The secret "process" that will leave your competition in the dust.

[Read Time - 8 Minutes]

Since I emphasized the importance of getting a solid post-processing process to you last week, I thought it only fair to give you something more than advice or encouragement this week.

Here's my post-processing process. The one I started two decades ago and continue using today.

I may be overstating the importance of this (it would NOT be the first time), but I think processing is one of those areas that can mean the difference between success (profit with a life) and failure (less profit with no time and no life).

Everyone should run their business their own way, but when it comes to something like a process or system to improve your business, it’s a good idea to model off of others, especially when others have had success.

The way I do things is not the same as the way others do it. I have studied many, many wedding pros and have used their best strategy to create a process that has worked well for me right up to today.

So, let's talk about your process for processing your wedding photos.

No matter who you are or how you choose to handle your post-process, a series of non-negotiables need to be done.

• Download the files from your cards to your computer

• Cull out the Keepers

• Dump the Discards

• Rename the Keepers

• Backup the Keepers (Raw or Unprocessed)

• Process the Keepers

• Export the Final Keepers (Processed)

• Retouch any Final Keepers (if necessary)

• Categorize the Final Keepers

• Backup the processed Final Keepers

• Deliver to the clients

I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure every wedding photographer does all or most of these. The successful ones do, so I'll stick with that. And, of course, if you're considering farming out some of these steps, that's fine, too.

Question: What's an efficient way to complete all these steps necessary to edit a wedding and still have a life?

Answer: Create your own process that does NOT take two to four weeks to complete these core steps.

The benefit to your process is that you'll get the photos delivered quickly, your clients will be very happy (and wildly impressed), AND you'll be ready to take on another wedding without having older events still on your mind and on your work plate.

The big key here is to be EFFICIENT. I define efficiency as doing excellent work as quickly as possible without cutting corners or delivering anything less than your best.

When you deliver your best work and deliver it quickly, you will stand apart significantly from the vast majority of professional wedding photographers, leaving the amateurs in the dust.

I often use the word "efficient" when talking about my process - that's intentional. When you're efficient, YOU are in charge of your business - not the other way around.

In my opinion, the only difference between a good and great photography BUSINESS is being able to deliver great photos to your clients in the same timeframe as those who deliver simply good photos.

Remember "Embracing the GLOW?" The Glow is the reason efficiency is so important. So let's get started!

1. Immediately following the wedding, download all of the files from your cards to your computer - Don't go to bed and don't say, "I'll do it tomorrow."

   DO THIS AS SOON AS YOU GET HOME or to your hotel room if you're shooting a destination wedding (and yes, any location you cannot drive home from that night is considered a destination...even Branson, MO).

   By doing this right away, you now have two copies of all the photos and the peace of mind to sleep, knowing nothing bad can happen (and yes, bad things DO happen).

2. Now you can put your cards aside and deal only with the wedding that has been downloaded to your computer. Let the culling begin!

3. I use a very simple but powerful program called Photo Mechanic. I'm not an affiliate, just a happy customer who has used it for many years. This program allows me to quickly and efficiently decide which photos will become a Keeper, a Discard, or a supporting player to a Keeper (this is kind of like the Hunger Games for photos, and just as ruthless).

   Photo Mechanic allows me to color code the photos using a number and then automatically advance to the next photo.

   Green is #1 - Keeper

   Red is #2 - Discard

   Hot Pink is #3 - a semi-duplicate of a #1 used for fixes

   If I choose a photo for a Keeper but someone's eyes are closed, or something is weird in the background, and I have another shot where the background is fine, but it's not as good as the Keeper, I'll mark this as a #3 and retouch the background or open the eyes into the Keeper photo making it perfect.

4. Before I import them into Lightroom (the BEST photo processing program for weddings, hands down), I create two folders. Keepers and Discards. If they're red, they go into the Discards folder. The Green and Pinks go in the Keepers folder.

5. Now, I have all the photos marked with three colors and three designations of importance. I'll do a quick overview and make sure the sequence is good. I often group up the guys' and girls' prep shots so it's a bit easier to view. I also like starting with a scene-setter and some details to start the story of the day.

