Your Photography...
Without the Editing burnout.
Private Photo Editing For Wedding
Photographers
get pricing guide
Pricing Guide
Private Photo Editing
Well, hello there! Thank you so much for checking out my pricing guide. I'm here to make photo editing the easiest thing to check off your to do list!
If photo editing is taking over your life, this is where I can help. Keep scrolling to find out more...
I’ve helped photographers get back control of their photo editing and their time.
✦ Improve your client experience with faster turnaround.
✦ Book more clients to grow your photography business.
✦ Get behind the camera more and do more of what you love.
✦ Have more time to spend with your kids and family.
✦ Have more time for you—to rest, recharge, and be your best self.
A Little About Me...
I’m a cat person with a feisty cat named Minnie. I almost always have cat fur tickling my nose and face, getting stuck in my lip gloss, or tangled in my eye lashes.
“Daydream” by Lily Meola makes me cry.
I’m an introvert with new people/situations but once I get to know you I’m more extraverted. I’m a playful person and easily amused!
I love the ‘90’s. It was a good decade for me! I was in my teens/early 20’s and I got married to my lovable hubby in 1999. 🥰 The movies and TV shows were the best too! Star Trek, Xena, Hercules, Terminator 2, The 5th Element, The Matrix, Speed…to name some of my favs (but not even close to all of them).
I think puns and dad jokes (or mom jokes) are hilarious!
A Little About Me...
I’m a cat person and I live with an adorable and feisty tabby. I almost always have cat fur tickling my nose and face, getting stuck in my lip gloss, or tangled in my eye lashes.
“Daydream” by Lily Meola makes me cry.
I’m an introvert with new people/situations but once I get to know you I’m more extraverted. I’m a playful person and easily amused!
I love the ‘90’s. It was a good decade for me! I was in my teens/early 20’s and I got married to my lovable hubby in 1999. 🥰 The movies and TV shows were the best too! Star Trek, Xena, Hercules, Terminator 2, The 5th Element, The Matrix, Speed…to name some of my favs (but not even close to all of them).
I think puns and dad jokes (or mom jokes) are hilarious!
I’m Erika and I'm so glad you're here!
I believe in creatives like us having it all—a thriving career, an exciting creative outlet, and a cozy family life. We can make it happen together!
A Little About Me...
I’m a cat person and I live with an adorable and feisty tabby. I almost always have cat fur tickling my nose and face, getting stuck in my lip gloss, or tangled in my eye lashes.
“Daydream” by Lily Meola makes me cry.
I’m an introvert with new people/situations but once I get to know you I’m more extraverted. I’m a playful person and easily amused!
I love the ‘90’s. It was a good decade for me! I was in my teens/early 20’s and I got married to my lovable hubby in 1999. 🥰 The movies and TV shows were the best too! Star Trek, Xena, Hercules, Terminator 2, The 5th Element, The Matrix, Speed…to name some of my favs (but not even close to all of them).
I think puns and dad jokes (or mom jokes) are hilarious!
I’m Erika and I'm so glad you're here!
I believe in creatives like us having it all—a thriving career, an exciting creative outlet, and a cozy family life. We can make it happen together!
A Little About Me...
I’m a cat person and I live with an adorable and feisty tabby. I almost always have cat fur tickling my nose and face, getting stuck in my lip gloss, or tangled in my eye lashes.
“Daydream” by Lily Meola makes me cry.
I’m an introvert with new people/situations but once I get to know you I’m more extraverted. I’m a playful person and easily amused!
I love the ‘90’s. It was a good decade for me! I was in my teens/early 20’s and I got married to my lovable hubby in 1999. 🥰 The movies and TV shows were the best too! Star Trek, Xena, Hercules, Terminator 2, The 5th Element, The Matrix, Speed…to name some of my favs (but not even close to all of them).
I think puns and dad jokes (or mom jokes) are hilarious!
I’m Erika and I'm so glad you're here!
I believe in creatives like us having it all—a thriving career, an exciting creative outlet, and a cozy family life. We can make it happen together!
Choose your adventure
I know you have questions and I want to give you the answers! You can schedule a virtual meeting with me or a complimentary trial run to get a behind-the-scenes look into the process of outsourcing with me. You can even do both!
It's super-easy—just apply with me below and I'll send you an invitation.
apply with me
Video
Consultation
Complimentary
Trial Run
I love talking via video chat with photographers! I'll block off 60 minutes for our consultation so we don't have to rush to answer all your questions.
Click the button below to apply so we can schedule your consultation.
Get up to 20 images edited in this trial run and go through the process of outsourcing with me to see if it will work for you and your business.
Click the button below to apply so we can schedule your complimentary trial run.
I’ve helped photographers get back control of their photo editing and their time.
✦ Improve your client experience with faster turnaround.
✦ Book more clients to grow your photography business.
✦ Get behind the camera more and do more of what you love.
✦ Have more time to spend with your kids and family.
✦ Have more time for you—to rest, recharge, and be your best self.
Improve your client experience with faster turnaround
grow your photography business without the burnout
Have more time to spend with your kids and family
I’ve helped photographers get back control of their photo editing and their time.
✦ Improve your client experience with faster turnaround.
✦ Book more clients to grow your photography business.
✦ Get behind the camera more and do more of what you love.
✦ Have more time to spend with your kids and family.
✦ Have more time for you—to rest, recharge, and be your best self.
Get hours of your time back with
private photo editing.
for wedding & portrait photographers
struggling with photo editing taking over their life
get pricing guide
Get hours of your time back with
private photo editing.
for wedding & portrait photographers
struggling with photo editing taking over their life
get pricing guide
Get hours of your time back with
private photo editing.
for wedding & portrait photographers
struggling with photo editing taking over their life
get pricing guide
Do you struggle with:
● Delivering your client galleries on time?
