LightTrac – $4.99
This is my go-to app for scheduling outdoor sessions. Since I am a true natural light photographer, it is critical to schedule my sessions when the light is the best. Obviously, 4:00 in the afternoon in July will produce completely different light than 4:00 in October. This app will show you when the sun sets/rises, the sun direction, for any date and any location. It’s a must for any natural light photographer!
Pocket Light Meter – Free
This one is simple: snap a photo and get a light reading. It will give you the suggested shutter speed, aperture, and ISO as well. You can also put a note with the photo for future reference. I don’t rely on using a light meter, but for those looking for an option that is convenient and free, this app will work great.
Preveal – $74.99
Preveal is fairly new, but the buzz about this app has been nothing but good things. You snap a photo of your client’s wall, take some predesigned wall template designs from the app, plug in the client’s images, and voila! You have an instant way of showing the client how their photos will look enlarged on their wall. The price tag is a little steep, however it can help greatly increase your sales if you do in-person ordering.
Dropbox – Free
If you haven’t already heard of Dropbox, it’s time you check it out. You can have up to 2 gb of free online storage of your photos, documents, movies, etc. And, it’s an easy way to share files with clients or other photographers. This is the app version of Dropbox which you can use on your mobile device. Great for on-the-go!
Square – Free
Square Register is an easy, quick, and cheap way to accept credit cards on-location. You simply plug in the square reader (also free when you sign up for Square) to your headphone jack on your mobile device, enter the amount, and swipe the card. Then, the client signs, and you instantly send a receipt to their email address. The whole process takes less than 3 minutes! You can also create customized packages and products for an even quicker way for the client to pay. This can come in handy if you do in-person ordering.
Milebug – $2.99
This app tracks your mileage driven for a business. You can either start the odometer and drive, using the GPS to track your distance. Or, you manually input two locations. You can email reports to yourself and back-up your data as well. Just a great overall mileage tracker.
Strobox – Free
If you use studio lighting, this is fantastic app to have on hand. It gives you a birds eye view of your lighting set-up in relationship to the subject and the camera. You can place reflectors and different types of lighting, and then save your set-up to refer to it later.
Photographer’s Contract Maker – $2.99
The name of the app says it all! This will replace all paper contracts you bring to sessions. You get 4 starter forms (Photoshoot Release, Model Release, Copyright Release, and 2nd Shooter-Work for Hire) when you download the app, and then you can customize them for your business. The client simply signs the contract/release right on your mobile device. Finally, you can email a copy of the contract directly to the client instantly. Well worth the $2.99 price tag!
FolioBook Photo Portfolio – $12.99
This app takes your images and presents them professionally to the client. It’s like having a portable portfolio right on you iPad. You can use it to show to potential clients or for in-person ordering sessions, since the clients can swipe through the images with ease.
Facebook Pages – Free
Facebook created this app to help businesses manage their pages vs. doing it in their basic Facebook app. You can manage multiple pages, see insights, promote posts, etc. Pretty much anything you do in a browser on your computer you can do in the app, but in a much more organized way!
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