Save hours every week with the Photographer AI Operating System
A command center plus five connected jobs for inquiries, gallery delivery, contracts, and vendor pitches — drafted into your Gmail, Calendar, and Drive for your approval, with living trackers. Ambient AI-edit-aware contract guard built in. Every prompt included — 65 skills in all.
Installs as a Claude Cowork plugin — and every prompt is included as an HTML page you can use in ChatGPT, Gemini, or any AI. How to install → Prices are in USD; Gumroad applies fair local pricing at checkout in eligible countries.
Photographers use Claude for the writing around the shoot: inquiry replies and proposals, shot lists for weddings and corporate sessions, gallery descriptions, and mini-session marketing emails. It works from your packages, prices and style notes, and you edit the draft before any client sees it; Claude doesn't edit photos or set your rates.
Below: one corporate headshot shot list built from a client brief, the free Photographer plugin and its four commands, five more studio tasks, and straight answers on photo editing, contracts and client privacy.
Worked example: a shot list for a corporate headshot day
A firm has booked you for a half-day of headshots at their office. In Claude, type /shot-list, pick it from the menu, then paste the brief:
Shot list: corporate headshots, half day at the client's downtown office.
25 employees, individual headshots on 2 backgrounds (gray seamless + office window).
Plus 1 team group photo and 5 candid office-culture shots.
Conference room for the setup; window light on the east side, mornings.
Equipment notes please. Client name: [Client].Claude returns a working list (shortened here):
SHOT LIST
Event/Session: Corporate headshots | Location: Client office, downtown | Client: [Client]
PRIORITY SHOTS (Must-Have):
□ Individual headshot, gray seamless, each of 25 employees
□ Individual headshot, office-window background, each of 25 employees
□ Full team group photo
HEADSHOTS: SEAMLESS SETUP
Time: [Start] to [mid-session] | Location: Conference room
Lighting Notes: Key light at 45°, fill or reflector opposite; keep the setup locked so
every frame matches across 25 people.
□ Straight-on, natural smile □ Slight turn, chin forward □ Option with glasses off
CANDID / CULTURE:
□ Team meeting at the whiteboard (wide) □ Two colleagues at a laptop (tight)
□ Reception area with company signage
EQUIPMENT NOTES:
- Portrait lens for headshots; wider lens for the group and candids
- Tape floor marks so each person stands in the same spotWhat's left for you: adjust the schedule to the real headcount and break times, swap the lighting notes for your own setup, and confirm with the client which employees have agreed to appear in the candid shots.
The free Photographer plugin: four commands
The Photographer plugin costs nothing and gives Claude four studio commands. Type a command and choose it from the menu that appears (a pasted command arrives as plain text and won't run).
| Command | What it drafts |
|---|---|
/client-proposal |
A proposal with packages, pricing, timeline and booking terms, plus a print-ready page you can save as a PDF |
/shot-list |
An organized shot list with must-haves, locations, lighting notes and group combinations |
/album-description |
Album and gallery descriptions for client delivery, your portfolio site or submissions |
/marketing-email |
Mini-session promotions, seasonal campaigns, portfolio highlights and re-engagement emails |
Two skills switch on by themselves when they're relevant: Photography Business and Visual Storytelling.
To install it in the Claude desktop app: Customize → Plugins → Add → Add marketplace → Add from a repository, paste alexclowe/awesome-claude-cowork-plugins, click Sync, then click Add next to Photographer under Discover. Plugins need a paid Claude plan. In Claude Code: run /plugin marketplace add alexclowe/awesome-claude-cowork-plugins, then /plugin install photographer@awesome-claude-cowork-plugins. Full steps are on the plugin page.
What's paid: Nothing on this page needs it. For studios that want the whole inquiry-to-delivery pipeline set up, the Photographer AI Operating System costs $19 once. It runs five connected jobs covering inquiries, gallery delivery, contracts and vendor pitches from a command center, puts drafts in your Gmail, Calendar and Drive for you to approve, tracks each client, and flags contract terms around AI-edited images. It has 65 skills.
Set up a Claude Project for your studio
The key to getting consistently useful output from Claude is using Claude Projects. A Project lets you set custom instructions that persist across every conversation, so you are not re-explaining your business every time.
Step 1: Create a Photography Project. In Claude, click "Projects" and create one called something like "My Photography Business."
Step 2: Set your custom instructions. In the Project settings, add instructions like:
You are my photography business assistant. Here is my context:
<business-profile>
- Name: [Your Name], [Your Studio Name]
- Specialty: [Weddings / Portraits / Commercial / Events / Product / Newborn]
- Service area: [City/Region]
- Pricing: [Session fee, package tiers, add-ons]
- Brand voice: [Artistic and emotive / Clean and modern / Fun and relaxed]
- Turnaround time: [X] weeks for gallery delivery
- Booking platform: [HoneyBook / Dubsado / Sprout Studio / Manual]
</business-profile>
<rules>
- When writing proposals, always include package details, what is included, and a clear next-steps section.
- When writing client communications, match my voice: [paste a sample email you have written].
- Always note that pricing is subject to current rate sheets.
</rules>Step 3: Upload reference documents. Add your pricing guide, sample proposals, brand style guide, or past client emails to the Project knowledge base. Claude will reference these when generating content.
Step 4: Start every session inside this Project. This ensures Claude always has your context loaded.
Five more studio tasks to hand Claude
1. Client Proposals That Book
Give Claude the inquiry details and let it build a proposal that reflects your brand.
