Editing: the thing that keeps so many photographers behind a computer screen more than any other aspect of their jobs! At first, I couldn’t have imagined handing my editing to someone else- “my editing is half of what makes my photos MINE!” And while that’s somewhat true, it was also a sign of my inner control freak that I was [at first] unwilling to even TRY allowing someone else to edit for me. Eventually, I caved- I needed HELP.

After trying out several editors in a span of 2.5 years and either being burned, taken advantage of, or wondering why my emails weren’t being answered, I was at my wit’s end. I knew I COULD NOT go another wedding season without outsourcing my wedding edits, but I also couldn’t spend another dollar on poor or half-finished edits. My schedule was getting busier & busier, and honestly, I had other areas of my business that I wanted to pursue but COULDN’T, because editing was taking up so much of my time!

And then Marissa Lynn saved my life.

After seeing my [mildy] desperate post in a Facebook group, Marissa emailed me to introduce herself- she’d been editing for several of my friends for years now and had actually thought of reaching out to me in the past- so crazy! My concerns over trying yet ANOTHER editor were gone the minute she emailed me, and this burden I didn’t even know I’d been carrying was lifted from my shoulders!

Marissa’s been editing for me for almost a year now and I could NOT be happier with the decision to outsource to her. Because, here’s the thing: I firmly believe that as entrepreneurs, if you continue to try and do EVERYTHING yourself? At some point, if you WILL plateau. There weren’t enough hours in the day for everything I wanted to do, so I was on “survival” mode for about 2 1/2 years. Nothing ever really got BETTER, it all just stayed the same. I didn’t have time for:

• Classes I wanted to take/continuing education
• Revamping my social media strategy
• Thinking up new ways to enhance our wedding couples’ experience
• Coming up with new workshops or courses that I knew were needed in the industry
• Oh, and spending time with FAMILY & FRIENDS, instead of always being stuck behind my Mac!

But once I was able to take hours of editing off of my plate, it freed me up to spend time on the areas of my business that NO ONE else can do. Because, really- my editing style isn’t that difficult to learn. Why not pay someone else who SPECIALIZES in editing to do a job I don’t personally need to do, so that I have more energy to focus on the things that ONLY I can do?

We take that approach a lot when it comes to the business! If there’s a job that either 1) takes up an inordinate amount of time, 2) has enough obstacles/roadblocks that makes it difficult for me to ever get it done, or 3) I’m just plain BAD at, we consider outsourcing. And that’s not laziness- that’s SMART business practice! 2016 has already been Abby Grace Photography’s STRONGEST year yet, and we still have a month and a half to go until the year is over.

Photogs- if you’re in the market for an editor, Marissa is all booked up… BUT she’s created an amazing resource to help wedding photographers find the perfect editor for them! Edit Source is the perfect place to find your new team member- if editing has become a daunting part of your business, don’t let another wedding season go by without at least TRYING an editor!