Hubby and I were talking tonight - I did a family shoot for a friend and was done editing the same night. Hubby says once I become "real" that may make customers think I am charging too much since it was so easy. Now it wasn't super easy, spent maybe 2 hours editing but he seems to think this would be bad down the road. The road he is talking about is filled with paying customers so I wouldn't have time to be this fast but I am just wondering- is fast bad? Typically I am done within 24 hours, most a week. Again - I realize I won't keep up this pace down the road (at least I hope not!!!) but he seems to think the standard 2-6 week wait in my area is good. Thoughts?

A fast turn around time is one thing I try hard for. I feel like my clients appreciate it. Some have told me so. I have had two requests for small framed prints shot at the morning wedding ceremony to be ready for display at the afternoon/evening reception. I typically spend 2 to 3 hours editing for every hour of shooting. For a senior or family session, next day is possible. For a wedding, next day is unrealistic. I have also found that waiting a few days to edit after you shoot can be a good thing. If you wait, you lose some of the emotional attachment to the photos you shot. This allows you to be more critical, and in the end, present a higher quality product.

When I first started out and only had clients on the weekends, I would spend that same night editing.  I would have the pics in an online gallery the next day.   I have no patience and I want to see the finished product as much as my clients.   I didn't have a single one of them say anything about "It must be easy if you got it done in one day".  They were all very appreciative and impressed.

And I admit to my clients that I work until 2am on thier images because I am so excited to see the results.  They love it.

Now, the busier you get, the longer it may take you.  And after 3 1/2 years I realized that sometimes I just need to put the computer down and spend time with my family.  So I tell my clients 3-4 days and then just suprise them when I acutally have time to get them done sooner.

 The sooner you proof the images after the session, the more excitement there is for the client, and that usually results in more sales.  If you can arrange to proof in person, you will see your sales skyrocket.  If you can get your workflow down right, you should be able to keep up with it.  Even if you aren't proofing the next day, within the first week you are really going to benefit yourself.

This thread reminds me of a saying - "Good, fast, cheap - pick two!".  So, if you're going to be good & deliver fast, you won't be cheap!

I'm the same way in that I like to get it done as soon as possible to see what I have.  As I get busier, though, it becomes more & more difficult.  To keep everyone happy, I tell my customers that they can expect to see the images in a week and ALWAYS deliver early.  I guess that's what it comes down to - setting expectations and exceeding them every time.  If you do this, you will have happy customers.  I think your husband's 2-6 week wait is a little long (for portraits) but that's just me.

Good luck!
Kathleen 

I aim to get them finished in a week, 10 days at most but it doesn't always happen that way as I have small children at home and another job 9 months of the year that take priority over photography.  I tell clients 2-3 weeks but rarely take the whole time.   Once I told someone a week b/c I was sure I would have the images done since my kids were away and I had the time to get it done.  My computer went out and I wasn't able to meet that deadline b/c of it so I would never again do that. I will always tell them it will take longer than I expect it to. That way they are surprised when they are early. 

 I don't think getting them done fast is bad at all.  I agree the faster you do it the more you will impress your clients.  Good for you!

The faster the turn around, the more emotional ties they have to the event and thus to the images. Customers want to share their images with family and friends as fast as possible while the "iron is still hot". Wait to long and the excitement wanes and thus do the sales.

Besides, if you can do them quickly but you hold on to them for a while, to me, that is a disservice to the customer. Would you want someone doing that to you?

My turnaround for a wedding is usually one day, two at the most. And yes, I have been known to stay in my office till 6am the next morning to get that accomplished.

I have only had one wedding that took me more than my usual and that was my wedding from hell. I had zero desire to do that wedding to begin with and it showed in the turn around.

-Koa-

 I agree with the majority here, Every client appreciates having the proofs quickly, but it is best to set a longer time frame, and then surprise them by getting it to them earlier.

For something like a senior session, I will tell them a week, and be done in 3-4 days. For a wedding, I say about two weeks, but have so far have always been done within a week.

 I'm glad to hear my thoughts were on track! I always tell people 2-3 weeks but like I said, the most anyone waited was a week and that was because I had 3 shoots (one was a wedding) in one weekend. My second wedding is next weekend and I told her 3-4 weeks but I know I will be done sooner. I'm still at the "wow look what I got - this shot is awesome" stage and hope to stay there forever! I *LOVE* shooting and editing - it's more than just a hopefull income producer. If it was just about the income I wouldn't have done all these free shoots for friends and family as practice and for my portfolio :-)