(In case you’re new here, I’m Emilie, a virtual assistant supporting photographers behind the scenes. I get a front-row seat to the rhythms, routines and pressure points across the industry, so as 2025 winds down, I wanted to share a quick round-up of what things look like in both the VA and photography worlds right now - and why November feels like such an important reset point for so many of you.)
November has its own rhythm in the photography world. Wedding photographers are finally stepping out of their busiest months, wrapping up gallery deliveries and clearing the last few admin stragglers from peak season.
It's a natural pause-and-prepare moment. A point where things feel calmer, clearer, and a little easier to manage. And that makes it the perfect time to reset your systems, tidy up your processes, and get your business ready for the enquiries that always start climbing from late November through to February.
Meanwhile, corporate, family and enagement photographers are heading straight into a busy stretch of the year - the proposals, the Christmas mini sessions, the New Year parties and the Valentine’s shoots.
So, in case you're frantically panicking about what's next - whether that’s struggling with the silence or can’t cope with the noise - this little behind-the-scenes blog is shedding some light on what virtual assistants are noticing across the industry right now, what photographers are focusing on during this transitional month, and the kind of small, smart prep that saves hours once engagement season really kicks in.
What’s Happening in the Virtual Assistant World Right Now
While you’re likely to be either catching your breath or getting back into the swing of things, the virtual assistant world has been having its own kind of busy, too. The recently published UK Virtual Assistant Survey 2025 has been shedding light on just how much the industry has grown this year.
There are now almost 6,000 active VAs across the UK, and more of them than ever are treating this as a long-term, full-time career rather than a side gig. In fact, 70% now work over 25 hours a week, meaning the people supporting your business are more established, more consistent and often more available than they used to be.
One of the standout shifts is just how solid the industry foundations have become. A record 97% of virtual assistants now have their business essentials firmly rooted, and 96% are registered with the ICO. It is a clear sign that the profession as a whole is taking itself more seriously, which naturally gives clients more confidence when outsourcing anything involving workflows, client data or day-to-day operations.
Rates have nudged up slightly too - nothing drastic, just a gentle rise that reflects rising operating costs and the growing demand for more specialised support. And it is no surprise that the most commonly requested services this year have been general admin, PA-style tasks and social media support. Photographers, in particular, tend to lean on these when they want to stay visible online without adding more to their already full plate(s).
But the biggest shift is in how people are choosing to outsource. Creatives are no longer handing over just the odd task - they are outsourcing whole systems. CRM setup, enquiry workflows, email templates, content scheduling and follow-up processes have all seen a big rise this year. The familiar message of “Can you help me reset this before enquiries take off again?” has popped up more times than usual, and it fits the season perfectly.
November naturally lends itself to this kind of work. Freelancers, small businesses and, more specifically, photographers want their workflows feeling smooth, their inboxes calmer and their week-to-week processes a bit more predictable. And supporting that reset has quietly become one of the most common things virtual assistants are handling right now.
The Calm After the Rush: What Wedding Photographers Are Feeling Right Now
After months of back-to-back summer weddings, tight turnaround times and a gallery list that never seemed to shrink, most wedding photographers are finally feeling the pace ease off a little. The late nights, the constant ping of client emails and the pressure of keeping everything moving are finally starting to soften into something a little calmer. It’s the first real moment to breathe.
But it’s not just relief. November has this funny way of mixing a bit of tiredness with a flicker of motivation. You’re still recovering from the intensity of the season, but you can also feel a spark coming back - the part of you that likes a tidy system, a clearer inbox and a business that doesn’t feel like it’s being held together by sticky notes and willpower.
This is the window where wedding photographers tend to start noticing the gaps created during peak season. We're talking the half-finished workflows, the emails you meant to template but never got around to, or the pricing guide that desperately needs a refresh. None of it felt urgent in August, but now? Now it feels like something you actually want to get sorted.
