SmugMug Development Lab

As a real estate photographer, you have more opportunities to add money to increase your revenues than a lot of other professional photographers: your network is made of professionals who have consistent demand for quality photography, plus a client base of consumers that may want to commemorate their new home.

Whether it's the middle of the slow season and you’re looking for new revenue streams or you’re trying to increase sales year-round, here are some out-of-the-box ways you can use your skills and network to grow your photography business.

Turn home shots into closing gifts.

Both the buyer and seller agents will likely be purchasing a closing gift for their client. And they’ll want to keep their brand front and center for their next purchase, sale, or referral. A gorgeous photo of the home they just helped buy or sell could be a great way to do both!

You’re photographing the property and already have a relationship with the seller’s agent, so why not show up at golden hour and take a couple of gorgeous photos of the home? Show the agent what your photography skills can do, and offer to make their clients some framed prints as a gift. As a bonus, this gets your photography in front of happy new homeowners who might have non-real estate photography needs in the future.

Create art galleries for open houses.

Agents either stage the house themselves or hire interior designers. Either way, they’re going to need art and furniture. If you see the staging, why not bring your photography portfolio on your iPad or phone and show how your artwork from non-real estate photos amplifies the experience of touring the home?

• Offer to lease the work for use at each open house.
• Come by and hang the work based on the furniture and room, then collect it after.
• Let the real estate agent or designer have access to a private and secure photo gallery where they can pick and choose which prints they want.

Then, in exchange for them getting high-quality photos, you can ask them to list your name and contact info by the photographs, or place your business cards as the artist by the sign-in sheet for the open houses.

The added benefit here is that you’ll be in front of home buyers that will need to decorate. Even if they don’t buy that house, you’re getting free exposure to an audience who will potentially be upgrading their living spaces and in need of new art in the near future. Offer the home buyers a business card where they can find your portfolio. Create a gallery for “Open House Art” so they know where to find the photo(s) they were drawn to on display.

Product and marketing shots for vendors.

When photographing a property for listing, find out who the vendors that worked on the house are.

• Landscapers
• Masonry companies
• Interior decorators
• Pool companies
• Etc….

Each of these companies has to advertise, update portfolios, and showcase work samples, and many forget to do this regularly. While you’re taking photos, snap a couple pro shots with these vendors in mind. (This could be updated patios, the staging of the home, and even a nicely trimmed lawn with flowers.)

Process the photos (and remember to add your watermark for protection), then send sample images to the respective companies along with a link to your portfolio.

Create fine art to sell.

Some real estate photographers like to create creative and evocative images within the homes they’re hired to shoot. As long as there are no restrictions in your contract, why not take advantage of a beautifully staged home for some fine art photography? 

Show up for golden hour to capture natural light coming through a window, or a scenic sunset over the back yard. Work on your food photography with that beautifully renovated kitchen as a backdrop. Your options are endless.

Making money with real estate photography doesn’t end with snapping photos of the house—it becomes a lead magnet for you to earn revenue in multiple ways. And if you’re not currently securing your images from theft and selling prints, give SmugMug a try for free by clicking here.

Whether you’re offering keepsakes to holiday portrait clients, or specialty items to art fans, we’ve taken the guesswork out of choosing which items to offer in your store beyond those gorgeous prints. How, you ask? With DATA. 

We’ve taken the most commonly searched-for items and terms to help you pick and choose just what you’d like to feature this holiday season. Beef up your photography packages, list these items front and center in your shop, and feature them in customer gift guides or newsletters for a gift that will delight your customers and their families.

Photo gift #1: Magnets.

We know that photo magnets are always a big seller for portrait clients. But just how popular are they? By using Google data we can find out, down to the sizes people commonly search for.  Here’s how many people search for photo magnets by month:

• 8x10 photo magnet - 6,600 monthly searches
• photo magnets - 4,400 monthly searches
• photo fridge magnets - 720 monthly searches

There are over 6,000 people every month searching for 8x10 photo magnets, so that’s an easy win right there. Try using a smaller size in your photo packages, and offer the more in-demand size to your clients as an upsell! Or you could offer discounts on orders including multiple sizes to capitalize on a diverse range of magnet options.

Photo gift #2: Mugs.

Another holiday classic, photo mugs are a popular search term. Here’s what they look like by the numbers: 

• photo mugs - 3,600 monthly searches
• photo coffee mugs - 1,000 monthly searches
• custom photo mug - 880 monthly searches

The word "custom" here is sneaky: It could mean someone is looking to upload their own image to the coffee mug. As a photographer that’s not going to build your business. But if you primarily do retouching work, it could be an ideal offering!

Like magnets, mugs are a popular item you can benefit from featuring front-and-center in your store. They work nicely as upsell items in your photo packages, too.

Photo gift #3: Stocking stuffers and wrappable wonders.

The numbers don’t lie: People love their keepsakes. Here are a couple other options that came up in our research:

• photo mouse pad - 1,000 monthly searches
• photo puzzle gift - 880 monthly searches
• photo collage gifts - 720 monthly searches

While these may seem like small potatoes in comparison with your first two options, we included the word “photo” in each of these for specificity. If we take that away, you get a bigger picture of the kinds of demand you can tailor your offerings toward:

• jigsaw puzzle - 165,000 monthly searches
• playing cards - 49,500 monthly searches
• mouse pad - 40,500 monthly searches
• coasters - 33,100 monthly searches
• coffee mug - 27,100 monthly searches
• postcards - 18,100 monthly searches
• keepsake frames - 18,100 monthly searches
• keepsake box - 8,100 monthly searches
• refrigerator magnet - 5,400 monthly searches

Each of these photo gifts offers an opportunity to sell your photos, you’ve just gotta get creative with your messaging: “A photo mousepad is a great way to make sure your favorite vacation memories are always with you at the office.” “Playing cards featuring your photos make great stocking stuffers, and will always spark conversation around the card table!” etc.

By including some of these popular items in your store, or featuring them as add-ons during the checkout process, you can inspire your customers to go the extra mile—and make an extra sale in the process.

Happy selling!

As a creative professional, it can sometimes be a challenge to treat your work as a business. Taking photographs is a form of self-expression and a personal passion, and that can muddy the primary goal of making a living. In this article, we’ve set out a financial management roadmap, to help set you and your photography business up for success.

First: How to price yourself properly.

Pricing yourself as a photographer is challenging, whether you’ve been in the business for one year or twenty. Taking the time to ensure you're pricing your work appropriately and budgeting carefully is absolutely essential to your success. 

But never fear! There are some simple considerations that can make your life a whole lot easier when it comes to pricing your services, or when to adjust your pricing. They are:

1. Costs of running your photography business
2. Costs of goods or services 
3. Costs of your time and labor
4. Your desired profit
5. Taxes

It may sound intimidating, but let's dive into each of these a little deeper.

1. ‍Costs associated with running your photography business: These are the nuts and bolts of your business.
   • Equipment costs - your owned gear, rented gear (remember to include wear and tear and repair/replacement into your estimate!).
   • Office/studio costs - if you work from home, estimate the square footage of your work space and include that, or your office/studio rent (as well as utilities).
   • Marketing costs - the cost of your SmugMug subscription, paid advertisement, business cards, etc.‍
2. ‍Costs of goods and/or services: These are the services you outsource. Think photo storage, printing, order delivery (all included in a SmugMug subscription, of course), as well as bookkeeping and other organizational tools. If you are in the business of selling your prints, creating photo bundles and packages is an important part of your pricing. 
3. Costs of your time and labor: Here’s where the rubber meets the road. When considering how you price your time and labor, do your homework!‍
   • ‍Place yourself in the competitive market. This takes some research but is a good starting place for making this important decision. Research working photographers in your area, ideally within your niche, and find out what they are charging. Try to aim somewhere in the middle – don’t price yourself at the low end of the market, but also don’t price yourself at the top. It can also be smart to choose a range of pricing to allow for some flexibility in terms of client budgets.‍
   • Estimate your personal value, based on experience. This is tough because it’s subjective, but try to be as objective as you can. Take into account how long you’ve been at it and what your strengths and weaknesses are. Take into account the quality of the gear you work with, and how quickly you turn around images. If you are in the commercial sector, take into account the caliber of clients, and brand equity of your clients. And never work for free.‍
   • Remember to never undervalue your own time. If you undervalue your time, clients and customers are likely to do the same. When estimating your time on a project, include the time not spent behind the camera: pre-production, traveling, client meetings, set up and take down, that’s all time you should be incorporating into your fees.
4. Your desired profit: This is where you decide on your own personal profit margin, which should come on top of your time and labor costs.
   • How much money would you like to make off a single project? Are you charging hourly, or a flat rate? It will vary project to project and shoot to shoot, so make sure to think it through on a case by case basis, and don’t hesitate to consult your network for insights.
   • How will your photos be used? Should you charge extra for that? To help you get started, use these helpful calculators created by The Association of Photographers and Getty. 
5. Taxes: everyone’s favorite financial topic!
   • We’re no tax experts, but you know who are? Accountants. If you’re serious about running a photography business, you owe it to yourself to hire an expert. And if you’re not at the stage where you’re ready to take that plunge, at least check out this handy guide from our friends at F-Stoppers. At the bare minimum, remember: set aside money from each paycheck to make sure you have enough money to pay your taxes!

Next: A little thing called P&L.

A good place to go next when managing your business finances is your profit and loss statement, also known as an income statement, or P&L. You’ve done all the hard work above, so a P&L is just a helpful document to make sure you’re on track. Put simply, your P&L is your business’s revenue (often referred to as the top line), followed by your costs, or operating expenses (studio rent, payroll, travel expenses, gear rentals, insurance, etc). The difference between your total revenue and your total expenses (also known as the bottom line) is your net income, or profit.

The more you are able to update your P&L statement, the easier it will be. At the very least, we recommend doing this quarterly, especially if you are filing your taxes as a sole proprietor (because you’ll be filing every quarter). Without tracking your revenue and expenses, you won’t know if you’re making a profit, so it’s a crucial step in running a successful photography business.

Lastly, and ongoing: Stay organized!

In order to sustainably and accurately manage your finances, it is important to stay organized. There are endless ways to do this, but for simplicity’s sake, we picked our top three.

1. Separate your money. In order to properly keep track of your business P&L, you need to separate your business finances from your personal finances. Open a business checking account, where you will deposit all revenue from your photography business, as well as pay any employees from (and manage business expenses, if you choose not to use a credit card). If you want to build credit, a Business Credit Card can be where you track all business expenses – not to mention a great way to accrue points! Pull at least 20% of your earnings into a Business Savings account to make sure you have enough money to pay your taxes when the time comes.
2. Define your payment policies (and methods), have them clearly stated on both your website and invoice template, and most importantly, stick to them. Decide which payment methods you accept, what your terms of payment are, set a security deposit percentage, and if you handle refunds or not. Don’t leave any room for confusion or misinterpretation.
3. Invest in management software. Using accounting software (like Quickbooks) and customer relationship management (CRM) software (like Paypal) to auto-populate your books and invoices will free up your precious and limited time for more important things, like getting more clients!

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Managing the finances of your photography business is no easy task, and like the market itself, your finances are not fixed, they are in constant flux and so your pricing is something that will need to be adjusted and reevaluated periodically to reflect that. We are confident, though, that taking the above steps will get you started on your way to growing a successful photography business!

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What’s New

Our main focus is on supercharging your photos and your photo business, and this month, we’ve made two major strides to do just that. We’re continuing to invest in areas that will help you increase sales, interact with your customers more easily, and manage your business more effectively.

• We've launched a new print lab partner: Fujifilm. This print lab is now available as an excellent choice for our Pro and Portfolio subscribers. All Basic and Power subscribers outside of EMEA (Europe, Middle East, & Africa) region have been transitioned to Fujifilm for processing their prints. Fujifilm is also now the supplier for all Keepsakes in these areas. Within EMEA, Loxley is the default lab. Key benefits to you and your customers include:
  • Fujifilm has labs all over the world, which will result in quicker and cheaper shipping for international customers. 
  • Access to high-quality prints and products at a cheaper price, meaning more profit for you AND more affordable prices for your customers.
• Introducing our new image processing engine! While everything on the surface remains familiar, we've meticulously upgraded our backend to ensure that your images are processed and presented with the highest quality. This improvement allows us to stay ahead of the curve and seamlessly support the latest advancements in camera technology, so you can continue to showcase your work at its best.

What’s Changed

• We updated Photo Sites to improve usability on mobile and tablet devices by optimizing space and standardizing action placements. For Pro and Portfolio users, Gallery Engagement Stats have been moved to the overflow menu for easier access. These changes enhance the user experience and prepare the platform for future mobile-friendly updates.
• We streamlined the Customizer by removing non-functional Buy Button customization options, making it easier for you to focus on the features that work seamlessly and enhance your store's appearance.
• We improved the download size label for Original-sized photos by including the image dimensions. This provides your buyers with more precise information about the actual size and quality of the photo they are purchasing, helping them make more informed decisions and ensuring they know exactly what to expect with their purchase.
• Android release 4.9.0
  • The option to create a folder is now visually disabled when you reach the maximum nesting depth, preventing you from going through the unnecessary steps only to encounter an error. This change saves you time and avoids frustration by making it clear upfront when further nesting isn’t possible.
  • We upgraded our video playback system by migrating to Google’s new Media3 library, providing you with improved video playback. This update not only elevates your current viewing experience but also readies our platform to leverage future improvements and features.
• iOS release 4.11.11
  • We upgraded the Auto-Upload experience by improving how failed uploads are managed, guaranteeing that your files are reliably uploaded without requiring extra effort from you when something goes wrong.
  • The RAW button that toggles the display of RAW/non-RAW assets in the asset picker has been removed, streamlining your asset selection process and reducing potential confusion when managing your files.
• iOS release 4.11.12
  • We fixed an issue where the upload and filter options would disappear when switching tabs and returning to Photos. Now, these essential tools are always visible, making for a smoother and more consistent workflow when managing your images.

Bug Fixes

We have an unrelenting commitment to addressing problems that impact you and your customers. Here’s a list of the issues we resolved this month: 

• Resolved an issue where users trying to checkout with PayPal were redirected back to the payment method page and had to re-enter their details.
• Corrected the shopping flow so that choosing "Select All" now properly selects all available images.
• Addressed a problem that prevented products from being added to the cart in some unlisted galleries.
• Eliminated the incorrect low-resolution warning on some proof delay orders.
• Ensured that original resolution photos are no longer mistakenly included in visitor downloads when photos are collected from galleries with different maximum display size settings. This issue was promptly resolved and affected only a small number of customers.
• Improved accessibility by adding alt tags to spacer images used in our UI.
• Updated the system to properly save changes made to a pricelist title and enhanced error messaging for common scenarios.
• Fixed a bug where zooming in and out on an image on larger iPhones caused other UI elements to shift across the screen.
• Clarified error messages by correcting the “invalid video codec” alert when an uploaded video does not meet minimum size requirements.
• Removed a restriction that prevented users from downloading from some password-protected galleries.

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Being featured in the media—think local news, magazines, etc.—is one of the best things you can do to boost your brand. The increased reach of your photography brings customers to your doorstep, and strengthens your credibility in the process. And it’s easier than you think! In this article, we’ll discuss how to get your photos in the local spotlight.

Step 1: Organize opportunities by subject and season.

Almost all local magazines, newspapers, and news stations have seasonal features. From special bridal editions, to holiday events, farmer’s markets, sports spectaculars, and more, each feature is an opportunity for photographers to find their niche. 

To start, subscribe to the publications you’d love to be featured in, and keep track of themes they cover each year. Most publications have digital archives, which will make your job a LOT easier.

Keep an eye out for a theme where your photography would be a hit:

• Travel season and capturing memories
• Weddings and brides
• Holiday events and planning
• Best of Your City
• Cool jobs and employment trends
• Arts and city life

And keep in mind that every one of these is looking for subject matter experts, in addition to photographers!

Step 2: Tailor a portfolio to showcase your best.

Now comes the fun part: before you reach out to these media outlets, be sure you’ve got a pitch polished. First, put your subject-relevant photography front-and-center on your portfolio or website. Then start thinking of relevant skills you bring to the table to make working with you even more enticing for a media outlet. For example:

• Bridal photographers: You’ve probably got a pretty good idea of the trends! Fabrics, venues, colors, decor—talk up your knowledge of all that goes into making a great wedding shoot. ‍
• Portrait photographers: You’re an expert on how to make sure a holiday, seasonal, or graduation shoot goes off without a hitch. Poses, seasonal themes, and holiday decor  are just the beginning. ‍
• Food photographers: Chances are you’re up-close and personal not just with the food, but the chefs and restaurateurs behind it. Tout your bon appetit bonafides about ingredients, food styling, and more to attract future clients. ‍
• Event photographers: Races, parades, and farmers markets are just a few of the opportunities for an enterprising photographer to document–and as an expert, you’ll have the best suggestions for how to make the most of these events. ‍
• Fashion photographers: Fashion weeks are huge productions, and you’re on the inside when you photograph the events. Because you’ve been there, you can help to identify trends based on personal experience.

You can even supplement your expertise with blog posts that make clear you know the business, while also being helpful to visitors. Let’s use a fashion week as an example. 

If you know color theory and fabric history, you can showcase fashion week photos and walk through the current trends and why they’re on top. Then you can share accessible ways to incorporate these trends into a shoot, plus give tips for getting the best shots for selfies, social media, and family memories.  

This kind of content boosts your credibility AND your accessibility, making you the ideal person to work with a media outlet.

Step 3: Find the right people to pitch.

Now that your portfolio and pitch are polished, it’s time to reach out. Here are two strategies to get you started.

‍Strategy 1: The publications you know

You’ve already done the homework of finding publications who promote events around your photo expertise, so now it’s time to get in touch! Take that handy list of subscriptions you’ve got and start noting the names of the authors and the editorial team. If they list an email address, even better, but if not, no worries! Most publications have a general information contact to get you started.

Once you’ve got the contact info in hand, draft your email: Make clear who you are, why you’re writing, and what makes you the one for the job. Be sure to ask questions that show you’ve done your homework. Just like you appreciate someone who’s taken the time to look through your portfolio, writers and editors appreciate when you know their background.

Reference past themes you found interest in (and even authors by name, if you’ve found someone on staff with a solid publishing record on the topic), and get the details you’d need to participate in the future, like: 

• When they begin on the issue
• Who the best person is to submit to, or the best place to send ideas and portfolios to
• If they are currently looking for subject matter experts for relevant upcoming features

This gives you the ability to plan ahead, fine tune your pitch, and submit it when they need it so it does not go into a pile or miss the deadline. Timing is everything.

‍Strategy 2: The publications you *don’t* know

This may sound basic, but trust us: Go to Google and type “(Your City) + (Your Subject Expertise) + Photographers” and click on “News”.  This will immediately give you a list of media companies talking about your topic of choice in the city you’re located. Then hone this list by “date” (under “tools”) and you’re left with a list of the most recent articles, published in your area, about your subject expertise.

Chances are you’ll find a lot of publications you already took care of in Strategy 1, but you’re likely to find some overlooked opportunities as well. 

Step 4: Keep track!

For both of these strategies, it can be useful to make a spreadsheet for ease of reference—and to make sure you’re not repeating any pitches too soon. Here’s an idea of how yours could look:

• Column A is the publication name.
• Column B is the editor or author.
• Column C the email or contact information for the editor or author.
• Column D is the URL or date of publications for the article so you can reference it.
• Column E is when you last reached out to them.
• Column F is how that outreach went. 

However you keep track, just be sure you’ve got a solid way to remember who you’ve already pitched to, when you pitched, and if you heard back from them. This way you can make sure you don’t double pitch or repeat yourself.

Being featured as an expert in the media is one of the best ways to build trust for your photography business and grow your customer base. And as a bonus: once you’re featured, why not start a “featured in” banner on your website with publisher logos? Show off those credentials. You earned them!

We’re always looking for new ways to power the business of photography. In the coming year, there are six key areas we’re focusing on that should give you and your business some jet fuel. Here’s what to look forward to in 2024 and 2025: 

1. Faster photo delivery.

We consistently hear that capitalizing on recency and emotion is key to maximizing sales after a photo event. That’s why we’re planning to offer additional ways for you to upload and deliver faster. Whether it’s utilizing new technology like our recent integration with Fujifilm that allows you to upload to SmugMug straight from your camera, or improving the efficiency of your post-shoot workflow, our goal is to help you get your photos in front of your clients as fast as possible.

2. New marketing opportunities.

Marketing is more than just getting people in the front door (or to your homepage), and we’ve got some exciting developments in the works to help you keep your customers coming back for more. First on that list is our recent addition to the shopping experience: When your customers leave an unpurchased item in their shopping cart, we’ve built a helpful reminder email that’s currently driving up to 30% more sales. Next up: we’re working on solutions to increase your average order value (AOV) and let you engage more consistently with customers before, during, and after their shoot.

3. Helping your buyers find their photos faster.

It’s hard to go anywhere these days without engaging in or overhearing a conversation about AI. Its rapid development is causing this exciting new technology to become foundational in our everyday lives. AI has many relevant applications in the photography world. One very clear example is in image recognition. As a customer arriving at a photo gallery with hundreds, sometimes thousands of images, finding the photos they’re most interested in can be a challenge. That’s why we’re planning new ways to help your customers quickly take advantage of AI and image recognition to find their photos in seconds, which leads to more sales for you.

