A common approach is to do light proofing edits first, then fully retouch only the images the client buys.

Before showing a gallery, it usually makes sense to:

• cull bad shots and near-duplicates
• apply basic global edits like exposure, color correction, cropping, and straightening

Then, once the client selects their favorites, you do the heavier finishing work only on those final images.

This saves time and avoids doing detailed retouching on photos that may never be purchased. However, if unedited or minimally edited proofs would make your work look weak or hurt perceived value, you should polish them enough that they represent your brand well. In some genres, such as weddings, photographers often avoid showing anything that hasn’t been edited at least to a solid presentation standard.

So the practical answer is: show clean, presentable proofs first, and reserve extensive retouching for the chosen images—unless your business model or reputation requires fully edited previews.