In order to run a successful business you have to have a strong infrastructure and the tools to support it. Here is a list of all my favorite tools that help me run ByCherry Photography.
.jpg)
Gear
I have been shooting on Nikon since 2002 starting with the N70 film camera and now the D750. My lens bag contain all Nikon: 24-70mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.4, 105mm f2.8, and 80-200mm f2.8. I also bust out my fisheye 15mm f2.8 and 17-24mm f2.8 every so often. I love having a variety of lenses to capture different looks and feel. PLEASE don’t feel that you need a million lenses though! If you’re starting out, having either a 35mm/85mm combo or 24-70mm/80-200mm combo will get you through a wedding day.
ShootQ/Dubsado
I’m a strong believer that the success of my business is rooted in my use of a CRM (Client Relationship Management). Every client’s contract, invoice, and general contact information is housed in one place for easy access as well as automating invoices, income tracking, and workflows. Before I became a full-time photographer I would watch the income forecast so I knew what I was expecting a year out. One day I liked that number and I quit my day job and went full-time! Having a CRM provided me a top-down view of my business and financials. I am also a devout users of workflows and automation. These tools allow me to deliver a stellar and consistent customer experience whether they’re my first client of the wedding season or 100th. Nothing gets lost in the shuffle! Every morning I log on and it let’s me now what I need to do! I’ve used ShootQ since 2008 but currently transitioning to Dubsado.
Interested in using Dubsado? Then check out my affiliate link for 20% off either your first month or year subscription! FYI: a few links throughout are my affiliate links.
Ontraport
I love the fact that this company is Santa Barbara based! I’ve been using Ontraport for the last 3 years to create and launch all my promotional pieces from emails to pages to pop-up forms.
.jpg)
Photo Mechanic
I still remember the day I used Photo Mechanic for the first time. It was like the heavens opened up and I heard the angels sing! Suddenly, the time to cull my sessions was significantly reduced. I can literally say that this software will give you your life back.
Adobe Lightroom
It’s important to have photo editing software to make sure you deliver amazing optimized images to your client. I use the Classic CC version with a couple of my favorite true-to-life and black + white presets.
Pixieset
I’ve been a fan of Pixieset for years! Nothing like delivering photos in a gorgeous gallery that can be shared with friends and family. I love that I can offer flash sales, gift cards, and a multitude of printed products. My gallery is attached to the professional lab WHCC, a favorite amongst wedding professionals.
Fundy Designer
I mainly use Fundy Designer to create album designs. Their multiple layouts make album designs a snap to create. There used to be a day when you would pay somebody to create album designs because it was a pain in the butt but Fundy makes the whole process easy!
Album Exposure
You’ve created an album design for your client. Now what? I upload it to Album Exposure and email the client the link. Super easy. The client can review and request any edits in the program-this makes communicating changes sooooooo much easier! Or they can easily hit the Approve button and BAM-ship off to the printer!
JPEG Mini
Not only do I optimize my images for web and social media through Lightroom but then I send it through JPEG Mini to compress even more while maintaining quality and the integrity of the image.
.jpg)