So you need a photographer…
Maybe you’re getting married, or senior pictures are coming up. Or maybe you just want some family portraits taken. Whatever your photography needs are, you’ve come to the right place. Sideshooter simplifies the process of hiring a photographer by allowing you to search and compare photographers near you, selecting the best fit based on price, portfolio, and reviews.
Step 1: find your photographer
Our search is as simple as it gets. Just enter your location and what kind of photographer you’re looking for. Sort the results by price or reviews, peek at portfolios, and see who you like. Each photographer has listed their session fees and print fees, so there are no hidden costs!
Step 2: meet your photographer
When you found a photographer (or several) that you’re impressed with, pressing “Request a Shoot” will initiate the process. We’ll ask for the best way to get in touch with you, and within a few days (or hours), you’ll get an email or phone call from the photographer. This is the opportunity for both of you to ask questions and make sure it’s a good fit. If you decide to move forward, just work out a date and time for the shoot and you’re ready for the next step.
Step 3: confirm your shoot
When you arrange a date and time for your shoot, your photographer will schedule this shoot in Sideshooter. We will send you an email with the shoot details and a link that takes you to the confirmation page in Sideshooter. This is when you’ll confirm the shoot and pay the session fee. For your safety the session fee will be held by Sideshooter until after the shoot. If the photographer is incapable of performing the shoot for whatever reason, you will receive a full refund.
Step 4: order prints
After your shoot, you’ll receive an email when your photos are ready to order. The email will have a link that takes you to the ordering page where you can order prints and other products. This is a private page that can only be accessed with the special link you received. You can share the link with family and friends if they want to order their own prints. You don’t have to coordinate their purchases anymore!
We’d also love it if you reviewed your photographer at this time, but it’s totally optional. Also, don’t feel like you have to order all of your prints at once. You can come back and order as many times as you’d like!
Hey, I’m a photographer…
Sideshooter wants to make it as easy as possible for you to list and sell your photography services.
Step 1: list your services
Adding a listing in Sideshooter is completely FREE! Just click “Sign Up” from the search page and give us some basic info about yourself. After signing up, you’ll have the opportunity to add some more personal details, set your pricing, and create a portfolio.
Step 2: respond to shoot requests
Once listed in Sideshooter, hopefully you’ll start getting requests from potential clients who found your listing. These requests will be emailed to you and will include contact information. Just call or email the client and discuss what kind of shoot they’re looking for. If it sounds like it’s going to work out, determine what date and time works for both of you.
Step 3: schedule a shoot
On your Sideshooter home page, your shoot requests are highlighted along with a call to schedule the shoot. Scheduling the shoot is just a matter of specifying the date and time of the shoot, along with any adjustments to the session fee (assuming the client agreed to this). Once the client confirms the shoot and pays the session fee, we’ll send you an email to let you know.
Step 4: upload images
After the shoot, visit your home page in Sideshooter and click “Upload Photos” for the desired session. Upload as many photos as you want, and make sure they are the highest possible resolution so they can be printed. Each photo will be given a watermark when displayed in Sideshooter. This is to prevent unauthorized duplication, and the watermark will not be present when prints are purchased.
Step 5: profit!
You will accrue a Sideshooter balance as you receive session fees and as clients and their families place print orders. This balance gets paid to you by Sideshooter on a montly basis. We take care of payment processing, ordering, and shipping, so you can sit back and collect your hard-earned dollars!