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Help for clients

How booking a photographer works

From finding a photographer to sharing your photos with family. About a 3 minute read.

1Find a photographer

Go to Browse photographers. Every photographer lists their own prices and keeps their own calendar, so what you see is what you can book.

Open a profile to see their work, their packages, and the dates they have open.

2Send a request

Tap Book, pick a date and a package, and save a card.

Nothing is charged yet. Your photographer has 24 hours to accept. If they decline, or don’t answer in time, the request expires and your card is never charged.

Before you send it, the booking screen shows the deposit, when the rest is due, and the photographer’s cancellation policy.

3Once you’re booked

When your photographer accepts, your deposit is charged and your date is held. Your session shows up on your Ch4pter home under In progress.

  • One thing to do. Your home shows the next thing you need to do, like answering a few “We’d like to get to know you” questions so your photographer can prepare.
  • Messages. Message your photographer from the Messages tab.

4Paying the rest

Your photographer decides when the rest is due: before the shoot, or after you see your photos. You were told which before you booked, and it’s on your booking.

  • Payment plans. Some photographers offer to split the rest into payments. You’ll get an email; tap Review the plan, check every date and amount, and Agree to this plan. Nothing changes until you agree, and you get an email three days before each payment.
  • A different card. Tap Use a different card on your booking to change the card that’s charged.

5If plans change

  • A different time or package. If your photographer suggests one, it shows on your home. Tap That time works, or Ask for another time.
  • Cancelling. Tap Cancel booking. What you get back depends on your photographer’s cancellation policy, which you saw before booking. The full rules are in our Refund & Cancellation Policy.

6Getting your photos

You’ll get an email when your photos are ready, and the album opens with a short reveal the first time you look.

  • A first look. Some photographers send a few favourites first, then the rest later in the same album.
  • A preview. If the rest is due after you see your photos, you’ll see watermarked previews first. Tap Approve these photos, pay the rest, and your full gallery unlocks.
  • Download. Tap Download all, or tap any photo to see it large and save it.
  • Choosing favourites. If your package includes a set number of digital images, tap ♡ on your favourites, then confirm them. Confirmed photos are yours to download in full.

Your albums stay on your Ch4pter home under Your Ch4pters.

7Share with family

Once your gallery is finished and paid for, you can share it without giving out your login.

  1. Open your album and tap Share with family.
  2. Tap Get a link and send it to whoever you like.
  3. They make a free Ch4pter account and can see and download your photos.
You stay in control. In the same panel you can see who has joined, Remove anyone, or Turn link off. We don’t keep a copy of your link, so if you lose it, tap Make a new link; the old one stops working.

People you share with become clients of your photographer, so they can book them too. Albums shared with you show up on your home under Shared with you.

8After your session

  • Leave a review from your album. It helps your photographer more than you’d think.
  • Book again. Every album has a link back to your photographer.
  • Ch4pter reminders. Tell us what you’d like help remembering, like fall photos or a first birthday, and we’ll nudge you when it’s coming up.

Questions

Is my card charged when I send a request?
No. It’s saved, not charged, until your photographer accepts.

Who sets the price?
Your photographer. Every package and price is set by the photographer who listed it.

Something isn’t working.
Message your photographer, or email us at brandon@ch4pter.com.

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