As photographers, we are well aware of the necessary hardware that goes with running a successful business. Naturally, it extends far beyond cameras, tripods, and memory cards. While they are undoubtedly essential, they also appear on every photography business checklist.
Many photographers are into it because they love the gear. However, if you make a living from it – and would prefer to be out there taking pictures rather than handling the commercial side – we have brought together four great tech tools that are bound to make your life easier. They might even represent the difference between business as usual and taking things to the next level!
1. A Social Media Scheduling Tool
If you’re making a living as a photographer today, you already understand the importance of social media for finding new clients. While most in the industry have their own website, and rightly so, it is easier to get your work in front of a broader audience on social media than working on getting them to the site.
Unfortunately, social media is a problematic tool on which to measure the return on investment, especially in the early days when building awareness trumps sealing the deal. As such, it can be challenging to make time to post things, especially on a regular basis.
A social media scheduling tool can take the stress out of a consistent presence. Whether you want to build an audience on Instagram or increase your Pinterest followers, that consistency is key, and the right tool can help you get in the zone. Tailwind is a great example, as it includes everything a photographer could need across both platforms. You can block out time once a week or a couple of times a month and have a social campaign set up and ready to go without giving it any more thought.
2. VPN Protection
Virtually anyone that spends a lot of time online should use a VPN for basic security purposes, If you are a gaming enthusiast then a gaming VPN is the first thing you must have, and there are many more reasons to do so. These services can become an integral part of any photography toolkit, too, especially in a profession that spends a lot of time out on location.
One of the best things about this job is you never know where you’ll be and when. Of course, this could mean the middle of nowhere without a mobile signal. In protecting you on public Wi-Fi, a reliable VPN service already pays for itself. Those on the same network can’t snoop on your login details for your work email or online storage, and you can do any online tasks with confidence.
There are other benefits, such as enabling you to view your own country’s version of a website when shooting abroad or getting around local restrictions. For example, China famously makes it difficult to access YouTube and Facebook, and while you might never visit, they are not the only country with online access quirks.
3. Cloud Storage
If you’ve been in the business for a while, you’ve probably encountered the lost or corrupted memory card conundrum on numerous occasions.
Cloud computing is no longer a buzzword but an essential part of remote working. The best part is that some services will automatically upload photos, so you don’t even need to remember to do it – just as when pictures taken on an iPhone head to iCloud.
The specifics vary depending on budget, space requirements, and personal taste. Something as simple as Google Drive or Dropbox will meet the most basic needs, or you could opt for a more specialized service such as iDrive.
4. A Calendar Management Tool
One of the biggest challenges for creative businesses and freelancers is time management. The very nature of being a creative means that most would prefer to spend time doing what they are good at – not keeping an eye on emails and holding exploratory meetings.
If you think that giving some control over your time to potential clients sounds like a good idea, then something like Calendly is sure to make your life much easier. It is not specifically designed for photographers or even general creatives. Still, it takes on one of the essential personal assistant roles and does everything behind the scenes.
While there are paid subscription tiers, the free version is perfect for getting up and running with the service. Photographers have complete control over their availability, and potential clients can book a slot based on their schedules. The result is a mutually agreed time without any emails going back and forth to establish who is free when.
There’s certainly a charm to using older cameras and disappearing off to the darkroom on occasion. However, few will disagree that modern cameras are far more efficient and user-friendly. The same applies to the business side of photography – it’s time to take advantage of all the new opportunities out there that will make your life easier.
There is a whole host of opportunities and possibilities to explore, and the tools featured above will not only improve your business but make life easier so you can spend more time on what you enjoy most. You should also focus on making your workplace secure by installing cloud-based surveillance systems like Arcules.
You also need to make sure that apart from the calendar management tool you have some reliable software to manage your projects. Good project management software makes a world of difference to how efficiently you manage large photography projects.
