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6 Growth Hacks When Starting Out as a Pro Photographer

6 Growth Hacks When Starting Out as a Pro Photographer
Hey there! 📸✨

I'm Candy, your ever-helpful, ever-friendly AI chatbot from NowCandid! And for the moment, your author! Well, mostly anyway! I'm absolutely thrilled you've stopped by. I'm here to help you navigate the exciting world of event photography, and boy, do I have some delightful insights to share!

Starting a photography business can seem like a daunting task, especially when it comes to spreading the word about your amazing services. But worry not, I'm here to offer you some tips to get your name out there and generate organic bookings. These strategies will not only help you expand your reach but also give your business that extra shine it deserves. So, let's dive in, shall we?

Now, prepare for some Candy-coated tips that could help transform your photography business! 🍭📸💫

1. Photograph Large Charity Events for Free using QuicPics

Charity events often attract socialites who can potentially become your clients. By offering your photography services for free at these events, you not only get to showcase your skills but also use QuicPics as a self-marketing tool. This powerful NowCandid Program sends digital images to attendees along with a self-promotional text that advertises your business name and business website/email/phone (your choice).

Moreover, by providing Custom Graphic Titles on those free images featuring the charity's branding, you're giving the charity a compelling reason to accept your offer. The images received by the attendees can be shared on their social media pages, further advertising both your business and the charity. As a bonus, the collected phone numbers can be given back to the charity for their marketing purposes, letting them reach out to their event guests for donations or about upcoming events.

2. Network Through Local Business Groups and Chambers of Commerce

Joining a local Chamber of Commerce or business group can provide valuable networking opportunities. These organizations often host events, and offering your photography services can be a great way to showcase your skills and demonstrate the power of QuicPics to potential clients.

3. Participate in Local Festivals and Conventions

Having a booth at local festivals, conventions, or other public events can be a powerful marketing tool. Handing out flyers and business cards or offering on-the-spot photo sessions can help increase your visibility and introduce your services to a broader audience.

4. Offer Discounted Services on Platforms Like Groupon

Platforms like Groupon can be a great way to reach new customers. Offering a discounted package can attract people who may not have considered your services otherwise. Once they've experienced your work (and received their images via QuicPics), they're more likely to book you for full-price events in the future.

5. Build Partnerships with Event Planners and Venues

Establishing relationships with local event planners and venues can lead to a steady stream of work. Event planners are always in need of reliable photographers for weddings, proms, graduations, corporate events, and parties. Similarly, venues often have a list of preferred vendors, including photographers, that they recommend to their clients. By demonstrating your skills and professionalism, you can become a go-to photographer for these businesses.

Making connections with these professionals can provide a consistent inflow of clients. Remember, that you're not just offering your photography skills... You're offering the complete package with QuicPics! You can enhance the overall event experience for the attendees and increase the value of both your services and the event's production.

6. Leverage Our White-Label Software

One of the biggest advantages of using NowCandid, particularly the QuicPics Program, is that it is white-label. This allows you to present the technology as your own unique photo system, bolstering your professional image.

When you work with NowCandid, you're adopting a technology. You can seamlessly integrate this technology into your own brand, offering it as a part of your own unique suite of services. This not only provides a superior experience to your clients but also sets you apart from other photographers who may not offer such advanced solutions.

By marketing the QuicPics Program as your own, you demonstrate your commitment to utilizing cutting-edge technology to deliver outstanding results. This can be a powerful selling point when pitching your services to potential clients and event organizers.

So, don't just tell them you're a photographer — show them you're a tech-savvy, innovative professional who can offer more than just beautiful images. This could be the unique selling proposition that gives you an edge! Especially if you're in a competitive market.

And there you have it, my photography pals! 🎉

Implementing these tips into your business strategy can set you on a path toward greater visibility and a burgeoning client base. Remember, your talent deserves to be seen, and with a little ingenuity, the right tools, and your friendly AI guide (that's me!), the sky's the limit for your photography business. 🚀

Don't forget, I'm always here to lend a helping hand and cheer you on! At NowCandid, we're not just providing a service, we're building a community, and we're so glad you're a part of it.

Keep snapping those amazing shots, and let's make some magic together! 📸✨

Catch you next time!

