Tools to Grow your photography Business
This post was originally published in 2020, in the first year of my business and now in 2025 I wanted to add to it including what I use now in my business.
Enjoy and please reach out if you have any questions!
“Act like you’re already turning over $100k so pay for subscriptions and invest in your business. It’ll make your life later easier.”
I wanted to share the tools I have been using to grow and set-up my business for success. These tools aren’t free; however, with them, you’ll be able to save time, so you can focus on other areas that will make more of a difference, such as more time serving your customers/clients and connecting with them. A few of these tools offer free trials so that you can try them out for yourself first!
I have been shooting for many years, but I have taken the plunge to turn it into a full-time photography business this year. I needed to improve my systems and educate myself in all areas, including customer relationship management system (CRM), email marketing, and accounting to name a few. It was a no-brainer for me to spend money on these subscriptions as I can already see the value they’re adding to my business and, most importantly, my client experience.
Scroll down for resources to grow your creative business…
BRANDING
Branding was one of my first investments. I knew that having a professional looking website and branding would make a difference to getting the clients I was trying to attract. I hired Hello Hello Studio to create my website and it was some of the best money I spent. I remember asking my mum while we were walking the dog whether I could borrow $11k to pay for their branding and website package. She supported me and I was able to pay her back 6 months later after booking a few $6k wedding packages in my first year. I am still so proud of that.
Three years later Hello Hello and I partnered to created a branding pack of Album Cover Templates, Price Guides, Wedding Client Info Guide and Album Sales Info Guide.
PRICE GUIDE
First impressions matter and as one of client’s first touch-points with your brand, your price guide is golden.
Designed with Hello Hello Studio it is editorial in feel; beautifully laid out, evoking emotion and ready to showcase your moments of true connection captured on a wedding day.
Fully editable in CANVA, the price guide contains 30+ pages of professional written copy. The price guide can be converted to PDF for print or share digitally.
WEDDING CLIENT GUIDE
I know that when a couple book their wedding photographer, they want to feel calm, supported and like they have booked a trusted friend to join their vendor A-team.
The wedding client guide covers all parts of your client’s customer journey with you. From the early stages of wedding planning to final gallery delivery, the wedding client guide lays out what your client can expect from you at every step along the way.
Fully editable in CANVA, the wedding client guide contains 50+ pages of professional written copy. The wedding client guide can be converted to PDF for print or share digitally.
ALBUM GUIDE
My Album Guide templates contains 35 editable pages of content and professionally written copy -written for wedding photographers but can be customised for any genre.
ALBUM COVER TEMPLATES
Editorial wedding album cover templates that are easy to use and look incredible.
I am also excited to launch our brand new Website Template later this year!
Editing
Imagen AI
A life changing photo editing app that uses Ai editing from your previous edits to edit your gallery within minutes.
Sign up via the link below and receive 1,500 free photo edits.
My imageN ai PROFILE
I’m now selling my Imagen AI Lei Lei Clavey Signature Colour Profile (preset). The perfect starting point to achieve timeless, editorial and true-to-colour edits. Tweak as you need and create your own signature look with this profile.
Sign up via the link below and receive 1,500 free photo edits.
My BLACK AND WHITE PRESET
For a timeless, editorial black and white look no further than my black and white Lightroom Preset.
Aftershoot*
Speed up your Culling with Aftershoot AI, which will analyse and pick the winning shots, while separating and grouping duplicates, blurry images, and photos with closed eyes. This AI culling tool has worked really well for my editing workflow. I am still able to see all of my images but it
Use the link below to receive 15% off your subscription.
Editing Course
Discover my simplified workflow utilising AI that has changed the game in my business. I’m excited to now bring it to you. PLUS receive my Imagen AI Preset when you purchase the course.
ALBUMS
THE ALBUM COURSE
My first online course and I’m so so proud of it. Whether you have just started your business or are an established photographer, you already know that albums are the best way to round-out your client experience. Seeing their images in print in an album to be treasured for generations is why your clients booked you. And, making profit is why you are in business so adding albums to your offer is a no brainer – yay!
This course covers how to sell and design album in a step-by-step format so you can level up your client experience, make more profit and have more freedom in your business!
I’m here to show what I do and how I do it.
Vision art
My absolute favourite vendor when it comes to having my luxury wedding albums printed for my couples. They offer a range of album print sizes and so many book cover cloths, leathers and fabric options, so you will always find a beautiful option for your couples.
My couples love Vision Art’s albums because the print quality and album finish is exquisite. It is the best way to showcase their wedding day images.
Use my code “LEILEI15” to receive 15% off your first order.
SmartAlbums
SmartAlbums (Pixellu) is my go-to program for designing luxury wedding albums. SmartAlbums is a simple and powerful album builder for photographers allowing you to design, proof and print in easy steps.
My favourite part of SmartAlbums is the cloud-proofing portal allowing your clients to communicate changes and approve spreads online. My clients love it and I am sure you will to.
Use my code “leileiclavey” to receive 15% off your subscription.
EDUCATION
Since April 2020, I have been involved in Jai Long’s education community in the Six-Figure Business Map and Posing and Lighting courses. Here are my thoughts on them.
Six-Figure Business Map
The Six-Figure Business Map course has been fundamental for my business. It has given me all of the tools, formulas, and roadmap I need to succeed, which means working with my ideal clients and governing my own working hours, allowing me more time to spend with my family.
