Shooters with normal job: how many hours do you work per week?

For those of us with full time jobs, as well as shooting weddings... how many hours per week do you work, including both jobs? My best guess of my own time is I work 70 hours per week... which gets a bit much after 3 months of it during the wedding season. I have been working 3 days per week this summer, but I'm back to 5 days now, and I'm finding it tough. 15 hour work days...

As an aside: those people who've gone full time, did you get incredibly busy before you decided to throw in the day job? Any tips?!

Working 40 hr/wk at my 9-5 and another 6 - 8 h/day getting all the photog business stuff done that needs to get done. Starting up a new business is a real killer and I definitely feel your pain!

I do 40-45 hours a week in a design studio then anywhere between 0 and 20 hours doing freelance and photography work.

Feels like I work all the time, even when I sleep.

i do 50 hrs a week for the man but dont shoot professionally, but, i DO work about anothe 20 hrs on weekends for my wife.... fixing crap around the house, does that count?
lol

I do 45+ hours for my regular IT job + 10 hours a week travelling to and from it (mo-fri) and then gawd knows how many I do on the photography stuff because its our first year we seem to be spending all our spare time on it but it doesnt feel like work so its not a problem

This weekend just gone actually feels like it was quite lazy because we only had one client meeting each day although the one on Saturday was about 5 hours worth with the travelling to it and back.

Dunno what its going to be like when we actually start shooting this year, atm all we have been doing is client meetings and sussing venues out but we have our first gig of the year in april and then it goes mental through the summer and we have a couple of double headers on a weeekend but we may book a day off after those to recover.

I defintily WORK full time, not pulling the "mom is the hardest job in the world" card, but it really is! My 16 month old has a severe milk, soy and egg allergy so I spend a lot of time cooking specialty things for him. I would say that takes up at 15 hours a week. Painting nurseries and murals..depending on the job, last weeks mural, still unfinished- at least 20 hours. And will do shoots on the weekends and photoshop during the week those taking 20-25 hours.. So I really don't know how much time I actually spend! But I am finally enrolled my kiddos in a 3 days a week program to get a betterwork flow going. I am talking with a local florist and cake designer about renting studio space. Making the big leap is hard. Although not as hard for me as it would be depending soley on the photography income to live.

sorry if I just rambled! I really do understand though- trying to decide if I go full time as well!!

I work fulltime Mon-Fri and when I'm really busy I take time off work for processing. I am planning to reduce my hrs when (if?) the weddings really take off, so I can have Mondays for processing. Luckily my employer will allow me that type of flexible arrangement.

I was already working full-time for myself anyway (multimedia production), and have just adjusted the balance of work I do + Ann has joined me.

Rob

Working IT, I typically work 50 hours or so a week, at least. My weekends are usually filled w/all the PP that I didn't have a chance to do during the week or from the occasional midweek shoot. On the occasional weekend I did enough to "earn" a wedding to shoot, I've got that filled up. Lol...Saturdays are about to get really crazy shooting LL all day...

Count up all the time spent networking, trying to build strong relationships, coaching soccer for my oldest and helping the wife not go crazy by spreading the load watching the almost 2 y/o twins and the life gets pretty hectic at times.

I work 45 hours a week (9 hours a day), plus 15 hours travelling to work each week. Then add 12 hours when shooting, plus another 12 hours of editing, printing and marketing.

Bugger, do I really do 84 hours a week. No wonder I look like I do...

Last fall, I worked 20 hour days for three months solid. By Christmas break, I was completely and totally worn out.

i work about 65 hours a week and ready to pass out until i lift my camera to shoot it gives me new life. I am able to work like this because i have a partner who works full time as a photographer. he handles the day to day for our business which saves me alot of headace

Then add 12 hours when shooting, plus another 12 hours of editing, printing and marketing.

man, I typically have at least 2 hours of post processing and organizing time per every hour I shoot. On a marketing level, I do micro-marketing on a daily basis (give out biz cards, get ad spots, ect) and I update and mass market about 3 times a year when I have down time.

All together, I spend 8-20 hours a week at a service job and spend about 40 hours a week on photography. Whenever I don't have a sat to shoot, I spend it at my service job so it's still convenient keeping it around, plus I have insurance through them since I've worked there all throughout college.

Shift work. 6 days on/3 days off. 8 hour shifts/35min travel one way.

Photos either on days off or I take Annual Leave...or a sickie