4. Improving the customer buying experience. 

We’ve already made some large strides in this area in the past year with a modern update to the product selection flow, improving your customer’s access to Packages and Gallery Downloads, providing the ability to purchase Packages on mobile devices, and partnering with a new print lab, Fujifilm. Planned future updates include support for even faster payment for customers via Apple Pay and Google Pay.

5. Improved fulfillment of digital downloads.

It should come as no surprise that in the world of photography, digital is now king. This doesn’t just refer to cameras - digital downloads are far-and-away the most popular purchase option now as customers seek more flexible ways to buy and share photos. Digital files present ease of sharing, flexibility for printing, and a low footprint way to preserve memories for a lifetime. Knowing this, there are a number of ways we plan to improve the experience related to the fulfillment of downloads. When someone downloads a photo from you, it should be easy and fast, no matter what device they’re on.

6. Better access to data.

Understanding sales data can be crucial for growing your business. With over 20 years of sales data and experience under our belt, we plan to provide you more comprehensive insights. The goal is to empower you to make informed decisions, invest wisely in your business, identify profitable niches and optimize pricing strategies - all to ensure you maximize your revenue. 

Backlinks are a link from someone else’s website to yours, and they’re one of the best ways to grow your photography business. Why? They’re a vital part of SEO (search engine optimization) that helps your business show up when local people are looking for photographers and prints. And backlinks do more for your business than just SEO.

Being featured on another website helps build your brand because it shows that another business trusts you enough to send people your way. But getting backlinks can be tricky, so we contacted photographer and SEO expert Adam Riemer to share some of the tips he uses with photography clients to get good quality backlinks.

Before we share the strategies, it’s important to note that not all backlinks are good for your business. If the backlink is something anyone could get (like a link from a social media profile or post) it won’t help you with SEO. It’s also a good idea to avoid reciprocal, link-for-link schemes and paying for backlinks. These could get your site penalized which can devastate your growth potential. 

Penalized in Google terms means they take an action on your website so it can no longer show up in Google searches.  More severe penalties will prevent you from showing up for your own brand name, lesser ones will make it so you only show up for your brand name and not phrases like “photographer near me” or “landscape wall art”.  The penalties can be either algorithmic or manual with manual being the more severe.

You can find manual penalties by logging into Google search console.  Algorithmic are only detectable by using the traffic reports inside search console.  You’ll see a drop or no more traffic for your website for non-branded phrases.  Branded phrases are your photography business’s name or your own name as the photographer.  Non-branded are the larger ones that customers who haven’t learned about you yet use to find art, studio photographers, product and corporate photographers, workshops, and more.

When you build a backlink there are two rules of thumb to follow:

1. Is your target audience on the website?  If not, then the traffic coming through the link won’t convert, and you could have spent time focusing on traffic that will grow your business.
2. Is the website topically relevant to your niche?  The content within the pages where your backlink appears should connect with what you do. For example: A pet photographer might want to seek out backlink opportunities from local pet-focused businesses like vets, pet supply stores, and grooming parlors.

With these in mind, let's jump into building backlinks for photographers. 

Strategy 1: Speak at local photography events.

Local photography events tend to promote their lineups ahead of time, and if you’re on the list, this is a prime opportunity to reference your portfolio site and get a backlink. As a bonus, when popular photography and media websites reference your business, this signals to search engines that your site is also about photography, which can boost your appearance in search.

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Strategy 2: Teach at local schools and community centers.

Besides the reward of sharing your hard-earned skillset with a new generation of photographers, teaching can help you generate valuable backlinks, too. Check your local high schools, universities, and community centers for opportunities to guest lecture. When you get included in course descriptions and syllabi, make sure to provide a link to your site. If you want to get even more links, try generating resources for your courses that are hosted on your site. As educational institutions provide links to these resources for ease of access, you’ll get a helpful boost to your site’s SEO in the process. 

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Strategy 3: Get involved in charitable causes.

Like teaching, supporting charitable causes is its own reward. But as a photography business, you can also make sure you’re putting your business out there to be discovered. Look for opportunities to provide pro-bono photography services at local events, and when you do, be sure to provide links for the event’s sponsors, vendors, or contributing businesses pages. 

Because you’re a photographer, you have a distinct advantage for many charitable events—people will want the photos you took during the event, especially if you volunteered at a photo booth! This can be a great way to establish contacts for future customers as well. Just request an email address so you can send people their photos directly.

If you have the opportunity to specify, ask the event organizer to link to your homepage off of your company name so that attendees can see all the photos you took. Every little bit of name recognition helps when it comes to SEO. 

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Strategy 4: Give usage rights to media companies.

As journalists and bloggers create content, they’re looking for original artwork to accompany their articles. Offering images to news sites and industry blogs in exchange for citations and sources is a great way to get featured. 

For example, if you’re a bird photographer, offer your images to audubon societies and bird bloggers in exchange for backlinks. This builds your brand, gives you exposure, and drives leads to your site. Who knows, you may sell some prints, too!

Pro Tip: Linking your SmugMug site directly from your photograph can boost your discoverability . 

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Strategy 5: Help other businesses shine.

If you’re a wedding photographer, you see a LOT of behind the scenes action. From flower arrangements to food, to the DJ setting up these are opportunities to capture moments that show the hard work that goes into the entire production. If you have the time before or after your shoot, capture portfolio-worthy product and entertainment shots from other vendors.  

Next, let these vendors know you got some spectacular shots of them at work, and provide a business card or QR code so they can visit your site. If they like your work, propose a trade: they get updated photography, you get a solid backlink, and everyone wins. And this applies to all types of photographers! Wherever you’re shooting next, keep an eye out for other businesses that could benefit from your photography skills, and show them what you can do for them.

As a photography business, you’re in a unique position to generate powerful backlinks for your business, boosting your SEO, raising your profile, and strengthening your brand. Hopefully with these strategies in mind, you’ll be top of the charts in no time.

There is a balance for most photographers when it comes to selling photos while protecting their brand and photo aesthetic. Since your gorgeous images speak for themselves, it’s up to you to make sure the words you use on your portfolio website are speaking to a wide range of audiences. 

While art patrons and loyal followers may want all the details about your photos—like inspiration, location, and how you Got the Shot—some consumers passing by may simply be looking for a perfect piece of art for their home or office. This second audience is often overlooked, and connecting with them is what we’ll be talking about today.

What’s in a (gallery) name?

Photography shoppers often know which room of their home or office they want to decorate, but they may not be sure what to put there.  Fortunately, you know just where your photos will look their best. By tweaking your gallery names (or creating specific, purpose-built galleries), you can guide customers to help streamline their decision-making—and ensure they get your best work for their needs.

For example, you could build galleries by room and function in the household: “Kitchen Compliments,” “Office Decor,” “Living Room Centerpieces,” etc..  As a bonus, you can even subdivide these by types of decor to give you an SEO boost and refine customer choices even further. (e.g. yourdomain.com/kitchens/farmhouse or yourdomain.com/kitchens/modern.)

Want to lead with aesthetics? Easy! Just swap the order and group your galleries first by style, then by room. Either way, you’ll be guiding your customers to the gold.

Don’t forget photo descriptions!

Once your customers arrive at a chosen photo, don’t stop there! Hit them with the power of words one more time by providing a tailor-made description of the photo and setting: “With this photo on your kitchen wall, you’ll practically hear the crash of waves and feel like you’re on vacation every morning.”

Many photo website builders like ours here at SmugMug allow for unique descriptions for categories, galleries, and individual photos—not to mention easy tagging for simple search. If you’re not already a customer, click here to try us for free.

Know your audience.

Does your photography fit best in the documentary or adventure category? If so, your albums might be better suited to include straight-forward titles and descriptions, like the Who What and Where. We know getting creative with naming can be fun, but it’s important to remember your audience, and if you shoot strictly landscape, it might be smart to stick to location titles to better help your customers find what they’re looking for. It’s also a good way for potential customers to find you! For more information on clever ways to help customers find you using words, check out our guide to SEO for photographers.

At SmugMug, we’re always looking to improve your experience and provide you with the best tools and services to preserve, show off, and sell your photography. So without further ado, please help us give a warm welcome to our newest lab partner, world-renowned leader in photo printing and imaging solutions, Fujifilm!

Why Fujifilm?

For over almost a century, Fujifilm has been at the cutting edge of innovation and excellence in the world of photography. Known for their high-quality prints and state-of-the-art technology, Fujifilm shares our commitment to delivering the best possible products to photographers of all kinds.

What this means for you.

SmugMug users will now have access to Fujifilm’s state-of-the-art printing services. Here are some of the exciting features you have to look forward to:

• Premium quality: Enjoy vibrant, true-to-life colors and stunning detail in every print. Fujifilm uses advanced printing technology to ensure your photos are dressed to impress.
• Wide range of products: From classic photo prints to mugs, canvas prints, and even tote bags and pillows, Fujifilm offers a diverse selection of products to suit all your printing needs.
• Easy integration: Ordering is just as easy as its always been. With seamless integration into your SmugMug workflow, you can select your favorite photos, choose your products, and place your order—all from the SmugMug platform.‍
• Fast and reliable service: Fujifilm is known for their fast turnaround times and reliable delivery, ensuring you receive their prints and products quickly and in perfect condition.

Pro Tip: For those who sell photos, check your pricelists and make any adjustments necessary. We are doing our absolute best to make this a smooth addition behind the scenes but we always recommend that you stay in control of your margins and product offerings.

A new chapter in photo printing.

We believe adding Fujifilm will help you improve your photography and your business. Whether you’re printing family photos, creating custom gifts, or setting up a shop for your customers, you can trust that Fujifilm will deliver the highest quality prints and photo products with the care and precision you and your customers deserve.

Thank you for being a part of the SmugMug community. Cheers to a new lab partner, and a new chapter.

Happy printing!

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Renowned photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson once said your first 10,000 pictures are your worst, but we gathered a few tips from pro photographers to make the journey to honing your craft a little quicker.

Here are the top tips from pro photographers:

1. Leave it to f/8.

Without delving into details about optics and light paths, your lens has a sharpest point within its aperture range. The largest and smallest ends of that range are the softest, and f/8—which is in the middle—is where you’ll most often get the sharpest images. This does vary by lens, so we recommend shooting some test shots to find your lens’ sweet spot. Once you’ve got that dialed in, experiment at different apertures to see how each f-stop affects your image.

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2. When in doubt, crop it.

In the world of photography, you have probably heard a lot about getting the image right straight out of camera, or SOOC. And there’s wisdom to that thinking. You don’t want to “fix it in post” if you can save yourself time by getting the shot right in-frame. But cropping your photo after the fact to create a better, stronger composition is a quick and easy way to improve an image after it’s taken.  

Maybe there was a fence in your way that prevented you from getting closer to the shot, or perhaps you were capturing a split-second street shot and didn’t have time to change your lens. Either way, it’s your artistic decision to improve a composition with a little post-process cropping. And unless you tell someone you cropped, no one will ever know! Consider it a trade secret.

Pro Tip: You don’t have to crop your photos before you upload them to SmugMug. Use built-in photo tools to crop your images, or copy a photo and crop the copy so you can compare it to the original and see which you like best.

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3. Take gear for a test drive.

You don’t have to own the gear to shoot with the gear. Can’t afford to drop $16K on an 800mm lens to shoot the next game? No problem: pay a pittance to rent one for the time you need, then send it back and call it a job well done. This is also a great way to test out new gear you might be considering for your full-time kit. Not sure if that 85mm f/1.2 is worth the extra dough? Rent it and try it out. A small upfront investment can save you a big financial headache down the line.

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4. Polish in post production.

While getting photos right SOOC (straight out of the camera) is good practice, it’s rare that a photo looks better unedited than edited. Even a perfectly-lit, powerfully-composed photo can benefit from a few finishing tweaks to the white balance and saturation to make it pop—especially if you shoot in RAW. Think that sunset shot couldn’t get any better? Give it a boost in post and see what happens. 

Pro Tip: You’ve got color effects available in SmugMug's photo tools. Or you can take your editing a step further with Lightroom and publish the results directly to SmugMug without ever leaving the program.

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5. It's okay to make mistakes.

Backlit subject? High-contrast sunset? White dress, red wall? These scenarios (and countless more) can throw a wrench into your shoot, but you can still capture the photos you want with practice. Study hard, stay inspired, experiment, and make mistakes—lots of mistakes. Then learn how to fix them. Try using a fill light for that backlit subject. Experiment with a neutral-density filter during that sunset. Move your model or your lights farther away from that red wall. Discovering what doesn’t work will help you learn what does work, and will result in better photos—and technique—in the future.

Pro Tip: You’re not alone! Chances are another photographer out there has run into the same challenge you have. If you’re struggling to find a solution, don’t hesitate to consult the Internet for answers. SmugMug also has some great resources in the Development Lab.

If you find yourself glued to your camera seven days a week, it might be time to shake up your photography-pricing game.

Whether you're snapping shots at events, welcoming clients into your studio, or selling your art, the eternal question remains: How much should you charge, and when should you change your rates? And when you do decide to tweak your pricing, how do you figure out the magic number?

Here are five telltale signs it's time to adjust your photography prices (up or down!), along with some advice on how much to adjust them and how to break the news to your clients.‍

5. Your schedule is packed.

If your calendar's bursting at the seams, it's a surefire sign you're the go-to photographer in town—or beyond. And if you're having to turn clients away, that's your cue to start thinking about raising your rates.

It can be difficult to increase prices immediately, so send an email to past clients and current leads to give them a heads-up that your rates are about to change. You can also post to your social-media accounts to let people book holidays or occasions in advance.

When it comes to how much to adjust your prices, let demand be your guide. If you have a large waitlist, consider a higher amount, such as 50%. If your waitlist is shorter or you have a regular influx of leads, try a lower amount: 20% for a trickle of new leads, or 35% if you're swimming in inquiries. You can always increase later if your calendar stays booked.‍

Pro tip: Don’t panic if a few clients complain. Even if a handful jump ship, remember that a 20% price increase means more cash in your pocket and more time to savor that work–life balance.

4. Print sales are in a slump.

If you’ve noticed print sales are slowing and seasonal spikes are down, it may be a good time to think about reducing prices. But that isn’t your only option.

Try creating a photo package where people save 20% if they buy multiple prints or sizes. If you have an email list, try sending a custom deal to previous customers and share new photos you think will sell. These short-term fixes can help tide you over until demand picks back up.

If you discover your market is saturated, a price reduction may be the solution while you expand your reach to new customers or open shop in another market or niche. Don’t panic! Every photographer hits a dry spell now and then.

3. Your costs are creeping up.

Costs to run a business can always increase—sometimes unexpectedly. A landlord could increase your rent. Gear breaks. Clients demand new trends that require new equipment. 

If you’re scared to do an increase across the board, start small. Try selecting only a couple of offerings or tossing in a few add-ons to sweeten the deal, like bonus prints or limited-edition backdrops. Or change up your portrait sessions with some fun props. Not only will it add value to each session, it can also make you a trendsetter in your market.

‍Pro tip: When adding bonus prints, focus on lower-cost items that clients perceive as high value, such as upgrading the print size or material type. Metal, wood, and acrylic prints all offer an extra special touch to meaningful photos.

2. You’re a rising star.

Getting featured in glossy mags? Picking up steam on social media? That extra boost to your brand can mean big money.

Before you increase your prices, update your portfolio to feature the images that took off and brought you recognition. You’ll also want to reference them on your homepage and potentially add an “as seen in” section with logos. Remind folks that you're the mastermind behind the trend—and why they should be booking you.

‍Pro tip: If your photos are being featured across the web, ask site editors if they can link your art or name to your portfolio. Not only will this help potential clients find you more easily, it can also help boost your search-engine optimization.

‍1. You’re overworked, and everyone else is charging more.

The biggest sign it’s time to increase the price of your photography services is when you’re overworked, facing burnout, and notice everyone else is priced above you. 

To figure out your fair market value, start by scoping out the competition. Check out what other photographers in your league are charging, factoring in everything from experience to turnaround times:

• Accolades
• Equipment
• Experience
• Skill levels
• Turnaround times for deliverables
• Locations (by transportation or available parking)
• Reputation

Now pick a price that's in the middle of the pack—or maybe a bit higher. You’ll be making more per session, so even if a few clients leave you’ll still be making the same or more as you were—and you’ll have reclaimed a part of your life. 

Knowing when to change your photography pricing is half the battle. Knowing by how much and if it should be permanent is the next. Once you recognize the signs, the rest becomes easy.

What’s new.

• We've given our iOS app a tune-up with more modernized code, ensuring a smoother experience for you. Also enjoy sleeker navigation with updated overflow menus that make it even easier to find your way around the app.
• Our Android app is now updated to Android 14, keeping you in sync with the latest API changes behind the scenes. We've also updated our multi-factor authentication (MFA) log-in messaging, providing a direct link to our help page for any assistance you might need.
• For Android TV users, we've revamped the "Slideshow Display Time" option to provide a better navigation experience with clear focus indicators.

What’s changed.

• We're continuing to enhance your browsing privacy when it comes to dependency on cookies. As a result, dragging and dropping directly into a gallery to upload is no longer supported, but you can still enjoy a smooth uploading (and drag-and-drop) experience through our upload interface.
• We’ve been hard at work behind the scenes to enhance our backup strategy to continually safeguard your precious photos.
• You’ll also notice a more streamlined experience across our mobile web and native apps.

Bug fixes.

• Enjoy a smoother shopping experience, with fixes for unlisted galleries not showing items in the shopping cart, password-protected galleries being able to access the shopping cart, and themed messages when there are "No Products Available" for purchase.
• Your gallery feature image will now display the correct image when posting to Facebook.
• The Safari browser no longer interferes with creating QR codes on a custom domain.
• Fixed the ability for assistants to download single images from the Organizer and removed their ability to access sales history.
• Bulk-gallery changes will no longer flash a misleading error message when the changes work.
• Our iOS app also received a lot of love, bringing back the "Move" option to the overflow menu for easier navigation and providing bug-free downloads after swiping through the Lightbox or via multi-select.
• We also cleared the auto-upload errors related to too little space or gallery limits being exceeded.
• We fixed video-playback issues in the iOS mobile browser to ensure you no longer get only audio.

Stay tuned for more exciting improvements!

Sports photography isn’t easy. Often done on a speculative basis, success only comes with a great marketing plan, a solid business plan, and a lot of hard work before, during, and after the game. We gathered a few tips to help make the process from shot to sale easier.

‍Getting the shot.

Face. Contact. Action. Ball. These are the elements of a great sports photograph. Your ability to get the shot—in sports photography more than any other field—requires more than “f/8 and be there.” Equipment matters since you very likely won’t be able to control the light. Here are a few recommendations:

• Camera body with the ability to shoot multiple frames per second
• Clean high ISO for low-light shooting
• Telephoto lens with a large maximum aperture (fast glass)
• Monopod
• Accreditation and/or permission to shoot the sport

‍1. Know your sport.

The ability to anticipate where the action will be, to predict the drama by understanding the rules and rulings, to be prepared for the ecstasy and agony of the competitors are what will set you apart as a sports photographer.

‍2. Fill your frame with action.

Minimize distracting backgrounds. Choose the right depth of field. Make sure the play or the player is your subject. Shoot tight, crop tighter.

3. Pick the right shutter speed.

In general, you’ll want to freeze the action, so your shutter will need to be fast. If motion blur is desirable to help convey the story or set the mood, a slower shutter speed may work, but you’ll still need to ensure your shutter speed is fast enough to prevent camera shake.

Pro tip: Your shutter speed needs to be greater than the focal length of the lens. Try shooting in burst mode to ensure you don’t miss any of the action. Using strobes? Balance the flash power against flash duration to freeze the action.

‍4. Get accreditation and/or permission to shoot the sport.

Meet the sports director for the school or club, the president of the booster club, or the director of the league and get their blessing to photograph their players. You should know their needs (yearbook photos, website photos, championship photos, team photos, etc.) and be prepared to include these shots in exchange for the right to photograph the game/league/tournament.

You’ve got the shots, now get the sales.

You probably aren’t expecting to head out, take a bunch of game-day photos, and put them up for sale. While you're perfecting your shooting technique, you should also be putting together a strong business and marketing plan, including building your brand name and recognition, your customer base, and your portfolio.

‍Marketing.

1. Use SmugMug’s drag-and-drop customizability to add your brand to your website. Use sports photos in your portfolio.
2. Make sure your homepage meta description and keywords reflect what you do and where you’re located. Take steps to ensure you can be found in a Google search

At the stadium.

1. Network. You’ll likely start out photographing youth sports. Your sports-team booster club, team manager, and parents are going to be your biggest fans and referral sources, so be sure they know who you are.
2. Business cards and printed material: Create your SmugMug folders or events before games or tournaments and include the URL on your print advertising. Distribute that advertising during the game so people know where to find your photos as soon as they get home.
3. Turn your portfolio shots into print and product samples that show folks what you offer for sale. They're perfect for demonstrating how great their photos will look.
4. If you're working at a tournament or multi-game event, have a display set up on site and show the photos as they come from the field. Generate excitement and get them eager to buy ASAP! Using SmugMug print-credit coupons is a great way to ensure you'll make more sales after the tournament.
5. If you’re submitting photos to wire services, do so at halftime. Sports shooters highly recommend using Photo Mechanic software for the sorting-and-sending process.

After the game.

