How fast do you turn out a product?

[cmdolley]

So I have been shooting portraits for a couple yrs now and always find that I stress myself out trying to get the finished product back to the client within a week or 2.

A little about what I do... Family shoot 150 +or- images, 25-30 released to client.

Do I just need to relax or can I push out my timeframe?

[Mark1]

I would say it totally depends on your available time. If you have the time to push them out fast on every job, then I would, and I would use that as a marketing point. ...No waiting a week just to proof the images. However if you are not consistent with your available time to edit and proof. I would find a time span that you can meet for 99% of the jobs and stick to that. Even if it means a job sits completed on your desk for a few days. It will save you a bit of trouble when you get the "Well Ms. X got her prints in 3 days.... why do I have to wait a week for proofs? This also gives you an option to impliment a "Rush Fee". If every job is a rush you cant make 1 a priority. But if you have given yourself a pad of time you can make one a priority, and not hurt your delivery time of the others.

[sfaust]

It' entirely up to you what expectations you set for your clients. If you need a week or two normally, just make sure they are aware that's your standard turnaround time. Then try to deliver sooner than expected. I.e., under sell, over deliver.

You need to determine what a reasonable workflow is for you, so you aren't working late evenings trying to get the work done and burn yourself out. If you feel its too long, then look at how you do the work and find efficiencies to speed it up without compromising quality. There are lots of ways to speed up the workflow which can really add up overall. Actions, automation, batch processing, plugins, etc. Saving a few minutes on an image adds up when you are dealing with 100's a week.

[cmdolley]

Thanks! I guess I just need to relax and give myself the time I need to keep this enjoyable and not so much like a job.

[Karl Johnston]

3 weeks to a month, maybe a month and a half

[sfaust]

Thanks! I guess I just need to relax and give myself the time I need to keep this enjoyable and not so much like a job.

You can always use it to your advantage as well.. position it like a fine wine. It takes age to mature, and rushing it only creates an inferior product. While others may rush to the get the images out, you won't let them leave until you feel they are the best you can make them. Then do just that!

[Svetlana]

I try and get the images to clients as fast as I can. What's the point of making them wait if you can do the job quickly? To the OP: how many family sessions do you shoot a week if it takes you that much time to edit 25-30 images?
Plus you have to remember that people buy emotionally, if you get their images to them quickly they will still have the hype about the session and maybe will want to buy more images from you, or bigger sizes. I just got back from shooting a wedding in Mexico and told my clients that they won't get photos from me within the next 2-3 weeks, but what I did is I edited a few photos from the day right away and posted on my blog, the traffic was crazy - and I'm not even sure the B&G saw anything yet as they're on their honeymoon..:) just my 0.02. :)