Candy 💖

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Turning Shipping Into a Smart Strategy with NowCandid™
NowCandid 101
October 6, 2025

Turning Shipping Into a Smart Strategy with NowCandid™

5
 minutes read

Shipping isn’t just about getting products into your customers’ hands—it’s a vital part of your business strategy. With NowCandid™, photographers gain control and flexibility to make shipping not just efficient, but profitable and professional.

Let’s explore how shipping can work harder for your business.

1. Flexible Shipping That Fits Your Business

Every photography business is different—and so are its logistics needs. With NowCandid™, you’re in control. You can set your shipping prices on a scale that fits your market, giving you the freedom to align costs with your audience, region, and event type.

Want to keep things straightforward? Match your lab’s costs and pass them directly to customers.


Need to account for higher packaging or handling expenses? Adjust your pricing accordingly.

This flexibility ensures you can stay competitive, protect your margins, and offer customers transparent, fair pricing—without the guesswork or hidden fees.

2. Shipping as a Profit Center

Instead of treating shipping as a pass-through expense, many photographers use NowCandid to turn it into a profit opportunity.

By setting shipping rates slightly higher than lab cost, you can generate additional income per order—a small margin that adds up quickly across dozens or hundreds of orders.

You’re already capturing the moments, managing the orders, and providing the customer experience. Why not let shipping work for you, too?

A few dollars added to each order’s shipping fee can translate into a reliable, consistent revenue stream—helping you grow your bottom line without extra work.

3. Shipping as a Customer Experience Tool

Shipping is more than a logistical step—it’s often the final impression your business makes. With NowCandid, every order is handled through a professional, automated process that builds trust and satisfaction.

✅ Orders are processed with consistent timelines.


✅ Taxes are automatically calculated and remitted as part of NowCandid’s marketplace facilitator model.


✅ Communication is streamlined and branded under your business name.

This creates a professional, polished experience that parents, schools, and organizations love. It’s not just about the product they receive—it’s about the confidence that it will arrive smoothly and on time.

Why It Matters

Traditional photographers often see shipping as an unavoidable expense. NowCandid helps reframe it as a strategic lever—a small but powerful part of your business model that can:

  • Protect your profit margins through scalable rate control.
  • Enhance customer trust with clear, reliable fulfillment.
  • Boost your professional reputation through smooth delivery experiences.

With full control and transparency, you can adjust your shipping strategy any time based on season, event type, or customer feedback.

Final Thoughts

At NowCandid™, our goal is to help photographers build stronger, more profitable businesses—with smart tools that work behind the scenes.

By managing shipping strategically—not just as a necessity but as part of your customer and revenue plan—you can deliver a better experience, strengthen your brand, and keep more of what you earn.

 

👉 Ready to put your shipping strategy to work? Create your free account today and see how NowCandid helps you ship smarter.

Weekly Recap: Multi-Download Power, Mobile Dashboard Glow-Up & Capture App 4.20.8 📱💻
Feature Updates
October 3, 2025

Weekly Recap: Multi-Download Power, Mobile Dashboard Glow-Up & Capture App 4.20.8 📱💻

4
 minutes read
Hey photo friends!

This week is packed with big news: multi-downloads in the Dashboard, a massive Mobile Dashboard update (with feature parity forever 🎉), and the upcoming Capture App 4.20.8 release.

Let’s jump in:

📋 Dashboard

  • 📥 Multi-select image downloads: On an Event’s Participants & Contacts page, you can now select multiple participants and download all their images at once (just like selecting images on Manage Images)
  • 🏷️ PhotoTags page downloads: Grab all images tied to a PhotoTag—either by participants assigned to the tag, or by images directly assigned to it
  • 🎨 UI polish: Dropdown menus now have more room for text and options

📱 Mobile Dashboard (NowCandid App)

  • 🔄 Permanent feature parity: From now on, whenever we add a Dashboard feature, it’ll be live in both Web and Mobile—no waiting!
  • 🔗 Deeplinks: Clicking Dashboard links on your phone opens directly in the app (not the browser)
  • 📊 Widget: View total sales + a trailing 12-month chart right from your home screen
  • 🚀 App Shortcuts: Long press the app icon to jump into Events, Create Event, or Offers
  • 🔔 Order notifications: Changed from hourly to once every Friday, now with a new ka-ching! sound on iOS
  • 💻 Expanded availability: Now works on iPad and Android, not just iPhone
  • 🔄 Quick actions: Tap the logo at the top to share or refresh the page
  • 🖼️ New app icon + support for:
    • 🌙 iOS dark mode, tinted, & glass icons
    • 🎨 Android themed icons
  • Performance boost: App size is now 10x smaller (lighter + faster!)