● Feeling burnt out by all the photo editing on your plate?
● Not being able to spend time with your family because photo editing is taking over your free time?
Building a successful photography business is hard work.
Most photographers feel overwhelmed with photo editing once their bookings start to increase because it also increases their editing workload.
Does this sound familiar? If so, there's good news...
You don't have to do all the work yourself.
My mission is to help photographers succeed without the burnout. You'll get back hours of your time when you work with me as your private photo editor.
I trained and studied photo editing professionally through private mentoring and photo editing courses, such as:
- The Photo Editor's Guide Course by Katie Rivera
- The Consistency Course by Katelyn James
- The Photo Editor's courses by Kristen Neiditch.
Meet Erika
YOUR PRIVATE PHOTO EDITOR
“Outsourcing my photo editing with Erika helped me save my sanity so I could continue shooting weddings.
Alayna Fox
Alayna Kaye Photography
Erika made the whole outsourcing experience very easy with her detailed instructions and videos for every step. She is also very quick to respond to questions and her communication is great. Her turnaround time is also super speedy which is always helpful!”
Ready to feel relief about
your photo editing?
Let me help.
You don’t have to do all the work yourself. I’m here to make photo editing the easiest thing to check off your to-do list! Here's how:
Get My Pricing Guide
Schedule Your Consultation
Sign Up As A Client
Enjoy Hours Of More Time!
Just enter your email address to get my pricing guide plus you’ll receive "5 Secrets to Editing Faster," my new email crash course.
Apply to schedule a consultation with me to get more details on how I can help you and your specific photography business.
Sign up as a client with access to my Client Resources, including step-by-step videos, and start sending me your photo editing.
Spend your extra time on your photography business plus more time with your family. You deserve it!
get pricing guide
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
“Outsourcing my photo editing with Erika helped me gain back more time during the day so I could spend that time with my baby boy.
Choosing to outsource my editing with Erika has been the best decision I've made for my business. Not only is she great at communicating, her turnaround time is fantastic and within 2 galleries she completely got my editing style down. I am so thankful for her. She's given me so much time back to spend with my family, which to me, is priceless.”
Kaleigh Moore
Kaleigh Moore Photography
Private photo editing made easy
Proven system to match your editing style.
How-to videos for each step of the process.
Email and video chat access to me when you need help.
get pricing guide
What happens if you keep getting behind on your photo editing?
A photographer once reached out to me. She’d told her husband she was either going to find a private photo editor to work with, or quit her photography business.
I’ve talked with many photographers in the same place with their photography business.
Outsourcing your photo editing can give you:
- More time with your family
- More freedom in your business
- More support for your business
- More growth and success in your business
- More of the things you love about your business
- More joy as a confident business owner
“
Erika has been so pleasant to work with and she is committed to editing with quality and speed! Erika makes the process simple to understand and so easy to do. She's saved me so much time!
Bailey Kuhlman
Bailey Kuhlman Photography
Outsourcing my photo editing with Erika helped me lighten my workload so I could spend more time doing the work that I love.
Get hours of your time back with
private photo editing.
for wedding & portrait photographers
struggling with photo editing taking over their life
get pricing guide
No more marathon editing sessions where your eyeballs dry out from staring at your laptop for endless hours.
I’m here to make photo editing the easiest thing to check off your to-do list!
You’re a super-creative wedding photographer doing ALL the things. And you are killin’ it with more and more clients booking you.
But more bookings means more photo editing—and you’re getting to the point where you don’t have enough hours in the day (and night) to do it all.
The next step is to partner with a private photo editor so you can keep building your dream photography business.
Outsource your photo editing to
have more family time.
spend more time with your kids.
get behind the camera more.
improve your client experience.
book more weddings.
grow your business.
have more time for yourself.
Private Photo
The good news is you don't have to do it all yourself!
Most photographers feel overwhelmed with photo editing once their bookings start to increase, which also increases their photo editing workload.
Does this sound familiar? If so, there's good news...
I'm here to help! Imagine getting 8-14 hours back from each wedding...
“Outsourcing my photo editing with Erika helped me save my sanity so I could continue shooting weddings.
—Alayna Fox, Alayna Kaye Photography
Erika made the whole outsourcing experience very easy with her detailed instructions and videos for every step. She is also very quick to respond to questions and her communication is great. Her turnaround time is also super speedy which is always helpful!”
Private photo editing made easy
Ready to make photo editing work for you? Psssh! Like yesterday, right?
see services
What You'll Get:
Color correction that that matches your unique editing style from your reference images (aka anchor images) with a focus on consistency of the overall catalog for beautiful galleries.
Editing in Lightroom Classic using Smart Previews catalogs for faster transfers and easy importing.
Use of my WeTransfer upload page to transfer catalogs back and forth. No need to pay for another file transfer service. It's free!
Access to my Client Resources Guide which includes step-by-step videos on all parts of the outsourcing process.
Notes from your photo editor (that's me!). I let you know on each catalog what to expect when you import the edited catalog.
Video chat access to me if you ever need help with the process. We can walk through it together.
Plus, Available Add-on Services
CULLING
SPOT CORRECTION/LOCAL ADJUSTMENTS
Take even more off your plate by letting me do the culling for you!
Available in Lightroom Classic if you need a little bit of extra polish here and there in your catalog.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Schedule Your Edits
Edit Anchors
Export + Transfer
Delivery
You’ll get access to my editing calendars so you can schedule your edits ahead of time.
