05/31/2026
This isn't directed at any one of my clients specifically, but it's something I've been thinking about lately because I'm seeing more and more photographers I follow struggling with it.
Why does it sometimes take up to 12 weeks to receive a full wedding gallery? Or 3–4 weeks for a regular session?
One of the biggest reasons is that, for most photographers, photography isn't our only job. Most of us can't afford to quit the day job. We're often working 40+ hours a week elsewhere, then coming home and putting in even more hours late into the evening. Our weekends are spent shooting sessions, photographing weddings, and still editing galleries. And while showing up for your session (usually multiple sessions each weekend) or your wedding day (often more hours than our regular jobs) is a huge commitment, the truth is that taking the photos is actually the easy part.
For this wedding alone, I've gone through more than 5,000 images and spent over 9 hours TODAY working on it. Am I done? Nope. I'd say we're about halfway there. And honestly, that's just for now, because I'm the type of person who will re-edit a gallery two or three times before it feels just right. Then I'll post some on Facebook, notice one tiny thing that needs fixed, and double check every single image again before I deliver the final gallery.
Many photographers are also parents. If I'm your photographer of choice, you've chosen a mommy of three. ❤️
That means juggling work, sessions, editing, school schedules, games, practices, lessons, field trips, conferences, music programs, bedtime routines, playtime, mealtime, snuggles, and boo-boo kisses.
And sometimes you stumble across an extra-special photographer—one who is also a full-time student. Hello, that's me 😅. So during those 12 weeks it takes to receive your wedding gallery, I've also added about 80% of 12 credit hours' worth of studying and test-taking into the mix.
And beyond all of that, there are still bills to pay, responsibilities to manage, and all the other hard things that come with simply being human—things you may never know your photographer is carrying behind the scenes.
Yet we'll still take the time to carefully go through every image. We'll make sure your eyes are open (or closed, depending on the shot), smooth skin, color correct, adjust highlights, "zap" distractions out of the background, and add all the emotion and drama needed to make you fall in love with those memories all over again when your gallery arrives.
Because photography is a work of heart.
For so many of us, it's more than a job. It's the creative outlet that helps carry us through everything else life throws our way.
So if your photographer is taking a little time, please remember there's a real person behind that camera—someone doing their very best to create something beautiful for you. A little patience and kindness go a long way, and they mean more than you know. ❤️
