Acceptable turn around time...

[Punkydoodles]

In your opinion, what is an acceptable time frame for having proofs ready? I currently aim for 3 - 4 days.... Am I just crazy, or is one month (for studio pics - not even wedding) totally unacceptable????

[Firegirl]

I dabble a little in team sports photography and I usually have the whole order done and returned to the customer in a week. But then I don't do this for a living either. One of the reasons I have return customers is the quick turn-around. They tell me "so and so takes a month to get our stuff back". So as a consumer it's quicker the better. My 2 cents.

[Punkydoodles]

yah - I feel the same way about quicker... just wondering cause I've been waiting on pics for a month now and I'm begining to get a bit peeved - I feel that it's been way too long and it's unacceptable business practice!

[epoh]

For just proofs I'd say a week, 2 a most. I would excpect longer for final prints, but not proofs.

[MyKey]

What kind of business are we talking about here?

Sporting events
Special events such as dance studios, daycares, etc.
Weddings
Studio Portraits

I think each has their limits and each have their expected turn around time from the clients stand point as well as the photographers/studio standpoint.

For weddings we allow ourselfs 4-6 weeks for proofs to be online and/or proof albums to be made. With our custom made albums it can be up to a year or longer before the client get them, due to the client not getting the image list to us in time, design changes, printing, binding, etc.

I personally found if you rush your proofs on the wedding side of things your business hurts in the long run. Clients expect the best product from you and therefore take your time and make sure each and every image is the best you can give them. It is what your business is made on and what will long be your reputation after everything is said and done.

[LoungeLizard]

...to add to what Mike said, it also depends on your definition of "proof". I've seen this term mean anything from "out of camera" to "fully finished".

When we post our proofs (typically about 500 for each wedding), they are pretty much ALL ready for printing. Some of our favorites have undergone some artistic interpretation also (B&W, sepia, special effects, special processing, etc.). Typically, that will be about 70-100 of them.

We also quote 4-6 weeks but are usually there in 2-3 weeks, except for our last one that pushed that 6 week boundary due to travel, vacations, illnesses (both people and computers!)

[Holly]

(for studio pics - not even wedding) totally unacceptable????

Well Jesus answered the wedding side for us so I'll answer the portrait side. We take only location portraits, no studio but our turn around time is usually 1 week to get them online.
Of course it all depends on the session, how many you intially take, and how often the creative bug bites while processing them. :)
Even if we know the client is buying a cd (so we spend more time processing the "proofs"), we still have them in around a week.
Took CD portraits for a musician last Sunday, and they will be online by Monday (a day late because I'm moving tomorrow and I've been packing up instead of processing)

[Punkydoodles]

They were studio portraits - we were there about 2 hrs?? But not all of that time was spent taking the pictures and nope Holly - not purchasing a CD - wish the photog would let me though - would be MUCH easier since she only does office proofing (no online - no hard copy) - not convient for other family members 700 miles away - oh well, her profit loss not mine!

[Punkydoodles]

Originally Posted by MyKey

I personally found if you rush your proofs on the wedding side of things your business hurts in the long run. Clients expect the best product from you and therefore take your time and make sure each and every image is the best you can give them. It is what your business is made on and what will long be your reputation after everything is said and done.

I hated my wedding photographs, but anyways, I think it was about 7 weeks after the wedding before they came back - I was surprised to get them that quick however, since we got married the week before Christmas. Sadly, he probably could have taken a year and I don't think it would have helped the pics any oh well, water under the bridge now. But thanks for your reply - Love your work btw....

[Punkydoodles]

Originally Posted by LoungeLizard

...to add to what Mike said, it also depends on your definition of "proof". I've seen this term mean anything from "out of camera" to "fully finished".

Good point - my idea of proof is what I feel is "perfect" enough for the customer to purchase and show.... I would think SOOC would have a turn around time of something like a day, max - and I understand "fully finished" would take longer - but I'm still not so sure that one month is acceptable (nevermind the fact that I feel like this photog is avoiding us ) Kinda gives the impression the pics came out bad...

[cmalana]

This all just depends on their workflow. I wouldn't call it 'unacceptable business practice' to have to wait 30 days to see proofs. :) Of course we deal primarily with weddings and wedding-related portrait work and we do indicate 4-6 weeks in our agreements.

With our model, we do tend to get at least our select images (we select around 100 images or so) as the first batch of proofs (some of them have special treatments) and then the rest are semi-batch converted (all still get looked at briefly but not necessarily individually adjusted).

Depending on the studio and how many people operate it, a lot of photographers run a 1-person show so even things like illness, personal emergencies, etc. dramatically affect their ability to deliver.

[Punkydoodles]

Then wouldn't you at least return phone calls that your client makes to you? I guess I'm frustrated that I have yet to see proofs and the photog can't seem to return phone calls or emails - I still maintain she has a bad business practice - I don't even want to get started on the pricing drama - I understand unforseen circumstances - again, simply keep in touch with the customer. If her mother died - fine, I'd understand my photos being late - but don't just leave me hanging! ESPECIALLY when in my messages I am trying to schedule my next shoot!!!!!!!!! I guess I've just never experienced service like this from a photographer - and there's no way I'd deliever the same kind of service to a client - PARTICULARLY if they've already paid!!!!!! Alright... I'd better stop here before I say too much. I have a feeling she lurks on here... however, if she sees this post maybe she'll get her rump in gear

[cmalana]

Agree on the communication part...but if you're not happy, why would you use them again for another shoot?

[Punkydoodles]

That would be because I paid for a motherhood package - includes maternity-newborn-3-6-9-12 month shots too. I paid per her policy and now per my rights as a customer I want my stinking pictures and I need to schedule the newborn shot. I did have some others to refer to her, but you better believe that isn't going to happen now. What I'd really like is my first set of proofs, then most of my money back to go else where - preferably where someone cares about the client?

[Holly]

okay..so the situation is...you bought this package from her, she took your maternity shots about 30 days ago and hasn't returned your phone calls or delivered your proofs yet? Have you gone by he studio during working hours to discuss it with her?
30 days does seem like a lot for a maternity turnaround, but as Carlo pointed out, we don't know her workload right now, or any other circumstances that may be going on. But, you are 100% right in that you deserve at least a return phone call explaining things.
Good luck with it, and keep us updated.