1. Put your CF card into a card reader and use Lightroom to import and copy the files into a folder (organized by date) on your external hard drive.
2. Use the Lightroom Library module to quickly cull all out-of-focus and otherwise unsellable shots from the set. Mark them rejected by hitting the X key.
3. Use the filter near the search bar at the top of the window to select the rejected-photos flag. Select all the photos in the filmstrip at the bottom and right-click > delete to clear out the rejected images.
4. Add keywords and metadata (copyright information, for example) to the whole set of photos using the Sync function in the Library module.
5. Use the Lightroom Develop module if minor editing, like adjusting exposure or quick cropping, is needed to get the best image possible.
6. Go back to the Library module and set the publish setting File Setting Quality slider to 50%. This keeps your proof images small so you can upload them faster.
7. Select all images to be published.
8. Use the Lightroom SmugMug publish service to create a new gallery on SmugMug and make sure you have proof-delay enabled. Having the images already selected puts them right into that gallery. You’ll be able to configure your gallery settings from within Lightroom, too.
9. Hit the Publish button and watch as Lightroom uploads your selected photos into your new SmugMug gallery.
10. Spread the word that the photos are online and available for purchase. Remember that marketing your work is critical to success. Use email and social media. Make sure you contact your liaison with the team and have them help spread the word, too.
11. Make a sale, and know which photos have been ordered.
12. Open Lightroom and navigate to the published gallery. Find the image your customer bought, open the Develop module, and edit that file for print. Repeat for each ordered image. Those images will be marked for republishing.
13. Open the publish settings and reset the Quality slider to 90% (print quality).
14. Hit the Publish button, which replaces your compressed images with your print-ready files.
15. Go to the SmugMug proof-delay page for the order and click the Release Order button.
16. Write your customer to let them know you’ve reviewed the order and sent it to the lab, and thank them for their support.

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We hope these steps outline an easy strategy to get you started on your way to success in sports photography. Have any tips of your own to share?

Looking to boost your photography business's average order value and make booking appointments a breeze? Crafting the perfect photography package is the key. We've got you covered with this five-step guide that breaks it all down. Plus, we'll sprinkle in some expert tips on how to present your packages to potential and returning clients. Let's dive in!

1. Curate your products.‍

First things first, look at your sales data to see which products are flying off the shelves. Whether it's canvas prints for pawtrait sessions or wallet-size paper prints for senior portraits, tailor your packages to what your clients love.
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Pro tip: Add high-margin items like metal prints or photo books as upsells to specific packages to boost your income and keep your clients happy.

2. Package variety is key.‍

When it comes to package options, three's the magic number. It's enough to offer variety without overwhelming your clients. But hey, if you've got a killer custom bundle in mind, toss in a fourth option for those looking for something extra special. And remember, each package can be tailored to different types of photography, so you're always ready to capture those unforgettable moments.

Here’s an example of offering three different packaging tiers for two different types of photography:

Pro tip: Create unique landing pages for each type of photography you offer to showcase relevant samples of your work to clients and improve your visibility in Google searches.

3. Name your packages.‍

Time to get creative with your package names! Keep it simple with standard labels or jazz things up with a bit of branding. From "Classic Collection" to "Pawsitively Platinum," let your imagination run wild (but not too wild—you want your clients to know what they're getting!).

‍Pro tip: Use themed package names to add personality and create a memorable experience for your clients, like "Hot Cocoa Holiday Specials" for seasonal sessions.

An example of standard package names:

4. Solve the pricing puzzle.‍

Pricing your packages doesn't have to be difficult. Start with a basic formula—think business costs + materials + labor + profit + taxes—and set your pricing based on your margins.

Focus on items with higher margins that are in high demand and aim for a base margin of 50% or higher. For example, if paper printing has a 20% margin and canvas has a 70% margin, include canvas prints in your popular packages to offset lower-margin items. Adjust your package contents to maintain or exceed the 50% margin goal. For instance:

Original package:

• 6 wallet-size paper prints at $10 with a 20% margin ($2)
• 1 8x10 paper print at $20 with a 20% margin ($4)
• 1 24x36 canvas print at $30 with a 70% margin ($21)
  Total margin: 31%

Adjusted package:

• 12 wallet-size paper prints at $20 with a 20% margin ($4)
• 2 8x10 paper prints at $40 with a 20% margin ($8)
• 1 24x36 canvas print at $100 with a 70% margin ($70)
• 1 24x36 metal print at $120 with an 80% margin ($96)
  New total margin: 64%

By making strategic adjustments, you can meet or exceed your margin goal, boosting your profitability.

‍Pro tip: Highlight high-margin items like canvas prints or metal masterpieces in your packages to boost your overall margin and offer added value to your clients.

5. Showcase your packages.‍

Now for the fun part—showing off your photography packages. Whether it's through eye-catching colors, playful fonts, or strategic sizing, make sure your options are front and center.

‍Pro tip: Use design elements like banners or starbursts to draw attention to your best-seller or current promotion and guide clients toward their ideal package.

Here are a few examples of ways to display your photography packages:

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And there you have it—the ultimate guide to crafting, pricing, designing, and showcasing your photography packages. 

Ready to take your business to the next level? Click here to give SmugMug a try for free and revolutionize the way you book clients, sell prints, and share photos securely.

Already followed our recommendations for creating your brand on your SmugMug site? If you're a Power or higher user, we've got another easy way for you to elevate your site's branding. No more boring 404 pages—dress them up with a dash of your personality. It's a simple way to let visitors know they're in good hands.

Customizing your built-in system pages is a subtle touch that can add a bit more character to your brand and, with some clever SEO writing for your SmugMug site, might even give your traffic a little boost. Ready to make your site uniquely yours?

Pages you can customize.

Here's a concise list of system pages you can tweak to match your style. These pages won't appear in your Organizer, so save this reference or keep our handy help link nearby for future styling sessions.

To see these pages on your site now, replace “nickname” in the links below with your SmugMug nickname.

‍404.

• The go-to error page for non-existent destinations on your site.
• Link: https://nickname.smugmug.com/404

Tip: Add a friendly text box to ease visitor frustration and encourage them to reach out for help.

Access denied.

• An error page displayed when someone attempts to access a restricted gallery, folder, or page.
• Link: https://nickname.smugmug.com/access-denied 

Browse.

• A comprehensive page listing all folders on your site; while logged in, unlisted and private folders will also show.
• Link: https://nickname.smugmug.com/browse

Tip: This page comes already linked in our ready-made designs; it’s great for adding content boxes to make browsing easier, like the keyword cloud, map, and timeline search.

‍Client area.

• Exclusively for Portfolio accounts and above, this offers your clients a space to view privately shared photos.
• Link: https://nickname.smugmug.com/client 

Date.

• A timeline view for searching photos within specific date ranges.
• Link: https://nickname.smugmug.com/date 

Keyword.

• A keyword cloud showcasing sitewide keywords and associated photo counts.
• Link: https://nickname.smugmug.com/keyword

Tip: Consider using a keyword-cloud content block on your Browse page to give visitors a more visual way to explore your photos. 

Password.

• Displayed when sharing password-protected galleries.
• Link: https://nickname.smugmug.com/password

Tip: Add a title/text block that invites visitors to contact you for password assistance.

Popular.

• Publicly liked and commented-on photos and videos.
• Link: https://nickname.smugmug.com/popular 

Search.

• A straightforward search field for finding content on your site.
• Link: https://nickname.smugmug.com/search

Tip: The search-box content block is also available for any page on your site.

What’s off limits.

Some core content on a few pages is untouchable. For instance, the password field on a password page is firmly set. How can you tell? When you mouse over them in the Customizer, a little lock icon will appear. (Check it out above.) Don't worry; there's still plenty of room for customization magic elsewhere.

Step-by-step customization.

1. The first step is the easiest: log in to your account.
2. Copy one of the URLs above, and replace the “nickname” text with your own SmugMug nickname. 
3. Head to the top section bar and click Customize Design. You're now backstage in the customizer, where the real fun begins!
4. Drag content blocks and drop them on your page. The green areas that light up are your canvas.
5. Hover over your placed content block, click the wrench icon (it's like your customization magic wand), and refine your options.
6. Take a sneak peek as you go with the Preview button. When you're ready to unveil your masterpiece, hit Done. You can choose to be the star of the show immediately or save the grand reveal for later. Your call!

Linking the chain.

Once your pages are perfect, don't keep them hidden. Add links to them in your site's navigation to make browsing a breeze for anyone stopping by to admire your photos. (Not needed for the 404 and password pages—they’re covered automatically!)

With those links in place, you've finished creating a fully branded experience across your entire site. 

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Have examples of creative system pages you’ve created? Share them with us on Facebook, X, or Instagram.

What’s new.

• We've turbocharged the shopping experience for your customers, making it lightning-fast to add items to their carts. Since making these changes, we’ve seen the time it takes your visitors to add their first item to the cart drop by 34 seconds. We’ve also seen conversion rates for adding items to cart increase. Quicker shopping = more sales for you.
• We’ve added a fantastic new SmugMug Perk: 20% off a lifetime membership to the International Freelance Photographers Organization (IFPO). IFPO has provided credentials, support, access, and community to photographers since 1984.

What’s changed.

• We've made significant improvements to your uploading experience, paving the way for better content sharing and management. Check out this announcement for all the details.

Bug fixes.

• To simplify your customers’ buying process, coupons will no longer apply to packages, which already offer your visitors discounted pricing.
• We've fixed the issue causing video-playback interruptions before processing completes, which resulted in "Processing Failed" messages.
• Out with incorrect crops. We've resolved the issue that affected some print-product cropping to deliver perfect results every time.
• Pro branding updates now stick when changed, allowing Pro-plan subscribers to showcase their updated brand with thank-you notes in each print order and custom stickers on the outside of shipping packages. Not yet using this feature? Learn more!
• Downloaded orders are now correctly labeled as "Shipped," providing clarity for Pros and customers alike.
• We've tackled a cookie issue that blocked visitors from passworded galleries and downloads after they entered the correct password, ensuring uninterrupted access for your visitors.
• Sales history is now off-limits to assistants, and downloading images is a breeze from both the organizer and lightbox.
• We've squashed iOS bugs left and right—from manual-sort glitches to app crashes—to make your mobile SmugMug experience even better and ensure you have uninterrupted access to your photos and videos no matter where you are.
• Our latest Android app release comes with performance enhancements for smoother browsing and quicker transitions.
• Prints and cards now play nice together in the same cart, ensuring they're both visible and ready for purchase.

These updates are designed to supercharge your selling experience and keep your business running smoothly. Happy selling!

Whitney Chamberlin left a $250,000/year corporate gig to help people create their own images in the Smilebooth. His unique formula has his Atlanta, GA, booth rentals topping $200,000 in revenue, making $30,000–40,000/year on his own local events. Partnering with SmugMug for its simple gallery hierarchy, social-media marketing, and large, beautiful image display allows Smilebooth event-goers to quickly browse by location and quickly share photos, all while seamlessly integrating with their main site.

‍A booth is born.

In his former life as a brand manager and marketer, Whitney Chamberlin spent his time bringing back iconic Nikes and wallowing in indie music. He was creative and successful, but something was missing. “I was making amazing money, but what I did didn’t have an end—what was I really doing?” he said. “Here I’m making people genuinely happy, just by putting something there for them to do.” 

The Smilebooth idea bloomed when he started joining his wedding photographer wife, Jesse, on weekend jobs. “I was in the giant corporate world during the week, and my wife was shooting weddings on weekends. It was a bummer,” Chamberlin said. “I used to lose sleep worrying about [all the guests] being photographed. I said, I’m not going to walk around begging—it wasn’t my style. So I built the first photo booth out of plywood and a makeshift computer. It worked great.” He continued to refine the booth and grow the business.

‍Putting the “mug” in SmugMug.

Smilebooth milks every drop of revenue from SmugMug’s tool set by exploiting the social aspect of photo sharing. Citing SmugMug’s excellence at showcasing multiple images and large, beautiful displays, Chamberlin said he links directly to SmugMug from his own site so customers can view and discuss their images on SmugMug without any extra clicks. 

Chamberlin likes having an online place to do event postmortems. “Then you can say, ‘I was at this event, come view my photos!’” he pointed out. 

Furthermore, Chamberlin has been known to build clients their own SmugMug site so they can collect revenue from events themselves. “Some of our brides were a bit iffy on using the Smilebooth,” he said. “I said I could discount their Smilebooth and make them their own SmugMug account with Smilebooth images. She can set [the price]. It's enticing for the budget bride.” 

There’s a silver lining for the vendor as well. “As a rental business, I don’t really need [the revenue]; print sales are an amazing added bonus,” Chamberlain said.

‍The booth as boon.

Chamberlin’s original venture exploded into a diverse international enterprise. In addition to Smilebooth rentals and his own company’s shoots, he manages an affiliate network and continues to produce booths for purchase. Seamless integration between his site and SmugMug, along with advanced customization, lets him manage his diverse business arms and maintain a unified look and feel. To his delight, the Smilebooth concept has proved nearly recession-proof. 

“We created the first one in 2005 and growth has been spontaneously amazing. I used to get emails from photographers every week saying how do you get these shots in a photo booth?” he said. “We haven’t had any hiccups. The only challenge is getting photographers to stop interacting with everyone and let the Smilebooth do its job.”

‍Shooting inside the box.

The main lesson Chamberlin brought with him from the agency world was the ability to channel anticipation without meddling. Although letting drama and creativity unfold naturally is second nature to him, getting professional photographers to do the same is more difficult. 

“For a while, I was frustrated with copycats,” he said. “Then I thought, why not build booths for them? I created a whole other business because I didn’t think people would get it.” 

Smilebooth has spawned many imitators, but Chamberlin thinks his team’s ability to let action happen without intervening sets them apart. “I’m not one to hide the feather boa and silly hats, but that’s not our aesthetic,” he pointed out. “You are the creative. [In the booth], you can be creative with nothing in your hands or something physical in the room, instead of bringing the same props everyone has. Custom-made props? Awesome. Relevant props? Great.”

Jesse’s classical training came in handy, he noted, citing her general knowledge of cameras and lighting as key. Typically, his team demos the freestanding booth and clicker for one person. Jesse avoids posing subjects, often just advising them to be themselves. 

“She has a photographic gift beyond the eye,” he said of her charisma and ability to help subjects let loose. “That’s what makes her an amazing photographer. How everything feels with the photo booth is basically that same feeling.”

Letting loose.

The Smilebooth is addictive—and the results speak for themselves, all over Smilebooth’s SmugMug galleries. 

“People don’t get out,” Chamberlin said. “It’s like that Risky Business moment where you’re sliding across the floor in your socks. People regain their childhood when they’re in front of this thing.” 

Chamberlin’s captured grandmothers flipping off the camera, dads hugging sons, and lots of devious teenagers smiling about something they shouldn’t be. “People get excited about doing their own thing in front of the camera instead of being told what to do,” he said. “The game of anticipation is really simple. When you’re in a group and one person has the wireless clicker remote, it’s exciting—it’s unbounded and limitless. You can push the button thousands of times or just once, and there’s a roar of laughter, because it’s a real moment, not a pause—not a tight, confined scenario.”

Photographers, are you ready to elevate your branding strategy? Let's dive into watermarks and discover how to leverage them effectively on SmugMug.

‍Understanding watermarks.

First things first, what exactly are watermarks? Watermarks are customized graphics or text that you can overlay onto your photos. They serve as a visual stamp, asserting your ownership and brand identity. You can apply them to all your photos on SmugMug, but we never place them on your original files. This means your watermark will never appear on downloads, prints, or keepsake items clients purchase from your galleries. But they travel with your photos online as part of our secure photo sharing. 

‍Who can use watermarks?

Watermarks are available only to Portfolio and Pro account holders on SmugMug. Power users can use external programs like Lightroom for watermarking, but this means your original file will contain the watermark so it will also appear on anything purchased from your site.

Elevating your brand identity.

Why bother with watermarks? Beyond adding a professional touch, watermarks reinforce your brand presence. Whether you're selling your photos or showcasing your portfolio, they ensure your name remains prominently associated with your images. And once you set up watermarks in your gallery settings, SmugMug automatically applies them to new photos as you upload.

Creating your custom watermark on SmugMug.

Ready to craft your signature stamp? You can create text-based watermarks directly in SmugMug. 

1. Navigate to your Selling Tools tab.
2. Select Watermarks > Manage. 
3. Tweak fonts, placement, and other settings, and watch as a live preview updates with your selections.

If you want to step it up a notch—say, using your logo as a watermark—fire up your preferred image-editing software (such as Photoshop) and unleash your creativity. We recommend starting with a transparent PNG file of around 1000 x 2000 pixels for optimal versatility. Apply it the same way you would a text-based watermark, but select Image as the watermark type instead. You’ll be prompted to upload your new watermark and then can adjust its opacity and location until you’re happy.

Stuck? We have a comprehensive step-by-step tutorial about how to make a sample watermark file on our help pages. 

Locating your watermarks.

Navigate to your Selling Tools tab to access all your branding tools, including watermarks. This centralized hub allows for easy management, editing, and removal of your watermark collection.

To apply your watermarks to your photos, look in your gallery settings under the Photo Protection tab. Or drop in to the Organizer to watermark several galleries at once! 

Refining your brand aesthetic.

Need to refresh your branding or make adjustments? No sweat. Simply upload your updated watermark, configure its settings, and apply the changes within your gallery settings.

Adapting to every image orientation.

Addressing the perennial dilemma of landscape versus portrait orientation, consider experimenting with square or corner watermarks for a cohesive aesthetic across all image types.

Distinguishing watermarks from printmarks.

Think of them as siblings—watermarks for your digital portfolio, printmarks for your physical prints. Both serve as customizable branding elements, tailored to enhance your visual identity, but only printmarks show up on the images your clients order. And printmarks, unlike watermarks, are limited in size and where they can appear on the photo. 

Great ideas for printmarks include event dates, your handwritten signature, team names, and graduation years.

Striking the perfect balance.

Strike a balance between visibility and subtlety to ensure your watermarks complement rather than distract from your captivating images. 

Ready to get started?

Dive in to SmugMug’s built-in watermarking tool and embark on your branding journey with confidence! And remember, our dedicated Support Heroes are on standby to assist you every step of the way: click here to reach out.

Now go forth and leave your mark on the world of photography!

My name is Jill Valenzuela Schapiro, and I’m the Chief People Officer at Awesome, the company behind SmugMug, Flickr, and This Week in Photo. I’ve been with the company for thirteen years, growing from Recruiting Director to a C-level executive who oversees our entire people program. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’ve grown an immense amount, but today I’m truly tackling something scary: my first blog. Don’t get me wrong, I love to write, and I have *so* many things to say about this amazing company, but my inner critic often stops me from putting my voice and ideas into the universe. So, in honor of this year’s celebration of International Women’s Day, I’m choosing to step far outside my comfort zone and share part of my story as a woman of Awesome. 

I grew up with a career-oriented mother and saw work as a core part of identity from an early age. Despite this, it took a *lot* of trial and error to discover my own passion and drive, and I found that in tech recruiting—specifically, when one routine cold call led me to a family-owned photography start-up named SmugMug. 

If you’re reading this, chances are you know and love this company just as much as I do today. But at the time, I didn’t know them from a sea of start-ups, and I had three amazing years of recruiting to understand just how special this company was. When they offered me a dream job as their in-house Director of Recruiting, needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity.

As the first member of what was dubbed the “People Team,” I was given the opportunity to grow into a leader overseeing all facets of the employee experience. This was simultaneously terrifying and thrilling. There was so much to do that the first few years felt like a blur, but I had established myself as a senior leader in the company, began building a people program from scratch, and for the first time in my life, I was passionate about my work. What I was doing felt important and challenging. I loved my job, and I had never been happier. Then I unexpectedly became pregnant. 

I need to be honest up front: Having kids was never something I planned for. In fact, I was terrified of being a mom. When I saw the positive pregnancy test, it felt like time froze, and I knew at that moment that, despite my fears and not feeling ready or equipped to be someone’s mother, I was going to have a baby. As my pregnancy progressed, I felt conflicted: While I was surrounded by people celebrating this momentous milestone in my life, I mostly felt anxious because, like many women, I wanted to have it all—a successful career *and* the ability to be a great mother. The societal pressure on women to achieve a perfect balance between work and family is immense, and, for me, it meant a lot of internal struggles and self-doubt. 

Although I knew the kind of company I worked for, and constantly boasted about our incredible work–life harmony and support systems, what I experienced as I entered this new phase of my life still amazes me. As a new parent I was able to take a generous parental leave that I even extended a bit when I realized I needed more time with my son. I created a flexible schedule that allowed me to have a productive work life and a present home life. I even pursued therapy to help me talk through my own conflicted feelings, all with the full and enthusiastic support of my company.

Importantly, it wasn’t just the policies in place, but the compassion I experienced in the day to day that blew me away. On one occasion, my son, dressed in full Batman attire, appeared behind me on camera during an executive Zoom call. Naturally, I felt flustered and panicked that I was disrupting our work—but just then, our CEO Don MacAskill exclaimed, “It’s Batman!” and encouraged my son to come closer so everyone could say hello to the caped crusader. He was greeted with genuine enthusiasm and laughter, and my fears were immediately calmed. These moments, and so many others like them, have allowed me to continue unapologetically prioritizing my family and well-being while pursuing my career. 

