7 Ways to Make Money in Photography Without Editing

Last updated on 11/05/2024

“You get paid how much to take photos?”

Every photographer has watched as someone mentally calculated their rate against the length of a photo session. What most people overlook is all the other work involved. The emails, meetings, contracts, invoices, worksheets, phone calls…

Oh. And let’s not forget:

Hours and hours of photo culling and editing.

Photo editing is a necessary step in the digital age—even if you shoot film. But all those hours at your computer may actually get in the way of your photography business growth.

Every hour editing in Lightroom Classic is an hour spent not marketing your photography business, not networking, not strategizing, not shooting, and not making money.

Imagen revolutionizes the photographer’s workflow with AI image culling and editing software that turns your personal post-production style into hands-free automation.

No excessive costs for expensive presets. No inconsistent filters. No spending money on outsourced editors. No struggling to explain your style to a wedding photo editing service.

Just smart, quick, and simple photo editing that puts you back behind your camera, doing what you do best.

Double your income! Start the AI image editing challenge.

Imagen it: 30 days of freedom from color corrections and exposure adjustments.

Instead, devote your energy to activities that grow your client list, generate income, and get you out of that computer chair!

7 Ways Photographers are Making Money While Imagen Handles the Editing

#1: Make an extra $200-$1500 per client with one easy upsell

This is the simplest, fastest way to leverage AI image editing for your photography business.

Right now, you probably tell your clients to expect their finished photos in two weeks, six weeks, maybe even 12 weeks, depending on your market and photography genre. With Imagen editing hundreds or even thousands of photos in mere minutes, photographers are upselling a faster turn-around with email announcements like this one:

Hi, Wedding Client!

Your wedding is X weeks/months away, and I can’t wait to photograph your celebration!

As you know, it takes up to X weeks to deliver your wedding photos. While the wait is certainly worth it, I’ve always wished I could get folks their photos faster.

So I’m kicking those long turnaround times to the curb!

I’m incredibly excited to finally offer Premium Photo Finishing, an elevated editing option that gets your custom-finished photographs to you only 48 hours after your wedding.

The same beautiful photographs.

The same attention to detail.

All before you’ve even checked in to your honeymoon hotel!

Click HERE to add Premium Photo Finishing to your photography collection.

>>> Upgrade before X DATE and save 10% with promo code MEMORIES.

As always, I’m here if you have any questions!

Your photographer,

Me

Get started in four steps:

1. Give your quick-turnaround option a name. Consider “Premium Photo Finishing” or “Enhanced Delivery.”
2. Set a price. Most wedding photographers charge $500-$1500 for the upgrade. Portrait photographers upsell for $200-$500. Do what works for your business!
3. Make it easy to upgrade. Add the option to your online shop or studio management platform.
4. Announce the add-on to your clients. Use the above template or create your own offer email.

Your clients will fall in love with you all over again!

#2: Turn your pending leads into paying clients

While your photo edits are processed behind the scenes, follow up on your pending leads. Insanely quick turnaround can set you apart from other photographers and convert a prospect into a committed client.

#3: Streamline your album sales

Tools like Fundy, AlbumStomp, and SmartAlbums make album design a breeze. With Imagen applying around 100 photo edits per minute, you can craft an album predesign and deliver it alongside the finished photos—all in less time than it takes to find that missing lens cap.

#4: Launch your new, quick-turnaround option with special sessions for repeat clients

Schedule a day of mini-sessions just for your legacy clients, complete with complimentary AI image editing. Once they experience your enhanced, next-day turnaround, they’ll never be willing to wait again.

Quick turnaround has tremendous value to couples and families who love photography, so lean into it as a key marketing point.

#5: Create sellable, shareable, educational content

It doesn’t matter if you’re new to the photo industry or a multi-year veteran. There’s always someone coming up behind you who can learn from your experiences.

To establish yourself as a trusted leader, mold your know-how into sellable, shareable education.

• Mentor other photographers with local classes or wide-reaching webinars
• Tap into your business, marketing, or financial skills to connect with an entirely new audience of potential clients

There are dozens of ways to convert your experience into cash, and AI image editing frees you up to do just that.

#6: Make a lead magnet that attracts more ideal clients

You see lead magnets everywhere. Everyone from your dentist (“Get our FREE oral hygiene guide!”) to your favorite supermarket (“CLICK for this week’s coupons!”) is offering freebies in exchange for your email address.

To start, decide who you want to reach, then make a lead magnet that targets that precise demographic. Here are a few examples:

• Want to reach potential wedding clients? Offer a free wedding timeline worksheet.
• Looking to reach families with newborns? Create a guide that helps parents take sweet iPhone photos of their baby.
• Are you a marketing guru? A financial wizard? Develop a downloadable content calendar or budget spreadsheet.

Every lead magnet download means one more contact in your email list!

#7: Build a failproof network of brand ambassadors

Brand ambassadors aren’t just for Instagram.

Trusted referrals are the foundation of any thriving business. When others speak highly of you and your work, you earn instant credibility.

Start growing your own ambassador network with these smart, simple steps:

• Design and deliver sample albums to influential vendors
• Establish a referral program that rewards legacy clients for recommending you
• Create vendor-specific online galleries full of your photos of their work—their venue, floral designs, hand-made onesies, etc. Make this gallery public and encourage each vendor to share with their own clientele.
• Surprise beloved clients with ‘gram-worthy goodies: tiny prints, a desktop frame, or custom-branded candies are a great start.

It doesn’t take a lot to stay on top of mind!

Are you ready to cut 75% off your editing time?

Then it’s time to join Imagen’s AI image editing community of industry-changing photographers like Susan Stripling, John Branch IV, Fer Juaristi, Michelle Dellutri, Rachel Nielson, Michael Anthony, Yervant Zanazanian, Nitzan Gur, and Roey Harazi.

Start today.

You’ll never edit the old way again!