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Using Proposals for Portrait Photography
If you’re a portrait photographer, Light Blue’s proposals feature gives you a simple, polished way to present your services and book clients in one smooth experience.
With a proposal, your clients can explore your session options, choose a package or collection, add optional extras, sign a contract, complete a booking form, and pay their booking fee, all in one go.
This article will walk you through how to set up proposals that are tailored to a portrait photography business and how to create a great client experience from the first enquiry to a confirmed session.
Why Proposals Work So Well for Portrait Photographers
Proposals are ideal for portrait sessions because they combine everything your client needs to confirm their booking in one place, while helping you showcase your work and upsell before the shoot even happens.
With proposals, you can:
- Present your packages beautifully with clear descriptions and images.
- Offer collections that show the value of buying bundled products or sessions.
- Include optional add-ons so clients can personalise their experience.
- Combine your contract, booking form, payment, and scheduling in one seamless flow.
- Automatically record everything in Light Blue: confirmed shoot, chosen package, payment, and more.
Your clients get a professional, easy-to-follow booking journey, and you save time by automating admin tasks.
📘 For a quick overview, start with Overview of Proposals.
Step 1: Create Your Proposal Template
Start by creating a proposal template that you can reuse for your portrait sessions.
Go to Preferences → Proposal Templates → Add Record, and give your new template a name such as Portrait Session Proposal.
This template will form the base for all your future portrait proposals, so you can customise it once and reuse it for each client.
🔗 For full details, see How to Set Up a Proposal Template.
Step 2: Add Your Blocks
Every proposal is made up of blocks, the building pieces that make up your layout.
You’ll always need:
- A Packages block (where clients choose between your session options)
- A Summary block (to show what they’ve selected)
Then you can add as many optional blocks as you like, such as:
- Text and image blocks to show examples of your work, client testimonials, or a warm welcome message.
- Video blocks to embed a short behind-the-scenes or promotional video from YouTube or Vimeo.
- Add-ons blocks to offer extras like additional prints, digital files, or upgraded products.
🔗 Read more about the options in Styling Options for Proposal Blocks.
Step 3: Build Your Packages (Collections)
Your Packages block is where you’ll add your portrait session options.
For example, you might offer:
- Session Fee Only – a simple option for clients who prefer to decide on products later.
- Collection One – session fee plus five prints in a presentation box, with a small saving.
- Collection Two – session fee, framed wall art, and all digital files.
Each package can include multiple items from your price list, such as your Session Fee, Print Box, and a Collection Discount to show any savings.
You can also mark one package as your Recommended Package, a gentle nudge towards the option that works best for most clients.
🔗 Learn more about setting up packages and discounts in Packages, Add-Ons & Summary Blocks in Your Proposal.
Step 4: Add Optional Add-Ons
Optional Add-ons let your clients personalise their experience or treat themselves to upgrades.
You might offer:
- Additional prints or albums
- Digital files
- Framed wall art
- A second outfit change or extended session
Clients can pick what appeals to them, and you can even allow them to select quantities (e.g. 3, 5, or 10 extra prints).
If certain add-ons are only relevant to a specific package, use Conditional Display so that they only appear when that package is chosen.
For example, if a package includes digital files, you might hide “Add Digital Files” from that package.
Step 5: Add the Booking Stages
To give your client a complete booking journey, you can add optional stages to your proposal. These appear after the client selects their package and add-ons.
You can include:
- Scheduling calendar – let clients choose their session date and time.
- Booking form – collect important details like who’ll be in the portraits and what they’re hoping for.
- Contract – confirm your terms and get it signed automatically.
- Booking fee – secure the session with a fixed amount or a percentage of the total.
Light Blue will then create an invoice, allocate the booking fee, and apply a payment schedule for any remaining balance.
🔗 See Proposal Booking Fee & Invoice Options for guidance.
You can also automate payment reminders, so clients are gently prompted when the next instalment is due, no chasing required.
Step 6: Customise Your Proposal Emails
Light Blue automatically sends emails at key points:
- When the proposal is published (sent to the client)
- When the client completes it
- When a reminder needs to go out
You can duplicate these default templates to make them fit your portrait brand, for example, a Portrait Proposal Sent email or Your Portrait Session is Confirmed email.
You can also set expiry reminders to create a sense of urgency and keep enquiries moving forward.
Step 7: Sending Your Proposal
Once your template is ready, you can send it directly from a shoot record.
From your client’s Shoot record, go to the Activity tab → Add Proposal, select your Portrait Session Proposal, and click Send Proposal.
Your client will receive an email link to review your packages, sign their contract, book their session, and pay their booking fee, all in one simple flow.
🔗 Step-by-step instructions: Sending & Receiving A Proposal
Step 8: Automating Proposals in Your Workflow
If you want proposals to be sent automatically when an enquiry comes in, you can add the proposal step to your inquiry workflow.
For example:
- Open your Portrait Inquiry Workflow.
- Click the green + button to add a task.
- Choose Send Proposal and select your Portrait Session Proposal Template.
- Set it to send immediately after a new enquiry is added.
This ensures every new lead gets a professional, consistent experience without manual steps.
Summary
Light Blue’s Proposals feature helps portrait photographers:
- Present services beautifully with packages and add-ons
- Offer a flexible, interactive booking experience
- Combine contracts, scheduling, and payments in one flow
- Automatically record selections, invoices, and payments
It’s an easy, professional way to impress clients, increase sales, and save time.
If you’d like help setting up proposals or tailoring them to your workflow, get in touch, we offer free 1:1 training to help you make the most of Light Blue.