If you're a photog, make sure and check out today's episode of Ask Dane.  Someone who I truly respect in our industry, Garrett Delph, will be on and the topic will be all things post production.  Garrett is the owner of ShootDotEdit, the leading post production partner for wedding and portrait photographers.  Even more, Garrett has become a friend and someone I trust to help me grow my business.

I truly believe that post production partnerships are the way of the future for photographers.  Well, at least any photographer who will build a sustainable and growing business.  Long term success will require one to move from a technician / skilled worker to a business owner / entrepreneur. As soon as you can remove yourself as the bottleneck to your company's growth, you'll be on your way to accomplishing your dream.  

For me, I've chosen ShootDotEdit for my culling and raw conversion of weddings.  I still get to put my own "touch" on all final edits and all that.  And believe me, Garrett will attest first hand the struggles I went through to 'give up control.'  But who are we fooling folks, culling and raw conversions are just the base of the process.  A process that many will easily hire in house employees to do.  But with SDE you get a team editing for you.

Bottom line is that you'll HAVE to make a decision at a certain point in your business on what to give up.  You'll have to do something to get your life back.  Do you want to outsource customer service, shooting, editing, book design, accounting, sales, etc etc?  For me, I'd rather keep all things involving relationships with my clients in house.  The other stuff can be done in India for all I care, as long as it meets my exact needs and specs.  

If you're a photog wanting to get your life back, ShootDotEdit is the first places you should look.  And for what it's worth, ShootQ is the next place.  Then start looking for an office manager.

Lastly, thanks to Dane Sanders for leading our industry with a spirit of grace and abundance.