Why does editing take so long?

Today I am working on editing some of the images that I took for one of our graduate voucher winners last year. 
This beautiful woman has chosen an album...and so...I wanted to share with you what that process looks like from the time my clients purchase products from me to the time that they are delivered...

Whenever I photograph someone, I go through and do some color correction and little adjustments before I add them to an online gallery for my clients. 
I will admit - I often put more images in than I promise, because one image might be particularly special or meaningful to my clients that I might not be aware of.
This online gallery gives families a chance to see their images and select the ones that they like the best before I spend a lot of time going through and doing more intensive editing.
(Stay tuned about online gallery changes...I'm looking at switching providers that should make for an improved experience for my clients!)

Above is an example of what what a current online gallery looks like once my client has selected their favorites.

Once I know what images my clients love and how they want to use the images, it helps me know which images will need more intensive editing.
Sometimes I will spend 10 minutes on an image, sometimes I will spend hours on an image if I need to do something more complicated...and sometimes if it is needing some special work, I will send it to a retoucher that I work with who can help me with an adjustment that is beyond what I can do.

For albums and wall art, I go through and edit each of these images to minimize blemishes, stray hairs, some of the distracting elements in the background (if it is possible).    With the purchase of an album or wall art, the digital file is included with permission to reprint and share.

Either myself or my retoucher will pull each image that my client has selected from Lightroom into Photoshop and do multiple editing steps for each image.

First step is to minimize blemishes and stray hairs.

Second step is to minimize any clothing issues (wrinkles/fuzz/hairs).

Third step is to minimize distractions in the background.

Fourth step is to lighten and darken areas of the photograph to improve its overall impact.

Fifth step is to review and determine if there are any last steps that would improve the image for my client.

This is why I only do editing for purchased images. 
​Each image my clients purchase goes through this process.  

Once the images are edited and I am ready to design my client's album... I import the images into a program that I LOVE to use for albums, cards and wall art. 
​Once I have designed the album, I will send a proof to my clients so that they can review the design before it goes to be created. 
I have two album companies that I order from - Album Epoca (books and albums produced in Italy and sent to Canada) and
just recently have added Dekora Album Co. in Ontario, Canada (who handcraft all of their albums) to the list of products I have available for my clients.

Once I receive confirmation that the album proof has been approved my client and paid for in full, the album is ordered. 
Once it arrives, I go through and review it to make sure it wasn't damaged in transport or requiring a re-print. 
​After that...the album (or other products my clients have ordered) are delivered. 
If my clients have chosen to directly download their digital images, they will be given a link where they can access this on their computer. 
If my clients have chosen to have their images on a USB, I will provide it to them at the time that their album arrives.

For now...I'd better get back to editing these images for my client so I can get her album underway.
I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into my editing process.

Always & Forever,
​Melissa