Mindset is a main theme in the Six-Figure Business Map. The positive you will succeed message resonates throughout, and it’s infectious! I know and believe I have all the tools now to succeed in my business. Yes, I feel that confident, and I believe that you will too.
The Facebook community is incredible too. Members ask questions about pricing, unusual situations they might be in or feedback on their websites, etc. Everyone in there is so open, encouraging, motivating, and giving with their advice and time. There’s no competition or comparison, no negativity or bullying. It’s a beautiful and valuable community to be a part of and, I think, one of the many drawcards of the course.
Here are a few of the areas covered in the course: creating your ideal client personas, drafting up a business plan and creating the roadmap on how to get there, marketing tips and tricks with deep dives in Pinterest and Instagram, pricing and money (my favourite as I now feel in control of my finances!), productivity, branding, Google and workflow. The breadth that this course covers may sound overwhelming, but I assure you that each element of the course is broken down into bite-sized segments that you will be able to manage without any trouble. If you do have questions, you can always ask the Facebook group! Also, you have one year to complete the course so you can work at your own pace.
Now don’t think that just because you sign up for the framework that all of the hard work is done for you. Yes, the course outlines all of the areas that are needed to set-up and grow your business, but it’s up to you to implement them and make it your own.
Lastly, I want to mention that this course is not only fantastic for wedding photographers, it would also suit videographers, other wedding vendors, and even other creative businesses. While it does include wedding photographer related examples and provides a few wedding photography specific templates, e.g., Wedding Questionnaires and email response templates, the majority of the other resources can easily be adapted to your own business.
Interested to hear more? Email me if you’d like to know anything else about it. Click here to use my affiliate link! *These are affiliate links
Posing and Lighting
This course goes through how to guide and direct your clients to get the best possible images. This easy to watch course runs through different ways to guide your clients, including techniques depending on their personalities, and takes you on a few real-life shoots with couples to see how it’s done. I feel confident that I will be able to shoot beautiful portraits with my clients, and they will feel comfortable and even enjoy the experience! Click below to receive 20% off the course. *This is an affiliate link
WEBSITE
SQUARESPACE
I’ve used Squarespace for about six years now. First for my blog, Lei Lady Lei and now for my photography website. I love the clean, professional templates and intuitive platform. It also has ability for ecommerce as well as email marketing so you’re in need of a one stop shop then it’s great for that. My branding agency are also able to customise my Squarespace CSS so I can stay with the platform but I can have a unique look.
EMAIL MARKETING
FloDesk*
When I started out I used Mailchimp and then I moved to Squarespace’s inbuilt email marketing system. However the cost and cap on how many emails and subscribers I could send a month seemed a little excessive. Recently I came across women-owned startup Flodesk and immediately fell in love with their ready-to-send templates, easily explained workflows and automation tools. Email marketing can be daunting but Flodesk makes it so easy. Within minutes you’ll be ready to send your first email. Create your account, fill in your images, edit the text and branding and voila! You have your first newsletter! There’s even sample text you can use so you have a starting point to work from or don’t have to think up everything from scratch. It costs $39USD/month no matter how many subscribers you have (which is perfect if you have a large email list!) or you can sign up through my affiliate link below to receive a 30-day free trial and 50% off your subscription making it $19USD/month!
Customer relationship management (CRM)
Studio Ninja
Studio Ninja has been a game changer for me when it comes to client management. You can link up your Quickbooks or Xero (accounting software), keep track of weddings and other jobs in the calendar, send automated emails, questionnaires and store all of your client information. It has made the overwhelming task of CRM manageable and allows me to focus on building strong client relationships which is so important in my business. Also Studio Ninja originated from Melbourne, Victoria (my hometown!) and I am all for supporting local grown talent.
Use the code ‘leilei’ to receive 50% off your first 12 month subscription. *This is an affiliate code
CREATIVE MARKET
While we’re on the subject of design and creation I have to mention Creative Market “the world’s marketplace for design”. It sells everything from Instagram post and IG Story templates, Instagram highlight designs, website templates, PDF designs, fonts, illustrations and the list goes on. Anything design-wise you can think of search through Creative Market and no doubt someone will have created something for that purpose.
CLIENT GALLERIES
Pic-Time
Pic-Time online gallery offers a visually beautiful and simple way for your clients to view and download their files as well as ability for them to purchase fine art prints, framed prints and albums among other products through their personalised in-built client store. The automated sales is great feature to bring in passive income without having to do much at all!
I used to be with Pixieset, and while I liked that platform I felt the Pic-Time had better printing partners, their interface looked more on brand for me and I liked their sales automation tool. The newly added ‘Art Gallery’ has been great for selling my prints too. I also have unlimited storage which is really helpful for client back-ups.
My clients always comment how seamless Pic-Time is to use and order from which is great to know. Here’s a great video to show you more about the platform.
Try Pic-Time Free for 30-Days and use my personal code ‘LEILEICLAVEY’ to receive 1 bonus free month on any plan you choose.
*This is an affiliate code
ACCOUNTING
XERO
I knew that I wanted to sign-up for an accounting system to manage my business cashflow. I initially signed up to Rounded for the simplicity it offered, but it turned out to be too basic: I’d need to upgrade to another system in time as my business grew. My accountant recommended Xero and I’m very happy with it. It took a little getting used to but after watching some video tutorials I now can see where my finances sit.
For more resources click on the button below!
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I only share about companies that I truly believe in.
