A list of my absolute favorite programs for photographers and why they ROCK!
Over the years, I have tried and tested many programs to enhance my business.
From editing programs to client communication hubs, these are some of the best ones I have found!
Please keep in mind I have not tried every program that exists, and this is entirely subjective. If you have programs you love that aren't listed here, I would love to hear about them!
Adobe Lightroom
I feel like most photographers use either Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop. For me, Lightroom offers the speed and a user-friendly interface so I can get albums out in decent time while also tweaking everything in color, light, and more. There are so many pieces of the program that I still have yet to unlock them all, but it is amazing that so much can be offered in the first place! I have been using Lightroom since 2015 and will likely be a career-long customer.
Look at different plans here!
Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop is an amazing editing tool if you really want to get into the nitty gritty. You can get a lot more detailed with your adjustments and make crazy cool masterpieces if you learn how to! YouTube has taught me a lot over the years and there is still so much to learn. They are updating to fit today's AI technology and if you know how to use it, DO IT! There are countless tools to help with skin retouching, background replacements, composites, even AI facial changes. This is a limitless program!
HoneyBook
HoneyBook is my saving grace in the business side of things. I can keep all of my communication with clients in once space, keep up with payments, contracts, invoices, automations, expenses, my calendar and so much more. HoneyBook literally makes business so much easier and I don't think I could ever leave it.
If you'd like to try it out, click here!
Pic-Time
I have used a few photo transfer programs throughout the years and Pic-Time has become my favorite. I love the interface and the presentation of the sites, and keeping up with albums and sales is so easy! I love that you can do automated sales and discounts to really get more out of prints, and I personally love that I can have an art gallery print shop. You can set the cost for products very easily and have lots of options to choose from as far as labs go, and you can customize galleries to fit the vibe of your clients or your brand!
They also offer a 30-DAY FREE TRIAL to get you started (no credit card required) and you can receive an extra one month free when you upgrade to any paid plan using my special code: JRT264
Canva
Canva is one of my favorite creation platforms. I can make brochures, flyers, pricing guides, welcome guides, postcards, holiday cards, thank you cards, business cards, gift cards, magazines, calendars, social media posts, and SO MUCH MORE. There are thousands of templates to choose from in just about every print product you can think of, all for such great prices. I use Canva Pro to get more, but it is beyond worth its cost.
Check out their free and pro options here!
WIX
WIX is what I personally use for my website. I have been using wix since 2015 and am really comfortable with its interface and creative abilities. It gives me analytics to my website and blog, and shows reports on how both are doing. I love that I can write blogs and integrate them into my website so easily! I know there are a lot of website builders out there, but I really like using WIX.
Look at free and pro options, along with all of their amazing templates here!
Topaz AI
I was more recently turned onto Topaz AI from a friend of mine who knew it would be helpful with photography. The different Topaz programs can denoise, sharpen, and size-up any image you throw at it! This is especially helpful when I've had to photograph in low light situations and when I want to print my 35mm film photos a little bigger than the standard scans allow me to. It has been a great tool to make sure I have quality images worth printing!
If you want to try it out, click here!
Mile IQ
Mile IQ is an app that I use on my phone to track miles for business travels. It keeps up with total cost for the year to make it easier for taxes and will track every drive in case you forget to track it, yourself. You can swipe to file it for personal or business so everything is organized! I highly recommend getting this app if you are a traveling photographer, it makes end of year organization so much easier!
Get the app here!
There are countless programs out there to help us, and these are some of the best I have found. If you have more suggestions, let me know!
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