Signs You're Ready to Outsource
- Galleries are taking longer to deliver than you promised.
- You're turning down weddings because of the editing still to do.
- You spend more time at the computer than shooting or talking to clients.
- Your evenings and weekends disappear in wedding season.
If you enjoy editing and your workload is comfortable, you may not need to outsource everything. Many photographers start with one task, such as culling or album design, and keep the rest.
Decide What to Hand Over
- Culling is often the easiest place to start, because it takes hours and rarely defines your style.
- Color correction saves the most time on large galleries, once an editor has learned your look.
- Retouching suits occasional, difficult jobs, like adding a person to a group photo or removing a guest.
- Album design can be the biggest relief if albums keep getting pushed down your to-do list.
Questions to Ask an Editing Company
- Is the work done by people, by AI software, or both?
- Will I have a dedicated editor who learns my style?
- What is the normal turnaround, and what happens in wedding season?
- Are revisions included, and is there a limit?
- What file types do you accept, and how do I send them?
- What do I get back: a Lightroom catalog, JPEGs or something else?
- Can I try you with a small sample before I commit?
- Who can I contact if something goes wrong?
Prepare Your Style Guide
The clearer your brief, the fewer corrections you'll need. Before your first order, gather:
- 10–20 finished images that show your style, ideally with the originals
- Notes on skin tones, contrast, warmth, and how you treat black and white
- How many images you usually deliver from a wedding
- Anything you never want done
Run a Fair Test
- Pick a mix of images: bright outdoor portraits, dark reception shots and mixed lighting.
- Send the same set to each company you're considering.
- Compare the results side by side, and note how many corrections you'd still make.
- Ask for a change, and see how quickly and accurately it's handled.
Expect the first order to need some adjustment. A good editor gets closer to your style with each wedding.
Common Mistakes
- Choosing on price alone. Our guide to what outsourcing costs explains how to work out the real cost.
- Starting with your biggest wedding. Test with a smaller job first.
- Not giving feedback. Specific notes are how an editor learns your style.
- Skipping your own final check. It's your name on the gallery, so review the work before you deliver it.
Try it with Pikartz
Send us 10–20 images and we'll edit or design a sample for you. If you don't love it, you don't pay. See how it works or start your free trial.
