Speed has been essential to photography from the start. In 1887, Eadweard Muybridge’s images of Animal Locomotion grabbed the world’s attention by ‘stopping’ movement for the first time with fast shutter speeds. Later, Henri Cartier-Bresson’s sensitivity and sharp reflexes allowed him to capture decisive moments in the streets of Paris.
Customer experience
Today, photographers also need to think about the speed of their reactions to their clients. Everyone appreciates rapid service.
Someone searching for a photographer online may find my website and send me a request. But they have probably contacted other photographers, too. Being the first to respond greatly improves my chances of winning the job. I’ve set up my phone to notify me of email and text messages from new or existing clients with a special tone – it’s the sound of an SLR’s shutter. When I hear that shutter click, I jump to send the quotation or reply to the question as quickly as I can.
Rapid delivery
Speed is also important after the shoot. No one wants to wait too long to see their photographs. I aim to edit and deliver photos in 48 hours, and never more than a week after the end of the shoot – my contract includes a binding commitment to this deadline. If a client needs images (of a conference or a reception, for example) immediately, in order to share them on social media, I can even deliver files directly from the venue.
Not too fast
Too much speed increases the risk of mistakes, however. I would rather take the extra minutes needed to understand and respond to each of a client's questions than fire off a reply that leaves some of them unanswered.
And I will always spend enough time in post-production to deliver the best set of images I possibly can. (I usually sleep on an edit, reviewing my work the next morning before I make the delivery.)