Photography & Video (Commercial)
A practical guide to configuring Daylite for commercial photographers and videographers — covering client relationships, sales pipelines, production management, crew coordination, and the follow-up discipline that keeps accounts coming back.
Why Daylite for Commercial Photography & Video
Commercial photography and video is a relationship business built on trust, reliability, and creative consistency. Brands and agencies don't just hire a photographer or director of photography — they hire someone they trust to represent their product, their people, or their event with precision. That relationship takes time to build and is fragile if not managed well. A missed brief, a late follow-up on an estimate, a final delivery that lands without a conversation — these are the moments that erode client confidence and lose repeat work.
Most commercial shooters manage their pipeline through a mix of email, Google Drive folders, and memory. It works until you're juggling a brand retainer, two agency projects, and three outstanding proposals at once. Daylite gives you a single place to manage every client relationship, every active production, every outstanding task, and every piece of communication — linked to the right person and company, not buried in a folder or an inbox thread.
The other reality of commercial work is that your contact at a brand or agency will change. Art directors move studios, marketing managers switch companies, and the person who hired you twice might be gone by the time Q4 comes around. Daylite's Company-first model means your full job history, email trail, and project record stay attached to the brand — not the individual — so the relationship survives turnover on both sides.
Similar Industries
Architecture & Interior Photography — shoots for architects, developers, and interior designers follow an identical brief-to-delivery commercial workflow; the client is typically a Company (the firm), not an individual.
Music Video & Film Production — larger crews, longer pre-production, and more complex post, but the same Company-centric client model, brief intake, and multi-stage approval flow.
Corporate Communications & PR — the brand relationship, retainer billing, and multi-contact Company records map directly; deliverables are written content rather than visual assets.
Product & E-Commerce Photography — high-volume commercial photo work for retail and e-commerce brands; same Company-first model with tighter turnaround timelines and a strong retainer component.
People vs. Companies — Know the Difference
This is the most important concept to understand before setting anything else up, even before importing your contacts. Daylite treats People (individuals) and Companies (organizations) as entirely separate objects, each with their own categories, keywords, roles, and history. In commercial work, this distinction maps directly onto how the business actually works.
The Core Mental Model
Companies are your clients. The brand, the agency, the corporate communications team — that is the account. The company holds the budget, signs the contract, and pays the invoice. Your history with them — every shoot, every brief, every email, every estimate you've ever sent — should live on the Company record.
People are your contacts within those companies. The art director you email, the marketing manager who briefs you, the accounts payable contact who processes your invoice — these are People linked to the Company in a Role. When your art director leaves the agency, the company relationship stays intact. You add the new contact, link them to the same Company, and the full history is still there.
The exception is crew. Your director of photography, gaffer, sound recordist, stylist, and assistant are People without a Company primary. They are individuals you hire and manage, not accounts you manage.
Which Record Type to Use
Brand or direct client
Company
Person (art director, marketing manager)
Role: Art Director / Primary Contact
Creative or advertising agency
Company
Person (account manager, producer)
Role: Account Manager / Producer
Corporate client (events, headshots, content)
Company
Person (event coordinator, comms manager)
Role: Primary Contact
Freelance DP / camera operator
Person
—
—
Stylist / hair & makeup
Person
—
—
Talent / model (direct hire)
Person
—
—
Talent agency
Company
Person (talent agent)
Role: Agent
Production company (hired to shoot for them)
Company
Person (producer / exec producer)
Role: Producer
Location scout / location rep
Person
Company (their agency)
Role: Scout
Lab or post-production vendor
Company
Person (your account rep)
Role: Account Rep
The key distinction: If the relationship is with a brand or organization — a client that might change who you deal with over time — make the Company the primary record and link the individual as a contact with a Role. If the relationship is with a specific person regardless of who they work for — a DP you hire regularly, a stylist you call for every shoot — make the Person the primary record. The test: would this relationship survive your contact changing jobs? If yes, Company-first. If no, Person-first.
