As photographers, there are SO many photography tools we invest in to help us grow. If you’re anything like me, I’m always trying to improve my photography skills AND my client experience. So today I’m giving you my top 7 favorite tools that I use in my business, from Dubsado to hard drives and more!

Quick disclaimer: this post does contain some affiliate links. If you use the link to purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thank you!

1. Extended Dress Hanger

You know those gorgeous photos where the wedding dress is hanging in a tree and it’s blowing in the wind in all its glory? Or it’s draped across a rustic wall and you see all the beautiful details? Maybe somewhere hanging up on the edge of a rooftop?

Chances are, that photographer used an extended dress hanger. This extends so you reach high places, and aren’t stuck finding somewhere that you can reach! It’s like a selfie stick, but way cooler. 

I love bringing this on wedding days to get perfect dress shots while the bride gets ready. It’s lightweight and extends up to 55 inches. So, no matter how short you are (or how tall the spot is that you want to hang the dress on), this is an amazing tool to grab the perfect dress shot. 

2. Dual Camera Harness

There’s a reason that nearly every wedding photographer has one of these. A dual camera harness is a NECESSITY for using two cameras at a shoot or a wedding. I promise it will save your back and make long days so much easier.

Dual harnesses also make it so that you can shoot on two different lenses at once, without having to constantly be swapping out lenses on a single camera. Which we all know can be a pain to try and do super quickly on a wedding day!

This leather strap also distributes weight much more evenly than a simple neck strap would, so you don’t throw out your back or hurt your neck walking around all day! I swear by this – if you’re a wedding or elopement photographer, you definitely need to check it out.

3.  Fractal Filters

Fractal filters are such a fun way to add variety to photos and play with light. I use them to get creative or bring focus to certain parts of a photo! They’re easy to use – you just snap them on while shooting, then take them off when you’re done! My couples absolutely love seeing the creative shots I’m able to get with these – they’re just plain fun and add a really beautiful variety to a gallery.

Here are some of my favorite photos I’ve taken using fractal filters!

4. Seagate External Hard Drive

The number one recommended important photography tool out there is an external hard drive, and for good reason. This Seagate portable external hard drive helps you backup your photos safely. Losing photos is my number one fear so I swear by this thing! You can get it as large as 18 TB (although that does get pretty dang pricey). 

These hard drives help me responsibly store all the images I capture in multiple separate backup locations. No matter what, I know I’m covered, and my couples’ images will be safe!

5. Video Light

This video light is a fantastic tool to use for wedding receptions or dark settings, so you don’t have to use off-camera flash the whole time! Rather than a flash, it’s a constant light that videographers use when filming.

It attaches to your camera and has an adjustable angle knob, so you can always get the perfect lighting. There’s also a button that lets you adjust and switch between cool and warm light.

Best of all, it’s super small and lightweight, so it’s easy to carry with all my other photography gear on a wedding day!

6. Dubsado

Dubsado is my personal favorite CRM ever. I love how easy it is to create automated workflows, schedule meetings, organize everything on the backend for myself, and streamline my clients’ experience. Dubsado is how I take payments, organize my biz finances, manage my questionnaires, keep track of all my clients’ information, and send out contracts.

My clients love it, too, because they get payment reminders, instant confirmation emails, and an online portal where they can access our contract and payment plan! You can automate your onboarding process, inquiry responses, email follow-ups, and check-in emails, along with much, much more. Basically, it’ll help make your life much more organized, and will save you countless hours every week!

It’s amazing because you don’t have to pay for like 5 different systems to keep your business running smoothly – it’s all in one place!

I definitely recommend looking into Dubsado if you’re looking for a CRM! 

7. Photo Mechanic

Photo Mechanic has drastically changed the efficiency of my post-shoot workflow!! It’s a fantastic tool for culling through the thousands of images you take at every shoot or wedding. It totally speeds up my editing process with tools to categorize photos, batch tag, name files, and export. I use it for culling, organizing photos, and way more. 

These seven photography tools are perfect for the busy photographer who’s either launching their business or ready to take it to the next level! With these, I’m able to run my business efficiently and most importantly, give my clients an amazing experience!