I'm a nice guy (still hoping), but there's a question that makes my eye twitch. It usually arrives two days after the shoot: "Hey, how long till the photos are ready?"


Two days, bru. I haven't even finished recovering from the shoot.


So here's a list of things I wish every client knew before they type that message.

1. The sneak peek is a magic trick, not a preview of my speed


I shoot on Fujifilm, and it has this great feature where I can send straight out of camera (SOOC) photos to my phone. Fuji colours are so good that they look edited before I've touched anything. So at the end of the shoot, or about 2 minutes after, I send you a few sneak peeks.


That's a gift, and it's where the problem starts. Some clients see 5 photos land on their phone 3 minutes after the shoot and think "wow, if he can send 5 photos instantly, he can send all 400 instantly." No. That's like watching a chef hand you a breadstick and asking where the wagyu is. The breadstick is a courtesy, not a delivery estimate.

This is a straight out of camera picture


2. "Straight out of camera" does not mean "finished"

Those sneak peeks are the appetiser. The full gallery involves culling, colour work, retouching and export. It's the difference between a raw ingredient and a meal. I would love to serve you a meal in 3 minutes, but I'm a photographer, not a microwave.

3. My timelines are a lie, but the good kind


Here's my rough system:

  • Small events: 2 weeks
  • Big events: 4 weeks
  • Weddings: 6 weeks at most


Those are the worst case numbers. Most of the time your photos land way before that, because I like to under promise and over deliver. If I told you "3 days" and delivered in 3 days, you'd say "cool." If I tell you 2 weeks and deliver in 8 days, you think I'm a legend. It's psychology, and also I'm not stupid.

4. Asking two days in is not going to speed things up


I promise you, the moment I get "how long till the photos are ready?" two days after the shoot, my editing speed does not double. It does not triple either. All it does is make me wonder if I should have sent a "no, I haven't forgotten you" message in advance. Being asked reminds me you're eager, and it also reminds me that I have other clients, other galleries, and a body that needs sleep.

5. Every photo deserves proper attention


I could rush every gallery in an evening. I could slap one filter on everything and call it a day. But then you'd get photos that look like they were edited by someone who hates you. I'd rather take the time and give you a gallery you actually want to print, frame and show off, instead of one you quietly never post.

6. Good things take time, and bad things take me even longer


If you want photos in a rush, tell me before the shoot, not during the shoot, and definitely not the day after. Rush deliveries are sometimes possible, but they need a heads up. Don't spring it on me the way you'd spring a surprise party on someone with anxiety. Just talk to me and we'll sort it out (Paid extra of course).

The point



I'm not slow. I'm careful, and I'm doing what I said I'd do, usually earlier than I said I'd do it. Your photos are coming, and they're going to be so good that you'll forget you were ever impatient.


Now please stop refreshing your inbox. It's not going to make the email appear faster. Trust me, I've tried that with my own bank account.