Here is *Everything* That I Use to Run My Photography Business

If you have ever looked at another photographer and wondered how they did certain things (example: email marketing) or if you're just starting your photography business and you're wondering what it might take to really up-level from hobby to business, or if you are a client/consumer and you may think that photographers just take pictures, edit them, and that's it: this blog post is here to help you!

To be totally honest, I completely nerd out when it comes to all things business, marketing, finances, etc. (blame it on the fact that both of my parents also have business/finance backgrounds and have also both been entrepreneurs my whole life) so I LOVE to share this kind of information with anyone who wants to learn more.

If you don't know me, I'm Kelsi! I have been running my photography business since 2019 and have learned a LOT along the way as I have grown it exponentially in the past 2 years and I have a strong passion to share what I wish I had known sooner - with anyone else who may need to hear it.

And because I believe in running my business true to my personality, as if I'm just chatting with some friends, I'm gonna skip the whole professional introduction part and just dive. right. in:

• Honeybook

Honeybook houses all of my client communication, payments, contracts, session and wedding proposals, questionnaires, literally anything that I may need to get from inquiry to booking to planning to gallery delivery. It allows me to present a professional image while also keeping things streamlined and automated on my business end and giving my clients peace of mind by keeping everything in one place and easily traceable for them.

(If you want to give it a try you can use my link to get started on your free trial and then even receive 25% off of your first year!)

I hear from a lot of new photographers that their initial of Honeybook is it can be confusing or they don't know where to start - and I know how you feel! Send me a DM on instagram (@kelsigrantphotography) and I'll be happy to give you an initial walk- through if it'll help!

• Pic-Time

Pic-Time is what I use to upload and deliver all of my client galleries! Full disclosure - I use to be a pixieset user, and while I have no qualms against pixieset, I chose to switch to Pic-Time because their gallery view fit my brand's aesthetic so much better. The main reason I chose to switch, though, is their slideshow feature. I was able to include an additional add-on to my packages that included custom slideshows for specific client galleries (if they upgraded to that package) which in turn helped my earnings and also elevated their client experience. Their store option also makes it seamless for clients to order any print product they desire and again, increases my earnings (100% passively) and also elevates their experience by making it SO easy! The other reasons I love Pic- Time is that I can upload my photos directly from Lightroom when I'm done editing AND Pic-Time now also works with Honeybook! So it's almost like everything for my client experience is literally just in one place!

(Coming in hot with another discount for ya: you can give Pic-Time a free try using this link!)

• Flodesk

Flodesk is where I house all of my email marketing, my email subscribers, and where I make direct sales for things like mini-sessions, digital products, and affiliate sales. Again, I chose Flodesk because it's so simple to use, and the design is so easily customizable to make it perfectly align with my brand! If you are coming to this blog post from my e-mail newsletter then you can thank Flodesk for that!

(You guessed it: I've got another money-saving link for you if you want to try Flodesk!)

• Canva

Canva has slowly turned into one of my favorite resources to turn to! I use Canva to design all of my session and wedding guides (you may have used Canva if you have ever purchased guide templates from a favorite photographer) but by having the paid version of Canva I am able to incorporate all of my brand colors, logos, fonts, etc. in order to create that visual brand authority and make sure that all of my products are cohesive across the board. The opportunities are honestly endless here. I have used Canva to create freebies to grow my email list, create wedding guides that uplevel my wedding client's experience and allows me to better charge accordingly, and even create other products like templates, guides, and products that can be marketed and sold for additional income streams.

• Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop

So, this goes without saying, we obviously need a way to edit all of the incredible images we take, lol! I use Lightroom Classic and Photoshop for all of my editing and if you have questions about the different types of Lightroom versions, using an ipad vs a computer, etc. Again - I'm always open to questions just shoot me a dm over on Instagram!

• Notion

This where I house and organize everything that's in my brain. And the best part? It's completely free and completely customizable! Think like trello meets asana but you can completely make every page/project/etc look however you want. You can make calendars, checklists, blog posts, image galleries, drop down menus, etc. Notion is where I brainstorm and batch write all of my social media content and blog posts (this was written in Notion first during my office writing hours, then copied and pasted when it was ready to be published!). Because it is so customizable, it can also feel a little bit overwhelmed when you first get started. Here is a youtube video tutorial that helped me get brain organized and setup a workspace that helps me keep things organized and streamlined in both my home and my business.

So there is the majority of everything that I need on a given day to run the administrative side of my business! If you want to chat more about how I run my business, head over to my Instagram and shoot me a DM!

I'll also be sharing more about some of the specific tools I use and love in my business, so keep an eye out for more!

Keywords: Pensacola Photographer | Beginner Photographer Tips | Starting a Photography Business | Pensacola Photography | Florida Photographer |