Cull the catalog and edit your anchor images. Color label your anchors as you go.
Export as a Smart Previews catalog. Transfer it to me using my WeTransfer upload page.
3-5 business days later you’ll get your edited catalog back. Just import and read my notes.
How the Outsourcing Process Works
Let's Talk Details
Add-on Services:
✓ Color correction in Lightroom Classic
✓ Preset or profile application, if needed
✓ Standard cropping and straightening
✓ Scheduled photo editing by appointment
✓ 3-5 business day turnaround for weddings
✓ 2-3 business day turnaround for portraits
✓ Free file exchange system
✓ Client Resources Guide
✓ Your own client portal
＋ Culling $0.10/image viewed
＋ Spot correction/local adjustments $0.50-$3.00/image
WHAT YOU GET:
$0.40 USD per image
$40.00 USD flat rate for less than 100 images
“
Erika has been so pleasant to work with and she is committed to editing with quality and speed! Erika makes the process simple to understand and so easy to do. She's saved me so much time!
Bailey Kuhlman
Bailey Kuhlman Photography
Outsourcing my photo editing with Erika helped me lighten my workload so I could spend more time doing the work that I love.
I'm Erika—your friendly private photo editor. I’m all about working smarter, not harder when it comes to helping photographers with their photo editing.
My mission is to help photographers succeed in business without the burnout. Success doesn’t have to come at the cost of your health or your family.
You need partnerships and systems that support you and your business. Plus it makes business a lot more fun!
I believe you can change the world for the better when you are a supported and healthy human being.
Here’s to your health, wealth and success!
more about me
Bold Text
Think I’d be a good fit for your photography business?
Book a Consultation
or trial run!
IT'S FREE! We can have a quick consultation or do a trial run so you can go through the process of what it would be like to work with me.
Let's do this!!
work with me
Courage
Taking action in the face of fear and uncertainty.
Respect
Always carry myself with respect and treat others with respect.
optimism
Always expecting the best outcome to whatever life brings.
personal excellence
Always striving to be my best self.
My Values
Edit Faster in Lightroom with keyboard Shortcuts
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Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
BUILD SMART PREVIEWS
EDIT your ANCHOR IMAGES + export
transfer + cull range
invoicing
Build smart previews for the entire catalog to be culled. (This might take some extra time.)
Note: Max catalog size for culling is 3500 images.
Go ahead and edit your anchor images for the catalog. Be sure to color label them.
Export the catalog as usual.
When you send over your catalog for your editing appointment, please mention that you want me to cull your catalog and to what range to culled it to.
I’ll send you an initial invoice for the culling portion due upon receipt.
Once culled, I’ll send you the updated invoice for the color correction portion due.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
BUILD SMART PREVIEWS
EDIT your ANCHOR IMAGES + export
transfer + cull range
invoicing
Build smart previews for the entire catalog to be culled. (This might take some extra time.)
Note: Max catalog size for culling is 3500 images.
Go ahead and edit your anchor images for the catalog. Be sure to color label them.
Export the catalog as usual.
When you send over your catalog for your editing appointment, please mention that you want me to cull your catalog and to what range to culled it to.
I’ll send you an initial invoice for the culling portion due upon receipt.
Once culled, I’ll send you the updated invoice for the color correction portion due.
As a private photo editor, my goal is to lighten your photo editing workload so you can focus on building your dream photography business.
Late nights with your laptop, your eyes gritty and stinging from the strain, working feverishly to deliver a portrait session on-time. You have a bride who has been checking on how soon she can see her wedding photos with increasing frequency the last two weeks (probably hoping to get them sooner if she bugs you enough).
In the beginning, doing the all the photo editing for your photography business seemed manageable. Now that you’re seeing more success with more people booking you, it’s starting to dawn on you that editing is going to take over your every waking hour to the point that you won’t be able to go to your kid’s ball game, watch the latest J.Lo movie, or take a shower!
It’s the classic rock-and-a-hard-place that every business owner finds themself in once they get traction and start “makin’ the big bucks.”
The good news for photographers is that handing off your photo editing will give you literally hours of your life back and you can get out of that hard place. Yeesss!
Outsourcing my photo editing with Erika helped me save my sanity so I could continue shooting weddings.
~Alayna Fox, Alayna Kaye Photography
Erika made the whole outsourcing experience very easy with her detailed instructions and videos for every step. She is also very quick to respond to questions and her communication is great. Her turnaround time is also super speedy which is always helpful!
Private photo Editing
Color correction that matches your unique editing style—no matter your style! Feel the freedom and confidence of getting your photo editing under control again.
Weddings, Engagements, And Bridal Portraits
Ready to check photo editing off your to-do list?
You’ve already got a to-do list longer than your arm plus you’re wearing most of the hats in your photography business. Photo editing is the task taking the biggest chunk of your time that you can actually hand-off to someone you trust.
My private photo editing service is designed for wedding photographers who are currently doing ALL the photo editing themselves, have their editing style mostly down pat, and are about to or have already reached the point where something’s gotta give! Help is here, my friend!
I started photo editing my own photography around 2013 with PhotoShop. Eventually I discovered Lightroom which made editing images in bulk a lot easier and faster! I started editing for photographers in 2020.
I trained and studied photo editing professionally through courses and private mentoring. I've taken The Photo Editor's Guide Course by Katie Rivera, The Consistency Course by Katelyn James, and The Photo Editor's courses by Kristen Neiditch.
I believe in continual learning and seeking out courses, mentors, and other education to stay on top of the best practices in photo editing.
