My After Session Workflow
After capturing your beautiful story, the work is not done yet. I have a whole workflow, just improved, that I follow right after your story is captured. Let me tell you what happens right after behind the scenes.
Client Necessities
Making sure you have everything for your story continues even after it’s captured. I’ve been doing this with session reminders but you’ll receive a what’s next, print release and how to download video for your story. I used to do this afterwards but some places I shoot don't have the best service. I want to make sure you receive this information because it’s important to have. Making this the most stress free experience is what I want for all my clients. This really helps!
Making Sure Your Memories are Taken Care Of
After making sure you received your after session necessities, I leave the location that your story was captured at. After making it home, I immediately back up your story from my SD card. I save all the raws (unedited photos right out of the camera) to my external hard drive. I also never clear the SD card until after I’ve delivered your story. Why? I want your story in two places and technology sometimes does not work. Backing up your story is a priority for me to make sure all your memories are safe.
Let’s Start the Editing Process
Once I know that your story is completely backed up on my external hard drive, I start my editing workflow. This will be a separate blog. I plug in your story into a culling software. This software goes through all the memories captured and picks out the best ones. It rates them, sorts them and even chooses the best ones if multiple ones are the same. It also allows me to zoom into multiple faces at one time and even lets me know if your eyes are in focus or half shut. I still go through every picture so don’t worry. But this definitely helps make it faster for turnaround time purposes. While this software is helping me out, I take care of some mom duties. Dinner, bath and bedtime. This is really important to me and spending time with my family means everything. I like to use softwares out there that helps me work while being able to do these things that are also very important to me.
Pro Tip: I use the 200% rule. If it’s not sharp/in focus on what I wanted captured at 200% zoomed in, I don’t keep it. Quality is one of my top priorities when delivering your memories.
Your Memories are Sorted
Once your story is completely gone through, I personally cull (pick out the best ones to deliver to you) that night. This has helped so much for turnaround time. Having this step done has cut down a ton of time spent editing. Don’t put this step off. I plug in all the culled memories into my editing software, Lightroom, to have them there ready to edit.
That’s a Wrap!
Your memories are now backed up, culled through and in my editing software ready to be edited. Here’s something new for myself. I don’t edit sneak peeks (For regular sessions and weddings only) that very night anymore. I want to view your memories with fresh eyes. Getting a good night's rest or just whatever rest this mama can get, really cuts back on making mistakes or second guessing my editing. My sneak peeks for regular sessions are edited and sent over within 48 hours and 72 hours for weddings. I actually no longer send sneak peeks for minis or heirlooms to get all stories captured, completed faster. I get my gear cleaned, batteries charged and my camera bag reset then it’s off to bed for me. Making that a wrap for right after your story is captured!
This is my personal after session workflow. Everyone's different but this is what works for myself and my clients are also loving it. Keep a constant workflow for an easier business life. Keep following the blog along for more insights, behind the scenes, beautiful stories and so much more!
Let’s capture your story!