<task>Write a client proposal for a wedding photography inquiry.</task>
<context>
- Clients: Emma and James, September 20, 2027, Willowbrook Estate, Napa Valley, 130 guests
- Want candid, editorial-style coverage, interested in second shooter and engagement session
- Budget range: $5,000-$7,000
</context>
<instructions>
- Recommend Gold package ($5,800: 8 hours, second shooter, gallery, 500+ images)
- Mention engagement session add-on ($450), highlight vineyard experience
- Include what to expect and next steps, warm confident tone, under 500 words
</instructions>
<avoid>Naming other clients, guaranteeing image counts, or discounting rates</avoid>2. Shot Lists That Cover Everything
<task>Create a detailed shot list for a family portrait session.</task>
<context>
- Family: Nguyen family — parents (Linh and David), children (ages 12, 8, 3)
- Location: Riverside Park, golden hour 5:30-6:30 PM, natural lifestyle style
- Grandmother joining for first 20 minutes
</context>
<instructions>
- Organize by groupings with time allocation for each
- Include candid interaction prompts, flag grandmother shots as priority
- Keep realistic for a 60-minute session (25-30 setups max)
</instructions>
<avoid>Overscheduling or stiff/posed suggestions for young children</avoid>3. Marketing Emails That Fill Your Calendar
<task>Write a marketing email announcing fall mini sessions.</task>
<context>
- 20-minute fall family minis, October 11-12, Hawthorne Orchard
- $275 (15 edited digital images), 12 slots/day, $50 off if booked by Sept 15
</context>
<instructions>
- Create urgency around limited slots without being aggressive
- Describe the setting, include a CTA with booking link placeholder
- Warm inviting tone, under 200 words, include a subject line
</instructions>
<avoid>Sounding like spam, "limited time offer" language, or overpromising on fall colors</avoid>4. Album and Gallery Descriptions
<task>Write a blog post description for a wedding gallery on my website.</task>
<context>
- Couple: Priya and Connor, The Glass House, downtown Chicago, winter wedding
- Highlights: rooftop first look with skyline, candlelit ceremony, choreographed first dance, sparkler exit
- Style: moody, cinematic, warm tones
</context>
<instructions>
- First person as the photographer, open with atmosphere not logistics
- 2-3 standout moments, close with invitation for engaged couples to reach out
- 150-200 words, naturally include "Chicago winter wedding photographer"
</instructions>
<avoid>Chronological play-by-play, generic phrases, or vendor names without permission</avoid>5. Social Media Captions That Build Your Brand
<task>Write 5 Instagram captions for recent wedding and portrait work.</task>
<context>
- Post 1: sunset engagement at a lavender farm / Post 2: rings on a vintage book
- Post 3: toddler laughing during family session / Post 4: bride getting ready, window light
- Post 5: couple walking away on a wooded path
</context>
<instructions>
- 2-4 sentences each, mix storytelling and booking CTAs
- 5-7 relevant hashtags per post, end 2 captions with a question
- Tone: personal, authentic, subtly aspirational
</instructions>
<avoid>Same opening structure for every caption, generic hashtags, or client names without permission</avoid>Prompting tips for photography business writing
1. Always specify your photography style. "Moody and cinematic" produces very different copy than "bright and airy." Tell Claude your aesthetic so the language matches your visuals.
2. Name your packages and pricing. When Claude knows your Gold package is $5,800 and includes specific deliverables, proposals become accurate on the first draft.
3. Set word limits for every piece. Captions need to be tight. Blog posts need substance. Proposals need detail. Always tell Claude the target length.
4. Provide a sample of your writing voice. Paste a caption or email you are proud of and say "Match this tone." Claude adapts quickly to your style.
5. Use Claude to batch content. Ask for 5 captions, 3 email subject lines, or 4 blog post outlines at once. Batching keeps the whole set consistent in voice.
6. Ask Claude to write from the client's perspective. Say "What questions would a bride have about my wedding packages?" to anticipate objections and improve your proposals.
Can Claude edit photos?
No. Claude helps with the words around your photography, not the pixels: proposals, shot lists, gallery descriptions, captions and emails. It can look at images you upload and describe them, which helps when you're writing a gallery description or caption, but culling, retouching and color work stay in your editing software.
Can Claude write a photography contract?
It can draft contract language and booking terms, but a contract is a legal document, so have an attorney in your state review your template before you use it with clients. The plugin's proposal keeps the contract separate and simply says a full contract follows on booking.
Does Claude set my photography prices?
No. Claude uses the packages and prices you give it and leaves a placeholder anywhere you haven't, rather than inventing a number. Put your current rate sheet in your Claude Project, and check every price and inclusion in a proposal before you send it.
Can I use client names and photos with Claude?
Use first names and general details, and leave out home addresses, payment information and private event details. Before any marketing copy names a client or uses their images, make sure you have a signed model release or written permission; Claude can't check that for you.
Is Claude or ChatGPT better for photographers?
Both can write a proposal or a gallery description from your notes. On the Claude side, the Photographer plugin adds fixed commands, so your proposals and shot lists come back in the same structure every time.
We compare the two side by side in ChatGPT vs Claude for photographers.
Related guides and tools
Set up AI for your job — free, in about 2 minutes
Pick your profession and get your first working AI tool, a step-by-step guide, and a $0 plugin to take home. No credit card.
Get my free setupPhotographer AI Operating System
A command center plus five connected jobs for inquiries, gallery delivery, contracts, and vendor pitches — drafted into your Gmail, Calendar, and Drive for your approval, with living trackers. Ambient AI-edit-aware contract guard built in. Every prompt included — 65 skills in all.
Get the Operating System for $19Installs as a Claude Cowork plugin — and every prompt is included as an HTML page you can use in ChatGPT, Gemini, or any AI. How to install → Prices are in USD; Gumroad applies fair local pricing at checkout in eligible countries.