photography business

Photography Business Tools You Need! Book, Shoot, Deliver!

Running a photography business is an absolutely exciting adventure! There’s no greater feeling than turning your passion and hobby into a profitable career. Over the past 5 years I’ve had the blessing of being a professional photographer. Through those years, there have been some very useful tools that I’ve come across to help me in my journey.

In this post, we’ll talk through the critical tools in my photography business when it comes to booking, shooting and delivery. The tools that I’ll touch on in this post aren’t the obvious ones, but they’ve been a huge asset in my photography business. I’ll walk you through how I utilize these tools, so hopefully you can apply the same to your business. So, without further ado, let’s dive into it!

Booking

Bonsai Client Booking System

The first tool we’ll cover in regards to booking clients, is Bonsai. Clients are crucial to any business. It’s impossible to be in business without clients! For my photography business, the best tool that I’ve come across in regards to booking is Bonsai. Just like Honeybook, Bonsai is an all in one CRM that allows you to create a professional experience for your clients.

I use Bonsai in every step of my booking process. The first place I utilize this tool, is on my company’s website. Our website is SEO optimized to attract people looking for a local photographer, but where Bonsai comes into place, is in the contact form. My contact form is directly linked to Bonsai. This makes for a smooth experience for both me and my customers when it comes to communication.

hellobonsai

When a customer fills out the contact form, their information is automatically added to my Bonsai CRM as a client lead. From the CRM, I am able to create a proposal for the client, send out contracts, collect deposits and have an organized hub for all our communication. Bonsai has helped me really stay on top of my client relationships. My clients have a secure hub where they can make payments and contact me, regarding any concerns during our booking process.

Besides the contact form, Bonsai also offers a scheduling feature. This feature is similar to what you’d find on apps like Calendly. It allows clients to book times for their shoot according to what’s available on my schedule. The best part, is that they can make a payment for the shoot at the time of booking. This feature has been really great for my repeat clients. Since we already know each other very well, they can quickly schedule their time without needing to check with me for availability!

hellobonsai

When it comes to booking and client management, Bonsai is an absolute must for my photography business. There are so many additional features such as a business bank account, bookkeeping support and more that Bonsai offers. I’ll do a more in depth look into Bonsai on a later post!

Shooting

Lens Cleaning Kit

Working our way into the shooting side of things, there are 3 key tools that have been crucial in my journey. Now, this doesn’t include lenses or cameras, there’s plenty of content related to those tools. My focus with this article is on the little things you might not think of as much. A lens cleaning kit is one such tool that I highly recommend!

I can’t tell you how many times this kit has saved my butt! When you’re out shooting with a client, you find yourself in so many different locations. Some of those locations can be very dusty or dirty and can impact your lens or camera body. Having a lens cleaning kit is a very necessary tool to ensure your lens and camera body aren’t stained with the muck and dust of those interesting shoots!

Screen Mom Natural Screen Cleaner

Most lens cleaning kits will come with a cleaning solvent, a dust blower and a few microfiber cloth. The dust blower is a major asset when it comes to getting dust and tiny particles off your lens and camera. I make it a regular habit to blow off my lens and camera after every shoot. Having unwanted particles on your lens element is a great way to ruin beautiful pictures!

photography business
photography business

While most kits will come with a cleaning solution, I prefer to buy the Screen Mom Natural Screen Cleaner. I’ve used this cleaner for over 3 years and it’s the only thing I trust on my lenses and computer screens. The Screen Mom cleaner doesn’t leave any streaks or residue and has very minimal ingredients. I’ve trusted this cleaner and it hasn’t let me down yet!

ND Filters

The last tool on my shooting list is ND filters. These filters are a must have for anyone who shoots outdoors. If you aren’t familiar with ND filters, these are like sunglasses for your camera lens. An ND filter allows you to control the light in your image without adjusting your aperture. Having an ND filter allows you to maintain the aperture and stylistic look of your image without blowing out your highlights.

I use ND filters on a regular basis, regardless of the lens I use. Although these filters are meant to fit a particular size lens, you can utilize step up or step down rings to adapt the filter to multiple lenses.

Delivery

Shootproof

Getting your photos to your clients is like the grand finale of the whole photography adventure. It’s not just about snapping pics – it’s about putting together a bunch of amazing moments and handing them over in a way that makes your clients go “Wow!”

Imagine this: You’ve gone out there, captured those picture-perfect shots that tell a story, reflect personalities, and freeze emotions in time. These photos are more than just pixels; they’re like a magical potion of memories and feelings. But if the way you deliver these gems falls flat – maybe the pics are late, disorganized, or not up to the mark – it’s like a bummer at the end of a good movie.

Shootproof has been my favorite solution for image delivery. It’s a simple and very classy way to not only deliver images, but also provide a simple printing solution. The simplicity of Shootproof is pure gold. I mean, who needs a complicated maze of buttons and settings? With Shootproof, everything just flows smoothly. Uploading my images, organizing them, and creating galleries is a breeze. It’s like they’ve waved a magic wand and made the whole process effortless. And you know what? Effortless is the name of the game when you’re a busy photographer juggling shoots and edits.

But here’s where the real magic happens – the delivery. Oh boy, let me tell you, Shootproof takes image delivery to a whole new level. It’s not just about sending over a bunch of digital files. No, no, no. Shootproof adds that touch of class that sets you apart. The galleries look like something straight out of a high-end art gallery. I can customize the layout, add my branding, and create an experience that’s tailor-made for my clients. It’s not just about delivering images; it’s about delivering an experience, a journey through the moments I’ve captured.

Shootproof doesn’t stop at digital. They understand that some moments are just too special to stay trapped inside a screen. So, they offer this super cool printing solution that’s seamlessly integrated. I can offer my clients stunning prints, canvases, and other goodies – all with just a few clicks. A huge plus for me as a photographer, is additional profit from the prints!

Whenever a customer orders prints from their gallery, I am able to generate an additional $25-$100 per customer! Shootproof has been an absolute gem when it comes to customer experience for my business.

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