Setting Up People
People in commercial photography and video represent two very different groups: the individuals at your client companies, and the crew and freelancers you hire. Set up your structure before importing contacts.
Before importing contacts, build out your categories, keywords, and roles first. Importing into a clean structure is far easier than re-categorizing 400 records after the fact.
People Categories
Categories are broad buckets — the type of person. Keep this list short and mutually exclusive.
Client Contact
Anyone at a client brand, agency, or company you work with on jobs
Prospect
Contacts at companies you want to work with but haven't booked yet
Crew
DPs, gaffers, sound, stylists, assistants, editors — people you hire
Talent
Models, actors, on-camera talent you hire directly
Vendor
Labs, gear rental, post-production, music licensing contacts
Industry
Peers, reps, production community contacts
Personal
Non-business contacts
People Keywords
Keywords are the detail layer — stack as many as needed per person. A contact can have multiple keywords.
Discipline (for crew):
DP / Camera Operator
Gaffer / Lighting
Sound Recordist
Stylist
Hair & Makeup
Art Director (Crew)
Production Assistant
Editor / Colorist
Retoucher
Motion Graphics
Client contact type:
Decision Maker
Day-to-Day Contact
Billing Contact
Creative Lead
Relationship status:
Active Client Contact
Past Client Contact
Warm Lead
Cold Outreach Target
VIP
High Value
Lead source:
Lead Source: Inbound Inquiry
Lead Source: Referral
Lead Source: Portfolio / Website
Lead Source: Cold Outreach
Lead Source: Industry Event
Lead Source: Instagram / Social
Roles
Roles describe the function someone plays in the context of a specific opportunity or project — not their job title.
Primary Contact
Your main point of contact and day-to-day liaison on a job
Decision Maker
Has final authority to approve the estimate and sign the contract
Creative Approver
Reviews and approves deliverables — may differ from the decision maker
Billing Contact
Who receives and processes your invoices — link to Opportunities
DP / Camera Operator
Hired crew role on a specific project
Gaffer
Hired crew role on a specific project
Sound Recordist
Hired crew role on a specific project
Stylist
Hired crew role on a specific project
Talent
Model or on-camera talent on a specific project
Production Assistant
Support crew on a specific project
Editor
Post-production hire on a specific project
Role vs. job title: "James is the Decision Maker on Project Nike Q3" is a Role. "James is a Senior Brand Manager" is a job title — that goes in the contact's Title field. Use Roles for filtering Smart Lists (consistent dropdown); job titles are free text and unreliable for filtering.
Relationships
Relationships capture the two-way connection between people.
Referred by / Referred to
Works with / Worked with
Introduced by / Introduced to
Represented by / Represents
Friend of
Referral tracking: When a previous client introduces you to a new brand, or a DP recommends you for a job, link those contacts with "Referred by / Referred to." Over time this surfaces who your best connectors are — and reminds you to thank them.
Setting Up Companies
Companies are your client accounts. Every brand, agency, or corporate client should have a Company record — even before you have a name at the company or a job booked. Companies are also used for crew agencies, talent agencies, labs, and gear rental houses.
Company Categories
Categories are broad buckets — the type of organization.
Active Client
Brands or agencies you are currently working with or have an open job
Past Client
Companies you've shot for but are not currently active
Prospect
Companies you want to work with — in outreach or early conversation
Agency
Creative, advertising, or production agencies that hire you for client work
Vendor
Labs, post houses, gear rental, music licensing, equipment suppliers
Talent Agency
Agencies you hire talent through
Industry
Associations, production community organizations
Company Keywords
Work type:
Commercial Photography
Commercial Video
Brand Campaign
Product Photography
Corporate Events
Headshots & Portraits
Architecture & Interiors
Food & Beverage
Editorial
Advertising
Relationship:
Repeat Client
High Value
Retainer Client
Agency — Direct Hire
Referral Source
Scale:
Local
National
International
Company Types
Use the built-in Company Type field to define what kind of organization this is.
