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How long for wedding photos?

rossandkatierossandkatie
First Comment
in Wedding Photography and Videography Forum
I was wondering how long is the average wait time to get your wedding photos from the photographer? My wedding was in October last year. To me, it seems like 9 months is too long. I have asked my photographer for them and she just says "these things take time" and that I need to be more patient.

Is this too long? Should I be more aggressive in asking for them? The contract didn't state a time that I would have my photos. Any advice? Is this the normal amount of time?

Thanks!
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Re: How long for wedding photos?

  • photosbyrhondaphotosbyrhonda
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I am a professional wedding photographer and turn my wedding photos around in 3-4 weeks. This is a really short turn around time, but it fits my workflow. I would say the average would be 3-4 months for most photographers.

    Also, I would take a look at your contract because most times they do have turnaround times in their contract.
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  • twilight.rosetwilight.rose member
    Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_photos-video_long-wedding-photos?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:30Discussion:4a71cb66-896d-469e-8464-a18d8bea2c59Post:c4ac78b5-62b9-4aaf-b8a7-31bc0d253ba1">Re: How long for wedding photos?</a>:
    [QUOTE]I am a professional wedding photographer and turn my wedding photos around in 3-4 weeks. This is a really short turn around time, but it fits my workflow. I would say the average would be 3-4 months for most photographers. Also, I would take a look at your contract because most times they do have turnaround times in their contract.
    Posted by photosbyrhonda[/QUOTE]
    All of this. My H is a professional wedding photographer also, and the longest its ever taken him for wedding photo turnaround was 9 weeks for an extremely photo-intensive wedding with 12 hours of coverage.

    Definitely check your contract, as 9 months is an extremely long time to wait. Have you even received proofs at this point?
    **i'm a little drunk on you and high on summertime** Photobucket
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    It depends upon workload, bookings, how many photos were taken and how long it takes to go through them. Retouching them.

    My last wedding I took 5969 photos, a lot were duplicates. So I sorted and went through to see which ones I liked from there I went into cropping and retouching. In total 510 were used and I had them ready for viewing in 3 weeks.

    Every photographer is different
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  • AnnaScarlettAnnaScarlett member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Are we talking digital or prints?  9mo is too long either way.

    I am guessing 2 mo for digital up to 4 for prints
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  • woodfrogswoodfrogs member
    First Comment First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Way too long, less than 4 weeks most of the time for digital. Either she's bumping other projects ahead of you, or something is wrong. Like PP, check your contract and see what it says. Have you seen anything yet? If not, I would be worried.
    If this is extra prints, albums, etc. then the timeline might be OK, some album companies take awhile to print and bind.
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  • beautifulbridetobe11beautifulbridetobe11
    Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    The photographers I'm talking to said I will have a disk of my wedding picturesd (edited) anytime between 2-8 weeks. I'd be busting somebody's door down if it took 9 months, but that is something that I've made sure to mention to them.

    Definitely check what's in your contract. I have friends that got married 4 years ago who didn't get their album until their first anniversary. (not sure when they first saw the pictures though).
    wedding collage for the knot

    ~*~My Planning Bio with For Sale Items~*~

    Updated 9/10/11

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  • rossandkatierossandkatie
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thank you everyone for your responses. I have checked my contract and there is not specified time to receive my photos. It simply states that I will receive my "edited digital copies in a timely manner". I (apparently) made the mistake of hiring an artistic photographer as opposed to a traditional wedding photographer. She has done several weddings before and since, but they are not her specialty. I was hoping for more unique wedding photos, but unfortunately have ended up with not at all. I emailed her again this week and she said (for at least the 3rd time) that she is wrapping them up. I did expect them to take longer than a traditional photographer, but I am seeing now that this is entirely too long.

    Thanks again for your feedback!
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  • beautifulbridetobe11beautifulbridetobe11
    Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    You could also ask her to send the ones that she's finished and then the rest whenever she's finished with those. That way you could at least see some of them now.
    wedding collage for the knot

    ~*~My Planning Bio with For Sale Items~*~

    Updated 9/10/11

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