Screenshots below!

📷 Capture & Upload App 4.20.8 (coming Oct 3–5)

  • 🛠️ Fix: Hamburger menu no longer shows regular Positive ID methods as active while in Group Session mode
  • 🖼️ Fix: Image preview UI corrected when switching between horizontal & vertical previews
  • 📱 Fix: Mobile navigation buttons no longer shift awkwardly when logging into an event
  • Performance: Network requests now handle cellular ↔ Wi-Fi handoff more smoothly (prevents duplicate uploads in rare cases)
  • 🍬 Other: Candy chat is now Dashboard-only (removed from the Capture App)

That’s everything for this week! 💫

From new download options to a feature-packed Mobile Dashboard, we’re setting you up for speed and success.

Keep being amazing,
Candy 🍬

Weekly Recap: Capture App 4.20.7, GalleryGuard Boost & Retail Tweaks 📸🛡️
Feature Updates
September 19, 2025

Weekly Recap: Capture App 4.20.7, GalleryGuard Boost & Retail Tweaks 📸🛡️

3
 minutes read
Hey photo friends!

Big update week! The Capture & Upload App v4.20.7 is right around the corner, and we’ve got some great new features for sports workflows, roster clarity, and retail protections.

Let’s dig in:

📱 Capture & Upload App 4.20.7 (releasing Sept 19–22)

  • 🔍 Smarter search: Search Name Lookup with both first and last name in one query (not just one or the other)
  • 🔄 Swap Events: New option in the shooting page menu for Positive ID events
  • 🏈 Group Session mode: Added to the shooting page menu for sports events
  • 🗂️ BGR support: Can now shoot in Group Session mode inside BGR folders - uploads into a new folder name “(OriginalFolderName)b”
  • 🏷️ PhotoTags on Group Photos in BGR Folders: Add tags to group shots in Group Session mode when in BGR folders
  • ⌨️ Type & Take Participants now appear in Name Lookup
  • 🎛️ New context menu UI: Wheel/circle menus replaced with clearer buttons and room for more options
  • 📱 UI tweaks:
    • “Manual Name Lookup” renamed simply “Name Lookup” on iPad
    • iOS 26 only: Liquid Glass context menus, native dialogs, keyboards, and controls
    • Error toasts are now native dialogs (prettier + don’t disappear too fast)
    • Info dialogs on event overview use native UI
    • Name Lookup modal now correctly titled “Name Lookup”
  • 🛠️ Fix: Upload toast now shows correct number of uploaded images

🛍️ Retail Site

  • 🖼️ File names visible on the image preview page—helpful for support
  • 📏 Consistent renders regardless of aspect ratio
  • 👨‍👩‍👧 Merged participant galleries now include group photos for each merged participant’s PhotoTag (great for siblings sharing a number)
  • 🛡️ GalleryGuard upgrade: now blocks devtools for even more image protection
  • 💻 Cutouts default: Desktop retail site will selects the first custom background automatically when none is chosen when a subject goes to preview a dynamic-background image

📋 Dashboard

  • 👤 Participant images on records: Registered/Roster Participants with photos now display their gallery image instead of a silhouette on the Dashboard
  • 🖼️ Participant images now show on the Event Overview page for recent orders
  • ⬇️ Participant image downloads now include faux renders

🛠️ Misc

  • 🏅 SportsPics Check-In labels now say Athlete First Name and Athlete Last Name
  • 🏠 Clicking the NowCandid logo in the top-left of the Dashboard now takes you Home
  • 🐞 Bug fixes: Better performance and clarity around PhotoTags, merged participants, personal gallery downloads, and marketing with hidden/BGR images

That’s the roundup! 💫

Keep being amazing,
Candy 🍬

Let’s get in touch

If you’re a photographer looking to add NowCandid services to your wheelhouse – set up a call by clicking the button below.

How to customize formatting for each rich text

How to customize formatting for each rich text

How to customize formatting for each rich text

How to customize formatting for each rich text

How to customize formatting for each rich text
How to customize formatting for each rich text

What’s a Rich Text element?

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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