david1234 wrote:
honestly i think its quite lame to out source, imo there will never be someone that has "your" eye or can be trained to edit like "you". Its part of the art.
I have to agree with Tony. I'm not an artist - I'm a business owner and service provider. I'm very comfortable with the quality of my work, and I do believe that there is a systematic nature to how we shoot and how that is finished that can be outsourced. I've come to believe that the primary goals of any business have to be the following (in this order):
1. Book new business
2. Execute on existing business
When #2 impedes on the ability to constantly focus on #1 then outsourcing (or selectively insourcing) is a viable to necessary decision.
david1234 wrote:
honestly i think its quite lame to out source, imo there will never be someone that has "your" eye or can be trained to edit like "you". Its part of the art.
Don't be too proud about yourself and work. There is nothing wrong with outsourcing. Why waste time on basic editing when you can use that time to market and do other stuff that is more beneficial. You can still have the final say on the final product that the client sees.
Ever since moving to outsourcing, I love life more. I am not kidding.
This is how I value my time:
- shooting more work $450 per hour
- schmoozing $150 per hour
- taking care of other day to day business matters $75 per hour
- packaging discs, albums, shipping, uploading $25 per hour
- petting my cat $900 per hour
- actually going out to see the amazing city I live in $3000 per hour
- seeing my friends $8000 per hour
- going on vacation while someone else edits 5 weddings $4000 per hour
- editing my own work $2.99 per hour
david1234 wrote:
honestly i think its quite lame to out source, imo there will never be someone that has "your" eye or can be trained to edit like "you". Its part of the art.
I think there could be some truth to that for the rare few.
Not that i think your own editing is bad by any means David but it is certainly nothing unique. You could have someone else do that for you very easily.
Not to highjack the thread but does anyone know of editors that are actually decent, experienced, understand weddings etc? Care to share a few? That would be a most helpful list in assessing if this is even worth it. Google doesn't seem to be providing me results that match the more custom nature of our boutique wedding style.
When you outsource what is expected as far as editing.
Is it removing out of focus and correct WB.
Do others crop to bring out the subject in each image? Adjust all aspects for what I call a finished image.
If so who do you use. I have only found very basic services which I can do really fast.
Thanks
I'm getting my first wedding ready to send to Vital Edit. I was very happy with their samples and the communication. I'm going to do a rough cull, have them finish the cull (i.e. choose the best of three good pictures) and edit for WB and exposure and crop/rotation. Then I will run through them myself to add my secret sauce.
All said, I have a day job, I'm remodeling a house and trying to get more work...I need more time.
The samples from Vital Edit are nearly identical to my versions of the pictures but were better/more consistent. I'm a photographer not a photoshop/lightroom expert.
PM me for referral info if you decided to check them out!
