the monday personals | busy is life

Although this is probably not necessary I've been feeling really bad lately about how long it's been taking to get people their photos.  I've been averaging about 4-5 weeks for a family session to be completed and delivered.  I thought perhaps if I explained my side of  why it takes so long it will give each of us a little peace of mind...or at least maybe I won't stress quite as much. Instead of 100% of my time worrying about getting my to-do list done, I'll only stress 87% of the time ;) 

So this blog post is for those of you waiting (or already did your waiting) on photos from me...they're coming! I promise. I really do want to apologize for the long wait and give a bit of an explanation into why it is taking so long. Many times people do not understand all the extra time that goes into post processing of the photos and making them look as great as they can be. Here's a bit of a breakdown of my crazy busy life.

My LIFE EXPLORED:

• I work 42+ hours a week at a fulltime job already.
• 3 days a week from 5-10pm is dedicated to my husband and my daughter: cooking, cleaning, playing, putting her to bed, etc.
• 2 days a week I usually don't get home until after 8pm at night. The remaining time from 8-10pm is making supper and a little play time before bed.
• 10pm is bedtime, although my daughter first insists very stubbornly that 10pm should NOT be bedtime and then insists that Mom & Dad snuggle and put her to sleep. How can you say no to a cute adorable face? So snuggle time it is. The sad reality is that Mom and Dad usually fall asleep before she does.
• On average, I'll wake back up anywhere between 11pm-midnight. Then the editing begins. I usually go about 3-4 hours and then head back to bed for anywhere from 3-5 hours of sleep.
• I can't always do this every night because those nights I only sleep 3-4 hours eventually catch up with me and I need to actually sleep all night long occasionally. ;)
• Then it's the weekend which I barely get editing done unless my daughter is napping or during my nightly bonding time with the computer after everyone's sleeping. I love my daughter but although she is at the age of being able to play on her own she just plain doesn't. I have to physically be interacting with her every second. It's such an awesome thing to do and bond but yet I really don't get anything done. EVER. Unless she's sleeping. And then it's either: clean, workout, or edit.  And she never sleeps.
• When I'm cleaning, I'm stressing about how I should be editing or working out. When I'm working out, I stress about how I should be cleaning or editing. And when I edit, I'm stressing about how I should be cleaning or working out. You get the picture. The cleaning and editing almost always come before working out. And most honestly, editing always wins over cleaning.

The NITTY GRITTY:

• Average portrait shoots last about 90 mins with me.
• Transfer of photos from camera to computer: about 20 mins (well over an hour for a wedding)
• Initial cull of photos and initial exposure adjustments: about 90 mins. I'll usually take up to 450 photos per session and narrow it down to anywhere between 100-130 photos for keepers. 
• Then post processing ranges around 5 mins per photo.  100 photos x 5 mins =  500 mins = 8 hrs.
• Prepare web uploads, blogging = 60 mins
• Create label, print release form, burn disc, package, and shipping = 30 mins
• So, 11+ hours are required per photoshoot that happens. And that's just portrait sessions.

I've also been so amazingly blessed with having the opportunity to second shoot for Krystal Muellenberg Photography this summer for at least 6 weddings. I could not have asked for a better role model for inspiration, guidance, and sweetness. She truly is one of a kind and I will forever be thankful to her.

• Having these weddings also means being gone quite a few Saturdays that I originally never expected to be. A few times I was actually up and gone before my daughter got up for the day and home after she had went to bed already.
• Repeat the same process. I've been averaging about 500 photos after initial cull for a wedding. Even if I keep those initial 500 that's 500 photos x 5 mins = 42 hours editing for ONE wedding.
• Add in your web previews & packaging time = another 90 mins
• 45+ hours per wedding x 6 weddings (so far) = 270 hours.

Add it all together, on my current palette is 6 weddings + 2 senior sessions + 4 family sessions = 335 hours of editing needed. And that's not even counting what great shoots are scheduled for September & October (will is pretty much booked to the max already).  I realize I am probably slower at editing than those more seasoned then me. Maybe I'm faster, I'm most likely slower, I guess I can't say. But I enjoy every minute of it and that's what counts, right?

*As an early announcement my porfolio pricing will be going away around the beginning of 2012 to spring 2012. More info on this change will be announced in the next few months.   


i ADORE YOU:
So, the point of my ramblings?  By NOOOOO means does this mean I don't want anymore shoots. On the contrary, I want so much to keep growing and expanding my business and love for photography. I want to keep gaining great clients {I love all of you that I've had the pleasure of working with so far} and dream of doing this full time some day in the future. My post is not meant to make anyone feel bad for me or turn them away or think I'm complaining about the hours.  I LOVE that I've been so busy and have received so much support and I actually don't mind editing at night. It's a sort of quiet relaxed peacefulness about doing it after hours. It's just me, my artwork, a giant mug of caramel latte goodness, and my froggy friend who always climbs the window to see me.  I just simply over write, over analyze, over word, and generally write entirely length novels for blogs (as you have probably noticed already) which can occasionally include (like this one) a very in-depth apology. From the bottom of my heart, I do feel bad that it's taking so long to get completed albums back to all of you but I hope with my explanation it gives a little insight as to why it takes me so long since I'm only able to edit a few hours a night roughly half of the week. I wish this was my fulltime job but it's not quite there yet so managing almost three full time jobs takes time. So, thank you to all who have been patient. I adore you for it.

Now, off to more editing....I really do LOVE my job :)

Hugs,
Em

ps.  new business cards & thank you notes are finally in!  Here's a sneaky peak.  To see in color, you'll just have to book a session with me ;)