DEAR DEVLIN: Help Me Overcome Photo Editing Overwhelm

Dear The Procrastinating Photographer,

First off, let me reassure you – you’re not alone in this. Wedding photography is physically and mentally demanding, and it’s no surprise that editing often feels like a mountain to climb after all the other tasks you’re juggling. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to keep struggling in this cycle. Let’s look at ways to streamline your workflow, delegate, and rethink how you manage your time so editing becomes less of a burden and more of a manageable (maybe even enjoyable!) part of your process.

1. Review Your Workflow

Many photographers struggle with editing simply because their workflow isn’t as efficient as it could be. We can get stuck in our ways and think I’ll review things when it’s quiet and then just not get around to looking at what could be improved – next thing you know you are in another busy season and the circle repeats.

Tools and systems now exist that can dramatically speed up your process – this is probably not news to you but you have to be willing to embrace them.

• Culling: Have you tried AI culling tools like Narrative Select? These tools can quickly identify the sharpest images and flag duplicates, cutting hours from the culling process.
• Editing: AI editing tools like Imagen can be game-changers. I’ve fine-tuned my Imagen profile so well that most of my files need no adjustments at all. A full wedding gallery, from cull to final edit, now takes me half a day. The initial setup might take a little time, but once dialled in, these tools save you hours – and your sanity.

2. Tighten Your Delivery Times

One common trap is giving yourself too much time to deliver galleries, thinking it’ll reduce stress. But if the files just sit untouched for weeks, it can feel like a dark cloud hanging over you, leading to last-minute panic and an ever-increasing to-do list. Try shortening your deadline. A tighter timeframe creates urgency and motivation, so you’re more likely to tackle the edit promptly and get it done. I really do not enjoy editing so my tactic is to get it done as soon as possible so I never have a big backlogue hanging over me. You can see my process on our 1-Day Wedding Edit class.

3. Outsource Like the Pros

Some of the most efficient photographers I know edit their previews only and outsource the main gallery. This allows them to keep the personal touch on the most immediate, high-impact images while handing over the heavy lifting of the full gallery to someone else.

I know what you’re thinking: But I need it to be perfect! Here’s the thing – NOBODY prints out every single image in their gallery. Why spend countless hours tweaking hundreds of photos to perfection when the vast majority will only ever be viewed digitally?

Accept the help, and give yourself back the gift of time. Whether you work with a side-hustling photographer who loves editing or a service like Oodio that combines AI with human editors, outsourcing can be a game-changer for your productivity and peace of mind.

4. Ditch Time-Draining Tasks

Let me ask you, why you’re doing everything yourself. For instance, why are you still doing venue visits? They’re incredibly time-consuming, and as you’ve probably discovered, plans made during a recce often go out the window on the wedding day. Instead, arrive early on the wedding day and scout the location then. It’s a more efficient use of your time and frees you up for your family.