TOGS - How often do you update your blogs/websites?

Ah that reminds me I must get on with sorting mine out, twitter is seconds to do, but uploading pictures and the like takes far longer, so hence the twicter active and not web. I have got loads and loads of new stuff to upload but am still busy with actual weddings at the mo. In fact it shows perhaps they are good and in demand shooting weddings and have very little time to fiddle with their website

Our Facebook is updated every few days, Twitter is linked to FB so posts at the same time automatically on there. I don't really post anything new/unique on Twitter because I hate twitter to be honest ?

Blog wise, once a week - once a fortnight depending how busy we are.

Website, we do a main update with photos once a season. But will add new ones here or there. Features links and so on are updated as and when.

We run and maintain absolutely everything ourselves though, so we have constant access if we want it.

Could it be the case that he outsources the maintenance of his website/social media? If so he may have to pay for updates and therefore keeps them to a minimum? Or it may just not be a priority for him. It isn't for everyone- especially those who were in business before social media became huge.

I'm sure you're right Bill. Like I said, I'm mostly bothered because I've spent ages poring over his photos and I want some fresh meat!

I'm not on Twitter either (can't cope with the 40 characters thing) but his feed shows on his web page. I follow him on Facebook but there's been nothing on there for ages.

I'm sure he is just very busy.

The problem with a lot of suppliers is that if they have a website company who build their site for them, they have to wait for them to update new stuff and some website companies charge for each alteration/photo etc that they load on. I know when I started looking around at websites trying to find the best deal, I had to dismiss so many because I couldn't add/delete photos myself as and when I wanted. Some only allowed 3 changes per year and they charged for it too. That set up is pretty useless for a lot of businesses who want to upload new photos of their work as and when they do it to keep their websites fresh and interesting. In the end, I went for Mr Site which is simple and easy to use and I can change whenever I want to.

Does your photographer have a portfolio in the form of albums that he can show you rather than just what's on his website just to give you a bit more inspiration?

Hi. Thanks for that, I didn't realise websites could be so restrictive. I wouldn't think a TOG would choose one with such limited ability to upload though?

I have been and looked through some entire albums with my OH when we booked him. I'd just like to see the work he's done over the last few months.

I just don't have the time to update facebook/twitter and the blog, I go sometimes for months without updating the blog, it's just not a priority for me, having a studio now is taking up most of my time, I have about 5 weddings still to post but it is such a hassle to do and there is always other things that distract me from doing it ? in fact I was thinking about dropping facebook and twitter all together. ?

If it was me shooting your wedding I would like it if you contacted me and said what you have done on here, I would then say "great no problem, here is a link to my last 3 weddings I have done at your venue", or "sorry not been to your venue this year but here is a link to one that is like it". Perhaps you are hungry for more because they just can not put lots on their site as it may cost them extra,

Hi Bookish,

Every photographer will have their own, individual, preferences when it comes to updating their website, Blog and Facebook pages.

As you have, no doubt, noticed from the replies thus far time is an issue if we are very busy and updating a website can be very time-consuming.

Personally, I can barely wait to show my clients my latest work so I first post a sneaky-peek on FB, then do a Blog post and not until the clients have seen all their images in their private gallery, will I choose a couple to put on my website a few weeks later.

Maybe your photographer is just too busy to be able to do all the updates which are not as quick as Twitter...

Andrea de Gabriel

Thanks everyone

My intention wasn't to criticise him behind his back Bill. I've purposely not put his name on. I was just curious as to whether there was a 'norm' if you will. I started following quite a few TOGs when I was shopping around and most if the others seem a lot more active. As has been said, it may just be that he is very busy.

We update our website with new photos for each wedding, blog is updated usually once a fortnight, as is facebook. Twitter account is linked in to facebook so fortnightly too. This year has been an exception though as we have a new baby who arrived at the end of September so we've had a few months off, just getting back into the swing of things now

Im sorry if you thought I was "having a go" as that wasnt the idea.What im trying to say is get intouch with them and ask to see some newer stuff, I can put gazillions of photos on mine because I run it myself, maybe as has been said that they cant because they have to pay somone else to do it. Just ask them and they will be happy to explain or send you some stuff direct and bypass the website.

I have amended the post a little to make it clearer

I update with each wedding I shoot, if it's super busy I'll maybe wait till the end of the month to update, but generally I will do it as I'm editing (i.e. I'll instantly export shots I really love into a "website" folder)

When a tog writes a blog post (properly) there's often some 40 images to resize, watermark and rename. Then you've got to upload them, do all the back end data entry before any content is written.

A blog post from start to finish can take 4 hours. 50 weddings a year = 25 days devoted to blogging alone.

So this isn't excusing someone for not updating a blog but I've currently only just released a blog from a wedding in September after a 4 week hiatus. (With another 19 in the wings) which require content - and that really is the hardest part. The reason for such a gap between blog posts was because I had 8 weddings to edit and that took priority

That the photographer is active on twitter is enough to ease any concerns. Especially after a busy wedding season.

Someone who hasn't blogged for a year then sure, perhaps dig a little deeper. But in the photography world blogs are the first things to stop when the workload builds up and they are a promotional luxury which is often sacrificed for family and time out in general.

Thanks everyone

This......

Also most of my clients are not on facebook, either that or they have asked before their wedding that they didn't want their photos published.

Bookish what you could do is see if he has an online client gallery and ask for a few passwords to get your fix ?

This post has made me feel like a superhero/workaholic. Not quite sure which just yet.

Both - your super power is blogging in tights.

Hahah! Probably not the one i'd have chosen given the choice, but i'll take it ?

Well I think from this I've gathered that there is no 'norm'. Think I will contact him and ask for the password for some private galleries.

Thanks for all your help. I'll go away and stop being a Bridezilla now

I never post anything anywhere without the bride and groom first seeing them- no teasers that the whole world will also see-- I think its only right that the bride and groom should the the first to see anything. So by the time they get to see the private online album I am shooting the next wedding and have very little time for constantly updating web/blog

Not being a Bridezilla at all. It's lovely that you are showing an interest in his work!

Agree 100% if that's what they want but it's completely dependant on the type of clients you have I think. I suspect ours are very different to yours (on the whole) as we're asked by pretty much every couple to post teasers & about a third will actively request that we blog their wedding. From there, some would then like features on external blogs or in magazines. So for us, it's a constant cycle of shooting and sharing that's built into our daily routines.

So that's also something to consider too Bookish, it may just be that clients have requested their images not be shared. It's very common- especially if they're teachers, policemen or just quite private.

You're not a bridezilla at all though, it's lovely that you're taking an active interest in your TOGs work and would like to see more of it ?

Ahh perhaps I should of made that clear. I was refering to some photographers who post teasers without the bride and grooms say-so. Of course they are going to want to see sthem asap which is what I do, only they get to see them all in a private online album as the photos will be ready for them on their return from H/moon so no need for teasers as they see them all in one go.