Map the first-pass editing that drives your backlog.
First-pass editing, the baseline adjustments applied to every kept image, is where most of your editing hours quietly disappear. Because it touches the whole gallery, shaving time here has more leverage than anywhere else. Enter your own numbers and the calculator estimates what that first pass costs you.
Estimate it with the calculator
All fields estimate-onlyWhy the first pass is the highest-leverage step
The first pass is applied to every single keeper, so its per-image time gets multiplied by your full gallery size. A small improvement per image compounds across hundreds or thousands of frames, which is exactly why it is the best place to look when a backlog grows.
Later refinement work, like detailed retouching or album selects, touches far fewer images. The first pass is the wide part of the funnel, and the calculator helps you see how much of your total editing load lives there.
What a first-pass estimate should capture
To make first-pass time meaningful, the estimate needs to reflect your real workflow, not an ideal one.
- Per-image time for baseline exposure, contrast, and tone
- Total kept images the first pass has to cover
- Your hourly rate applied to that first-pass time
- How much manual first-pass work an AI-assisted workflow might reduce
Common questions
What counts as first-pass editing here?
Why focus on first pass instead of total editing time?
Can AI-assisted editing speed up the first pass?
Related pages
Plan a cleaner delivery workflow.
Run the numbers, then get a tailored workflow breakdown based on your queue. We review every request and follow up manually. Estimates only, no guarantees.