Photos and photography have always been a part of my life.
my journy here
I started photo editing my own photography around 2013 with PhotoShop. Eventually I discovered Lightroom which made editing images in bulk a lot easier and faster! And now I prefer Lightroom. I opened my photo editing business in 2020.
I trained and studied photo editing professionally through photo editing courses and private mentoring. I've taken The Photo Editor's Guide Course by Katie Rivera and The Consistency Course by Katelyn James.
I believe in continual learning and seek out courses, mentors, and other education to stay on top of the photo editing world.
Now, all these years later, I know I didn’t have the support I needed to build my business for success or for profit. I’d stacked the deck against myself!
Through several other business attempts over the years, I learned I needed A LOT of support to make a business work.
I needed to learn from others who had built a successful business, train with them, and connect with other people in my field. I also had to learn when to let someone else help me instead of trying to do everything myself.
Once I figured out that having a support system was extremely vital to building a successful business things started click. With this photo editing business I made a point to join groups, seek out mentors and fellow editors—be part of a community!
Now I’m part of the support system for amazing photographers who are succeeding in business. I’m part of their success plan because at a certain point every business owner needs help to make the business work.
Plus it makes it so much easier and way more fun too!
number of clients i've worked with
22
number of catalogs i've edited
112
number of images i've edited
71,876
Check Out My Experience
I’m a private photo editor now but in a previous life (job) I was a customer service trainer and was known as the “Queen of Tutorials.” (Not an official title but that would’ve been great on my business card!)
Now that my business is my “queendom,” all my clients get access to step-by-step video tutorials for each step of the outsourcing process. It’s easy-peasy, I promise!
Photo Editing that Matches Your style
If you could clone yourself, I'm the next best thing!
get started
What You'll Get:
Color correction that that matches your unique editing style from your reference images (aka anchor images) with a focus on consistency of the overall catalog for beautiful galleries.
Editing in Lightroom Classic using Smart Previews catalogs for faster transfers and easy importing.
Use of my WeTransfer upload page to transfer catalogs back and forth. No need to pay for another file transfer service. It's free!
Access to my Client Resources Guide which includes step-by-step videos on all parts of the outsourcing process.
Notes from your photo editor (that's me!). I let you know on each catalog what to expect when you import the edited catalog.
Video chat access to me if you ever need help with the process. We can walk through it together.
Let's Talk Details
✓ Color correction in Lightroom Classic
✓ Preset or profile application, if needed
✓ Standard cropping and straightening
✓ Scheduled photo editing by appointment
✓ 3-5 business day turnaround for weddings
✓ 2-3 business day turnaround for engagements/bridal portraits
✓ Free file exchange system
✓ Client Resources Guide
✓ Your own client portal
WHAT YOU GET:
$0.37 USD per image
$37.00 USD flat rate for less than 100 images
“
Choosing to outsource my editing with Erika has been the best decision I've made for my business. Not only is she great at communicating, her turnaround time is fantastic and within 2 galleries she completely got my editing style down. I am so thankful for her. She's given me so much time back to spend with my family, which to me, is priceless.
Kaleigh Moore
Kaleigh Moore Photography
Outsourcing my photo editing with Erika helped me gain back more time during the day so I could spend that time with my baby boy.
“
Erika made the whole outsourcing experience very easy with her detailed instructions and videos for every step. She is also very quick to respond to questions and her communication is great. Her turnaround time is also super speedy which is always helpful!
Alayna Fox
Alayna Kaye Photography
Outsourcing my photo editing with Erika helped me save my sanity so I could continue shooting weddings.
“
Erika has been so pleasant to work with and she is committed to editing with quality and speed! Erika makes the process simple to understand and so easy to do. She's saved me so much time!
Bailey Kuhlman
Bailey Kuhlman Photography
Outsourcing my photo editing with Erika helped me lighten my workload so I could spend more time doing the work that I love.
More Questions?
My best answers to questions you might still have.
What editing styles can you edit?
Your style is unique so I match to your editing style. My process involves matching to your anchor images (images you've edited as a reference) so you get catalogs that are consistent to your brand aesthetic.
Do you offer touch ups or retouching?
Currently, I don’t offer touch ups or gradients in Lightroom. I don’t offer any retouching in PhotoShop.
Do you offer culling?
Not at the moment. I may add this to my services later.
Which Lightroom do I need to be using?
Omg, I know how confusing this is! It’s Lightroom Classic, the one that’s the desktop version NOT the mobile version.
Also, it needs to be the most up-to-date version as well. Older versions do not play well with newer versions.
Saying that building and running a business can feel overwhelming is an understatement.
my journy here
Once I figured out that support was VITAL to building a successful business, I joined groups, sought out mentors and fellow editors, and found someone to help me with taxes! (And honestly it’s WAAAAYY easier to get and find support now than it was 20 years ago.)
Now I’m part of the support system for amazing photographers who are succeeding in business. I’m part of their success plan because at a certain point every business owner needs help to make the business work. Plus it makes it so much easier and more fun too!
Courage
Taking action in the face of fear and uncertainty.
Respect
Always carry myself with respect and treat others with respect.
optimism
Always expecting the best outcome to whatever life brings.
personal excellence
Always striving to be my best self.
My Values
I’m Erika—private photo editor for wedding photographers who want photo editing to be easy instead of all-consuming. I’m here for that!
My #1 goal is to tame the beast of photo editing so it’s more like an adorable cat that just wants to sit on your lap and purr. (Yes, I’m a cat person!)
The process is easier than you might think so let’s get the ball rolling!
Hey, there!
more about me
Bold Text
Let's Get In Touch!
