Smart summer strategy

Summer Business Strategy for Photographers // Making the Most of the Summer Season

Summer is a challenging season for photographers.

Kids are home. Routines are off. Structure is gone, and fun absolutely needs to be had! The temptation to wait until fall to focus on your business can feel so real.

But here’s the truth: summer is so important! If you want a profitable fall — and one that doesn’t completely burn you out — it’s essential to stay visible, continue marketing, and begin filling your calendar now.

No, I am not in any way suggesting that we skip out on memories with our kids or say no to all of the fun that this season should hold. I’m also not pretending that summer is easy for those of us who have school aged kids and are adjusting to entertaining them 24/7 again.

But I am saying that summer is a season with so much potential to change the outcome of your yearly revenue — and your growth and your peace as well. With the right strategy, you can soak up summer and run your business wisely — working smarter, not harder.

☀️ How I am Handling Summer

1. Weekends and evenings are protected.

This season is so short with my kids, so I’m prioritizing morning and weekday sessions when possible. It lets me beat the heat and keep family time open for the weekend and evening events we want to take part in. My clients are surprisingly flexible — especially if I remind them that morning light is also lovely, and afternoons are too hot for everyone (especially toddlers).

Note: This may seem counterintuitive — obviously during the school year, I have fewer hours with my kids home. However, I have two middle schoolers who are in an activity-heavy stage of life, which means busy evenings are simply part of life outside of summer. Additionally, parents typically do not want to pull kids from school for family photos, and mornings are usually chillier than preferred by the time fall photo season arrives. Summer really is special in the flexibility it offers, and I am seizing it!

2. I’m letting AI do the heavy lifting.

I’ve been using ImagenAI for editing, and it’s saving me hours. I was skeptical at first, but now I’m a full believer. It learns your editing style, it’s super affordable, and it’s freed me up to rest, market, and live more. I truly cannot recommend this tool enough! My spring season was genuinely as busy as fall ever is, but I’ve been ahead of schedule with my editing. Really!

3. I’m actively marketing summer — not just fall.

Yes, fall is peak season… but summer has its own magic. I’m reminding clients that life is slower, schedules are more open, and barefoot, water-filled summer sessions are so much more fun than freezing through a November shoot or session planning while also getting kids back to school. The key? Don’t go quiet. Keep showing up in their inbox and their feed.

4. I’m preparing for a healthy fall season.

My session guides, client communication templates, and everything else that’s part of my workflow have all been updated. My content is (mostly) planned out. I’ve been through my client wardrobe and I don’t need to update anything for the remainder of the year. I also have my own branding and family photos scheduled. 

Now, none of this actually has a summer deadline — it could have been kicked down the road a few more months. But the last thing I want is to hit my busiest season of the year and realize how much maintenance I should have gotten done before it arrived. Remember that preparation during summer is essential for finishing out the year well. Take care of your future self!

Want help making the most of this summer and working smarter, not harder? I’ve got you covered!

• Next week I’ll be sharing my favorite Instagram captions — done for you, ready to personalize and post. Stay visible, without wasting time and energy.
• Grab Words That Work, my complete client communication template suite. It’s super affordable and saves you tons of time. Each piece is already written in four unique voices — so personalization is welcome, but never required!
• Check out Steal My Edits, my comprehensive editing course. The photo at the top of this post is part of a session that I specifically chose to shoot in the brightest, harshest afternoon light just so I could share it with you all!

Summer Business Strategy for Photographers // Making the Most of the Summer Season