True Time of a One-Hour Photoshoot
One day I just decided to count my working time for a 1-hour photoshoot. It really surprised me! Of course, the timing is very approximate, but it's very close.
My studio is created for one-to-one customers; we do not serve mass customers. We respect privacy and don't rush customers with choosing dresses or accessories. Here's what's included in a one-hour photoshoot:
1) 🗣️ Customer communication: 1 hour - detailing packages, consultations, and answering questions.
2) 📝 Planning with my team: 30 minutes - discussing the session and checking time.
3) 🚗 Travel time to/from the studio: 2 hours - the traffic jam is really crazy!
4) 🏢 Studio prep: 30 minutes - perfecting lighting and setups.
5) 📸 Photoshoot itself: 1 hour - including accessory selection and posing.
6) 🧹 Studio cleanup: 30 minutes - tidying dresses, studio lights, cleaning backdrops, washing.
7) 🖥️ Basic editing: 1 hour - selecting and basic correcting images.
8) 🖌️ Advanced editing: 2 hours - adding that extra flair.
9) 📤 Delivery & finalization of images: 30 minutes - ensuring client satisfaction.
Total: 9 hours dedicated to a one-hour photoshoot!!! This time does not include waiting for late customers or album design. To be honest, it's really frustrating when a customer is late. The longest waiting time for me was 2 hours!! And then I just found out that the customer decided to have lunch before the photoshoot!! It was at the beginning of my photography journey and I didn't know how to deal with it.
This timing count just shows how much effort a photographer puts into a one-hour photoshoot, what the customer sees, and how much time the customer can't see but is necessary for a perfect session."