✦ MONDAY - FRIDAY: 8AM - 5PM EST
I'm based in the Eastern United States so I'm in the Eastern time zone, same as New York time.
Business Hours
Located in Tennessee, USA but I can provide services to English-speaking photographers worldwide.
Location
Have questions? Check out the FAQ'S here.
FAQ's
Social Media
I’m a private photo editor and business owner. I believe in creatives achieving their dream business+life, cat purrs making everything better, and the creative muse always showing up just before bed. (Which means staying up late but it’s SOOO worth it! Amiright?)
I’m so glad you’re here!
About Erika
As a private photo editor, my goal is to lighten your photo editing workload so you can focus more on building your dream business and life.
Late nights with your laptop, your eyes gritty and stinging from the strain so you can deliver a wedding gallery just barely on-time to a bride who has been checking on how soon she can see her wedding photos with increasing frequency the last two weeks (probably hoping to get them sooner if she bugged you enough).
While growing your photography business doing the photo editing this way seemed manageable in the beginning. But now that you’re seeing more success with more couples booking you, it’s starting to dawn on you that editing is going to take over your every waking hour to the point that you won’t be able to go to your kid’s ball game or watch the latest J.Lo or Sandra Bullock romcom!
It’s the classic rock-and-a-hard-place that every business owner finds themself in once they get traction and start "making the big bucks."
The good news for wedding photographers is that handing off your photo editing will give you literally hours of your life back and you can get out of that hard place. Yeesss!
bold
number of clients i've worked with
22
number of catalogs i've edited
108
number of images i've edited
71,037
Check Out My Experience
People + Their Dreams
Learning + Sharing
true you
You and your dreams are already changing the world. I’m excited to be a part of that!
Learning makes things better! Then sharing it helps more people and is way more fun!
Striving to be true to yourself with compassion and kindness.
My Values
I’m a private photo editor now but in a previous life (job) I was a customer service trainer and was known as the “Queen of Tutorials.” (Not an official title but that would’ve been great on my business card!)
Now that my business is my “queendom,” all my clients get access to step-by-step video tutorials for each step of the outsourcing process. It’s easy-peasy, I promise!
Hey, let's agree that building and running a business can feel really hard, super confusing, and extremely overwhelming at times.
When I was trying to build my own photography business 20 years ago, the first wedding I shot (that wasn’t my family), I had no assistant, no mentors or photography friends, and I was using a new digital camera that didn’t take very good photos.
So I quit wedding photography after that wedding—it was just too much for me to wrap my head around at the time. And I felt crushed.
Now, all these years later, I know I didn’t have the support I needed to build my business for success or for profit. I’d stacked the deck against myself!
Through several other business attempts over the years, I learned I needed A LOT of support to make a business work.
I needed to learn from others who had built successful businesses, train with them, and connect with other people in my field. I also had to learn when to let someone else help me instead of trying to do everything myself.
Once I figured out that having a support system was extremely vital to building a successful business, when I built this business I joined groups, sought out mentors and fellow editors—and found someone to help me with taxes!
Now I’m part of the support system for amazing photographers who are succeeding in business. I’m part of their success plan because at a certain point every business owner needs help to make the business work.
Plus it makes it so much easier and way more fun too!
I’ve helped wedding photographers get back control of their photo editing and their time.
✦ Improve your client experience with faster turnaround.
✦ Book more weddings to grow your photography business.
✦ Get behind the camera more and do more of what you love.
✦ Have more time to spend with your kids and family.
✦ Have more time for you—to rest, recharge, and be your best self.
A Little About Me...
I’m a cat person with two cats. I almost always have cat fur tickling my nose and face, getting stuck in my lip gloss, or tangled in my eye lashes.
“Daydream” by Lily Meola makes me cry.
I’m an introvert with new people/situations but once I get to know you I’m more extraverted. I’m a playful person and easily amused!
Some day, I want to go skydiving. And hang gliding. And go on a cruise ship. And travel the world!
I think puns and dad jokes are hilarious!
Think I’d be a good fit for your photography business?
Apply to work with me!
It’s free! After you apply, we can have a quick consultation or even do a trial run so you can go through the process of what it would be like to work with me.
work with me
A Little About Me...
I’m a cat person with two cats. I almost always have cat fur tickling my nose and face, getting stuck in my lip gloss, or getting tangled in my eye lashes.
“Daydream” by Lily Meola makes me cry.
I’m an introvert with new people/situations but once I get to know you I’m more extraverted. I’m a playful person and easily amused!
Some day, I want to go skydiving. And hang gliding. And go on a cruise ship. And travel the world!
I think puns and dad jokes are hilarious!
Saying that building and running a business can feel overwhelming is an understatement.
my journy here
Now, all these years later, I know I didn’t have the support I needed to build my business for success or for profit. I’d stacked the deck against myself!
Through several other business attempts over the years, I learned I needed A LOT of support to make a business work. I needed to learn from other editors who had built successful businesses, train with them, and connect with other editors. I also had to learn when to let someone else help me instead of trying to do everything myself.
Outsourcing my photo editing with Erika helped me save my sanity so I could continue shooting weddings.
Alayna Fox
Alayna Kaye Photography
Erika made the whole outsourcing experience very easy with her detailed instructions and videos for every step. She is also very quick to respond to questions and her communication is great. Her turnaround time is also super speedy which is always helpful!
“
Private photo editing made easy
Ready to make photo editing work for you? Psssh! Like yesterday, right?
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I'm Erika—your friendly private photo editor. I’m all about working smarter, not harder when it comes to helping wedding photographers with their photo editing.
