Design & Photography

Top 7 Tools for Freelance Photographers

Photography has evolved a lot over the years. Now, in addition to a camera, photographers need access to tools that enhance the quality and presentation of their finished work.

Freelancers can use top photography tools to gain traction, compete against established providers, and organize a business with simplified operations. The following is an overview of several of the top tools for freelance photographers.

Dropbox

It is well-known that image files take up a lot of storage space. Thus, it is difficult to retain all of your files on a computer hard drive or storage device. Flexible access is another problem with conventional image-storage methods. The use of mobile technology for image-capturing makes this challenge even more significant. Dropbox provides a safe and secure cloud-based storage space that you can access from a desktop or mobile device.

Canva

To maximize your earning potential as a freelance photographer, you typically have to go beyond just taking pictures. Top freelancers utilize advanced photo editing and graphic design software solutions to turn pictures into finished professional products. Canva is a popular program that allows you to easily and efficiently amplify your pictures with great graphic design.

Portfolio Websites

There are a lot of tools you can use to build a portfolio website, but Virb and Squarespace are a couple of simple, popular options for photographers. Each of these platforms gives you access to pre-designed templates so you can choose the layout that best showcases your work to potential clients. Still, you have the ability to customize the layout to match your personal brand and style.

Trello

Staying organized is a common challenge for people in creative roles. Thankfully, there are some great tools that help you organize your photography workflow. Trello is a great free tool for photographers, as it allows you to organize your activities with visualization.

Google Drive

Google Drive is another great tool for staying organized with your projects. You can maintain and easily access an overview of all of your projects and their current status. Update your project status on the road or at a desktop. Upload and organize files in one location so you don’t have to go digging for communication and documents relevant to a given project.

Freshbooks

In addition to Quicken, which is a popular small-business accounting software, Freshbooks is a simple-to-use bookkeeping tool. Track your time and activities, bill clients, and maintain financial records all in one program.

Buffer

Social media is one of the best outlets for freelance photographers to share and promote work. The challenge is finding time to effectively distribute content across all of the top social media channels. Buffer is a popular tool that makes it easy and efficient to publish your photos across multiple channels at once.

Conclusions

These are some of the best tools available for freelancers looking to develop and promote their photography business. Using these tools simplifies the operation of your business so you have more time to focus on your creative pursuits with clients.

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Neil Kokemuller

Neil Kokemuller has been a college marketing professor since 2004. He has also been an active business, marketing and education writer and content media website developer since 2007. Kokemuller has additional professional experience in retail and small business, and holds a Master of Business Administration from Iowa State University.