Why Do Clients Take So Long to Pick Photos? (Photographer's Guide 2025)

I get it. You've delivered a gorgeous gallery, and then... crickets. Days turn into weeks. You send a gentle reminder. Then another. Finally, three weeks later, your client apologizes and says they've been "so busy."

Sound familiar?

If you're frustrated watching clients take forever to pick their photos, you're not alone. Let's talk about why this happens and what you can actually do about it.

The Real Reasons Clients Procrastinate

Here's the thing—your clients aren't ignoring you because they don't care. They're avoiding the task because you've accidentally made it harder than it needs to be.

Reason #1: They're Overwhelmed by Too Many Choices

You know that feeling when you scroll Netflix for 30 minutes and can't decide what to watch? That's your client looking at 200 photos of their family.

I learned this the hard way. I used to deliver every decent shot from a session—sometimes 150-200 images for a one-hour family portrait shoot. I thought I was being generous.

Turns out, I was creating decision paralysis.

What happened: - Clients would open the gallery, feel overwhelmed, and close it - They'd tell themselves "I'll do this when I have more time" - That time never came - Average selection time: 18-21 days

What I changed: - Started curating ruthlessly before sharing - Delivered 40-50 images max for portrait sessions - Removed duplicates and near-identical shots - Only showed images where everyone looked good

Result: Average selection time dropped to 4-6 days.

Less really is more. Your clients hired you for your artistic judgment—use it.

Reason #2: The Process Feels Like Homework

Be honest: if you ask clients to "download all images, review them, and email me the file numbers you want," you're assigning homework.

Nobody likes homework.

Think about your client's life: - They work full-time - They have kids to feed - Their inbox has 247 unread emails - They're tired

Adding "download 50 photos, figure out which ones we like, somehow communicate that to the photographer" to their to-do list? It keeps getting bumped to tomorrow.

The homework-free alternative:

Make selection as easy as scrolling Instagram. Seriously.

Client opens gallery on their phone (while waiting for coffee, during lunch break, sitting on the couch)
They swipe through images
They tap a heart icon on favorites
Done

No downloading. No file management. No emails back and forth. Just tap, tap, tap, submit.

When I switched to visual selection galleries, my "can you remind me how to do this?" emails dropped to basically zero.

Reason #3: There's No Deadline (Or It's Not Clear)

Human nature: without a deadline, tasks expand to fill infinite time.

If you say "take your time reviewing the photos," guess what? They'll take allllll the time.

Vague deadline: "Please select your favorites in the next few weeks." What they hear: "Whenever you get around to it."

Clear deadline: "Please select your 15 favorite images by March 15th." What they hear: "Oh, I have a specific date. Better add that to my calendar."

But here's the key—the deadline needs to be visible and persistent.

I used to mention the deadline once in the delivery email. Clients would read the email, think "I'll do it later," and forget the deadline existed.

Now the deadline is: - In the delivery email (obviously) - At the top of the gallery page - In the automated reminder (7 days before deadline) - In the final reminder (day before deadline)

Repetition works. Not nagging repetition—helpful reminder repetition.

Reason #4: They Can't Decide Alone

Family photo shoot? Mom wants input from Dad. Dad's traveling for work. By the time they both have a moment to look together, two weeks have passed.

Wedding photos? The bride wants to show her mom. The groom's parents want copies too. Everyone has opinions. Coordinating everyone's schedules? Good luck.

This is especially common with: - Wedding galleries (couples + both sets of parents) - Family portraits (both partners need to agree) - Corporate headshots (employee + marketing team + boss)

How to fix it:

Make collaborative selection easy.

Bad system: "Download the photos you both like and let me know." Good system: Gallery allows multiple people to favorite images, everyone can see the combined selections.

I had a bride recently tell me: "I shared the gallery link with my mom and mother-in-law. They each added their favorites. Then my husband and I went through and picked our final choices. So easy!"

That wedding gallery? Selections completed in 3 days. For 487 images.

Reason #5: Life Happens

Sometimes clients really are busy. New baby keeping them up all night. Big work deadline. Family emergency. Moving to a new house.

This is real, and it happens.

But here's what I've noticed: when the selection process is simple (mobile-friendly, visual, no downloading required), even busy clients find 20 minutes.

When it's complicated? Even clients with free time procrastinate.

What Actually Works to Speed Things Up

Okay, enough problems. Let's talk solutions.

Strategy #1: Cut Your Gallery Size in Half

I know you're proud of all those great shots. But if you're delivering more than 60 images for a one-hour portrait session, you're probably delivering too many.

My rule of thumb: - 1-hour portrait session: 30-50 images max - 2-hour family session: 50-75 images max - Full wedding day: 400-600 images max (not 1,200) - Corporate event: 150-250 images max

Show only your best work. Remove: - Near-duplicate shots (keep the best one) - Unflattering expressions (yes, even if the pose is good) - Technical errors (soft focus, weird exposure) - Awkward in-between moments

Client feedback I received:

"I love that you didn't overwhelm us with hundreds of photos. Every single image you shared was beautiful. Made choosing so much easier!"

Curation isn't stingy—it's professional.