My mission is to help photographers succeed in business without the burnout. Success doesn’t have to come at the cost of your health or your family. You need partnerships and systems that support you and your business.
I believe more people, especially women, can change the world for the better when they are supported and healthy human beings.
Here’s to your health, wealth and success!
more about me
Bold Text
private photo editing
for Wedding Photographers Worldwide
I’m Erika—private photo editor for busy wedding photographers who are looking for editing support.
I’m a wife, photographer, cat mom and creative soul determined to live the life of my dreams while I help you do the same. Together, we can help each other and skip the burnout.
I love what I do as a private photo editor and I want to help you too!
Hey, there!
more about me
✦ You are a wedding photographer passionate about capturing each couple’s love story and you truly care about all your clients.
✦ You find yourself bogged down with photo editing that has taken over your time in business and even your personal life.
✦ You’re booking more weddings but you’re also getting behind on your photo editing and it’s starting to bottleneck.
✦ You know outsourcing your photo editing is the next step in your business journey but it scares you a little (or a lot!).
✦ Or you might already be familiar with outsourcing but find yourself in a position where you need a new photo editor.
Does this sound like you?
Most importantly, you are READY to partner with a private photo editor who can significantly lighten your photo editing workload.
✦ I’m an online private photo editor currently based in Cleveland, Tennessee—but I can work with any photographer worldwide!
✦ I believe in supporting wedding photographers who need editing support to thrive in their business and beat burnout.
✦ I have over two years experience as a private photo editor plus nearly twenty years experience is customer service. YOUR experience as my client is very important to me because of my experience in customer service.
✦ I believe in making things as easy and streamlined as possible to work together—working smarter, not harder.
This is where I can help:
my story
I’ve always dreamed of building a business of my own but I spent nearly 20 years in the customer service industry instead. During those years I’ve made several attempts at starting my own business.
What I discovered in the corporate world of customer service is that I’m good at training and figuring out software systems. If something isn’t working with a program, oh I’m going to test things out until I figure out what the problem is and how to fix it!
And when it comes to training, I enjoyed creating step-by-step tutorials so tasks in software programs are easy to learn and refer back to when needed.
Just before the pandemic hit in 2020, I’d decided to try to start a business again. (That bug never goes away!) I stumbled across private photo editing as a business idea and I knew in my heart THIS was the business I was meant to create!
I officially opened for business in the fall of 2020 and booked my first client before the end of the year.
Just before the summer of 2021 I quit my job in customer service to work full-time as a private photo editor. While there have been hard lessons along the way, I’ve been so lucky to have the support of my husband and family. I love SO MUCH what I do as a private photo editor supporting the wedding photographer community.
It’s my dream come true—and I’m so excited to help you make your dreams come true too!
Before I became a photo editor, I started editing my photos originally with PhotoShop. Now I’m totally a Lightroom fan and use Lightroom for photo editing in my business.
1.
Random Facts
I’ve attempted to start a photography business numerous times over the years but couldn’t make it work for me at those times. I feel like I’m doing the fun part of the photography business—the editing!
2.
Random Facts
When I’m not editing or marketing, I’m cuddling up with our two cats watching TV and pestering my hubby.
3.
Random Facts
I was a puppeteer for three years before getting a job in customer service. One of the funnest jobs ever! Although photo editing is still my favorite.
4.
Random Facts
Matching your unique editing style
No matter what you’re editing style is, I can match it for beautiful, consistent galleries in your unique brand aesthetic. When outsourcing your photo editing, YOU are always the photographic artist of your imagery and editing style. From dark + moody to light + bright and everything in between, I’ve got you covered!
find out how here
Editing styles I can match:
dark and moody
clean and bright
natural and classic
bright and airy
light and filmy
your unique style!
“Erika has been so pleasant to work with and she is committed to editing with quality and speed! Erika makes the process simple to understand and so easy to do. She's saved me so much time!”
~ Bailey with Bailey Kuhlman Photography
WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING
Erika Swafford
PRIVATE PHOTO EDITOR
Erika Swafford
PRIVATE PHOTO EDITOR
Erika Swafford
PRIVATE PHOTO EDITOR
Erika Swafford
PRIVATE PHOTO EDITOR
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Schedule Your Edits
Cull + Edit Anchors
Export + Transfer
Delivery
You’ll get access to my editing calendars so you can schedule your edits ahead of time.
Cull the catalog and edit your anchor images. Color label your anchors as you go.
Export as a Smart Previews catalog. Transfer it to me using my WeTransfer upload page.
3-5 business days later you’ll get your edited catalog back. Just import and read my notes.
keep lightroom UPDATED automatically
TIME SYNCING MULTIPLE CAMERAS
IMPORTANT: Before getting started, please make sure you are up-to-date with the latest version of Lightroom Classic.
To make it super-easy to keep your Lightroom updated, go to Creative Cloud and click on your profile image in the upper-right corner of the screen. Click on Preferences.
Click on Apps in the left panel. This should show the Auto-update screen. Make sure the toggle is switched to "on" for Lightroom Classic. (The toggle will be blue instead of gray when it's turned on.) Click Done.
Note: I will NOT edit catalogs that are submitted from old versions of Lightroom Classic. Sometimes Lightroom will warn me that a catalog is from an older version and sometimes it doesn't. It's up to you to be sure your Lightroom stays up-to-date to avoid any compatibility issues.
Time syncing multiple cameras is important so that your catalogs will be more consistent. When reviewing your catalog before final delivery, having the various cameras time synced helps so I can spot any inconsistencies and correct them.
