Running a photography business isn’t just about creating beautiful images — it’s about juggling inquiries, managing bookings, sending invoices, delivering galleries, tracking payments, and keeping clients happy from the first message to the final edited photo.

And while creativity may come naturally, the business side can often feel like a full-time job of its own. 😫

That’s exactly why photographers across every niche — wedding, portrait, newborn, brand, senior, boudoir, family, and beyond — turn to 17hats to simplify, streamline, and grow their businesses. With tools built specifically for solopreneurs and service-based creatives, 17hats takes your day-to-day work from chaotic to calm, giving you more time to focus on what actually matters: photographing the people and stories you love.

Here are the five biggest reasons photographers swear by 17hats (and why it may quickly become your business’s secret superpower).

1. Streamlined Client Management: Everything You Need, All in One Place

If you’ve ever dug through old emails, texts, Facebook messages, and notebooks trying to find a client’s address or figure out which version of their timeline they approved… you’re not alone.

Before 17hats, many photographers manage client information across a patchwork of tools or pen and paper. The result? Missed details, delayed responses, and a whole lot of stress.

17hats eliminates all of that with one clean, organized client hub.

With 17hats, you can:

• Store every client detail, from phone numbers, important dates, and session preferences.
• Keep all communications in one place (including email sync).
• Track projects and progress at a glance.
• Attach questionnaires, quotes, contracts, and invoices directly to the client file.
• Stay on top of next steps with automated to-dos and reminders.

Photographers often describe it as having a digital studio manager, minus the payroll.

Instead of hunting for information, everything is simply there, neatly organized, every time you need it.

2. Simplified Booking & Scheduling: Never Double-Book or Miss a Session Again

Between mini-session days, full sessions, wedding consultations, and personal events, photographers manage some of the busiest, most unpredictable schedules. The last thing you need is a back-and-forth string of emails just to find a time that works.

This is where 17hats Online Scheduling becomes a game-changer.

You can:

• Let clients book sessions or consultations online — no messaging required.
• Customize availability for different types of sessions.
• Automatically block off booked times to prevent conflicts.
• Add buffers between sessions for travel or setup.
• Sync your 17hats calendar with Google.
• Offer services for groups with Groups Online Scheduling.
• Embed your availability calendar right on your website.

Imagine clients browsing your availability, choosing the perfect time, signing the contract, and paying the retainer — all without you lifting a finger.

That’s not just convenient. It’s business efficiency on autopilot. Plus, photographers are loving our latest feature of Tipping in Online Scheduling!

And for photographers who sell out mini-sessions in minutes?
17hats helps you capture those bookings quickly and cleanly, without the chaos of manual spreadsheets or DM reservations.

3. Automated Workflows: Your Time-Saving, Stress-Reducing Secret Weapon

If there’s one thing photographers crave, it’s more time — time to edit, time to shoot, time to actually take a day off. Yet so much time ends up being spent on repetitive admin tasks: sending reminders, prepping client emails, following up on invoices, confirming sessions, or sending prep guides.

17hats workflows automate all of it.

With workflows, you can set up:

• Automated welcome emails after inquiries
• Session reminders sent days or weeks ahead
• Follow-up Reminder Emails or SMS Texts for unanswered messages or unpaid invoices
• Post-session thank-you messages
• Prep guides and timelines are delivered automatically via email.
• Internal task reminders (like “start editing” or “order the album”)

Once your workflow is set, 17hats executes each step—exactly when you want it to.

It’s like cloning yourself, except easier.

Photographers often say 17hats workflows cutting their admin time in half wasn’t just helpful…
It was business-changing.

Less time clicking buttons. More time behind the lens.

4. Professional Invoicing & Payments: Get Paid Faster, With Fewer Awkward Conversations

If you’ve ever sent a “Just checking in on the invoice…” email, you know it’s not fun. Creative entrepreneurs want to focus on artistry—not chasing payments or doing math in spreadsheets.

17hats makes getting paid simple, fast, and professional.

You can:

• Create branded invoices in minutes or save invoice templates for all your services.
• Bundle services, add-ons, retainers, and taxes
• Offer payment plans for larger packages
• Accept online payments with Stripe.
• Automatically send payment reminders via email or SMS Texting.
• Track what’s been paid (and what hasn’t)

The moment you send an invoice, clients receive a clean, clickable link to pay online. No PDFs to download. No awkward follow-up conversations. No lost checks.

And if you use Quotes, invoicing becomes even easier—clients can book a package, sign the contract, and pay the invoice in one seamless flow with our 3-in-1 Document.

For photographers who offer multiple packages, collections, or add-ons, this creates a luxury-level booking experience that feels polished and trustworthy from the first interaction.

5. Digital Contracts: Protect Your Business With Fast, Secure, Legally Binding Signatures

Contracts are non-negotiable for photographers. Whether you’re shooting weddings, families, branding, or events, protecting your work (and your time) is critical. But managing contracts manually? That’s where things get messy.

17hats contracts are secure, digital, and painless for both you and your clients.

You can:

• Create contracts using your own templates
• Add custom fields that pull client info automatically
• Send contracts with a single click
• Have clients sign electronically from any device
• Receive instant notifications when documents are signed
• Store everything securely inside your client’s Project Page.

This eliminates printing, scanning, emailing, waiting, and re-sending. It also eliminates the risk of forgotten terms, missing signatures, or outdated versions.

And when contracts integrate with proposals and invoices?
Your entire booking process becomes clean, professional, and effortless.

Photographers often tell us this one feature alone has saved them hours — and countless headaches.

The Bottom Line: 17hats Helps Photographers Work Smarter, Not Harder

The most successful photography businesses aren’t the ones working the longest hours.
They’re the ones using the best systems.

17hats gives photographers an all-in-one solution that:

• Organizes your business
• Automates your admin
• Makes booking effortless for clients
• Helps you get paid faster
• Protects you with digital contracts
• Frees up your time to do more of the work you love

Whether you’re juggling weddings every weekend or managing a steady flow of portrait clients, 17hats becomes the reliable backbone that supports your brand — and helps it grow.

Because when you streamline the business side, you create more space for creativity, connection, and success.