I recognize that not every company operates like Awesome. But that’s why I take my role here all the more seriously. As a woman and an executive, I carry an enormous amount of privilege, and I want to use that to ensure we’re creating equitable experiences for all the women who work here, today and into the future. Today, that looks like braving my fears and writing a blog—sharing my story and elevating the stories of other amazing women I work with. But in the big picture, it’s a team effort, every day.

I am fortunate to work with a world-class People Team. They are fiercely committed,  hard working, and deeply empathetic. Together, we have continued to raise the bar every year on what it means to be a people-first organization. As a team, we’ve worked hard to define career levels and promotion processes. We provide coaching for our managers to ensure career-growth opportunities are accessible throughout the entire organization. We’re focused on taking an already generous parental-leave policy and evolving it, to include structured planning before and after that leave so our newly returning parents can better manage this momentous time in their lives. And we’ve grown our employee benefits to encompass mental health, too, offering company-sponsored therapy and coaching sessions to our entire employee population. 

In celebration of this year's International Women’s Day, I am so proud to represent this company as one of its leaders, and to share the stories of other amazing women I work with. I feel a tremendous amount of gratitude as I look around at the people I’m fortunate to work beside. Together, we support each other, challenge each other, and build an equitable, inclusive environment where women can thrive. I am humbled and honored to be on this journey and look forward to the future we continue building together.

What’s new.

• We’ve enriched your shopping experience by introducing package and gallery-download options directly within the gallery. Now it’s easier than ever to explore and purchase the perfect package or download high-quality images to cherish forever. Since release, we’ve seen visitors using these new options 10 times more than when they were buried a few clicks away—and more engagement means more sales!

• Enjoy smoother multi-selection sharing with our latest Android app version. Preserve your image selections even after download errors and enjoy hassle-free editing with multiline captions.
• Say goodbye to cropping concerns! Our new crop-warning message in the shopping cart alerts your customers to potential issues, allowing for easy adjustments before ordering. This also helps ensure they’re more aware that cropping occurs before printing, increasing satisfaction when their order arrives.

What’s changed.

• Visitors to your smugmug.com domain are now automatically redirected to your custom domain, enhancing your brand presence and user experience.
• We’ve improved the experience when canceling your SmugMug subscription through our iOS app with  a reminder to also cancel your subscription directly in the App Store. While we wish we could do this for you automatically, Apple’s terms require this step to fully stop future charges.
• Say goodbye to reliance on browser cookies for your stats—we're keeping up to date with modern browser requirements while respecting your privacy! As a result, stats may now include owner views. 
• We've also revamped our image URLs to ensure robust security without relying on browser cookies. Your photos are now even safer, giving you peace of mind every time you share or view them.

Bug fixes.

• We squashed a pesky bug in our latest iOS app version that caused auto-upload notifications to be sent erroneously, even when auto upload wasn't enabled. 
• We fixed bugs preventing video publishing and RAW photo uploads in our Lightroom plug-in, ensuring your photos and videos continue to reliably upload to SmugMug for secure storage and sharing.
• We resolved an issue where RAW uploads (with a Source subscription) weren't generating JPG previews. Although the fix wasn't retroactive, affected files are now ready for primetime.
• Fixed a bug where sort orders weren't always honored when viewing your site while logged out. Now your content displays just the way you want it.
• Tackled an issue where feature/thumbnail images would sometimes stop displaying in our Windows app. Update to the newest version for improved browsing and viewing experiences.
• Our Android app now lets you make purchases from private galleries even when your account has a custom domain, providing you a quick and easy way to order personal prints on the go.
• Our iOS app now displays all folders and galleries when adding or uploading.
• Enjoy glitch-free navigation on our mobile apps. We resolved issues with image processing, checkout, and gallery visibility on both Android and iOS platforms.
• Fixed GST calculation issues on digital-download purchases in Australia.
• Quashed an issue with photo-size shrinking when rotating a device in the Lightbox, ensuring optimal display quality.
• Resolved a concern where coupon restrictions weren’t applying to gallery downloads, ensuring consistent pricing and discounts.

At SmugMug, we're always striving to make your experience better, and that includes ensuring your photos and galleries get the visibility they deserve. In the first quarter of this year, we embarked on a mission to enhance the SEO (search engine optimization) of your SmugMug sites to ensure they get more visibility in search results. Here's a breakdown of what it means for you and what's on the horizon.

What changed.

We rolled up our sleeves and dove deep into the backend of SmugMug to improve the SEO performance of your photo sites. As we optimized for SEO, we also improved performance and reliability for your photo galleries. The proof is in the numbers.

Since beginning our SEO overhaul on November 2, 2023, we've seen significant improvements in key metrics, as reported by Google Search Console:

• A whopping 140% increase in the number of *.smugmug.com pages indexed by Google.
• A remarkable uptick in images and videos with enhanced metadata.
• Double-digit percentage increases in both web and image search impressions.

This means more of your sites are being crawled and, more importantly, more of your photos are being seen. Not just being seen, but clicked on and engaged with!

While these numbers speak volumes, it's essential to remember that SEO is an ongoing journey, and there's a lot you can do to help boost your own numbers. We've got a guide to help you do just that!

What's next.

SEO improvements will continue to be one of our priorities. Our commitment to improving your photo site's visibility is unwavering. And while the work on SEO may never be finished, we're dedicated to elevating your SmugMug experience and helping your photos shine on the web.

Tim Miller's journey into the world of wedding and dance photography began with a high-school class. Little did he know that class would set him on a path to becoming one of the premier photographers in the eastern Pennsylvania region and one of the highest-selling pros on SmugMug. But like many success stories, his journey was far from linear. 

We had a chance to chat with him about what makes his photography business so successful, and how SmugMug helps contribute to that success.

1. Branding matters. 

In the early 1990s, Tim noticed a lack of creativity and spontaneity in wedding photography. Determined to change the game, he and his wife, Liz, began experimenting with a new approach: focusing on the candid moments that truly reflected the emotions of each wedding day.

This "Your Day, Your Way" concept resonated with couples seeking a personalized and authentic wedding experience. Soon, Tim and Liz were booked solid, photographing weddings all over the region. But Tim didn't stop there. 

After sparking up a conversation with a wedding DJ who also worked in a dance studio, he ventured into dance photography. "I created a separate site and named it ArtOfDance.Photo after a big dance studio in Easton told me they would've hired me three years earlier if I had dance photos on my original site," Tim said. 

Using SmugMug’s variety of customization options made it easy to brand each site separately, making them unique enough to avoid confusion among his clients.

His journey from Tim Miller Photography to ArtofDance.Photo underscores the importance of strategic branding. Learn from his experience and make sure your brand reflects the specific niche or audience you serve.

‍

2. Know your audience. 

"My advice is do your own thing and solve problems for your clients," Tim said. And his approach has paid dividends, with his business flourishing even amid the pandemic.

His decision to split his photography ventures based on client preferences also highlights the significance of understanding your audience. Whether it's weddings or dance photography, catering to the distinct needs of your clients can set you apart in a competitive market.

"Brides don't want to see dancers, and dancers don't need to see brides," he said. But it wasn't just about differentiation; it was also about scalability and brand longevity. 

3. Plan for growth. 

"You don't want to name your business after yourself," Tim recalled, echoing the advice of a fellow photographer. If the business grows enough that you can sell it, people will always wonder who and where the named photographer is. Tim’s friend later lamented he would’ve been able to sell his own studio for more profit if he had known this tip himself.

Once you’ve chosen your name, think about getting a custom domain and logo to fully brand your business. Also monitor your growth easily with SmugMug stats and sales reports as well as third-party analytics.

4. Timing is key. 

Tim's knack for identifying and addressing industry frustrations didn't stop with weddings. He saw an opportunity to revolutionize the timing of dance-company photoshoots, shifting them from the bustling spring season to quieter winter months. This not only alleviated financial strain on parents but also ensured a steady stream of income for Tim during the offseason. 

Tim’s strategic shift in photoshoot scheduling demonstrates the importance of timing in maximizing sales while easing the financial burden on clients.

5. Problem-solving = success. 

He also changed how studios could approach their photo days to make them less disruptive and more customer-friendly. During his pivotal conversation with the wedding DJ/dance studio assistant, she explained why picture day was difficult: time had to be set aside to pose all the kids and to collect prepayments for packages—which might include photos the parents didn’t even want. 

After listening to her woes, Tim had an idea: “What if we took photos during class instead of on a separate day? And instead of making parents prepay for photos, what if I posted the photos online for them to choose from?" And so began a new chapter.

Tim's entrepreneurial ethos centers around solving problems for his clients. Embrace this mind-set and offer innovative solutions to problems in your industry that satisfy your customers and give your business a boost at the same time.

6. Leverage technology. 

Also central to Tim's success was his partnership with SmugMug—the “answer to everything," he said, emphasizing its indispensable role in streamlining his workflow and facilitating seamless transactions. The platform's robust features, coupled with exemplary customer service, have been instrumental in his ability to deliver exceptional experiences to his clients. “The superfast delivery of digital images is a strong selling point for me,” Tim said.

Partnering with platforms like SmugMug can simplify your workflow and enhance your customers’ experience. 

7. Customer relationships are key. 

Tim's dedication to excellence extends beyond business transactions; it's ingrained in every interaction he has with his clients. "I love what I do, and I don’t take myself seriously," he remarked. His success is rooted in the bonds he's built with his clients over the years. “People remember how you make them feel.”

Cultivate genuine connections with your clients by prioritizing their needs and delivering exceptional experiences. 

8. Stay approachable. 

A lighthearted approach can go a long way in building rapport. "I just love to have fun with my clients," Tim said. His down-to-earth demeanor and humorous anecdotes create a welcoming environment that fosters trust and loyalty.

9. Continue learning. 

A couple years into his dance-photography journey, a studio owner challenged Tim by asking, "Why do we take the same boring pictures? Why don't we capture leaps or something?" Instead of shying away from this knowledge gap, he approached the question with one of his own: “How would I do that?" The studio owner responded by borrowing his camera, giving the dancer a countdown, and snapping the photo with one shot. 

From there he discovered his studio strobes couldn't stop action, so he invested in better lighting. And he continued to learn the timing of leaps. “That's what changed me as a photographer, and when sales started going through the roof,” Tim said.

Embrace a growth mind-set and remain open to learning from both successes and failures. Tim's willingness to adapt and evolve has been instrumental in his journey as a photography entrepreneur.

10. Efficiency is essential. 

On the day of a photo shoot, Tim hands out letters to parents that explain how SmugMug works and hangs QR codes around the studio. These codes, generated on SmugMug, take parents directly to the photos’ online gallery when scanned. “I’ve already seen an increase in early sales with the QR codes,” he said.

“Also key to what I do is fast turnaround,” Tim said. “I use only three things for post-production: ACDsee for viewing and numbering the photos, Lightroom to edit the photos, and SmugMug to display and sell the images.” This allows him to edit and upload 12,000 studio images in three hours or less. 

Tim's efficient approach to post-production and client communication allows him to handle high volume with ease while maintaining quality. Streamline your workflow and optimize your processes to maximize productivity. 

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By incorporating these insights into your photography business, you can carve out your own niche in the industry. Remember, it's not just about taking photos—it's about building relationships, solving problems, and delivering outstanding experiences that keep clients coming back for more.

SmugMug users photograph everything: be it weddings, cats, races, mountains, architecture, or cat races, there’s room for you on SmugMug. And we’ve got great features built in to every account type to help take what you’re shooting to the next level. Here are a few recommendations for SmugMug features that can boost your site, depending on what you love to shoot.

Event and sports shooters.

If your adrenaline gets going when the competition does, you probably have a number of galleries with exciting photos. Stay in the game by staying organized and ensuring every subject in every photo can be found.

• Keywords.
  Keywording is just as important as the photos themselves. You want to keyword your images not only with the event name, but also with location, date, and player name if it applies. Don’t forget to add a search box or display a keyword cloud so clients can find their photos easily.

• Sitewide organization.
  Organization with SmugMug’s seven layers of folders and galleries is invaluable when it comes to busy event seasons, so structure your site clearly and easily: simple enough for you, your assistants, and your clients to find exactly what they’re looking for.

Client-seeking pros.

If you’re putting your business online, there’s a few things we recommend to help impress your client base. Whether your profession is photography, graphic design, architecture, or something else—SmugMug’s great for businesses of all types.

• Best-of galleries.
  Your site should show off what you do. Whether it’s pictures, video, or text, your clients want to get a taste of what you do and what makes you unique. Create a gallery or page that visually delivers your elevator pitch, then upload your best content, or collect and curate it from around your site. Then highlight this gallery in your navigation bar so it's easy for clients to find.

• Contact form.
  We still see websites that make it difficult (or impossible) to contact the site owner. If you want people to hire you, make sure your contact information is clearly visible on your homepage. SmugMug gives you a safe, ready-to-use contact form you can add to your site menu.

World travelers.

It may be tough to keep track of which time zone you’re in, but you can always remember where you took those photos with a few SmugMug features.

• Maps and pins.
  If you shoot with your phone, or if you have geotagging enabled on your camera, your photos keep their location data when uploading to SmugMug. You can also manually add locations. If you want to share where that secret beach is with your visitors, use our built-in map content block.

• Text content blocks.
  A photo may be worth a thousand words, but a few lines about what you did and how you got there adds to the story. Try out title and text content blocks on your homepage and custom pages, and fill in title and caption fields under every photo for some extra SEO.

Family snappers.

Stay closer to home? Photos capture important memories for you and your family, but you don’t want those photos falling into the wrong hands. Your favorite memories should also be easy to find for the feels.

• Privacy settings.
  We recommend logging out of your account to view your SmugMug galleries as a guest. Are the galleries you unlisted hidden? How do passworded galleries appear? We’ve got several privacy options available for you in your account settings and individual folder and gallery settings.

• Folders and galleries.
  SmugMug gives you the ability to nest your folders and galleries up to seven layers deep.. Organize your content so it makes the most sense to you, whether it’s by child, by event, or by year. Or a combination of all the above. Then use your photo library to find specific photos quickly.

The socially savvy.

Social media is great, but you never know how long your content will be relevant online. Build one forever home on SmugMug and use it to share to all your social-media outlets.

• Social designs.
  Put all your cards on the table with our default SmugMug design template, or the Dash design. Both let you set a profile pic, display your name and a cover photo, and list your favorite social-network sites.
  

• Comments.
  This is a simple content block you can drop anywhere on your site to encourage your visitors and friends to engage in discussion. 

• Share galleries.
  Want direct-sharing options instead of additional buttons? Enable social sharing in your gallery settings to share individual photos or entire galleries with a click.

We hope no matter what you shoot or how long you’ve been with SmugMug you’ve discovered something that’ll give your site that extra oomph. What features have you made the most of?

Last year, we told you we were investing in uploading and getting images to your customers faster, a critical component for realizing sales. We kept this promise by focusing heavily on improving our upload experience this year, allowing you to better use the bandwidth offered from high-speed internet connections many of you have in your offices and homes. Some customers were able to enjoy a 50% improvement in upload speeds and reduce errors by 20%.

We also told you we’d be focusing on helping you sell your work wherever your customers are. We invested in improved order experiences for mobile devices, making it easier for people to get the products they want and helping them understand how a print might be cropped for the product they order. We also made it easier to add items to carts, and it’s all paid off—literally. In 2023 you all made more money selling on SmugMug than in any of our previous 21 years!

But it’s not just mobile-friendly access for your customers—you’re on the go, too. These improvements save you precious time before and after shoots as well as give you flexibility to work when and how you want. We added the most important features, including releasing proof delays, checking orders, and engagement stats, directly in the iOS and Android apps.

We were also focused on the impact that we and the photography industry have on the world. As of 2023, SmugMug is Climate Neutral Certified. We’re proud of the work we’ve done for the planet this year, and this is only the beginning of our journey to create a company and business that truly makes the world a better place.

You, our customers, are our priority. SmugMug already offers world-class support, where a real human is just a quick email request away. But this year we resolved your email and live-chat requests faster than ever before; even through your busiest sales times, requests were responded to in less than an hour. 

You’ve been telling us where the product let you down, and we listened. We fixed hundreds of issues that prevented you from getting the most from our platform. We touched everything from how you log in, gallery displays, product selection, order delivery, and search-engine optimization, and we sped up parts of the site that “felt slow.” We want your experience to be delightful, consistent, and intuitive.

What’s next for SmugMug?

We’re focused on meeting the needs of your business. We’ve heard from many of you that better insights about how to run your photography business are critical. We’ll help you navigate the things that are unfamiliar. We’ll provide more actionable data and advice so you can make better decisions for your business and help you thrill your clients. You’ve seen past investments in gallery stats, and we’ll do more here to help you understand what’s working for your business to ensure your marketing efforts are driving the outcomes you want.

We’re also making it easier for your clients to find photos of their cherished memories. Not just from search, but finding the right photos in each gallery. Not everyone wants to buy prints of those cherished memories anymore, and we’re making it even easier for them to purchase digital copies and other keepsakes, too. You’ve captured the memories they’ll hand down for generations. 

Our money-back print guarantee ensures you can rest easy knowing clients are satisfied with the prints they order and, in 2024, we’ll expand the work we help you do even more. We’ll do more for you through amazing partnerships and exclusive offers, and by ensuring the solutions we build support your business needs. In 2023 this included offers for business banking through Found and discounts on the equipment, education, and software you need—and we’re just getting started.

As we’ve added new capabilities and fixed issues you’ve told us about, we haven’t always done the best job of telling you we did it. We want to go beyond sending you email updates. We’ll help you understand how to most effectively use SmugMug to thrill your customers and grow your business. We’ll do a better job of telling you about new capabilities through multiple channels.

We’re excited about what 2024 holds for photographers everywhere. And we’re thankful for your continued trust in us. Photography holds the power to change the world, and we’re excited to be on this journey together.

What’s new.

• Continued improvements to SEO, ensuring your SmugMug site stays at the forefront of search-engine results.
• Seamless experiences continue on Android with our latest updates to the app—smoother, faster, and more delightful than ever. Enjoy enhanced features, a better interface, and a bug-free experience. We also updated icons to improve the visual experience for a wider range of modern and older Android devices.
• Unveiled the next phase of ShutterScout, which now allows potential clients to search for photographers to hire, offering more to elevate your photography business.

 What’s changed.

• Your journey with multi-factor authentication is now even smoother. We've updated and improved the setup process for a hassle-free experience. Updates to wording, clearer steps, and additional help-article links—ensuring you're always informed and empowered.

Bug fixes.

• No more hiccups! Now, when you share a link to an image in a Hide Owner gallery, guests are directed to the image, not just the gallery.
• Updated the Adobe Lightroom Classic plug-in, addressing issues related to assistant access.
• Say goodbye to the wrong image previews. Shared image links on Facebook now display the correct image, enhancing your online presence.
• Moving a photo to a gallery with a watermark now applies the watermark, ensuring your branded touch on every image.
• iOS app folder feature images are no longer playing hide and seek; they're front and center for you and your audience to enjoy.
• An issue with event passwords restricting access to galleries has been resolved. Enjoy better access and security.
• Events and custom domains now work harmoniously, eliminating the need for complicated workarounds. Thank you for your patience!
• Fixed a glitch that prevented coupons from being used on digital downloads. Now enjoy the full power of discounts on every purchase.
• Fine-tuned our order-confirmation emails to provide you with more accurate processing-time details. Stay informed and track your orders with confidence.

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Remember to keep an eye out for updates in the "What’s New" section in your SmugMug account. And tell us what you think or what features you’d like to see: start a conversation on our Facebook, Instagram, and/or X (formerly known as Twitter).

Richard Burley is an educator, photographer, and the founder of Epic Action Imagery. He travels the world photographing sporting events from football and hockey to obstacle races like Tough Mudder and Spartan. We caught a moment of his time to talk about luck, sofas, and velociraptors, among other fun details.

SmugMug: Hi Richard. To start with, tell us about yourself!

Richard Burley: I’m a sports and action photographer based in the UK. Prior to taking up photography as my full-time job, I worked in education. Initially as a college teacher progressing up the career ladder to management roles. In 2014, just as my photo business was starting to grow, a conversation about volunteers for redundancy saw my hand shoot up. A few weeks later I packed up my desk and headed out of my office and on to what became a huge adventure. I do still teach a few hours and enjoy that side of my life too, but I fell in love with action photography early.

SM: How’d you get into photography?

RB: I’ve had an interest in photography since I was a child watching my dad in his home darkroom developing photos. It wasn’t until much later that I started to think more seriously about taking photos professionally, but my interest in capturing sport, action, and movement was growing.

I bought my first DSLR with the royalties from a text book I co-authored and started to learn lessons by trial and error. I prefer to learn by experimenting and finding out what works and what doesn’t rather than reading or watching others. The only qualification I’ve actually got is a badge from Cub Scouts. I’m very much self-taught.

SM: Tell us about starting and growing a photography company?

RB: The real start of it was in January of 2010. I’d stopped coaching football and decided I wanted to get into photography, and was shooting semi-pro matches for a friend. But I just wasn’t getting the shots I wanted, because I was convinced I didn’t have the right lens.

So I go to the camera shop, just to look at a new 70–200mm lens…and 30 seconds later I’m walking out with the box. [laughs] And I’m thinking “I’ve just spent the sofa deposit on a new camera lens, this is gonna take some explaining.”

So I told my wife I spent the money we’d saved for a sofa on a camera lens, and she responded “Well you’re gonna have to take that lens and make that money again.” Which I took very literally! I said okay, I’ll start a business.

SM: The right equipment can make all the difference! What happened next?