If you were not able to time sync cameras on the day of the wedding, below is a video on how you can sync them up in Lightroom before you send me your catalog.
▸ HOW TO TIME SYNC CAMERAS IN LIGHTROOM
Note: If you don't time sync your cameras before sending me your catalog, please be aware that the returned catalog may not be consistent.
MARKING YOUR ANCHOR IMAGES
Marking your anchor images with a color label is important so I know which ones they are. This videos shows you how to mark your anchor images or you can follow the instructions below.
To mark your anchor images:
1. Right-click on the edited image.
2. Click on Set Color Label.
3. Choose a color from the list.
You should see a border around the image in the preview strip and in the library grid that is the color you chose.
Pro tip:
Below are the keyboard shortcuts for color labels.
Press "6" for red.
Press "7" for yellow.
Press "8" for green.
Press "9" for blue.
HOW TO PROVIDE ANCHOR IMAGES FOR EACH LENS
Providing anchor images for each lens in each lighting scenario/change of scene is required. This will help to ensure you have a consistent catalog.
The video above shows you how to be sure you have anchor images for each lens.
Summary of steps:
1. From the Library, go to your Library Filter and click on Metadata.
2. All cameras and lenses used in the catalog will be listed. Clic on each camera and then each lens.
3. Check that you have anchor images for each lens and scene/lighting situation. Create anchor images if needed.
4. Remember to color-label your anchor images!
Pro tip:
Click the "D" key from the Library to jump to the Develop module.
Click the "G" key from the Develop module to jump back to the Library with your current filter in place.
Step 1: build smart previews
You will be preparing a catalog to be edited that includes BOTH anchor images AND the unedited images that are being outsourced as Smart Previews, not RAW files.
REQUIRED STEP: See the video above for step-by-step instructions on how to build Lightroom Smart Previews.
Summary of steps:
1. Select all the images that need Smart Previews (including all anchor images)
2. Click Library in the tool bar.
3. Go down to Previews
4. Click Build Smart Previews.
5. Wait for Lightroom to build the Smart Previews. You'll see a status bar in the upper left corner of your screen.
Remember: Smart Previews are vital to this process (again, we aren't exchanging actual RAW files - just the smart preview data).
Step 2: Export Your Photos as a Catalog
Step 3: Compress & Upload
Please see video above.
1. Select all of the photos to be exported, including both anchors (your pre-edits) AND un-edited images.
2. VERY IMPORTANT: double check that Smart Previews are built. See previous step/video on how to build Smart Previews. If you aren't sure, check the Histogram in the Develop module — at the bottom right under the ISO indicator, it will say "Original + Smart Preview" if they have been built. If it still says "Original Photo" then you don't have Smart Previews built.
3. While the photos are still selected, go to File > “Export as Catalog”
4. Locate the folder in which you wish to export the files, then name the file. I recommend identifying the catalog that needs to be edited with "_To Edit" to help keep the files organized. (i.e. SmithWedding_To Edit)
5. Choose the following settings when exporting:
-CHECK “Export Selected Photos Only”
-UNCHECK “Export negative files”
-CHECK “Build/Include Smart Previews”
-UNCHECK “Include available previews”
6. Then select “Export Catalog”
Please see video above.
1. Check that you have three files:
-One .lrcat file (the Lightroom Catalog file)
-One .lrcat-data file (the Lightroom Catalog data file)
-One .lrdata file (the Smart Previews data file)
2. Compress the folder with the three files into a .zip file
3. Rename to wedding name if necessary.
4. Go to my UPLOAD A CATALOG page and upload your .zip file. Hit send!
Pro Tip: Bookmark my WeTransfer upload page!
Step 1: Download .Zip File
Step 2: Open Your Original Lightroom Catalog
Step 3: import settings
Step 4: review edited catalog
Download the Final Edit .zip file from the email you received as soon as you can. Unzip the file.
Open Lightroom Classic CC (Be sure to open the same catalog that you originally exported the catalog from)
Go to File > "Import From Another Catalog" > Select the .lrcat final edit file > Choose
-UNCHECK "Preserve old settings as a virtual copy" if you see the option to.
-Select the dropdown option: Add new photos to catalog without moving
-Select Import
To view the imported catalog (edited images):
Go to Library > Select "Previous Import" OR locate where you had organized these photos in a Collection with your corresponding Catalog.
loving your business again.
take the first step towards
I would be delighted to discuss how easy it is to start.
contact me
welcome to my shop!
for Photographers & Photo Editors
the Next Steps in the
Complimentary Trial Run Process
Next Steps
Step 1
CHOOSE YOUR PHOTOS
Put together 20 unedited photos plus 3-5 anchor images that go with them.
Step 2
prepare + export your trial run catalog
You'll receive an email with instructions on how to mark your anchor images, prepare your catalog and export it.
Step 3
UPLOAD YOUR TRIAL RUN CATALOG
In the same email, you'll receive a link to upload your trial run catalog to me. You'll want to create a FREE WeTransfer account if you don't already have one.
Step 4
import your edited catalog and review my email
You'll get an email from WeTransfer within 24 hours of your trial run appointment with you edited catalog.
You'll also receive a separate email with my notes and questions about your editing style. I'll include import instructions as well so you can review my edits.
Step 5
ARE WE A GOOD MATCH?
At this point we need to decide if we think we'd be a good match to work together. If we both agree we want to work together, I'll send over a Service Agreement to sign and a short On-boarding Questionnaire.
check your email to get started!
