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I'm Alyssa, a NC based wedding and senior photographer who is crazy about storytelling (and my cat). Grab a snack and get comfy! It's time to check out my past work, photography education, and travel adventures!

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Outsourcing For Photographers: Editing Edition

Aka: Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about hiring a photo editor

Here’s the thing, I know it can be hard to let go of control as photographers, but there’s a good reason to get an editor. You can have more free time, you can deliver galleries faster and you can feel less stressed!

But don’t just take it from me, I’ve interviewed Tyssa Watson. She’s a private photo editor who edits for high-end wedding photographers across the United States. Based in Texas, Tyssa lives her best life eating donuts, wandering the aisles of Homegoods with her husband, and snuggling with her dogs!

Check out her website here: TyssaWatson.com

I asked Tyssa a bunch of questions that I initially had when I first considered hiring a photo editor. Tyssa did such an amazing job answering all my questions, I ended up hiring her! Having an editor has changed the game for me in the best way possible. So if you’re on the fence, listen up to what Tyssa has to say because it’s all good stuff!

Why do you think hiring an editor is a good idea?

“Photographers hire editors for a bunch of different reasons!

-They just don’t LOVE editing as much as they love photographing.

-They can’t take on as many sessions as they want because they have to edit in between and not create burnout for themselves.

-They want to spend more time working on other areas of their business.

-They want more time for themselves/their families (they already spend the weekends doing sessions and weddings, they shouldn’t lose the rest of their week being a slave to their editing, right? They need a break!).”

How do you think getting an editor helps photographers? How does it help couples?

“Of course having an editor helps photographers by editing their images but that’s obvious. I provide SO MUCH MORE than just editing to my photographers. My photographers find that they enjoy a one-on-one partnership with me, someone who knows their style, knows their true talent, and treats their images like their own.

I give them peace of mind, I have their back, and I lift them up. I’m their personal cheerleader, gushing over their images every time I see them. I’m a second set of eyes on their style and their consistency. I take being part of their brand and their business very seriously.

 A couple usually won’t know that a photographer uses an editor, but they’ll wonder just HOW their photographer gets it all done! They see them doing behind the scenes at a session, working on their blog, spending family time, and then BOOM, the finished gallery is in their mailbox- they think they’re a superhero! It also gives them time to create a one of a kind experience for their clients without the pressures of editing deadlines.”

What exactly does an editor do?

“After a session or a wedding, the photographer loads all of their images (let’s say 1200) and edits their favorites (100) in their style. Then, they send me the whole catalog. I edit the rest of the gallery in line with the photographer’s preferences, style, and their previously done edits. I go through every image to ensure that the photographer’s style is consistent throughout the gallery in the way that they would edit themselves. Then, I send the gallery back to the photographer, they double check it, and then export it!

If I do my job right (which of course I do!) the photographer and the client wouldn’t be able to tell who edited which image.”

Does having an editor mean photographers don’t edit the photos?

“Not at all! Having an editor means that a photographer is SO consistent with their style and editing that an editor can replicate it flawlessly. My photographers personally edit images in EVERY SINGLE gallery that I touch. I always ensure that their preferences and style are in the edits before I ever start- I always say that how *I* edit doesn’t matter, I match my photographer’s editing style.”

Shoutout to Tyssa for agreeing to do this! If you’re a photographer and just feeling overwhelmed with work, hiring an editor can be life-changing! You still have plenty of control over images and how everything looks, but now you can spend your time doing everything else your business needs (which is honestly so so much!)

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Alyssa is an international wedding and portrait photographer based in North Carolina

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