RB: A couple of months later, I’m shooting the occasional sporting event, making a little bit of money, but still employed full-time with the college, when on a trip to Cambridge with the family I spot a billboard. On this billboard is a picture of someone jumping over burning straw bales, and I thought “that looks like fun, why don’t I see if they’ve got a photographer?”

There’s a concept people in business will often refer to called “luck.” I think I’ve benefited from an enormous amount of luck. This was a billboard for Spartan Race. They’d just started — one event in the US, no events anywhere else, this was their first event in the UK — and they said “you know, we hadn’t thought about course photography, of course you can come!”

That first moment at a Spartan Race really told me what it was gonna be like: I’m set up along the course, waiting for people to come from the right, and suddenly they appear to my left like velociraptors. And that was it. That said to me “don’t ever expect everything. You know that thing where you like things to be predictable? You’re gonna have to part with that.”

SM: What a lesson to learn on the first day. How’d you grow that into the Epic Action Imagery we see today?

RB: Well, one thing led to another and soon Spartan was asking me to shoot their international events. Then other events start asking me to shoot, because they’re pulling from Spartan’s pool of course photographers, and suddenly I’m doing this full time and building teams. I’d call it an accidental business, really. An experiment that got entirely out of hand.

I think I was fairly lucky, again, because I was an educator and a manager in my full-time work before this. I was used to recruitment, I was used to building teams, passing on information, delegating, and allowing people to grow. Everything I did was very developmental.

The whole purpose of education is to help people grow to become better than yourself — and not be intimidated by that, which is a great fit for photography. It’s really something I look for while building a team of photographers: work that makes me stop and go “whoa. I’ve gotta know how you got that.” I’ve had the privilege of working with other photographers that inspire and enthuse me to work hard and to keep learning.

SM: What is it about action photography that calls to you?

RB: I enjoy the challenge of capturing movement at the right time. Facial expressions in sport really tell a story too. Emotions are often amplified in a sporting environment and seeking to tell the story is a challenge that I enjoy. Participants on a Tough Mudder course emerging from ice filled pools or getting zapped by electricity really brings out a range of expressions. And I’ve done a couple of the events myself so I have an inkling of what they’re experiencing.

I enjoy the people too. Sports events have an energy and a vibe that I find motivating. Capturing people overcoming fears or beating their personal bests is a responsibility I take seriously and I work hard to ensure that moment is captured for them to share with their friends and family. There’s been several moments where I’ve captured people who’ve overcome significant changes in their life to achieve a sporting goal. Often I find there’s a bit of dust in my eye when seeing such a victory.

A big motivation for me to make amateur sports people look like pros, giving them an image in which they look truly epic. From my personal perspective I always try to take a picture that makes a person look and feel like Usain Bolt. When they’ve had a bad day and they’re reaching for that beer in the fridge, they can see a picture on the fridge door of themselves leaping over flaming hay bales and think “I am awesome! I am epic!”

SM: Last business question: what’s the biggest challenge in shooting action photography?

RB: The vagaries of the weather, absolutely. I’ve worked in 42 degree heat (108° F) in Bahrain, and I’ve worked in -20 cold (-4° F) in Canada. Thigh-deep snow, I’ve been swatting flies off, days where it feels like someone’s hitting me with a firehose, but I love that. I love being outdoors. To reframe that: I don’t think there’s a challenge apart from loving what you do, really.

Even when you’re shooting the same thing — someone jumping over flames or crawling through mud — how do you tap into the journey they took to get there, to be fit enough to run five miles and leap over these flames? The biggest challenge, and the biggest joy, really, is tapping into the energy and euphoria of these participants each and every time.

SM: What gear do you use to capture those moments?

RB: Canon 1DXs (3 x mk1 and 1 x mk2) with a range of lenses from 16mm to 400mm. I started with Canon in 2006 and have yet to be tempted to try anything else. I am curious to try a few mirrorless options and listen to the experiences of other photographers when considering my kit choices, but the 1DX is a versatile workhorse and has coped very well with the range of conditions that I find myself working in and the image quality means that I can get the images I want.

The lenses I favor for events are the 16–35mm and the 70–200mm. My kit gets a fair amount of scuffing on rocks and hard ground so I use an EasyCover to try to keep my kit protected.

For football, I’ll have the 400mm and 70–200mm as a main set up and the 16mm on a remote camera positioned behind the goal using a PocketWizard set up. The 400mm is my favourite lens. It’s an old-school mark 1 IS 2.8, but so crisp and ideal for capturing the action that unfolds at the other end of the pitch. It’s a little heavy and if the teams change ends before kick off, it’s quite a challenge to run round the pitch perimeter with all the gear. I hear the mkIII may be a little more mobile and I may make the switch in the future.

SM: Speaking of gear, what got you started with SmugMug?

RB: I started with SmugMug in 2013. I met a representative at the PhotoShow and at the time was looking for a platform to host event images in a cost-effective, reliable, high quality, and simple to use manner. I was also in search of something that would let me search my photos by keywords and bib numbers so I could easily sort participant photos. We had to be able to deal with the kind of peak demand that these events generate. Fortunately, SmugMug met all these criteria and I signed up that evening. 4.7 million photos later we’re still going — if I posted one photo every minute, it would take me 7 ½ years to get through them all. We love it.

SM: What’s your most-used or favorite SmugMug feature?

RB: I actually just redesigned the site last week. Part of our post-COVID recovery has been taking the time to think about what we do and why we do it, and engaging with my local business community. I met with a local marketer who told me “your photos are amazing, but man your website’s old fashioned.”

So I tried a landing page, liked the look, and three hours later I’ve got the whole site looking brand new. It was that easy.

In terms of what I use a lot, it’s image library management. SmugMug works as part of our client relationships, so Spartan or whoever can go in and retrieve images easily, and we manage their photo library as part of the business relationship. They tell us what details they want for the photo — keywords, metadata, factoids, you name it — and we’ll get those set up for them.

Photo sharing is a big part of it, too, and obviously sales, which we like because they’re all seamless. It’s also visibility. I can see what photos people are buying, track stats, keep up with what’s popular. Sometimes you get excited about an image as a photographer because all of the elements came together, and you get to see people excited about those same things enough to buy and share them, too.

SM: Lastly, any tips for a new SmugMug user?

RB: Learn. Keep learning. See what others do, interrogate the style, and let that style influence you as you capture your images and organize your site. There’s so many wonderfully talented photographers showcasing their work on SmugMug, it’s a great way to find inspiration and to showcase your own work.

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Follow Richard Burley on Instagram and Facebook. Also, visit his website at https://www.epicactionimagery.com.

And, tell us what you think of this interview! Start a conversation on SmugMug’s Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

As a SmugMug Pro subscriber, you have access to some game-changing features that help you run your business. One valuable feature we’d like to highlight today can revolutionize your client photography sessions: client downloads. This feature is designed to simplify and enhance the photo download experience for both you and your clients. If you haven't explored it yet, we’ll walk you through it.

What are client downloads?

Client downloads are a feature that allow you to offer a specific number of photo downloads to your clients as part of your photography packages. This means you can provide your clients with a convenient and efficient way to select and receive their favorite photos, all within the limits of the package they've chosen. 

Why is it valuable?

1. Streamlined selection process: With client downloads, your clients can easily choose their preferred photos from the session, saving both you and them valuable time. No more sifting through hundreds of photos—they can focus on their favorites.

2. Customized experience: It enhances the client experience by giving them control over which photos they want to download. Clients appreciate this level of customization, making them happier with your service.

3. Clear communication: Offering a set number of downloads helps set clear expectations from the start. Clients know exactly what they're getting, reducing misunderstandings and potential disputes. Also, No longer will you have to send them galleries with downloads disabled, communicate back and forth about the images they want to choose, and then send them only those photos.

4. Value addition: Including a specific number of downloads in your packages adds perceived value to your services. Clients see it as an extra benefit, which can influence their decision to choose your photography services over competitors.

5. Efficiency: For you, it simplifies the delivery process. You don't have to manually send each selected photo; clients can download them directly from their account.

How to use client downloads.

Picture this—You photograph family portrait sessions. Typically, you book a session for a flat fee. This session fee not only includes the portrait session, but also includes the ability for customers to download 20 of their favorite photos after you edit and deliver them. On SmugMug, here’s how client downloads help:

1. Set the limit: Decide how many photos you want to allow this particular client to download. In this case, 20.

2. Inform your clients: Generate a dedicated one-time link for your client from your SmugMug gallery and send it to them.

3. Client selection: Your clients follow the link to your gallery and choose their favorite photos up to the agreed-upon limit of 20.

4. Effortless delivery: Once they've made their selections, they can immediately download their chosen photos (and only their chosen photos), simplifying the delivery process for you. 

Don't miss out on the opportunity to improve your client experience and add value to your photography services. Client downloads are a feature that can make your client delivery workflow easier than ever.

To get started with client downloads and see the impact it can have on your photography business, simply log in to your account and explore this feature today. Watch this quick video to see it in action.

Available only for SmugMug Pro subscribers. Not on the Pro plan? Learn more about how the Pro plan can help you elevate your photography business.

Offering coupons is a powerful strategy that can provide numerous benefits for you and your clients. SmugMug makes offering coupons a snap, so let’s learn more about how this feature can benefit your business.

Increase sales and urgency.

Coupons can create a sense of urgency and excitement around purchasing. When customers know they have a limited time to use a discount, they are more likely to make a decision quickly. This can lead to increased sales as clients are motivated to take action before the coupon expires.

Attract new customers.

Coupons are not only attractive to existing clients, but they also entice new customers to make their first purchase. People often try out products or services they've been curious about if there's a discount involved. This can help you expand your customer base.

Reward and retain loyal clients.

Coupons are a fantastic way to show appreciation to loyal customers. By offering exclusive discounts to repeat clients, you can strengthen your relationship with these customers and encourage them to return for more business in the future.

Enhance customer loyalty.

When clients receive discounts, they are more likely to feel a connection to you. This sense of goodwill can lead to increased customer loyalty as clients remember the positive experience and are more likely to return for future photography needs.

Drive seasonal or themed sales.

You can utilize coupons to align with specific seasons, holidays, or events. For instance, a discount offered for holiday family photos or back-to-school portraits can drive targeted sales during those periods.

Customize a variety of offers.

SmugMug coupons offer various types of discounts like "percent off," "amount off," or "free shipping." This allows you to tailor your offers to what resonates best with your audience.

Boost marketing efforts.

Promoting coupons through various channels—social media, email newsletters, or your website—can generate buzz and engagement. This not only leads to immediate sales but also increases the visibility of the your brand.

‍Delve into data Insights.

Through the use of coupons, you can gather valuable data on customer behavior. You can analyze which coupons were most effective, which customer segments responded best, and adjust your marketing strategies accordingly.

Gain a competitive advantage.

In a competitive photography market, offering coupons can set you apart from your competitors. Clients are more likely to choose a photographer who provides additional value through discounts.

Encourage repeat business.

After a successful purchase using a coupon, clients are more likely to return for future photography needs, even without a discount. This can establish a long-term relationship between you and your clients.

SmugMug coupons are a powerful tool that can help you boost sales, attract and retain customers, and strengthen your brand's presence. By using coupons effectively, you can create a win–win situation for both yourself and your clients. Haven’t tried coupons on SmugMug? Learn more about this feature today!

Available only for SmugMug Pro subscribers. Not on the Pro plan? Learn more about how the Pro plan can help you elevate your photography business.

The SmugMug Pro plan offers an "Assistant" feature which can be a game-changer for busy photographers. Let’s learn more about this feature and the value it provides.

Maximize efficiency and productivity.

By using the "Assistant" feature, you can delegate time-consuming tasks like uploading and organizing photos to your trusted associates. This means less time spent on administrative duties and more time focused on what you do best—capturing stunning images.

Collaborate your workflow.

Utilizing an “Assistant” password enables you to work seamlessly with your assistants, ensuring a smooth workflow and organized photo management. This can lead to enhanced productivity and better outcomes for their photography projects.

Delegate without compromising control.

Delegating tasks to your assistant does not mean relinquishing control or sharing sensitive account information. You define a separate password for your assistant to use. When logged in, assistants will only have access to important workflow features (like uploading, organizing, keywording, etc). They will not be able to take any destructive actions like deleting content or changing prices on your photos.

Foster business growth.

The "Assistant" feature can directly contribute to the growth of your photography business. By delegating tasks, you can take on more clients and projects, expand your portfolio, and increase your overall business capacity.

Establish work–life balance.

Utilizing an assistant gives you the potential for a better work–life balance. With the help of an assistant, you can free up more of your personal time, reducing burnout and stress.

‍Utilize specialized skills.

Assistants often have specific strengths. For example, if an assistant has expertise in photo editing or culling, they can handle those aspects while you focus on shooting.

Discover hidden opportunities.

By streamlining your workflow with an assistant, you might discover hidden opportunities for innovation and growth within your business. Freed from routine tasks, you can explore new creative avenues or expand into areas you previously didn't have time for.

With an easy learning curve.

The "Assistant" feature is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive. Your assistants have access to the key parts of your same SmugMug account and can quickly learn how to navigate the system and contribute effectively to your workflow.

The "Assistant" feature on SmugMug isn't just a time-saver; it's a strategic tool that empowers you to leverage your strengths, grow your businesses, and achieve a healthier work-life balance. By utilizing this feature, you can shift your focus from administrative tasks to your true passion – capturing breathtaking moments through your lens. Learn more about this feature today!

Available only for SmugMug Pro subscribers. Not on the Pro plan? Learn more about how the Pro plan can help you elevate your photography business.

What are packages?

Packages are the perfect tool for professional photographers like you to offer curated bundles of photo prints and digital copies. Imagine being able to provide your clients with an all-in-one solution that simplifies their purchase experience while boosting your sales. It's a win-win.

The benefits of packages.

Boost sales: Packages allow you to create enticing offers that encourage customers to buy more. Offering bundled deals can increase the average order value and, ultimately, your revenue.

Simplify the purchase process: Your clients no longer need to agonize over choosing individual prints and files. They can easily select a package that suits their needs, making the decision-making process hassle-free.

Value for your clients: Customers love discounts and bundled deals. Packages provide them with great value, making them more likely to make a purchase and recommend your services to others.

Consider this example - you could offer a package that includes two 8x10 prints, two 4x6 prints, and the original digital files—all at a discounted rate. Your clients can then choose which photos they want to include in this package, creating a personalized experience.

Getting started with packages.

Ready to make the most of this feature? Here's how to get started:

1. Log in to your account.

2. Navigate to the packages section via the Selling Tools menu at the top of your account.

3. Create your customized packages based on popular combinations.

4. Promote these packages to your clients through your website, social media, or email campaigns.

Remember, packages can not only simplify your workflow but also enhance the buying experience for your clients, leading to more orders and happier customers.

Ready to get started? Learn more about creating packages.

Available only for SmugMug Pro subscribers. Not on the Pro plan? Learn more about how the Pro plan can help you elevate your photography business.

Are you ready to revolutionize the way you connect your customers with your photos? Enter SmugMug QR codes.

We know that one of the big challenges in photographing an event is finding an efficient way to let the attendees know how to view and purchase your photos. We also know that speed is everything when it comes to monetizing your photography. The quicker your event clients visit your gallery, the greater their interest in the photos, and the more money you make!

That's where QR codes come in.

Picture this scenario: You're booked for a youth sporting event next week. With SmugMug QR codes, you can create relevant galleries and generate QR codes for them well in advance. Simply print out the QR codes on fliers, business cards, or any other marketing collateral that you prefer and hand them out at the event. 

Here's where the magic unfolds for both you and your clients:

Effortless engagement: No more scribbling down long URLs or hoping clients remember your website. Your QR code becomes an instant bridge between the event attendees and their cherished memories. They just need to scan, and voilà – they're taken directly to their dedicated photo gallery!

Elevated exposure: QR codes don't just streamline client access; they supercharge your marketing efforts. Display your QR code at the event entrance or on marketing materials, instantly impressing attendees with your tech-savviness. And guess what? They're more likely to share your QR code, organically amplifying your brand reach!

Customer delight: The joy of reliving event highlights shouldn't be overshadowed by the hassle of tracking down photos. With a simple scan, your clients navigate effortlessly through their personalized gallery, ensuring a seamless and delightful experience.

Time-saving: We understand that your time is precious. SmugMug QR codes liberate you from the tedious task of individually sharing galleries, freeing you up to focus on what truly matters – capturing stunning shots.

So, are you ready to elevate your brand, simplify your workflow, and make more money? Try out QR codes at your next event. Available only for SmugMug Pro subscribers. Not on the Pro plan? Learn more about how the Pro plan can help you elevate your photography business.

Watch how to use QR codes on SmugMug.

The SmugMug Events feature, available for our Pro subscribers, gives your clients a way to pick their favorite photos from galleries you've curated for them, streamlining the purchasing or photo delivery process in a simple and elegant way. Set up is easy and the benefits are many: 

You provide easy access to a group of galleries via a single click.

You even get to customize the URL. Your client sees a gorgeous, personalized presentation with each gallery displayed before them, highlighted by an optional slideshow.

Your important clients can pick favorites.

Just add them as participants. Click the Share button and send them a personalized email invitation with their unique link to the event.

You can control access by making your events public, unlisted, or protected with a password.

If your event is public, you can set up the option for viewers to register themselves, meaning you get to collect their email addresses and they get to pick favorites. Win–win.

‍How it works.

Registered participants (your clients) browse the event galleries and choose their favorites, marking them with a little red heart. As favorites are clicked, virtual copies of each favorite photo are placed in a special Favorites gallery. Favorites galleries are unique to each registered guest or participant and visible only to them (and you). And your visitors will always know where to find their favorites gallery because we'll send them an email that includes a link to it.

In short: It's easy for your clients to pick, choose, and view their favorites.

They can review them, whittle down their selections, or add new favorites at any time. Participants can purchase any of your available products directly from within their favorites gallery, or anywhere within the event. If you’re working with a client on selections for a special project, like a wedding album, their choices are only a click away. No more trying to hunt down cryptic file names from an email.

Tips to maximize your events.

Feature the event on your homepage. SmugMug allows you to set up your event and generate a URL beforehand so you have that info at the ready. Online, you can modify your event and add new photos as they become available. If that’s too complicated, you can even feature an event on your homepage, putting it front and center.

Feature the event gallery (or galleries) on printed materials at the event. Include the event URL at every opportunity, like the following. (Make sure your printed material matches the formality of the event.)

• In the event’s program.
• On business cards you make just for the event.
• On postcards included in swag bags given out at the event.
• On elegant formal event cards displayed on tables, at the guest book, or at the registration table.

Talk to your host. If your event has a chairperson, director, or simply a social butterfly, exchange email addresses and information. Chances are they have access to a mailing list, registry, or directory in which to distribute info about the event, the photos, and you.

Remember, the people you photograph want to see their images. It’s up to you to get them to where the photos live. Events are one way to make that process a little bit easier on you and your clients.

No sales? Hard time snagging clients? Your deep-discount pricing could be hurting your reputation. It's not uncommon to offer your services at a cut-rate discount with the hope you'll snap up eager bargain hunters. But is this the right approach?

Successful pros agree that raising your pricing may not necessarily scare away potential clients; in fact, it can do you some good. 

The trouble with “cheap.”

"Cheap" sets bad expectations for your clients. If you're a cheap photographer, clients wonder how you're cutting costs so much and if it's worth it for them to take the risk. They question your ability to manage expectations and communicate with them. Will you effectively guide them through an important experience, or will you simply fire a few snaps, hand over some digital files, and call it a day?

"Cheap" makes it look as though you don't think you're any good. Any business owner who doesn't think their brand's the best is probably in the wrong field.

How to not be expensive.

Right about now you're probably worried about scaring away clients by being too expensive. How do your clients know what "expensive" really is? It's all about pricing and a concept called anchoring—meaning they have to compare the value of something new with something familiar. In layman’s terms, clients will be able to better grasp the value of your work by judging their interaction with you.

Here are some tips to help you prove your work is worth every penny:

1. Create a unified brand: A professional website. Clearly placed information. A custom domain and email address go a long way, too.
2. Be professional: Be prompt, courteous, and friendly. You provide a quality service, which is worth paying for.
3. Look and act the part: No one is going to pay $5k to someone wearing stained T-shirts, especially if they show up late and forget to bring the paperwork.

How to do the "free" thing (the right way).

Just because you should be paid fairly for your work doesn't mean you can't cut clients a break, or even do the "free" thing once in a while. Samples are a great way to give clients a taste of what you do without giving away the farm. Some ideas of how to work this into your business plan:

• Model 1: Waive your session fee, but be sure to charge for prints and digital downloads.
• Model 2: Apply the sitting fee toward the purchase of digital downloads, making the first X-number free.

On SmugMug, it's easy to offer a few deep discounts by creating a custom coupon to hand out. There are five different types, ensuring you can keep changing it up and keeping things relevant.

Calculate your costs to avoid going broke.

The reason most photography businesses don't survive is because their owners didn't properly calculate their costs. And as the old adage goes, time is money. Don't forget that your time and expertise are more precious than replaceable objects like paper and gear; you can hire assistants, but they aren't you. 

