ShootCal is a photography scheduling and client-management app built on your Google Calendar. This setup takes about ten minutes and keeps your existing calendar as the source of truth.
1. Choose an app and sign in #
Download ShootCal from the App Store, install it from Google Play, or open the web app. Sign in with the Google account whose calendar you use for photography. Read Which ShootCal app should I use? for feature differences.
2. Set the studio location #
In Settings, save the city or location you normally photograph from. It drives sunrise, sunset, weather, and nearby tide information. An event can still use its own location.
3. Review session types #
Open Clients & Booking → Session Types. Add the work you offer, then set its duration, sunset/sunrise/studio/fixed/all-day timing, booking mode, per-day limit, reminder, invite, form, and gallery defaults. See Session types and studio defaults.
4. Create a test session #
Choose a day and create a session. Pick a type, client, location, and writable calendar; review the calculated time before saving. You can also use plain-language Quick Add. See Calendar views, events, weather, and Quick Add.
5. Set up clients and booking #
Add clients directly or run the optional calendar scan to propose clients from existing event titles. Then configure your public booking page, availability feed, accepted weekdays, lead time, calendar destination, and per-type request or instant-book rules.
6. Add the studio workflow #
- Tasks and follow-ups for delivery and client reminders.
- Questionnaires for wedding details and shot lists.
- Contracts for packages, signing links, and Drive archives.
- Deposits, reminders, and reports for payment status and business summaries.
- Wave or QuickBooks for read-only deposit matching.
When the shoot is finished #
Create a separate ShootCal Galleries studio using the same verified email, then deliver the photographs, collect favorites, and publish from Lightroom. The products connect by verified email but do not share passwords. Start with Getting started with client galleries.
