Photography Outsourcing Tips: You Don’t Have To Do It All Yourself

The other day, a photographer asked me, “How do you do it all?” And I kinda laughed.

Because the truth is—I don’t. Not even close.

I am, at my core, a serial entrepreneur. I have shiny object syndrome like you wouldn’t believe. My brain is constantly firing off new ideas, new projects, new things I could be doing. But the other side of that truth? I don’t do it all alone. That’s for damn sure.

Doing it all is impossible. And anyone who tells you they do? Big. Fat. Liar.

That’s why I rely on photography outsourcing tips to help me streamline tasks and stay focused on what I do best. Let me share how these strategies help me run a successful business…

1. I Get Help

I surround myself with the right people. Whether it’s my team, my ad manager, my copywriter or my accountant, I don’t try to muscle through every little task alone. There are people who thrive doing the things I struggle with, and hiring them allows me to focus on what I do best.

2. I Have Systems in Place

If I had to manually handle every email, contract, and follow-up, I’d never sleep. That’s why I have systems. My CRM (shoutout to HoneyBook, even if their prices went up *side-eye*) keeps my workflows organized, my contracts sent, emails personalized and my payments scheduled. Having structured systems keeps my business running smoothly without me having to touch every single part of it.

3. I Use Automation

Automations save me so much time. From automatic responses to client inquiries, to scheduled social media posts, to workflows that remind clients about upcoming payments—I let tech do the heavy lifting where it can. The more I automate, the more I can focus on the creative side of my work.

4. Outsource the Sh*t I’m Not Good At

I am not a bookkeeper. Nor am I a website designer. Not a lawyer. And I sure as hell am not about to waste my time pretending to be. Photography outsourcing tips like hiring a professional for bookkeeping or web design allow me to stay in my zones of genius—photography, creative direction, and client experience.

5. I Stick to My Strengths

We all have things we’re great at and things we could do but probably shouldn’t. For me, my strengths lie in storytelling through photography, making people feel comfortable, and running a client experience that feels personal and effortless. When I stick to these, my business thrives. When I try to take on everything else? Burnout city.

If you’re wondering how to apply these strategies, one of my photography outsourcing tips is to recognize when you’re wearing too many hats and hire out the tasks that drain you. It’s a game-changer for freeing up time and energy to focus on the work that truly fuels your passion.

So no, I don’t do it all. And I don’t think you should either.

The key to running a successful photography business (or any business, really) isn’t doing it all—it’s doing what you do best and putting systems, automation, and the right people in place to handle the rest.

Because at the end of the day, the goal isn’t to work yourself into the ground. The goal is to build a business that works for you—not the other way around.

AND REAL TALK: If you don’t build out systems for your photography business, it’s not going to grow.
That’s exactly why outsourcing and streamlining your backend is so important—it frees you up to actually be the creative, not just the admin. Not sure where to start? I’ve got you. Grab my free tech stack guide to see exactly what tools I use to automate and organize everything behind the scenes.

Want more tips to take your photography business to the next level? Join my newsletter for boudoir photographers where I share exclusive insights, tricks, and resources to help you grow your business and master your craft. Sign up today and let’s build a thriving photography business together! <<<