Here are our suggested guidelines for calculating your costs:

• For prints: Your pricing shouldn’t be less than 4x your hard costs, including packaging and shipping. Seems like a lot? It's not; about half your balance goes toward taxes, 1/5th goes toward the base cost of the item, and the rest goes toward your profit.
• Albums and multi-photo goods: Your pricing should be no less than 3x your hard costs, which may include design work as well as the physical cost of the product.
• For downloads: Price your larger-than-web-sized digital downloads at no less than the cost of ten prints. Giving away images at any printable size means you have to make it worth your while: clients will use that file to print lots of prints, and you also run the risk of having your brand diluted if your client opens Photoshop and makes their own digital adjustments. Check out our resolution chart to find out how big different sizes can print.

The bottom line.

Don't be afraid to charge a fair price for your work. By understanding your costs and charging more, you're sending a stronger message to your clients and ensuring they value you, too.

If you're already in business and think your prices need an adjustment, remember that it's simple to adjust your pricing using SmugMug’s pricelists.

"My style is very interactive. I am talkative, funny, interested, silly, loud at times, and from the instant I meet a new client I treat them like an old friend. There is no awkwardness, no breaking the ice. I jump right in and start playing peek-a-boo with their kids and asking them about their childbirth stories. I love people. I love hearing about them, their family, their job, their life. I want them to be comfortable enough to relax and show me who they are in the course of our shoot.”

– Meghan MacAskill

What's your style?

We don’t mean those jorts you wear. We’re talking about your photographic style. Customers have a certain style in mind when searching for a photographer, so it's important to make sure you’re expressing a style that's true to you.

When describing your style, think about the following:

• What makes you unique? What’s your signature? What about your photography will attract clientele?
• What are you passionate about conveying with your photography? What inspires you?
• Do you capture moments? Tell a story? Make time stand still? Freeze the action? Are your photographs edgy? Timeless? Fine art? Modern? Grungy?
• Do you make heirloom portraits or gorgeous landscapes? Are you a photojournalist? Do you travel far and wide in search of exotic wildlife?

The one word common to each of those questions is you. People hire you for you: your personality, your expertise, your demeanor, your creative vision. Identifying your style will help you establish your brand and your business model. It will help you understand who your customers will be, or who you want them to be, and will help you to establish your place in the market. Your style leads to creating your brand.

Admirers have called Andi Grant’s work "traditional," a label that used to amuse her until she began to grasp the implicit compliment. "It’s interesting because I don’t come from a classical photography background," she said. "Now I want to be considered timeless. My images are very clear—sharp, well-exposed images that are not over-manipulated. Very organic. People see that and like it." –Andi Grant

‍What can you do to find your style?

You’ll find inspiration in all kinds of places: in art, from other photographers, in magazines and books, in the way you decorate your home and office. What speaks to you the most; what inspires you to try something new?

Look at the work of others, try to understand how they achieved the result, think about situations where the technique would be appropriate, and if it’s something that you would like to emulate.

• Search out other photographers on forums, at workshops, or in local meetup groups.
• Use the powerful SmugMug search tool to find photos you love.
• Pinterest can help you collect ideas for setting up, posing, lighting, and more.
• Shoot, shoot, and shoot some more to discover what you love.
• Try new things, expand your horizons, and come to understand what you enjoy creating and what you don't.

Think about your business like a customer.

What kind of customer do you enjoy working with? Are you more comfortable with the formal family portrait, or a play day in the park? Do you prefer dramatically lit studio portraits, or edgy outdoor backlighting? Are you the master of the speedlight? 

Make sure prospective customers understand what you offer. You can’t be everything for everyone, and that’s alright. Hone in on your style, attract the customers that dig your style, and create the best experience possible for them, and for you.

The bottom line.

Make sure your style is clearly reflected in your portfolio, in your website, and in your messaging so prospective customers can get a good sense of you, your work, and whether or not you’re a good fit for their needs. Identifying your style will help you build your brand. 

Do you know Lee Morris, pro photographer, video producer, and educator? He's a seasoned commercial, advertising, fashion, and wedding photographer, plus he's co-founder of the website Fstoppers.com. He took a moment to reflect on the wedding business, why it's so hard, how it's changing, and how pros like you can make the most of it by staying true to your heart.

‍The role of sentimentality in business.

When it comes to managing a business as intimate as wedding photography, it’s easy to let your emotions take over. I try my best to approach my photography business as I would any other business. I need to manage my time, keep my current clients happy, consistently book new clients, and make money. Many photographers fail to meet at least one of these goals. Maybe you’re really good at making your current clients happy, but you work too much and you don’t enjoy your job or have time to enjoy your life. Maybe you book a ton of work, but you don’t charge enough and you’re constantly struggling financially. 

During the digital revolution, many photographers who didn’t change their pricing structure were incapable of making their current clients happy. Maybe their pictures were great, but as digital started to take over, couples felt like they were getting nickeled and dimed after the event. If you can’t make your current clients happy, you’re going to struggle to find new clients.

When I started my business years ago, I learned early on that I hated making prints and albums. I could shoot a wedding in a few hours and make a few thousand dollars, but it would take me a full day to retouch a few pictures, print them myself, or take the files to a lab, package them up, take them to the post office, and I would only make a few dollars’ profit. In many cases my clients would have to wait weeks to actually get their prints because I was out of the state shooting another job. I decided I was going to start giving away the digital files with each of my weddings. Maybe I would lose a few dollars on the back end, but I was also gaining a ton of free time; and my clients were happier because they could print their pictures how they wanted, when they wanted.

As a single guy in my twenties, money was important to me, but free time was far more valuable. Once I had booked my 20 or 30 weddings for the year, I knew I had plenty of income to support myself and had the security to start working on other things. With the extra time I had gained, I created the photography website Fstoppers.com. If I had focused on custom prints and albums like other photographers do, I have no doubt I would have made a bit more money, but Fstoppers has been far more rewarding. Creating videos for our website like Bon Jovi’s photographer behind the scenes, Peter Hurley’s: The Art Behind The Headshot, or How To Become A Wedding Photographer has been the most exciting experiences of my life.

My point is that you may love your photography career (I sure do), but if you can give yourself some extra time, who knows what you’ll be able to create.

SmugMug = time = money.

When I found SmugMug, I realized it filled three major needs in my business:

1. High-resolution backups are included with the subscription.
2. It allowed me to promote my photography by giving guests and family members a place to go to see my work.
3. Bay Photo integration meant I gave my clients high-quality prints without actually having to do any work.

By simplifying my business, I was meeting all four goals above; I had more free time, my clients were happier, I was marketing to new potential clients, and I was making money from print sales each month.

It’s easy to think we know what’s best for our clients. We may know that if they don’t book an album now, they will probably never get one made. But the sad truth is that many of our clients would rather put their pictures on Facebook than deal with an album. It’s important to remember that we are hired by these couples to do a service for them; if they don’t want prints, we should figure out what they do want and charge them accordingly for that. 

If you’ve ever bought a car before, you know how obnoxious it can be when the salesman tries to sell you on something you don’t want. There are so many other ways to make money with wedding photography that may not involve expensive prints. I make far more money than I ever did selling prints by selling engagement and bridal sessions, setting up a photobooth at receptions, selling video slideshows of the event, and offering a video service. Many photographers also don’t know that SmugMug makes it incredibly easy to sell digital copies of files. If you don’t want to give away your files like I do, you’re able to set the size and price for each individual picture.

I want to make clear that I love high-quality prints and that many wedding photographers make a lot of money selling prints, even today. I love seeing my work printed huge, professionally framed, and hanging on a wall. My point is simply that times are changing and the current generation of brides probably do not want the same things that their mothers wanted. To stay ahead of the pack, you need to deliver exactly what your clients are looking for, not what you think they will appreciate one day.

If I could sum up this article into a single point it would be this: Listen to your clients, and give them what they want. A happy bride will tell her friends how wonderful you are, and you will never have to worry about a shortage of work. In some cases, especially this one, it can make your life a lot simpler, and you might even make more money.

All photos by RL Morris Weddings.

Career highlights.

1. Serves 250,000–300,000 customers annually.
2. Shoots 40,000–50,000 gorgeous images per event.
3. 5 million+ images generated in five years.
4. Client list includes All American Baseball Youth, Youth Baseball Nationals, Youth Softball Nationals, American Youth Football, Babe Ruth League, World Series Cal Ripken Baseball, and The Ripken Experience.

Turning want to need.

Glossy Finish was born in 2006 when Haim Ariav was suddenly inspired to build a mobile photo lab in a trailer and cart it to sporting events, enabling families to view, purchase, and retrieve photos on site. Ariav, a classically trained photographer, saw an unfilled niche: he recognized that as a “want” industry, photography was taking a hit in a rough economy, so he set out to re-brand memorializing athletic moments as a “need” by making it easier to enshrine kids’ sports glory. Redefining how images are delivered on site is the foundation of Glossy’s business model, unique in the sports photography vertical.

The post-game show.

But on-site sales aren’t Glossy’s sole revenue stream. After an event, Ariav’s team uploads its treasures to SmugMug’s cloud and follows through with additional distribution via SmugMug’s labs. Online sales, a significant supplement to Glossy’s revenue stream, run smoothly on SmugMug, along with back-office functions. “We rely on the website for 100% of our revenue for events that don’t utilize the mobile lab,” Ariav said. “Using the SmugMug infrastructure, reliability and scalability are key for us. Having access to the various products offered by the labs is a huge opportunity for us to carry out our online strategy.” 

Ariav’s team uses online proofing to boost non-mobile sales. “Different events may not warrant the use of our patent-pending mobile lab,” he pointed out. “The success of those depends on customer satisfaction with images and ease of purchase. SmugMug allows us to deliver a successful experience.”

Scoring points with social media.

Ariav endorsed SmugMug’s decision to allow digital downloads to have watermarks. “We felt it would facilitate our ability to brand ourselves on social media,” Ariav said. “We wanted to have a presence on social networks like Facebook and Twitter, where so much photo sharing takes place. We know how important printmarks and watermarks are to both our business and our creativity.” 

Ariav milks every branding opportunity he can out of SmugMug’s tools, even while focused on image protection. “Printmarks turn images from just a photograph into a memory,” he said. “Our logo is also typically part of the printmark. Watermarks deter people from stealing, but we also use them as a way to show what [clients’] prints will look like with the printmark. We are always marketing and trying to keep up brand awareness.”

Owning it from field to checkout.

Outlining a strong customization strategy for site design and gallery organization, and a reliance on SmugMug’s advanced customization tools, Glossy also has the cart-branding feature firmly in the “on” position: “Branding is a huge part of what we do best, which can be seen in our website customization. We [use] cart branding so our customers know they’re getting a great Glossy Finish product. We also use the box sticker. We want customers to know who they are getting a package from and, most importantly, thank them for their order.”

Less work, more profit.

Ariav used to blanket events with trigger-happy shutterbugs. Now, by sending sales teams to pre-sign customers, he may only capture four or five kids out of 20, but the average order has increased from $25 to $125. “It’s okay not to photograph every player on every field at every game,” he said. “We focus only on those that want and love our photos. It works better for the customer and us

With SmugMug’s help, this focus on time-saving extends to online sales: “We try to keep pricing as uniform as we can to lessen confusion on our end,” Ariav said. “With the introduction of pricelists, it is much easier to organize pricing throughout the site. Now I can set up pricelists for sales and simply move galleries around once the sale is over.”

Making friends with the moms.

After cutting overhead and moving from the flea-market, on-spec approach to a more profitable, streamlined system scaffolded on a $20 deposit credited toward purchase, Ariav saw opportunities to reach a larger audience without snapping a photo. Envisioning his business as “an exclusive entertainment club,” Ariav created custom lanyards customers could don at soccer tournaments, showcasing that their kid’s athletic prowess was immortalized by Glossy Finish. The result? A flood of visitors to his trailer.

Taming the technology beast.

Photographers have never discriminated when it comes to capturing contacts; Glossy worked hard to collect home addresses and emails. Now, Ariav plays smarter, relying on texting select targets for marketing blasts. His on-site blitzes are wildly successful. “If we have a slow period, we can ping them and—boom!—the trailer fills up. We have a direct connection to our customers. And when we’re done with an event, we have more contacts in our database for future direct and instant marketing.”

You’re a photographer who makes money from sales, so you’re in control of how your images can and should be used. SmugMug gives you tools to know exactly where your photos are going...and where they’re not.

You can also tweak every setting listed below (except for #8, pricelists) in your gallery settings and save them as a preset. Total time-saver.

Control what visitors see.

1. Set your largest viewing size.

Every gallery on your site gives you the ability to disable your original-resolution images and limit how large your fans can view your photos. We suggest you allow at least the XL display size to create a big impact and allow your potential buyers to see all the glorious detail in your photos. Used in concert with other image-protection features below, your photos will still be safe and sound.

2. Gallery privacy.

Protect your galleries with a viewing password or keep them unlisted to be sure only the right clients with the right credentials are browsing your photos.

Control how visitors share.

3. Share versus owner share.

The Share button is on by default so fans can spread the word about you. If you'd rather be the one sharing, turn this off in your gallery settings. You'll still be able to post and share; the button will instead say "Owner Share" and be visible only to you while logged in.

4. Right-click protection.

With this enabled, we’ll display a message whenever someone right-clicks on your images in your gallery. Keep in mind that snapping a screen grab is a basic function on any computer and isn’t prevented with right-click protection, so we recommend using this feature together with custom watermarking. The result? Your name stays associated with the image, no matter what.

Sign your work.

5. Watermarking.

Put your name, URL, or logo on every photo you shoot. At SmugMug, watermarks are completely non-destructive, meaning they're applied to display copies only. Any print, gift, or digital download purchased from your site will be clean and clear.

Tip: Let your watermarked photos loose! When fans share photos watermarked with your logo, they're doing free advertising for you. So be generous and attract new customers all at once. Win–win.

6. Backprinting.

Add your brand to the back of every print purchased from your site with backprinting (available with Portfolio and Pro accounts). You can customize this with your name, URL, email address or even the image caption so clients know which print is which.

7. Printmarking.

Stamp your prints with your brand. Like watermarks for your purchased items, printmarks are most often used to put your logo or signature on the corner of each print and digital download. It's fixed to a percentage of the area of your print, so don't worry about it taking up valuable real estate.

Charge for the privilege.

8. Set pricing.

It may seem like a no-brainer, but it's important to set up pro pricing on your galleries so you make money on every sale. Start by visiting your pricelist manager.

9. Turn off printing.

Not ready to sell? Simply set printing to No in your gallery settings. This way your clients can browse, but not buy.

Have you ever wondered what else you could be doing to get more sales for your landscape photography? Our friend Varina Patel has offered us great info about how to mix business and photography when you’re out and about. Here's what she says about keeping the customer at the forefront of your mind the next time you're out shooting.

You never know what a buyer will want—and each buyer is different. But, over the past several years, we’ve learned a few things about maximizing the potential of our portfolios. Here are a few tips for making sales.

Horizontal and vertical shots.

When we’re in the field, we usually find that a composition works best in either horizontal or vertical orientation. But in most cases, after capturing the most visually appealing image, we’ll work to find another shot that works with the camera turned 90 degrees. Why? Because sometimes the buyer needs an image that works in a particular orientation. Are they looking for a collection of calendar images? They’ll probably need horizontal images. Photos for a magazine? They’ll need a vertical shot to grace the cover

Since you never know who might want to purchase your images in the future, you can’t know which orientation will work best for their needs. Shoot in both orientations, and you’ll be ready no matter what they ask for.

Local images.

Not too long ago, Jay sold a shot of Cedar Falls (titled, The Looking Glass) as part of a collection of fine-art images. He has many shots of waterfalls, and it wasn’t one of his favorites. The image lacks the vibrant colors or grand vistas you typically find in Jay’s more popular landscape photographs. When the client asked about waterfalls, his first instinct was to send them samples of the most popular waterfall images in his portfolio. One of the first shots he sent was Arizona Dreaming, this brilliantly colorful “icon shot” from Havasu Falls in Arizona.

But the client passed on all those brilliant-color and famous locations. Instead, she chose the quieter image…one he’d never sold before. He was curious about her choice, and he asked her about it. The answer was simple: she wanted images of local places, no matter how ordinary they looked in comparison with those famous, iconic locations.

When you approach a potential buyer, make sure you have plenty of local images. Colorful photographs capture the eye of the viewer, but familiar places capture their hearts.

‍Collections.

When you present your images for sale, consider using gallery features that allow you to group your images into categories based upon similarities. For example, I have a gallery that’s dedicated only to black-and-white images and another that’s just for mountains. You can set up a gallery for images with a dominant blue-color theme or for photographs from a specific location. Your options are wide open.

SmugMug’s smart galleries feature lets you use keywords to create collections so potential buyers view images with shared characteristics. When a buyer wants more than one image, they often have a theme in mind. One buyer asked me for 30 detail shots she could sell as a wallpaper collection. Another wanted several waterfall photographs for decorating a newly opened hospital. In Cleveland, a buyer wanted images of local parks and iconic locations for the walls in an office building.

As you build your portfolio, keep an eye out for images that work well together, and be sure to present them as potential groupings.

Big prints.

Would you be surprised if I told you that giclée canvas prints are some of our biggest sellers? There’s just nothing like a really BIG print that makes a statement or ties a room together. In most cases, I don’t get to see a print after it’s hung, so it was a real treat to be able to see this one in its place of honor over the fireplace. This canvas print is hanging in a beautifully decorated home near Atlanta, Ga.. The colors in the room were actually chosen to match the print—the entire room is coordinated to match the colors in the photograph. I wish I could give you a tour of the whole house, which is a work of art itself.

Canvas prints are more expensive—especially really big ones—but most people hang them without a frame since they stand alone so well. They avoid the expense of matting and framing, making the price much easier to swallow.

Offer your prints for sale on canvas at the largest size available. A photo printed at that size packs a whole lot of punch!

If you’re a portrait or event photographer, you’ve undoubtedly had clients ask you any or all of the following questions:

• Are digital files included with my booking?
• Could I get a digital copy?
• Will I get a USB with all my images on it?
• Can I post these photos on Instagram?

The fact is we're living in a digital world. Fewer and fewer people are interested in physical prints and are increasingly using websites and social media to store and share their precious memories.

At SmugMug, we still believe in the power of a printed photograph, but we think it's equally important to adapt your business to the digital needs of today’s customers.

You've already got your portfolio and proofing solution sorted out with SmugMug, and you know what a lifesaver our print labs are in fulfilling your print and merchandise orders. Don't leave money on the table by keeping digital downloads a secret!

Photos + video downloads = instant gratification.

Portfolio and Pro account owners can price and sell single digital images and video files to clients and they're retrievable immediately after checkout. In other words, they're perfect for customers who are itching to share with friends and family right away. Digital downloads also buy you time, especially if they'll be waiting for you to proof your prints; and they provide a little extra cash in your pocket.

Don't think you can emotionally "let go" of your digital files? Not to worry: You can lock them down and offer only smaller display sizes or choose to offer files that only include your printmark. Additionally, you can set one price for personal use and charge more for commercial licensing. Or sell the whole gallery at a single package price.

Steps to start selling.

1. Protect against theft.

When you decide to start selling downloads, it's of utmost importance to be sure you've got image protection set up the right way. Take a look at the resources we've written to help you set up watermarking, right-click protection, and more.

2. Strategize your pricing.

We've got a great article that helps you answer the eternal question, "How much should I charge?" but this is a very personal decision and there is no right answer. We can, however, offer some practical tips:

• Don't dismiss printmarks. While text or logos cover up part of your image, there's a greater benefit: they're advertising for you. Create a printmark that's tasteful and unobtrusive, and your clients will be happy to share your name with the world.
• Set your larger downloads at a higher price point than your prints. Assuming you're selling downloads so customers can get prints made locally instead of through SmugMug's print labs, you'll have to make up for that loss. Also remember that a digital file doesn't self-destruct once it's been printed, so make sure you build multiple uses of those files into your prices.
• Consider paring down your offerings. While it's true we make several download options available for you to sell, it doesn't mean you should actually do it. Decision paralysis throttles sales every day, and we want you and your clients to both be happy.
• Include digital files in your sitting fee/packing price, then give your client a print credit coupon after the shoot to purchase digital downloads. This method streamlines the amount of thinking they need to do, and it keeps everything close to your website at SmugMug. 
• Alternatively, use our client downloads feature to deliver a select number of full-res photos in the gallery to the client via zip file.

3. Set your prices.

Just like traditional prints and gifts, you price your photo, video, and gallery downloads in your pricelists manager to make them available to your clients. The only difference is that all digital downloads are delivered instantly via email from SmugMug, and they aren't tied to a specific print lab like physical products.

We hope we've inspired you to try an all-new way to make more money from your photography, as well as given you new ways to make your clients happier. If you're brand new to digital downloads or just want to read more about how you can make money at SmugMug, read our help pages for all the details.

As always, don't hesitate to reach out to our Support Heroes if you're confused, need help, or just have a question about what you need to do next. Happy sales to you!

The best way to guarantee a smooth photo shoot is to talk to your clients, both in and outside the studio. We asked some of our top pros what they do to put their customers at ease, to get beautiful portraits worthy of the annual holiday card, and to make clients happy enough to tell their friends and families.

Here’s what they said:

‍1. "Here's what happens..."

As a professional, it’s imperative to set expectations about what you will do, how you do it, when you’ll do it, and what will be delivered. Show your client samples of your work (print samples, too), walk them through the experience, and describe how you will work; tell them exactly when they should expect to see proofs and check to be sure if they have any time-sensitive deadlines—like holiday cards—for the photos. The more expectations you set, the less room there will be for frustration…on either end.