And this is usually where a virtual assistant slips quietly into the picture. Not to overhaul everything, but to reduce that mental load so you can ease back into planning without feeling overwhelmed.
If you’ve been wondering what that kind of support looks like in practice, we talked through the process last month:
The Truth About Working with a Virtual Assistant: What Really Happens Behind the Scenes
Engagement Season Is Here: Why Staying Afloat Matters Just As Much As Staying Organised
Engagement season and the festive period have a habit of creeping up faster than anyone expects. One minute you’re finishing off the last of your autumn edits, and the next you’re already in the thick of it - juggling back-to-back Christmas sessions and surprise proposals, editing queues and a steady hum of enquiries.
So, for family and engagement photographers, instead of talking about preparation, this part of the season becomes more about staying afloat: keeping your inbox under control, making sure your processes are helping rather than slowing you down, and staying grounded enough that the busy period feels exciting rather than exhausting.
For many engagement and family photographers, we’re rapidly approaching the point where the overwhelm starts to creep in. Not the loud, dramatic kind - just that subtle tension of “I’ve got a lot happening all at once” layered on top of editing, enquiries and end-of-year admin. And that’s usually when the little gaps from earlier in the year start to make themselves known; the workflow that could be smoother, the email template you meant to update, the task list that’s suddenly looking a bit wild again.
This is where small bits of support make a huge difference. Even just having someone tidy the to-do's you don’t want to deal with can create enough breathing space to get through this period without hitting the edge of burnout.
Already feeling the crunch of engagement enquiry overload? Find the calm in the storm now, and avoid burning out later:
8 Ways to Overcome Overwhelm in Your Small Business
What a Virtual Assistant Could Be Handling Behind the Scenes Right Now
While you are spinning plates on the front end of your business, there is a whole other layer of work that should be happening quietly in the background. It is the side of the season most people never really see - the unglamorous bits that keep everything feeling manageable when enquiries, edits and admin are all happening at once.
Right now, most freelancers and small business owners are probably tackling these tasks in the evenings or at the weekend, just clinging on until the Christmas break. Tidying CRMs like Studio Ninja or Dubsado so you always know where each client is up to. Finally setting up those quick reply templates for enquiries or the gentle follow-up messages you swear you are going to automate one day. Trying to pre-schedule blogs and social posts, even though you do not really have the headspace for it. All the little jobs that save you time later, but cost you time now.
And that is the tricky bit. Getting these pieces in place takes time and focus, neither of which you often have spare at this point in the year. That is where a virtual assistant becomes useful - without the financial pressure of full-time admin staff or the commitment of hiring in-house. It is not about having someone take over your business. It is about taking just enough pressure off that you can keep moving without feeling like you are permanently one step behind.
If you’re already feeling the urge to work a little smarter before things get busy again, but now isn’t the time to dive into working with a VA, this guide might help:
11 Ways to Level Up Your To-Do List (and Actually Get More Done)
Final Thoughts: November Is the Reset Button (Use It Well)
November has this quiet way of giving you a bit of breathing room, even when the days still feel full. Wedding photographers are finally stepping out of the long stretch of summer and autumn work, and family and engagement photographers are already riding the early wave of enquiries and shoots. It is a strange little crossroads in the year, but a useful one.
If you use this time well, January feels lighter. Your inbox feels less frantic. Your workflows feel steadier. And you start the new year without that low-level panic of knowing you are weeks behind before you have even begun. The beauty of November is that it does not demand big changes - just thoughtful ones. The small resets, the clearer processes, the bits of support that help you stay grounded when things inevitably get busy again.
How Ashwood VA Can Help
Already feeling the crunch and want an extra pair of hands behind the scenes? A virtual assistant can take on the quieter, heavier pieces of admin that are so easy to put off when everything else is happening at once.
A little help now can give you a lot more headspace later.
Learn more about how we can help take the load off
%20(7).jpg)