6. Before importing them into Lightroom, the last step is to number the photos in the Keepers folder. You can use any numbering system you'd like - just make it understandable and repeatable. (I use the event name with a four-digit number, ex. Smith-Jones 0001).

   I don't worry about the date since the majority of my searches will be with the bride or groom's last names. NOTE: I only number the Green #1s. The #3s are an alternate version, so AFTER the Greens are numbered, I match up the #1 with the fixer #3 and assign a letter on the #3 (ex. 0456, 0456b, 0457, etc).

   This creates a linear system for finding the shots designated for fixing only, which will be deleted once they've been used to fix the Keeper.

7. Now, I can import them into Lightroom and let the processing begin. This is the creative part, but don't let this consume your time. I use a handful of presets, but primarily two - color and black & white. I have a few special ones I toss in now and then, but for the most part, it's color or black & white.

8. Your Lightroom processing process is unique to you, but here's the part where you can spend a day or spend a week. I recommend a day or two at the most. Get them all processed as efficiently as possible and get them to the client.

   IF there is a particularly "special" shot you love and you want to turn it into a work of art, that's fine. If it can be done relatively quickly and not consume your life, go for it, but don't do something you might not get a return from.

   Sure, the client might love it...or not. What you have to ask yourself is whether or not your art-making is going to advance your career or make you money. You can always deliver the wedding now and send your special piece of art a few days later. This is a savvy way to get some additional sales.

9. If you're building a style based on your artwork, that's perfect. If you're building a photo style based on your ability to capture moments, be amazing to work with and be the most valuable member of the bride's team of vendors, then perhaps your artwork or, more specifically, your time creating art isn't necessary.

   I've known photographers who work up an amazing creation only to find the couple really didn't love it as much as the photographer. That's somewhat sad, but it can always be a portfolio piece. Let's keep moving.

10. Of course, your LR process is ultimately yours, as I mentioned, so try to get this part down as quickly as possible so your work can be as efficient as possible.

    For me, I use mostly black & white for the prep shots since those can be in less-than-optimal surroundings, and I want the emphasis to be on the bride, the girls and the expressions. I split the ceremony 70/30 color to BW. I use black & white for more subject-isolating or emotional shots.

    The group photos are all color. The first dance is a mixture of color, BW and some personal artistic flair. And once the reception starts, everything is in color, with the slight exception of the farewell, which I treat kinda like the first dance.

11. Once I've processed everything, I export from Lightroom as high-res Jpegs. If there were any #3s, the hot pink fixers, I take care of those first. I now have the full set of numbered photos in chronological order.

12. When I started early in my career, I delivered four folders: Prep, Ceremony, Group Photos, and Reception. These technically covered all the major categories, but I soon realized that from the guest's point of view, there might be too many shots if they are looking for something specific.

    My categories are now more detailed, adding things like First Look, First Dance, Cake/Toasts, Garter/Bouquet and others. This way, if I'm a guest and know the photographer took my photo before the Farewell but after the Sorority Song, I'll just look there.

    As the photographer, I want the guests to look at all the photos, but ultimately, I want them to remember this day with a photograph they BUY from me. If it's good, they'll go back and look at the rest of them.

13. Homestretch! After the photos are categorized into numbered and named folders, I upload them to my online gallery host and send them to my couple to view first and then release to the public.

And that is my processing process! Again, I might be biased, but this is a straightforward approach to getting 2000-3000 photos culled, edited, and categorized down to 800-1000 that can be ready to show online to everyone in less than a week.

Let me tell you an important truth when it comes to weddings - brides talk, and when one bride mentions she got her photos back in a week, AND they were fantastic, others hear this.

No one wants to wait a month to get their photos, and if you have a solid process, your bride will not have to.

As a bonus, you can now head to your next wedding knowing that everything is done, and soon your couple will be reliving their wedding just days after it happened.

They are still comfortably in The Glow, and you are now a one-of-a-kind photographer.

If you have any questions or are struggling with your "processing process," please reach out to me. You can add a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]

I'll have some resources to help soon, but in the meantime, I’ll happily share what I have with you before I unveil them.