‍2. "So when did you meet?"

People love to talk about themselves, and asking questions about them, their families, and their relationship can open them up and get them to relax. Be an active listener and be prepared to ask questions about things they just told you. They’ll know you’re listening and that you’re genuinely interested, which builds great rapport (and trust!).

‍3. "Stand like this."

Your clients are not always models! Show them what to do rather than tell them what to do. It’s much easier to have them mimic a pose you’re doing than to parse your words and move at the same time. After a while, it’ll become totally natural.

‍4. "You’re doing great!"

Say this, even if they’re not getting the pose right. Always be positive and try to channel any frustration into a bit of levity. Switch it up, shake it off, try something new. Don’t forget, this might be routine for you but it’s a special, forever moment for them. You’re a professional and can make anything work.

‍5. "Your proofs are already ready!"

Setting expectations is one thing, but having their products ready ahead of time is another. Whenever possible, underpromise and overdeliver. After all, everyone is thrilled when they get orders or proofs ahead of time, but no one tolerates anything late.

Special thanks to pros Nick, Tomasz, Steve, and Alastair for these great tips.

A brand is the essence or promise of what will be delivered or experienced when people interact with your business. A unified brand that’s consistent through all the customer-facing elements of your business will reinforce who you are and why customers would want to work with you. That extends to more than just a few aspects of your business: 

• Business name
• Domain name
• Advertising
• Website design
• Business cards, thank-you notes, or packaging
• Signage on your physical storefront or event booth

Your brand should tell your potential customers who you are at a glance, and it should enable you to stand out in a crowd. 

‍Studio KYK used SmugMug to help establish and grow her brand. She maximized SmugMug’s customizability, first working with a designer to develop her logo, then later designing her SmugMug website to best represent her brand, whimsical attitude, and individual style. Her SmugMug hub showcases her gorgeous photography and shows how much fun it would be to work with her.

‍Find inspiration for your brand.

Advertising is everywhere. Look through magazines; perhaps your favorite fashion label or auto manufacturer’s logo catches your eye. Pay attention to the commercials on television and even on radio. What taglines grab your attention? What’s your elevator pitch?

Think from your customer’s perspective.

Does your logo say sports photographer? Is your color scheme appealing to brides? Is your tagline going to grab the attention of a publisher?

Make sure your brand is clearly reflected in your portfolio, in your website, and in your messaging so your prospective customer can get a good sense of you, your work, and whether or not you’re a good fit for their needs.

How can SmugMug help create your brand?

‍1. Custom website.

SmugMug's customization tools let you establish your brand through the use of color schemes, fonts, and your own logos with only a few mouse clicks. Start with a design, upload your photos, and add your own brand elements all without writing one line of code.

As you work in the Customizer, we’ll show you a preview of your changes as you make them. You can save those changes to publish later or, if you like what you've done, you can publish immediately so your changes are live. There's a start-over button, too. Tweaking the look of your site is quick and easy with this tool.

Want something more uniquely you? Enjoy messing with code? Willing to hire an expert? SmugMug’s deep customization ensures that with a little CSS and HTML, you’ll have a completely unique look and feel across your whole website. The sky’s the limit.

2. Custom domain.

You don’t need your own domain to share and sell, but it does make a great impression. Most custom domains cost under $20 per year, which is less than you make in an hour of shooting. And if that isn’t enough, you can usually get a custom email address wrapped up in the deal. SmugMug allows you to easily use both on your site.

‍3. Cart and package branding.

Your customer’s experience doesn’t end after clicking “Buy.” Stay in touch and keep them thinking of you by adding a 4×6 thank-you print in the delivery box. You can customize it with any image or message you wish (like a coupon code toward their next purchase), and we’ll pack it up and send it along with their order.

4. Watermarks and printmarks.

Your watermark does double duty when your images are shared on social media: image protection becomes free advertising if your watermark includes your branding. A watermark needs to be obtrusive enough to prevent image theft, and yet be subtle enough to provide your customers with a clear view of the details in the photo. A large and centered, yet translucent, logo as a watermark is a great way to accomplish this.

Similar to a watermark, a printmark is your logo or other design printed on the items purchased by your customers. Add your studio logo or artist signature to the prints you sell so there’s never any doubt who took those gorgeous prints. 

‍5. Mobile-site branding.

Your SmugMug galleries automatically appear on mobile devices looking smooth, slick, and beautiful. All SmugMug sites are responsive to the size of any device they’re being viewed on, so they’re mobile friendly right out of the box.

These are just a few ways SmugMug can help your brand kick off in style. You can dive deeper with packages, coupons, seasonal designs, and more to uniquely express everything that makes your business stand out.

The simple formula for profitability is revenue - expense = profit. But if success were that easy, why do most new small businesses fail? And what more should you be thinking about when starting your new photography business?

First off, where will your revenue come from? For photographers this is typically from one or both of two sources:

• Through the sale of goods: charging for prints, digital files, videos
• Through the sale of services: sitting/booking fees

And secondly, where will your profit come from? There are many pricing models available to photographers, but these are two of the most popular:

• Cost-plus: add a markup to your calculated cost of goods
• Value-based: based on the value of your service as perceived by your customer
  

What does it cost to do what you do?

Whether you decide to use a cost-plus pricing model or a strategic pricing model based on the value of your service, you need to have a good understanding of your actual costs of doing business. This is more than an hourly rate or the cost of the products you’ll provide. 

Consider the following:

• What is your time worth?
  Make sure you consider all the time involved in a shoot—contact with customers before the shoot, travel, shoot time, edit time, delivery time: it all adds up.

• Wear and tear on your equipment.
  Shutter count, dust and grime, not to mention upgrading to keep current with ever-improving technology.

• Business expenses.
  Electricity, insurance, marketing, software, website, child care...

• Who do you want your customers to be?
  And what will it cost to market and appeal to your target audience?

Hot tip: The National Press Photographers Association has a handy cost calculator that might help you figure out your cost of doing business.

‍Why you should never lowball your work.

How you value your work is more than material cost and time spent, it’s about the time, experience, and artistry it takes to capture the images uniquely as you and only you can. If customers could take the photos themselves, they wouldn't be hiring you. 

Every business owner will battle pricing pressure at some point. It can come from price wars with a competitor or a persistent customer who won't buy anything without a discount. That being said, starting low is bad for business. 

Low prices set low expectations from your clients. If you’re a cheap photographer, clients might immediately question your reliability or the quality of your work. 

Being “cheap” also means you can’t afford to invest in your business or use more effective marketing strategies like coupons and special sales. These tools are invaluable for creating urgency and closing sales. Also, placing a fair (higher) monetary value on your work will inspire confidence in yourself and your clients.

"Moms and young kids out of college are opening up shop down the street. The new freelancer charging $50 per session has taken some of my clientele," Susan Sidoriak of Silverbox Creative Studio said. “Yet I have raised my prices throughout the recession, and the economy hasn’t really hit my business." Sidoriak got a bit of pushback when she raised her prices on 4×6 and 5×7 holiday photos last fall, but not one customer jumped ship.

‍Use SmugMug pricing tools for an easy advantage.

SmugMug's pricing tool allows you to create different pricelists for different products and event types: weddings versus senior photos, limited-edition prints versus stock photos, etc. You can then apply each pricelist to galleries or individual photos.

Every new SmugMug Pro should set up pricing. You’ll have some important decisions to make:

• SmugMug offers many great print labs. Which one is right for you?
• The labs offer color-correction services. Should you use it?
• SmugMug offers more than 300 print, merchandise, and download products. How many will you offer?
• How much profit do you want to make?

Offer clients discounts with a built-in coupon tool to sweeten the deal. Who doesn’t love a sale? Incentivize your customers to make their purchase quickly by setting expiration dates on your coupons.

“Print credits are vital to my business model,” said Meghan MacAskill of Wild Bloom Studio. “[I noticed] that many clients weren’t actually pulling the trigger and getting prints. I decided to model photo sessions differently and include a print credit in every package to guide clients into purchasing prints. It has been very successful, and SmugMug's coupon feature is vital for it to work without me filling those orders myself.” 

A couple more Pro tips.

Packages are also a popular tool for school and sport photographers. With packages, you can bundle a set of prints together for a single price, creating a value incentive for your customer...and a simpler buying experience.

Printmarks allow you to “sign” prints and photo downloads. They can be used as an artist's signature, to add value to a print product, or as advertising, which then allows you to offer the product at a reduced price compared to a non-printmarked version. 

Pick the strategy—or mix and match several—that makes the most sense for your business!

We’re all thinking about it, so we’re here to talk about it. Here are eight SmugMug tools that will improve your sales and get more cash into your pocket.

1. Pricelists.

SmugMug's pricelists give you the power to

• Manage all your pricing from one place. 
• Manage your pricing across hundreds of galleries with only a few clicks.
• Offer different pricing for different types of events (wedding, sports, family photos, etc). 
• Decide how much profit you make on each sale.

2. Proof delay.

SmugMug's proof delay gives you the power to make finishing touches before sending orders to the lab, allowing you to fix things such as customer cropping mistakes and to save on upload time.

Time-saving tip: Upload medium-resolution JPGs and, when your clients make an order, swap them with full-resolution, edited files. How? Compress your images in your favorite photo editor before you upload photos to SmugMug. They'll upload faster without affecting your customers' opportunity to buy large prints. Then use proof delay's replace function after clients place orders to swap the compressed image with the full-res file. 

This way, you only edit the images that are purchased. SmugMug’s proof delay helps SmugMug Pro Andi Grant maintain her high standards: "I love proof delay because I do very little editing to my proofing galleries—none for boudoir," she said. "So when a client orders an image, I then have the opportunity to make sure it’s perfect. I especially like to be sure their cropping is correct."

3. Color correction.

SmugMug’s lab color correction gives you the power to leave global color edits to the experts, ensuring great print products for your customers and freeing up your day. This setting is found in your pricelist manager. 

4. Image protection.

SmugMug's many image-protection features ensure your customers are buying, not “borrowing,” your photos. Here's what we recommend:

• Use watermarks: Advertise your copyright and protect against screen grabbers.
• Enable right-click protection: Foil those “save as” stealers before they start.    
• Disable originals: Prevent one-click downloads. 

5. Printmarks.

Printmarks put your signature or logo onto the products your customers buy. In the case of a fine-art photographer, a printmark is a way to sign the print the customer receives, creating more value for the customer.

For event photographers, printmarks work as advertising that allows the photographer a way to offer the product for a lower price, and encourage sales.

6. Digital downloads.

Photo and video downloads give you the power of instant gratification. SmugMug has more than 30 digital-download options you can price and sell.

Pro tip: Gallery backups are perfect for delivering files to customers that have paid for your services in advance.

7. Custom discounts.

Coupons and packages are powerful sales tools every pro should use. Who can resist the opportunity to get more for less?

• Percentage or dollar-off coupons are fantastic incentives to encourage more sales.
• Print credits are perfect when built into your session fee in return for a prepaid sale or as a gift to a special client.
• Packages allow you to set a single price for multiple print products, making it easier for clients to check out.

8. Events and favorites.

Events give your buyers the ability to gather their favorites into a single gallery for review. You can also give several clients in a single shoot their own private favorites gallery.

This feature gives your clients a sense of privacy and control, while making your life easier. Favorites also help you work together with your client to discuss their selections for delivery. 

Have a money-making feature you love to use that we didn’t cover above? We’d love to hear it!

You take beautiful photos. You’ve perfected your elevator pitch, and you’ve got business cards to match. You've built a beautiful website just waiting to be discovered by potential customers. What's next?

It’s time to promote your business.

It's one thing to have a website. It's another thing to drive traffic to it. Without a marketing plan, it's like putting a sign out at the end of your driveway and hoping for walk-ins. You wouldn’t build a brick-and-mortar studio without advertising your business, so don’t fall into the trap of thinking you'll make sales simply because you have a website.

Plan your approach.

Your marketing plan should have specific goals, which in turn will guide you toward the right tools for your business. For example, are you a wedding photographer? If so, then you want to draw in brides and book engagement and wedding shoots. Are you a landscape photographer? You want exposure for your fine-art images and your stunning, wall-sized prints.

There are more marketing tools out there than ever before, from traditional print ads to social media and everything in between. Many of them cost nothing more than your time; if you do it yourself, make sure you create relevant and meaningful content. And don't shy away from hiring an expert: Think about the impression you'll make with a polished presentation to match the polished product you'll deliver to your customer.

Tip: Make sure your site gets found among the hundreds of thousands of sites that potential clients will find in Internet searches.

For Awais Yaqub, photography is ultimately about sharing—sharing images, sharing views, sharing knowledge. SmugMug’s one-click sharing to social-media sites like Facebook and Twitter helps him fulfill that mission. “For me, there is absolutely no reason to create a photograph and keep it in cold storage. What good would it do if I was not able to spread the message, inspire someone, or help someone in their learning process?” he says.

SmugMug tools to help you market your business.

1. Share photos.

You've finished a shoot for a client and uploaded the finished product into a gallery on your SmugMug site. How do you let the client know you’re ready for them to come buy your work? There are a multitude of sharing tools built right into your SmugMug galleries, including good, old-fashioned email right from the Share button. Or send people straight to the shopping cart from a blog post by embedding shopping-cart links.

2. Request referrals.

Referrals and word of mouth are powerful ways to build your business. Give clients postcards or business cards with a code they can give a friend. When that friend books an appointment with you and references the code, give the referring customer a discount coupon, like a print credit. 

3. Use social media.

Social media is a powerful marketing tool for photographers. SmugMug’s sharing options allow your fans to post images to Facebook and Twitter with ease. 

Tip: Create a Facebook business page and start posting meaningful and relevant content. Link your blog posts, announce any large events you’re photographing, share any special promotions you’re offering, post portfolio-worthy photos. Your content needs to be beautiful and exciting so your visitors will love sharing it with their friends.

4. Promote yourself.

Don’t be afraid to solicit sales! Pitch your local news media, post samples of your work on the Facebook pages of agencies, make sure your SEO is rock solid. It's imperative that all your images link back to your SmugMug website so potential clients can see more.

Once you've established the basics of your business, you may want to consider advanced options, such as the following:

• Google Ad Words
• Facebook ads
• Mailers
• Email campaigns 

Think about what works best for you and your business, then get the word out! Your photography deserves to be seen.

The beginning of the year can be a slow time for photo-taking, but it’s a great time to work on everything else you do with photography: update your portfolio, create or clean up your photo website, set new business goals, or even write down a new bucket list of shots to take.

We all change with time, so whether it’s been two years or five since your website has seen a makeover, you’ll want to present the truest version of yourself to your fans.

Here are a few tips to get your online self ready, without frustration.

Breathe new life into your existing site.

There’s no better way to feel “new” than to make changes to the site you already have. Thankfully, SmugMug makes this easy. Tip: If you’re short on time, pick just one or two of the following steps; but tackle all five for maximum results.

1. Kill your darlings. 

We’ve heard 24 images is the ideal number of photos for your portfolio. If you’ve been taking photos for a while, you probably have more favorites than this for sentimental reasons. Now’s a great time to trim that back. Creatives call this "killing your darlings."

• Be critical. Be sure your short list features only your most powerful work.
• Stay on topic. If you’re looking to book sports events, get rid of the landscapes in your portfolio. Or create a separate portfolio gallery for each type of work so you can link your clients directly to the most relevant one.
• Enlist your fellow photo friends. Removing your own emotion about your photos is extremely difficult, but friends with good taste can help you pick the gems best suited for your portfolio. Ask them to choose the photos they think tell the best story. 

2. Reorganize what you have.

Think like a fan who stumbles onto your site: What interests you?

• Reorganize the photos on your site using the Organizer on SmugMug. Drag old photos from your portfolio gallery to your archives, and drag your new favorites into your portfolio. If you’d rather not shuffle photos, use the collect tool to place a virtual copy of the original into your portfolio gallery.
• Want to make big changes? The Organizer will also let you move, collect, and delete images, galleries, and folders all in one go. Or simply change the privacy settings on your pages, galleries, and folders to hide your older content without actually removing it from your site.

Dozens of beautiful layouts come free with every SmugMug site.

3. Paint the front door.

Changing your theme, site design, or homepage gives you the biggest bang for your buck. (Especially since it all comes free with your existing SmugMug subscription.)

• Your SmugMug membership includes dozens of beautiful designs that instantly change the look and feel of your site. Change a little or a lot, and your original design stays the same until you’re ready to share it with the world.
• If you’ve reorganized your content like we recommended above, don’t forget to update your navigation bars and your homepage layout to direct people to the new stuff.

4. Ask, “Can my site be found?”

Do an SEO audit. Whether you need your friends to find your site, want to attract new clients, or simply want to be Internet famous, your website and photos need to be found by search engines like Google.

• Update your meta descriptions, meta keywords, custom URLs, and photo keywords. Make sure they’re specific and relevant to your photography, location, business, and more.
  
  Poor example: "wedding photos"
  Good example: "Salt Lake City analog medium format wedding photography and portraiture by Hass L. Blad"

• Double-check your privacy settings in your account settings and on your public galleries and pages, like your portfolio. Remember: Private and Unlisted galleries can’t be seen by search engines.

5. Pros: Look at your business plan.

Is your goal this year to break the bank in sales? 

• Update your pricelists. Inflation, cost-of-living increases, and you getting better at your job are all reasons to keep your prices competitive. If you don’t know how much to charge, we’ve got some basic tips on how to price your work.
• Review (and use) all the Pro business tools available to you from SmugMug.
• Avoid theft! Keep your images protected from unauthorized use.

We hope these tips help you create a website you’ll always love to share. Whether it’s January, June, or any time of the year, your confidence could always use a boost.

These days, everyone has a website. But how do you know what your friends, family, and fans really think when they see it? And if you're a pro making money from your craft, are you sure your site is doing everything it can to get you clients and seal the deal? After browsing tons of sites and hearing the advice from our team of Support Heroes, we've compiled a list of tips to help you get the best, most effective, and appealing website you possibly can. 

1. Your contact information.

Omitting or hiding ways for people to reach you is a grave mistake, one you may not even know you're making. If someone finds your site and wants to talk with you, how would they do it? Yes, putting your email address or phone number out in public can be risky. But there are other ways to let your potential clients and fans reach out to you without throwing the door open to everyone who walks by.

Also, it may be obvious to you that your town of Springfield is in New Jersey, but potential Googlers in Massachusetts, Illinois, Oregon, and Missouri may not be so sympathetic. Be specific about the areas you serve so you'll score top search results by clients looking to hire locals like you.

To do:  Include a way to contact you either at the top, bottom, or in the navigation bar of your website. Add your contact email address in your SmugMug profile. Take it one step further and connect your SmugMug site’s contact form to your navigation menu by choosing the pre-built contact link in the menu bar builder. 

If you talk about your location on your homepage or About page, be specific about the state or country where you're willing to work. You can also add those terms and keywords in your Account Settings > Discovery > Search section so Google and other search engines pick you up ASAP.

2. Personality.

The great thing is everyone has a website these days. But the downside is...everyone has a website these days. How will you stand out? The answer is: Be yourself! You have a personality, and it's completely unique. Use your own language, unique selfies, or whatever it takes to show the world that you're more than another link on the web. Talk about what drives you and why you're passionate about your work. Give visitors a taste of what it’s like to meet you in your studio or at your next gallery show.

To do: It's difficult to talk about yourself, and it's even harder to figure out what strangers want to hear, but don't be afraid to browse through some of your favorite websites and see what sticks in your mind about their bios—the good and the bad.

3. Speed and ease.

Nothing looks worse than a super-slow website with broken images and dead links. Even if you aren't looking to make money through your website, you still want to look as polished as any pro. So do a regular audit of your site, click your links, and update them regularly to make sure they work every time. When you're logged out of your site and viewing it like a guest, what do you see?

To do: On SmugMug, we already give you warp-speed page loads and unlimited traffic and sharing. So you never have to worry about slow load times. Our Share button will generate handy links for all your photos, so you can be sure your images look beautiful every time.

4. Simplicity.

Your gorgeous photos may speak for themselves, but if your site's a mess the message will get lost. When you’re expecting house guests you tidy up, so extend the same courtesy to your online space. No one needs to see the photographic equivalent of your laundry pile.

To do: Curate a few examples of your best work and make them easy to find via a slideshow, featured content on your homepage, or a straightforward link in your navigation bar. Keep this gallery updated with new photos as you take them. Choose images that really show what you love to do and show the full breadth of your abilities. It can be difficult, but you can use SmugMug’s Collect Photo feature to add a virtual copy to a best-of gallery, and easily remove the ones you don't think make the cut.

Love to archive? That's OK. Just keep the rest of your photos neatly organized, too, so leisurely browsers can find their way around.

5. Your brand.

Even if you aren’t a working professional, it's important to give your viewers a unified look and feel that translates to a cohesive experience. Simply using the same colors and font size from page to page can keep your fans feeling grounded and sure that you've got your stuff together. If you're a pro, having your company's name, logo, and a simple set of colors can be all you need to say, "Yeah, I’ve got this."

To do: SmugMug makes it easier than ever to give your site a unified brand. Our pre-built designs have all the details of color scheme, font, and layout baked right in. We've done the heavy lifting for you.

Personalize any of the designs by adding your own logo, changing up the colors by changing the theme, and optimizing the page layout to best reflect your brand. Pro account owners can add order branding, too. 

‍6. Your services.

