How Photographers Prep for Busy Season: Jen Vazquez Shares Her Top Tips

very photographer knows that busy season brings long days, packed calendars, and the challenge of balancing sessions with editing and client communication. Instead of waiting until the rush is in full swing, CloudSpot Ambassador Jen Vazquez prepares ahead of time so she can focus on serving her clients without added stress.

Jen’s process centers around three main areas: marketing prep, gear check, and client experience. Each one plays an important role in making sure her business runs smoothly when demand is at its highest.

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Marketing Prep

Jen begins by putting extra energy into her marketing. She blogs sessions, often pulling from shoots she never had the chance to share during the previous year. Each blog becomes content she can repurpose into Pinterest pins and resources for her followers. By planning this out before the busy season begins, she creates a bank of content she can continue sharing even when her schedule is packed with shoots.

Looking to brush up on your Pinterest education? Jen is the pro and has Pinterest Strategy Club, a program designed to help photographers master Pinterest marketing and consistently drive traffic to their websites.

More importantly, Jen focuses her messaging on client pain points, since that is what potential clients are searching for online. For example, instead of only posting “pretty pictures,” she might blog about how to prepare for a family session, what to wear to an engagement shoot, or tips for stress-free wedding planning. By showing up in those searches and driving consistent traffic to her website, Jen ensures she already has inquiries coming in before the season even begins.

💡 Pro Tip: Don’t forget to schedule your marketing in advance! Using tools like Tailwind for Pinterest or Meta’s Business Suite for Instagram and Facebook can free you up to focus on your sessions without worrying about posting every day.

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Gear Check

This is the one tip that we’ve heard from every CloudSpot Ambassador during this series: gear check is a non-negotiable.

Jen takes the time to make sure her gear is ready by sending her camera in for a professional cleaning so it’s in top condition for back-to-back shoots. She also purchases new memory cards, labels them with the year, and moves older cards into backup storage after two or three years of use. This rotation system prevents card failure during a session and helps her stay organized.

Not sure where to start? Check out our other busy season blog with quick links to the best memory cards and cleaning services for the top camera brands.

Other gear check ideas:

• Test each lens to make sure autofocus and stabilization are working correctly.
  
  
• Charge and cycle through all batteries to make sure they’re holding power.
  
  
• Organize your camera bag so everything has a place (and to get rid of the random trash you have in there 😉) —no scrambling during a session.
  
  

This routine gives Jen confidence that her equipment will perform reliably, which is one less thing to worry about when she’s in the middle of a busy stretch.

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Client Experience

Finally, Jen makes sure her client experience is polished and ready to go. She logs into CloudSpot to update her emails and gallery templates. By setting these up before the rush, she creates a client journey that feels professional, personal, and easy to navigate.

Think about it—when a new client books with you, are they receiving the same quality of communication every single time? Prepping gallery delivery emails inside of CloudSpot not only saves time but also ensures a consistent, polished client experience.

This step is often overlooked, but it’s one of the most powerful ways to stand out. A seamless process shows clients that you value their time and experience, which leads to better reviews, more referrals, and repeat bookings.

💡 Pro Tip: Use this time to refresh your CloudSpot sample galleries as well. Updating with your latest “best of the best” work keeps your brand relevant and gives potential clients a clear picture of your current style.

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Wrapping Up

Busy season will always be hectic, but the right preparation can make it manageable. Jen sets herself up for success by investing time in marketing prep, gear check, and client experience long before her schedule fills up.

Her biggest piece of advice? Don’t wait until you’re in the middle of 12-hour shooting days to get organized. Do the prep work now so you can enjoy the busy season later—and most importantly, so your clients get the very best experience possible.

If you want to hear directly from Jen and see how she puts these ideas into action, watch her full video. You’ll walk away with practical ways to prepare for your own busy season and serve your clients with confidence.

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TL : DR

We know you are busy. If you skipped to the end, here’s a simple checklist you can save and refer back to as you get ready for your own busy season:

✅ Marketing Prep – Blog past sessions, repurpose content for Pinterest, and schedule posts in advance.
✅ Gear Check – Send in your camera for cleaning, purchase and label new memory cards, and organize your bag.
✅ Client Experience – Refresh CloudSpot gallery templates, update client emails, and polish your workflows.

By tackling these three key areas now, you’ll head into busy season confident, prepared, and ready to give your clients the best possible experience.

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