Photographers often wonder if outsourcing photo editing is worth it. In this episode, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of outsourcing your post-production to an online service like ShootDotEdit or Fix The Photo.
Look for a company that has a clear onboarding process that teaches editors how to edit in your style. Otherwise, the process will be inconsistent and slow.
Saves You Time
If you’re running a business, every minute spent on photo editing is a minute that could be spent bringing in new clients, booking sessions, or marketing your services. In microeconomics, this is called opportunity cost.
Especially if you’re a wedding or portrait photographer, or you have an e-commerce product line, hiring a photo editor during your busy season can save you hours of time that you’d spend on retouching. Just make sure that you’re choosing a service that specializes in your type of photography.
It’s also a good idea to set up a separate email account for outsourcing, so you don’t clog your personal inbox with edit requests and rejections. By using an online platform that allows you to get a quote, upload your files and download your edited photos in 5 simple steps, you can save even more time!
Saves You Money
In addition to saving you time, outsourcing your photo editing also saves you money. When you outsource your editing, you are paying someone else to do the work that you would have done yourself. This can free up your own money so you can spend it on things that are helping you grow your business, like marketing or a new camera.
The cost of outsourced photo editing varies from company to company, but it is often significantly cheaper than hiring a full-time employee to handle the work for you in-house. This is especially true if you use a platform that allows you to create detailed custom specifications and offers a scalability option for peak times.
One great way to get started with outsourcing is to find an editor that you enjoy working with. This will help you to build a trusting relationship with the person or team handling your editing so that they can provide quality results quickly.
Saves You Stress
When you outsource, you are giving a third party the responsibility for the work that is required. This means you no longer have to worry about completing the editing, so you can focus on other tasks like marketing or preparing for your next photoshoot.
For Leeann Marie, the number of weddings she was shooting each year along with engagement and boudoir sessions started to become too much. She was getting burnt out on her work-life balance and wanted to find a way to grow her business without working overtime.
She began to outsource her retouching and noticed an exponential increase in her turnaround time. She knew she would have to invest more in her business to pay for it, but her team was able to provide consistent edits that aligned with her style guide. This meant she was able to have her images back in less than a week! That freed up her time to spend on the things she loved most, and her clients got their images faster.
Saves You From Mistakes
A skilled photo editor can take your images to the next level and save you from the costly mistakes that happen when you try to do it all yourself.
Even experienced photographers can get overwhelmed with editing work. If you find yourself struggling to keep up with the demand of clients and stakeholders, outsourcing may be a good option for you.
If you choose a service that has a clear and consistent onboarding process, ramping up will be simple and easy. This will ensure the quality of your images isn’t affected by volume and editors are trained to create edits that align with your style guide.
It’s also important that any outsourced photo editing service you use is a specialist in your type of photography. E-commerce, food, wedding, and nature photography all have different retouching needs. Look for a company that specialises in your industry and has an impressive client list to support their claim.outsource photo editing