Corporation
Small Business / Sole Proprietor
Agency
Non-Profit
Government / Municipality
Company Industries
Use Industry to describe what the company does — not your relationship with them.
Advertising & Marketing
Retail & E-commerce
Food & Beverage
Fashion & Apparel
Real Estate & Property
Hospitality & Events
Architecture & Interior Design
Technology
Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals
Financial Services
Non-Profit & Government
Roles on Companies
Roles describe the function a Person plays at a Company. This is what you set when you link a contact to a client company.
Primary Contact
Your main liaison — the person you email first
Art Director
The creative lead who writes and owns the brief
Marketing Manager
Often the internal buyer for brand and product content
Account Manager
Agency-side relationship owner
Producer
Agency or production company producer managing the engagement
Event Coordinator
Corporate event or internal comms contact
Billing Contact
Accounts payable — who receives your invoices
Owner / Principal
Small business owner who is also the decision maker
Company Relationships
Parent Company of / Subsidiary of
Referred by / Referred to
Partner of / Works with
Represented by / Represents
From Brief to Booking — Managing New Commercial Work
An Opportunity in Daylite represents a potential job — from the first inquiry or outreach through to a signed contract and deposit. Every enquiry should become an Opportunity immediately, even before you know whether it will book.
Commercial work doesn't always come inbound. You'll create Opportunities for work you're actively pitching, for retainer renewals, and for repeat business you expect but haven't confirmed. The Opportunities Board gives you a live view of everything in flight.
When creating an Opportunity, link it to the Company (the brand or agency) and add the individual contact as a linked Person with their Role. This keeps the commercial relationship organized at the account level.
A few workflow habits that prevent things falling through the cracks:
Create the Opportunity the moment a brief lands in your inbox — not after you've responded
Set a Forecasted Close Date on every Opportunity so the board stays sortable and forecastable
Add a note after every briefing call while the details are still fresh
When an estimate goes out, move the stage immediately — don't let Opportunities sit in the wrong stage for days
Opportunity Categories
Commercial Photography
Photo-only briefs — product, brand, editorial, advertising
Commercial Video
Video-only briefs — brand film, TVC, social content, corporate
Photo & Video
Integrated briefs covering both disciplines on the same job
Corporate Events
Event coverage — conferences, launches, internal events
Headshots & Portraits
Corporate headshot days, executive portraits
Retainer / Ongoing
Recurring content agreements with brands or agencies
Opportunity Keywords
Rush Job
Agency-Sourced
Direct Brand
Usage: Web Only
Usage: Print
Usage: Advertising / Broadcast
Usage: Unlimited
International
Travel Required
Talent / Models Required
Opportunity Types
Opportunity Type describes how the work came to you — useful for understanding where to invest your business development effort.
Inbound Inquiry
Repeat Client
Referral — Past Client
Referral — Industry Contact
Cold Outreach — Won
Agency Brief
Portfolio / Website Inquiry
Industry Event / Introduction
Won and Loss Reasons
Track these consistently. Patterns over time tell you where you win, where you lose, and whether your pricing is landing.
Won:
Style & Aesthetic Match
Strong Previous Relationship
Competitive Rate
Fast Response to Brief
Referral from Trusted Source
Repeat Client
Lost:
Rate Too High
Went with Agency Recommendation
Client Hired In-House
Brief Cancelled / Budget Cut
Unresponsive — Deal Went Cold
Timing Conflict
Opportunity Pipeline
1. Brief Received
Job enquiry or brief has arrived — not yet reviewed or responded to
2. Consultation / Discovery
First conversation booked or in progress — understanding the brief
3. Estimate Sent
Detailed quote or treatment delivered to the client
4. Follow-Up Needed
Estimate is out — client hasn't responded — needs a nudge
5. In Negotiation
Active back-and-forth on rate, scope, or deliverables
6. Contract Sent
Agreed in principle — contract or purchase order issued
7. Deposit Received
✅ Booked — convert to a Project
Production Management — Running the Job
When a deposit is received or a PO is confirmed, convert the Opportunity to a Project. The Project tracks everything from pre-production planning through final delivery, invoicing, and follow-up.