The key to making great sales is to do the thinking for potential customers so they don't have to. The most basic way to do this is to be crystal clear about what your specialties are and which services you offer. Whether you shoot BMX, babies, or brides, making it obvious in your brand and portfolio is the best way to ensure the right customers are finding you.

You made it! After learning about products and pricelists,  coupons and discounts, and connecting with customers, you’re ready to put it all together into a marketing strategy that will help you drive more sales for the holiday season and all year round. 

Today’s post is all about managing the moving parts of your promotion ahead of time. Think of it as planning now, so your future self can relax and rake in the sales. 

(If you really want to get ahead, we recommend reading through the Marketing for Photographers ebook as well. We can’t offer extra credit, but hopefully you get some extra cash!)

The story so far.

Here’s a quick checklist of the activities you can do (or might have already done) to prepare for your sales push:

1. Choose your products.

• Update your pricelists and tweak as needed.
• Add seasonal items to pricelists.
• Make a gallery of new or best-selling photos.
• Create visual assets for items you want to promote.
• Pro option: Build product packages to boost bulk sales.

2. Pro option: Build a promotion to excite your customers.

• Create a coupon or coupons for your sales push.
• Create visual assets for email and social outlets.

3. Lay the groundwork for outreach.

• Update your email list with your most recent customers.
• Update your website with SEO-friendly terms in your titles and image descriptions.
• Pro option: Add your coupon(s) to a banner on relevant pages, galleries, or your whole site.

You’ve done a lot of work to get here, and you’re almost ready for showtime. All this potential needs a plan, though. It’s time for a content calendar.

What’s a content calendar? How does it help sell more photos?

A content calendar gives you a bird’s-eye view of all the ways you can interact with your customers over time. It shows your communication channels (like your website, email list, and social media outlets) on one axis, and the date on the other, letting you plan and visualize where and when you want particular messages to connect with your future customers.

Content calendars are especially useful for creative businesses who need to spread the word about their work. Why? Because they’re efficient: You can create a single asset—like a blog post, a video, or a gallery—and build a whole raft of communications to promote it across your channels, where you’ll catch the attention of different audiences on each channel.

This means more eyes on your photos, more traffic to your site, and more chances to make the sale.

How to make a content calendar work for your photography.

Picture this: you make a gallery of your best-selling photos for the holidays (we told you it’d come in handy). 

Then you make a coupon for those photos. 

You promote that gallery and discount with a simple shout-out to your email list.

Then you tweet about it on Twitter/X one day. Post a teaser image on Instagram the next. Poll your followers for their favorite photo on Facebook. 

Maybe you throw one last reminder to your email list as the promotion is about to expire.

And all of a sudden, presto, you’ve got a marketing campaign. 

Follow this approach for other galleries, new products, or upcoming holiday promotions, and you can start to see how a content calendar will help you keep everything organized on your end, and keep your customers coming back for more.

Content calendar essentials: Framework.

Building a content calendar is easy. You can start with something as simple as a spreadsheet— in fact, most fancy content calendar tools are based on just that. 

To make things even easier, we built you a template you can use to get started for the upcoming selling season. Just click the image below to download the file, then open it in your favorite spreadsheet app.

Some businesses use content calendars to plan a full year in advance. Others may only use them for specific campaigns or particularly complex projects. For our purposes, a few months will do nicely. 

Content calendar essentials: Channels.

With the “calendar” part taken care of, let’s look at content. For each channel, it’s important to consider what kind of content you want to put out there, and how to play to the strengths of each. For example:

• Instagram is likely to be at the top of your list as a photographer, and for good reason. The ability to share photos, galleries, and videos makes it a natural fit for photographers looking to grow their business, and stories provide a fun way to engage with followers in a low-stakes, casual way.
• Facebook can be used to engage with your followers while they’re scrolling through their news feed. Its flexible tools can help you craft just the right kind of eye-catching post, and fun options like polls and surveys give you extra insight into what your audience engages with the most. Facebook’s paid marketing capabilities also let you target an audience much more specifically, getting just the right eyes on your photos. 
• Twitter/X is excellent for engaging with your followers because they have direct access to you. By setting up notifications and monitoring your account activity, you can be quick to answer questions, address feedback, and turn interactions into business opportunities.
• YouTube is your home for all things video and a great place to try out some non-photo content. Your videos don’t need to be polished, big-budget productions—you can craft a personal hello to your followers, a preview of things to come, or show off your latest print unboxing with a simple smartphone. 
• LinkedIn is often overlooked, but it’s a great asset for professional development and business growth. Building your brand, sharing your business wins, and networking with other photographers are all easily accomplished here.

Feel free to add any communication channels you like to the document (Pinterest? TikTok? Go wild), and let’s dig into scheduling.

Content calendar essentials: Scheduling.

Scheduling is the most personal part of your content calendar creation process, and it will be wholly unique to you and the type of campaigns you want to run. To get you started, though, here are a few important dates to keep in mind this season:

• Thanksgiving—November 25
• Black Friday—November 26
• Small Business Saturday—November 27
• Cyber Monday—November 29
• #GivingTuesday—November 30
• Hanukkah—November 28–December 6
• Christmas Eve—December 24
• Christmas—December 25
• Kwanzaa—December 26–January 1
• Boxing Day—December 26

Upcoming holidays are called out in the content-calendar template, and we’ve gone ahead and populated the first week with a sampling of emails, posts, and assets to get you started. You’ll also want to keep an eye on shipping deadlines so you can let your customers know to order in time for the holidays!

Just like emails, you can draft and schedule your social media posts ahead of time using tools like Facebook’s native scheduler, or try an all-encompassing tool like HootSuite.

Whichever tools you use, a little up-front planning can make your selling season a breeze, so get out there and get posting.

You’ve got a solid foundation. Time to build.

Thank you for joining our Photo Seller’s Foundations series. We hope these tools are helpful for you this selling season, and, as always, our sales specialists are here to answer any lingering questions you have. We can’t wait to see your photos out in the world.

Optimizing your photography website for SEO is simple. Whether you’re trying to sell more prints, attract new portrait or events clients, or simply get more eyes on your work, you can do it by following a few simple steps. 

Step 1: Add and edit content.

Content is what search engines use to identify what's on your page. Although some search engines like Google use natural-language processing to try to understand what each word means, the more specific in text you can be the better. 

Your easiest SEO win starts here: go through your website and find headers, page titles, and blocks of body copy, and review them for simplicity and clarity. 

Instead of saying, “The stunning skies over mountains in Utah’s national parks,” in a gallery description, maybe say, “Art prints of the mountains and sky in Zion National Park.” Both will tell a visitor similar information, but the second version is easier for a search engine to understand, making your page that much more likely to be found. 

As you’re reviewing your content, also look for opportunities to build internal links. These are the linked words or phrases on most websites that help guide a user to the information they’re looking for. For example, your “Art prints of the mountains and sky in Zion National Park” might add an internal link to “Art prints” that leads to a catalog page, where users can browse the products you offer.

The keywords you use for these links help your visitors find the pages they’re looking for, and search engines use them to determine what each page is about. But be careful not to link the same words to two separate pages. This will cause confusion for search engines and potentially your customers.

Search engines will also look at the amount of links pointing to each page on your website. The more links you assign to a specific page, the more important a search engine will think it is. This gives that page more priority, so make sure your main galleries, signature shots, and business-generating pages are linked to from as many places on your site as possible. 

Step 2: Name your images and galleries.

Just like the copy on the page and internal links, wording matters on your images and galleries. Naming your images includes the actual name of the file, the title, the caption, and keywords.

These elements are used both by browser helpers for people with disabilities and search engines to understand what the image is about. A lack of image titles, keywords, and captions makes it harder for a search engine to understand what the image is, so the search engine will likely choose another photographer’s work to display.

Your words matter here as well, especially regarding genre and location. If you're selling a print of The Vessel in NYC, name your photo, “fine-art photo of The Vessel building in NYC.” If you're a sports team photographer, name a photo, “Soccer team group photo New Orleans.” Including specificity in your naming and keywording will go a long way toward getting your work found. 

The naming and structure of your galleries also contributes to your site’s SEO. Start with the overall theme on a folder, then add niche galleries underneath. 

For example, you could create a folder called Assateague Island Photos that houses all your favorite shots from this specific place. Inside this folder you could build galleries like “Assateague Beach Photos,” “Assateague Island Wildlife,” and “Camping Photos on Assateague Island.” If you make wildlife a folder, too, you could even build subgalleries for the island's famous inhabitants, like wild horses.

By naming your folders and galleries, you ensure your visitors and search engines both have a clear understanding of what's on a given page. As you add copy and internal links, you’re also providing easy navigation to help people find the exact shots they’re looking for.

Tip: Don't erase your EXIF data. Google and other search engines can use this information to determine where a photo was taken and verify the photo is actually of the area claimed in the title, filename, and caption. When uploading to SmugMug, we keep your EXIF data intact by default. 

Step 3: Register in Google My Business.

Google's My Business is a free service that helps Google understand what you do. You’ll want to create and verify your account, then make sure you fill out every field possible when registering for this service.

Make sure to define the area you serve (statewide? A few counties? Just in the city? Be specific!), list out the services you offer, and add hours of operation. 

The more complete your answers are, and the more often you update your listings, the more chances you have for your business and photography website to show up in local search results like “portrait photographer in Tulsa” or on a map as someone is looking for “holiday photographers near me.” 

For that second example, you can amplify your SEO by building a dedicated holiday page on your website, then updating your My Business listings with your new service, and even a discount if you’re a SmugMug Pro subscriber.

Step 4: Build backlinks.

Once you have content that defines your pages, your images are named and keyworded, and your account on Google My Business is complete, you need to build what SEO experts call authority. This is how trustworthy or reputable your site is considered and can be done through citations and backlinks.

A backlink is a link from an external website to your SmugMug website. It’s important to make sure these links are naturally occurring and come from a trustworthy website like your local news, trade publications, other businesses, or niche blogs. 

Often, professionals looking to increase their SEO will collaborate with each other, trading blogs and features to drive traffic to each of their sites while building authority. This can also be done through PR outreach to local publications and news outlets when you have something big to announce! 

For example, if you’re hosting a workshop on wedding photography, you could ask a wedding blogger to give you a shout-out on their blog, reach out to venues and vendors you partner with and ask them to list you as a resource, and let the local news know about your event.

Just be sure you’re not spamming links to your website on forums, blogs, or irrelevant websites—these will get you penalized by search engines. If you look for natural fits for your photography, you’re likely to find lots of opportunities to connect.

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These four simple steps will help you get found by search engines and customers alike, so get to it and good luck!

Welcome to day 2 of the Photo Seller’s Foundations series. If you missed part 1, be sure to check out yesterday’s products, pricelists, and packages post, or continue reading for today's deep dive into coupons, discounts, and limited-time offers. We’ll also walk you through how to make an automated “thank you” discount for your customers all year round.

As always, you can power through the whole series on our Photo Seller’s Foundations page, or get into the nitty-gritty of photography marketing and business strategy with our Marketing for Photographers ebook.

Setting up coupons in SmugMug.

First things first: Coupons and discounts are only available for SmugMug Pro subscribers. If you’re a Portfolio subscriber who’s been on the fence about upgrading, consider this one more reason to take the plunge and invest in your photography business. 

Coupons are a powerful tool to grab attention, drive sales, and even prime return buyers for more purchases down the road. On SmugMug, coupons are generated via a code that your customers enter during checkout. The option to enter a coupon will only appear when coupon-eligible items are in your customers’ shopping carts. 

You can manage coupons from the same place you find your pricelists: Just click “Manage” under the Coupon section of your Selling Tools page. Here you’ll see any previous coupon discounts you’ve run, and the option to create more.

More of a visual learner? Everything to get you started with coupons is also covered in our Pro Workflow webinar, Coupons: How and why?

Step 1: Choose your coupon type.

When you click the “+ Create Coupon” button in your coupon manager, you’ll be prompted to choose an initial coupon type. SmugMug coupons come in four different flavors: 

• Amount Off: Choose a set amount to take off a purchase, before or after shipping is calculated.
• Percentage Off: Choose a set percentage to take off a purchase, before or after shipping. 
• Free Shipping: Free standard shipping for your customer, or free airmail shipping if the order is international. If the customer opts for faster shipping at checkout, then an amount equal to standard shipping will be taken off the shipping total. 
• At Cost: Offer your lucky customers the option to purchase photos at the same cost you’d pay to print them.

Once you’ve chosen a coupon type, you can fill in the details, including a title, description, desired currency, and discount amount. We recommend giving your coupon a descriptive title that will help you quickly identify it in your coupon list, like “Amount off portraits” or “Percent off metal prints.”

Last but not least, you can choose your custom coupon code. Have fun with this part! Choose something eye-catching, memorable, and descriptive to grab the attention of customers browsing their inbox or social feeds. 

Step 2: Customize with restrictions.

Choosing your discount type is a great start, but the real power of coupons comes alive when you start applying restrictions to fine-tune your offer. These can be mixed and matched to build the perfect coupon for your customers. 

When you click the “restrictions” tab, this is what you’ll see:

Valid from and Valid through will let you set the start and end dates of your promotion, if you 

choose. Many promotions benefit from a limited duration, but some (like the one we’ll walk through making below) are good to leave open-ended. 

Here are your other restriction options:

• Minimum Purchase: Set a minimum total price for the entire purchase before your coupon can be applied to a customer’s order. This can help you ensure the order amount is large enough to cover your coupon’s discount.
• Maximum Discount: The most you want a customer to receive off an order’s total. Especially helpful to ensure a large discount doesn’t eat too much into your gross profits.
• Maximum Uses: How many times a coupon can be used on separate orders. If this is left blank, your coupon will be good until it expires. 
• Maximum Items: How many items the coupon can be applied to in a single order. The most expensive items will automatically be selected for the coupon application to give the buyer the largest discount.
• Choose galleries: By default, your coupon will apply to all your photos, but here you can choose specific galleries you want it applied to instead. This is an easy way to make client- or genre-specific offers.
• Choose products: Like galleries, your coupons will apply to all your products by default, but if you have some special items on sale (like ornaments) or you have a higher profit-margin product you’d like to promote (like gift cards), this tool will let you limit a coupon to a specific product or product category.

Pro tip: By combining coupon types and restrictions, you can create engaging sales like limited-time offers, bulk discounts, and buy-one-get-one deals. We have five great options broken down step by step here: Want to sell your photography? Use coupons. Any one of these would make a great promotion for that best-selling gallery you made yesterday, too.

Step 3: Get your promotions out there.

We’ll cover search-engine optimization (SEO), email, social media, and more in tomorrow’s post, but specific to coupons, here’s an easy way to get your discounts into the hands of people who’ll use them.

Ongoing discounts: Who says coupons are just for selling season? Promote return sales all year round with an automated 10% off “Thank you” coupon for all print orders. It’s an extra $1 per order, but you can deliver your coupon via a custom print, sticker, or, in some cases, both (visit our Help Center article for full details). 

Here’s how to get it set up:

• Create a coupon for your thank-you promotion:

• In the coupon manager, click “Create” and select “Percentage off.”
• Title your coupon something descriptive, like “Thank you 10% off.”
• Enter a coupon code—for this example we’ll use “THANKS10.”
• Enter 10 in the “Discount Amount” field.
• Click “Create” and you’re done with the coupon.

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• Enable “Thank You Prints”:

• Download these customizable PSDs and make them your own! Just be sure to keep the sizing the same—prints need an exact 3:2 ratio, and stickers need to be 2:1.
• Go to your Account Settings page, click the Business tab, and find the Printing section.
• Click “Manage” under the Order Branding subhead to open the Pro Branding tool.
• Upload your images for your coupon and sticker. 
• Check the box next to Thank You Print and Sticker, then click “Done.”

And that’s it! You’ve just made an ongoing coupon to encourage your customers to buy again—or encourage their friends to buy by sharing the discount. It’s a great way to keep in touch with your customers, help them feel seen and valued, and drive repeat sales in the future.

Next up, it’s all about outreach and how to connect with your customers: SEO, email, social media, website updates, and more. Don’t miss it.

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Still confused about coupons? Reach out to one of our sales specialists for help.

Hello, and welcome to the Photo Seller’s Foundations series.

It’s simple, straightforward, and built to help you make more photo sales. Four articles, four tasks, and a handful of helpful tools will lay the groundwork for your best sales yet.

For the overachievers who’d like to get it all done at once, head over to our Photo Seller’s Foundations page for all the goodies.

For the academics who prefer a book to a blog series, check out our comprehensive Marketing for Photographers ebook, published in collaboration with leading photography educator Phlearn.

Lastly, for everyone who’s along with us for this ride, read on for part 1: Products, pricelists, and packages.

Getting started with pricelists.

Pricelists are the key to selling photos on SmugMug. They let you manage all your print and download pricing in one place. Think of your pricelist like a template you can apply to any gallery or specific images you like: choose what products you’d like to sell, set your profit, and watch the sales roll in.

Portfolio and Pro subscribers can find the pricelists manager on the Selling Tools page in the navigation bar when logged into SmugMug. Click the “Manage” button under the Pricelists section and you’re in.

Note that SmugMug Portfolio accounts can only have one pricelist active at a time, while Pro accounts get the option to manage multiple active pricelists at once.

Prefer to learn by watching? Check out Episode 75 of SmugMug Live! for a start-to-finish walkthrough of pricelists, plus some helpful tips and tricks to get you started.

Step 1: Choose your products.

To prep for a sale, you’ll first want to check in on your pricelists and make sure your products and profits are set how you like them.

On the Manage Pricelists page, the white star indicates your default active pricelist. This pricelist is applied to all galleries where the shopping cart is turned ON, with the exception of Pro accounts running multiple pricelists. Click it, and you’ll be able to see more details, including your print lab, currency, preferences, and all the product categories you currently have for sale. Light-grey items can be purchased, dark-grey items can’t.

Around the holidays, our fantastic print partners introduce seasonal products like greeting cards and ornaments. If it’s been a while since you’ve updated your pricelists, there might also be new products we’ve added, like epic prints, that you’ll want to enable.

To add these items, click “edit list” in the bottom-right of the screen. On this page, you can enable greeting cards from the right-hand toolbar. By default, your base profit for greeting cards will be set at 30%, but you can change this manually.

Pro tip: Final pricing on items like greeting cards will change based on your customers’ choice of paper, design, and more. To check the final price of gift cards or other items for your customers, navigate to your SmugMug site in a logged-out or incognito tab in your browser, then add your desired items to your cart, where their final prices will be listed. If you check while you’re logged in, you’ll see *your* cost, not the cost-plus-markup your customers will see.

To add or remove other items from your pricelist, click “choose products” in the upper right of your Edit Pricelist screen. Here you’ll find a full list of possible products to choose from. Click each category to see specific sizes, and check/uncheck the boxes to select the products you’d like to sell this season.

If you’re not sure which products to choose, or want to know more about your various print options, take a walk in your customer’s shoes and browse through your (or another photographer’s) SmugMug site to get a better idea of what these various print products look like.

Want to see what your photos will look like as some of this season’s best sellers? Download these free PSDs of greeting cards, ornaments, and metal prints and drop your photos in to show your clients and customers.

Step 2: Set your profits.

Preparing for a sales push is a great time to revisit your profit margins and make sure everything is in order. There are three ways to set your profits on SmugMug.

Suggested pricing: The first (and easiest) way to set your profits is by selecting the “suggested pricing” option when you create a new pricelist. This will populate your pricelist with a data-driven variety of print products, plus markups for each one that will net you a fair sum no matter what you sell.

Default base profit: You can also customize a default base profit in the right-hand toolbar of the Edit Pricelist page. This will apply the same percentage profit to every item you sell — but be aware that a several-hundred-percent markup on paper prints that seems reasonable can produce a shocking price tag on larger, more expensive items. Be sure to review the price and profit for your products before applying and saving your pricelist.

Individually: Setting your profits individually gives you complete control over each and every product you offer. To set your profits individually, select your product category and item in the Edit Pricelist page, then enter your desired profit amount (e.g., $1 per small print) or your desired final price (e.g., $3 per small print). Whichever you choose, the other will be automatically calculated based on your preferences.

Step 3: Build packages.

For SmugMug Pro subscribers, packages are an easy way to encourage bulk purchases, often at a discount.

From your Selling Tools page, click “Manage” under the Packages section to get started. If you have existing packages, click the one you’d like to edit. Otherwise, click “New Package” and you’ll be whisked to the package-creation page.

Here you can add items to your package, adjust options like color correction and single- or multiple-image packages (think school photos vs. wedding photos), and, of course, set your desired profit. We suggest choosing your print lab to match the print lab on your default active pricelist.

Pro tip: The most successful packages encourage customers to buy more photos for a sweet discount, so be sure to price your packages slightly lower than the cost of the packaged items sold individually.

At this time, packages are limited to physical products only, but you can use coupons to create digital-download “packages” with a few simple tricks. More on that tomorrow, when we dive into Photo Seller’s Foundations Part 2: Promotions, coupons, and discounts.

Bonus tip: Build a best-selling gallery.

Do you have a few photos that outsell the rest? Or maybe you’re particularly proud of your latest photoshoot and would like to see it in the spotlight? Now is a great time to make a new gallery in your photo site. This will come in handy later on, so check out our step-by-step guide here: Create a gallery.

(Not sure about your sales numbers? We’ll cover downloading these details in part 3, but you can get a head start at our Help Center.)

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Still perplexed about pricelists and products? Reach out to one of our sales specialists for help.