# Next to every assignment sits a pile of small decisions Clients book you because you can take great photos. Not because you write a sharp quote, send a clear confirmation or know what time golden hour is at your location. But you still have to do all of those things. And that takes time. Not much per occasion, but added together it is easily an hour or two per assignment. Time you could have used to shoot, to learn or simply to finish on time. At some point I noticed that I was reinventing the wheel constantly. What do I charge for this kind of job? What information do I send my client before the session? What do I need to bring? Every time a small puzzle, every time solved slightly differently. Not ideal. ---
What do you charge for this assignment?
Setting rates is uncomfortable for many photographers. Too low and you undervalue yourself. Too high and you worry about losing the job.
The
helps you calculate a fair suggested price based on your situation. Not a random number, but an outcome with reasoning behind it. Useful as a starting point for a quote, or simply to check whether you are still in the ballpark of what makes sense.
The tool is available with an account, so you can save and retrieve your calculations.
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What do you bring?
You are loading your car and you have the feeling you are forgetting something. Always. Memory card, battery, reflector, backdrop. A portrait job requires different gear than a commercial shoot outdoors.
The
is customisable per shoot type. You set it up once and next time it is simply there. No more forgetfulness, no last-minute scrambling.
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What does your client expect?
New clients often do not know exactly what to expect from a photo session. How long does it take? How many photos do they get? When will they be ready? Can they be present during the selection?
If you explain that every single time, it costs energy. And if you do not explain it, it costs more energy later.
The
helps you lay out that information in a structured way, so your client knows what to expect before the session begins. That cuts down on questions, misunderstandings and disappointments afterwards.
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How do you prepare your model?
A good portrait job starts before the day itself. Does your model know what to bring? Has she thought about clothing? Does she know how long it takes?
The
is a checklist for your model or client, which you adapt to your way of working. You send it before the session and the chance of a smooth, relaxed shoot goes up straight away.
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And the kilometres you drive?
Many photographers drive a lot. To locations, to clients, to studios. You want to track those kilometres, for your bookkeeping or simply for yourself.
A mileage tracking tool is coming to the platform soon. Simple, clear and without needing a separate programme. More once it goes live.
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Small decisions, big time savings
None of these things are major work. But they do require attention, and attention is scarce on a busy photography day.
The tools at
are not there to take over your work. They are there so your head stays clear for what you actually want to do: make great photos.
The account tools, including the price calculator, the checklists and the session preparation, are available for a small contribution. Not because the tools are expensive to build, but because storage, maintenance and further development also cost something. And because a platform that grows becomes better for everyone who uses it.