Sep
10
My Favorite Apps + Tools as a Wedding, Elopement and Branding Photographer
Between photographing weddings and elopements, working with brands, running a studio, traveling and marketing my business, there are a handful of apps that basically keep everything moving.
These aren’t random apps someone told me I needed. They’re the ones I ACTUALLY use.
Some save me hours, some keep me organized, some help me create a better client experience and a few just keep me functioning. 😂
So whether you’re a photographer, creative or small business owner, here are the apps currently earning their spot on my phone and computer.
Quick note: Some links in this post are referral links, which means I may receive a referral benefit if you sign up through my link. I only share tools I actually use and genuinely recommend.
Running My Business
HoneyBook
My business home base. I use HoneyBook for inquiries, contracts, invoices, questionnaires, communication and keeping my wedding, elopement and branding clients organized. I don’t know what I would do without HB to be honest.
ChatGPT Plus
Obviously. 😂 My brainstorming partner for marketing ideas, blogs, captions, emails, workflows and getting the approximately 12 ideas floating around my head into something that actually makes sense. I don’t use Chat to create for me I use it as a tool to get my thoughts organized into words that make sense and that is grammatically correct… because let’t be real, grammer is not my strongsuite.
MileIQ
Not glamorous, but VERY necessary when you drive as much as I do. MileIQ automatically tracks my business mileage so Future Samantha isn’t trying to remember six months of driving at tax time. And my wonderful CPA loves this one too.
My Photography Workflow
Narrative Select
My go to for getting through thousands of photos MUCH faster. It speeds up the culling process so I can spend more time on the creative decisions and less time staring at nearly identical photos.
Try Narrative Select with my referral link
Adobe Lightroom
I LOVE being able to edit on the go. So I personally us LR creative cloud. Traveling, sitting at an airport or working somewhere other than my desk, Lightroom cc gives me the flexibility to keep galleries moving wherever I am. And I don’t have to travel with my external harddrives to be working on the same gallery that is on my desk top in my home office.
Pic-Time
Where my clients finally get to experience their finished gallery. I love that there is an integration with Honeybook so everytime a client books with me it auto populates their gallery and links it back to their honeybook workspace. Just the little steps they take off my plate is amazing. I also love that they can order prints and products directly through Pic-Time because PLEASE print your photos. The beautiful thing about pic-tme shop is they have auto emails that send to my clients to initiate a sale.
Try Pic-Time with my referral link
Planning Weddings, Elopements + Shoots
Sun Seeker
If you’re a photographer and aren’t tracking the sun… what are you doing? 😂 I use Sun Seeker to know exactly where the light will be during weddings, elopements and branding sessions before I even arrive.
Google Maps
Specifically satellite view. I use it constantly when planning elopements to scout locations, parking, distances and figure out whether the timeline I’ve created is actually realistic. Trust me don’t use apple maps… the ongoing debate between my husband and I. Google is always better.
AccuWeather
The weather app I trust. Weddings and elopements mean I’m constantly checking rain, wind and temperature. Between AccuWeather and Sun Seeker, I’m trying to eliminate as many surprises as Mother Nature will allow. 😂
Traveling for Photography
HotelTonight
One of my favorites for destination wedding and elopement travel. I’ve found great last minute stays and the perks can be really good too. The more you use it the more perks you get and the the better perks you get. Im at level 37 which I am very proud of.
Want to try it? Use my HotelTonight code SAMWARD when you sign up and book.
Booking.com
My backup when HotelTonight doesn’t have what I need. And yes, I’m absolutely looking through hotel photos and judging the natural light in the room before I book it.
Creating Content
Edits by Instagram
My current go to for editing Reels and quick video content. If making a Reel requires six different apps and an hour of my life, chances are I’m not doing it. Simple wins. I love that I can find trending music or templates and make it my own… and it will get you to the step of actually posting it on IG without needing a download. Timesavers are my friend.
SCRL
I use SCRL for those seamless Instagram carousels where the images flow into each other. It makes wedding, elopement and branding posts feel more like a little editorial story.
Canva
WHO CAN LIVE WITHOUT CANVA? Investment guides, social graphics, PDFs, mood boards, client resources, marketing materials… basically everything I create visually is on Canva.
How I Market My Business
Still one of the biggest ways I market my photography. It’s part portfolio, part behind the scenes and part getting to know ME, because clients aren’t only choosing pretty photos. They’re choosing the person they’re trusting with their wedding day or brand. But Im sure I didn’t need to be the one to tell you about Instagram. I just felt like it needed to be on the list since I use it DAILY.
I love Pinterest because people are already there searching for wedding inspiration, California elopement locations and branding ideas. Plus, content can keep getting discovered LONG after I post it. ROI of my time is big on this one.
Flodesk
My email marketing platform. Social media is great, but I don’t own Instagram. Flodesk gives me a direct way to share offers, sessions, resources and new blogs with people who actually want to hear from me. Plus I love to pop on and share my heart or catch up with my subscribers. Flodesk is the easiest and best looking when it comes to designing my emails.
Try Flodesk with my referral link
ManyChat
If you’ve ever seen me say “Comment ELOPE and I’ll send you the info,” ManyChat is what makes that happen automatically. Less time manually sending DMs and a much faster response for potential clients.
Keeping Me Focused + Functioning
Brick
Brick helps keep me OFF my phone when I’m editing or need focused work time. Because somehow “I’ll just check one thing” can turn into 20 minutes of watching Reels. 😂 Less scrolling, more galleries finished.
Oura Ring
My Oura Ring helps me keep track of sleep, recovery and overall wellness. Im active in my personal life and with work. Photography is physical, wedding days are LONG and travel can throw everything off. I can’t show up well for my business or my clients if I’m completely running myself into the ground.
Taking care of myself IS part of taking care of my business.
And One App That’s Just for the Vibes
Spotify
I LOVE creating playlists for branding sessions and elopement days. Music changes the energy, helps people relax and can become part of the memory of the day. It’s such a simple little detail that makes the experience feel more personal. I even love when my elopement clients are using Spotify because I can have them create a playlist that they want to listen to during their experience and I can download it and be sure their favorite tunes are playing even when we don’t have signal in the mountains
The Best Business Tools Are the Ones You Actually Use
You don’t need every new app someone recommends. The best tools are the ones that save you time, make your business easier to run, help you stay creative or make the experience better for your clients.
These are mine.Some help me run the business. Some help me create. Some help me market. Some help me plan ridiculously good elopement days. And some help make sure I don’t lose my mind while doing all of the above. 😂
If I find something that genuinely makes my life easier or helps me serve my clients better, I’m absolutely telling you about it.
Hi, I’m Samantha
I’m Samantha Josette, a San Luis Obispo wedding, elopement and branding photographer, creative director and owner of Muse Studio on California’s Central Coast.
I photograph weddings and elopements throughout California and around the world while also helping businesses and personal brands create intentional imagery and content that actually feels like them.
This little corner of my blog is where I’ll share more of the tools, resources, places and things I genuinely use and recommend.
No gatekeeping around here.
