essential quality of a particular lamb known in every possible variation of winsome caper and nuzzle and loved by the diner. He can simply treat it as a generic cut of meat and do his magic on that blank canvas. Portraiture is different. As I mentioned, often the expression I would choose because I think it's the most attractive and flattering to the subject means something much less appealing to the client. Since I seem to specialize in expressions, my own choice of the proper reference photos without client input could result in a work that the client is vaguely dissatisfied with without being certain why. But again, everyone has his or her own way of working; that's what works for me.
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