Strategy #2: Make Mobile Selection Ridiculously Easy

Most of your clients will first open your gallery on their phone. Probably while sitting on the couch, waiting in a carpool line, or taking a coffee break.

If your gallery doesn't work well on mobile, they'll think "I'll look at this on my computer later" and then forget.

Mobile-friendly checklist: - ✓ Loads fast on phones (large images = slow loading = clients give up) - ✓ Swipe to navigate (feels natural) - ✓ Big, obvious favorite button (small icons are hard to tap) - ✓ Shows selection count ("12 of 20 selected" provides progress) - ✓ No app download required (huge friction point) - ✓ No account creation needed (another huge barrier)

When I switched to a mobile-optimized gallery platform, my average selection time dropped from 14 days to 5 days.

Turns out, when clients can make selections while binge-watching Netflix, they actually do it.

Strategy #3: Set Clear Expectations From the Start

Don't wait until gallery delivery to mention selection.

I talk about the selection process three times:

1. During booking (contract/welcome email):

"After your session, you'll receive a private online gallery within 7 days. You'll have 14 days to select your favorite 15 images. Final edited images will be delivered 10 days after you make your selections."

2. In pre-session communication:

"Quick reminder: after our shoot, you'll get to choose your favorite 15 images from the gallery. The process is super easy—just click hearts on your favorites!"

3. In gallery delivery email:

"Please select your 15 favorites by March 15th. Click the ♡ icon on images you love. Currently selected: 0 of 15."

By the third time, clients know exactly what to expect. No confusion. No surprises.

Strategy #4: Automate Reminders (Without Being Annoying)

You shouldn't have to manually chase clients. But you also shouldn't let weeks pass in silence.

Automatic reminder schedule:

Day 0: Gallery delivery email Day 7: Friendly reminder ("Just a heads up—one week left to select your favorites!") Day 12: Final reminder ("Two days remaining! Need any help choosing?") Day 14: Deadline reached

These reminders aren't nagging—they're helpful nudges.

I've had clients respond to reminders with: - "Oh thank you! I totally forgot!" - "Perfect timing—I'm working on it right now!" - "Thanks for the reminder! All done!"

Nobody's ever been annoyed. Most people are grateful.

Strategy #5: Offer Selection Help (For a Fee)

Some clients genuinely can't decide. Everything looks good. They love all the photos. Decision paralysis is real.

Offer a solution:

Option 1: Free (Self-Service) "Browse your gallery and select your 15 favorites. Take your time!"

Option 2: Assisted Selection ($75) "Can't decide? I'll curate my 15 'Editor's Choice' selections based on composition, lighting, and variety. You can swap up to 5 if you'd like different ones."

About 20% of my clients choose the assisted option. It: - Generates additional revenue - Speeds up the process - Reduces decision stress for clients - Shows off my expertise

Win-win-win-win.

What to Do When Clients Still Don't Respond

Okay, you've done everything right. Gallery is curated. Mobile-friendly. Clear deadline. Reminders sent.

Still no response at 3 weeks.

Now what?

The Final Follow-Up

Send a personal email or text (not automated):

"Hi Sarah! I haven't heard back about your photo selections. Just wanted to check in:

Is the gallery working okay on your device?
Are you having trouble deciding? I'm happy to help!
Did the deadline not work for your schedule? We can extend if needed.
Did this get lost in your inbox chaos? (Happens to me all the time!)

Let me know how I can help!"

Usually, you'll get: - "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I'll do it tonight!" - "I'm traveling for work—can I have until next Friday?" - "I'm having trouble with the gallery on my iPad—can you help?"

Personal touch solves most holdups.

The Deadline Safety Clause

In my contract, I include:

"If selections are not received within 21 days of gallery delivery, photographer will select images on client's behalf based on technical quality and variety."

I mention this in the final reminder:

"Heads up: if I don't hear from you by tomorrow, I'll select the 15 strongest images from the session and move forward with final editing. You'll love the ones I choose!"

This has never upset a client. It: - Creates urgency - Removes their guilt about procrastinating - Shows you're moving the project forward - Demonstrates confidence in your judgment

Usually, they respond within hours.

Real Results: Before and After

Let me share actual numbers from my business.

Before optimizing selection process: - Average days to complete selection: 18 days - Percentage needing 2+ reminders: 65% - Percentage exceeding deadline: 40% - Hours spent per month chasing selections: 8-10 hours

After implementing these strategies: - Average days to complete selection: 5 days - Percentage needing 2+ reminders: 15% - Percentage exceeding deadline: 5% - Hours spent per month chasing selections: 1 hour

That's 7-9 hours monthly saved. Hours I can spend shooting, editing, or (revolutionary idea) not working.

The Bottom Line

Clients take forever to pick photos because we make it too hard, too overwhelming, and too easy to procrastinate.

Fix those three things:

1. Reduce overwhelm - Curate before sharing 2. Remove friction - Make selection mobile-friendly and visual 3. Create urgency - Set clear deadlines with helpful reminders

You'll be amazed how fast clients complete their selections when the process actually works for them.

Ready to stop chasing clients for photo selections? Try ChosenShots' mobile-optimized galleries free for 14 days and watch your average selection time drop from weeks to days.

Why Do My Clients Take So Long to Pick Their Photos? (And How to Fix It)