Business Resources for Photographers: Everything you need to start a photography business

I recommend this article for more in-depth information breaking down the different camera options - I love this educator and have learned so much from her. Disclaimer, she is fully a Canon girl. Personally, I adore my Sony and don't plan on switching anytime soon. I agree that it photographs color differently, but I adapted my editing style and I am very happy with the results. So I think there is a lot to be said for what you get used to. :)

*That being said, I do notice that film like photographers seem to use Sony more and true to color or bold photographers seem to like Canon - I haven't done a study on this though, so it is purely anecdotal!

Necessary tools for starting a photography business

Every business will have nuances and slight differences in need, but here is a solid starting point:

Photo editing software

Popular options: Lightroom, Photoshop, CaptureOne

I personally use Lightroom primarily, with Photoshop for occasional headswaps.

A note on Lightroom: Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC are different! For a professional photography business, you will want to subscribe to Lightroom Classic and use that for editing. It is more complicated than Lightroom CC, but it gives you the control that you need as a professional to create a high quality product.

Gallery Delivery Program

Popular options: Pixieset, PicTime, CloudSpot

I use CloudSpot and PicTime, I really like the options for using the Simple Sales System with Pic-Time, it makes it very simple and intuitive. CloudSpot is awesome for all inclusive photographers who want to give their clients the convenience of all the best images.

You can use my link for a referral to Pic-Time (for a free month) or CloudSpot (for 20% off)

Booking + Payment Program (CRMs)

For beginner photographers or those early in their career who don’t need a complicated CRM with all the extras, I recommend Cloudspot. It’s affordable, user-friendly, and growing fast. With Cloudspot, you can create lead forms, send contracts, invoices, and questionnaires, accept payments, deliver galleries, and even sell prints—all in one place.

Pixieset has similar features, but I do not use all their features - I only subscribe to their website side of things, not the gallery delivery or studio.

Website

Popular options: Squarespace, Pixieset, Wordpress, Wix, ShowIt

I use Pixieset, it is simple to set up and looks nice.

That being said, Squarespace or Showit are nicer looking sites, (and more expensive) - You'll have more flexibility in design with these options. If you are techy, Wordpress is hands down the best for SEO (being found on Google) and will give you the most flexibility in design - It is also the most complicated.

Legal Things

The Law Tog and The Legal Paige are two excellent options for purchasing contracts and model releases to use with your clients.

How to get headshots for your new photography business

As a photographer, it’s important to get in front of the camera. Not only does it help you empathize with your clients, but it also gives you content to share. When you’re starting out, spending money on headshots can be tough, especially when you want the editing style to match your own. Here are a couple of ways to get great headshots for your new business:

Self portraits •

This option takes some time and patience, but it allows you to experiment with different settings. All you need is a tripod and a camera trigger (many newer cameras have Bluetooth capabilities to connect with an app on your phone).

• Headshot swap with a local photog friend •

This is my favorite method! Building a local photographer community is key. Meet up with a photographer friend, swap headshots, and help each other out.

Here’s how it works: each photographer brings two SD cards. You each use one card in your camera and hand the other to the other person. At the end of the session, you swap the cards, and each photographer edits their own photos.

Tip: Always remember to give credit to the other photographer. You can say something like, "Photo by [other photographer], edited by [your business name]."

Where to buy outfits for family sessions

Heartfelt & Joyful Photography

Hi, my name is

Susannah!

There are too many beautiful little moments to family life and motherhood to let them pass by undocumented.

I crave authenticity, thrive on emotional connection, and see life through a romanticized lens—especially when it comes to capturing the love and chaos of family life.

As a wife, mama, and lover of photographs, I know how quickly these moments pass—the snuggles, the giggles, the fleeting seasons of motherhood. That’s why I’m passionate about creating images that don’t just capture how your family looks but how these moments feel.

Moments like the way your newborn nestles against you to, the laughter on your bouncing toddler's face, the shifting dynamic as you pull your no-longer-little child into your embrace one more time and you laugh together, my sessions are about preserving the stories you’ll hold onto forever.

Let’s create something timeless, meaningful, and uniquely yours—images that will bring you right back to the love and connection of this season, over and over again.

Let's Work Together!