Chupa chups soufflé bear claw muffin tootsie roll. Jelly-o danish soufflé jelly beans candy. Macaroon chocolate cake liquorice pie pudding. Jelly jelly beans cupcake fruitcake muffin. Macaroon lemon drops jelly-o sesame snaps. Muffin chocolate bar muffin apple pie soufflé tootsie roll. Pie jujubes marzipan chocolate cake jujubes wafer. Pastry soufflé wafer tiramisu sesame snaps cake sweet.
-Myrna K.
Chocolate cake pie danish. Jelly-o danish soufflé jelly beans candy. Macaroon chocolate cake liquorice pie pudding. Jelly jelly beans cupcake fruitcake muffin. Macaroon lemon drops jelly-o sesame snaps. Muffin chocolate bar muffin apple pie soufflé tootsie roll. Pie jujubes marzipan chocolate cake jujubes wafer. Pastry soufflé wafer tiramisu sesame snaps cake sweet.
-Lorna T.
editing service.
about my
lightroom classic
style matching
turnaround time
simple processes
I match to your editing style so you are in control of your brand aesthetic.
Color correction that includes the whole Develop panel except for masks, gradients and spot corrections.
Appointment-based with 3-5 business day turnaround for weddings; 2-3 days for engagement sessions.
Smart Previews make it easy to transfer files. Use my WeTransfer page to send your catalogs to me.
What Programs you'll need to Work together
What You'll Need
I try to keep the process of working together as simple as possible and computer programs to a minimum. Let’s make it easy, right?
lightroom classic
All photo editing is done through the most up-to-date version of Lightroom Classic. Smart Previews are used instead of sending over RAW files. Don’t worry if you’ve never used Smart Previews. I have video tutorials for each step of the process for my clients.
Please note: I will not edit catalogs exported from old versions of Lightroom Classic.
wetransfer
Clients will need to sign up for a FREE WeTransfer account. Then you can access my WeTransfer page to send over your catalogs. It’s very easy! Check out my WeTransfer page here if you want to take a peek.
loom-VIDEO MESSAGING
Clients should also sign up for a FREE Loom account. This is a video recording application so that you can show me things in Lightroom instead of trying to type it out in an email. It’s much more effective to show me your steps through a Loom video. I download all client videos so that I can refer to them later as needed. Check out this Loom video I made here.
And that’s it! See, pretty simple so we don't go crazy keeping track of our programs!
Pricing & Services Outsourcing Guide
One-on-One
private Photo Editing
with
Erika Swafford
Consistency
over perfectionism
is key to
high-quality
editing.
Getting hung up on perfecting images individually leads to over-editing and inconsistencies. This makes your work look lower quality (even when it isn’t!) and it takes up a ton of your time which is costing you money.
That is why my approach to photo editing is to return to you a consistent catalog that matches your editing style. This means the images of the wedding catalog look similarly edited so that images don't stand out unnecessarily—looking at the catalog as a whole, it is cohesive. It’s seeing the big picture instead of the individual photos.
And how do we do that?
Through anchor images…
Consistency
over perfectionism
is key to
high-quality
editing.
Getting hung up on perfecting images individually leads to over-editing and inconsistencies. This makes your work look lower quality (even when it isn’t!) and it takes up a ton of your time which is costing you money.
That is why my approach to photo editing is to return to you a consistent catalog that matches your editing style. This means the images of the wedding catalog look similarly edited so that images don't stand out unnecessarily—looking at the catalog as a whole, it is cohesive. It’s seeing the big picture instead of the individual photos.
And how do we do that?
Through anchor images…
understanding Catalog Consistency & Anchor images
Anchor images are the photos you edit in Lightroom as a reference of how you want the other photos in each section edited. Seeing your edit history and being able to sync to your anchors. Typically 10% of each catalog should be anchor images. You will need to provide anchor images for each background/lighting scenario for each lens to get the most consistency from my service.
Please watch the video on the left to learn more about how anchor images are used in my service.
Catalog Consistency
Digital anchor images are a vital part of this service and will be your responsibility to provide with each wedding catalog.
My approach to photo editing is to return to you a consistent catalog that matches your editing style. This means the images of the wedding catalog look similarly edited so that images don't stand out unnecessarily—looking at the catalog as a whole, it is cohesive.
Consistency over perfectionism
“Choosing to outsource my editing with Erika has been the best decision I've made for my business. Not only is she great at communicating, her turnaround time is fantastic and within 2 galleries she completely got my editing style down. I am so thankful for her. She's given me so much time back to spend with my family, which to me, is priceless.”
~ Kaleigh with Kaleigh Moore Photography
WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING
what is important
to you.
free up your time for
I promise it will be a game changer for your business!
contact me
“
Erika made the whole outsourcing experience very easy with her detailed instructions and videos for every step. She is also very quick to respond to questions and her communication is great. Her turnaround time is also super speedy which is always helpful!
Alayna Fox
Alayna Kaye Photography
Outsourcing my photo editing with Erika helped me save my sanity so I could continue shooting weddings.
“
Choosing to outsource my editing with Erika has been the best decision I've made for my business. Not only is she great at communicating, her turnaround time is fantastic and within 2 galleries she completely got my editing style down. I am so thankful for her. She's given me so much time back to spend with my family, which to me, is priceless.
Kaleigh Moore
Kaleigh Moore Photography
Outsourcing my photo editing with Erika helped me gain back more time during the day so I could so I could spend that time with my baby boy.
“
Erika has been so pleasant to work with and she is committed to editing with quality and speed! Erika makes the process simple to understand and so easy to do. She's saved me so much time!
Bailey Kuhlman
Bailey Kuhlman Photography
Outsourcing my photo editing with Erika helped me lighten my workload so I could spend more time doing the work that I love.