Link the Project to the Company (the client) and the key People (your primary contact, creative approver, and billing contact with their Roles). Link your crew members to the Project too — with their production Roles — so the complete team record is attached to the job.
Project Categories
Commercial Photography
Photo shoot delivery
Commercial Video
Video production and post
Photo & Video
Integrated photo and video job
Corporate Events
Event coverage project
Headshots & Portraits
Corporate headshot or portrait session
Retainer
Ongoing content agreement managed as a rolling project
Project Keywords
Stack these on individual projects for filtering and reporting.
Rush
Travel Required
Multi-Day
Studio / On-Location / Destination
Talent Required
Animation / Motion Graphics
Usage: Web Only
Usage: Advertising
Usage: Unlimited
Deliverables: Stills Only
Deliverables: Video Only
Deliverables: Photo + Video
International
Project Pipeline
1. Pre-Production
Contract signed, deposit received, brief confirmed — production planning underway
2. Crew & Logistics
Crew booked, locations confirmed, permits obtained, call sheet drafted
3. Shoot Day(s)
Active production
4. Edit / Post-Production
Footage being cut or images being culled, retouched, or colored
5. Selects / Rough Cut Review
Client reviewing selects or first cut before final post begins
6. Revisions
Client feedback incorporated — final round of changes
7. Final Delivery
Approved assets delivered — digital transfer or gallery link sent
8. Invoice Sent
Final invoice issued — awaiting payment
9. Complete
Paid in full, job closed, assets archived
10. Follow-Up
Thank-you sent, review or next brief solicited
Calendar Categories
Colour-code your calendar so you can see your week at a glance and protect your time on the days that matter most.
Shoot Day
Red
Block the full day — treat as unmovable
Pre-Production Call
Orange
Briefing calls, production meetings, creative reviews
Location Scout
Orange
Travel day for scouting — block travel time too
Edit / Post Block
Blue
Deep focus work — turn off notifications
Client Review
Yellow
Selects review, cut review, approval calls
Travel
Purple
To location, multi-city, or international travel
Admin
Grey
Invoicing, estimates, emails, bookkeeping
Deadline
Yellow
Final delivery due, invoice due, contract deadline
Personal
Green
Non-work calendar synced from Apple Calendar
Activity Sets
Activity Sets are pre-built sequences of tasks and appointments that you apply to a project or opportunity with one click. For commercial work, the same sequence fires at the start of every job — build it once and apply it every time.
Each task in an Activity Set uses one of two timing anchors: After start (N days after the Project's start date) or Before end (N days before the Project's due date). Because commercial productions span two distinct phases — pre-production and post-production — it works best to use two separate Activity Sets per shoot type, each anchored to the phase's relevant dates.
Pre-Production set: Set the Project start date = booking/deposit date. Set the due date = shoot date. After start fires forward from booking; Before end fires backward from the shoot.
Post-Production set: Apply after the shoot wraps. Set the start date = shoot date. Set the due date = agreed final delivery date. After start fires forward from shoot day; Before end fires backward from delivery.
"Commercial Photo Shoot — Pre-Production"
Apply this when: Deposit or PO received. Set Project start = booking date, due date = shoot date.
0
After start
Task
Send production confirmation and brief acknowledgement to client
0
After start
Task
Book crew: DP / assistants / stylist as required
0
After start
Task
Issue model/talent releases and confirm talent availability
2
After start
Task
Send pre-production questionnaire (location preferences, prop list, mood board)
5
After start
Task
Confirm location — scout booked or studio reserved
5
After start
Task
Obtain any required permits or property releases
10
After start
Task
Draft and share shot list with client
10
After start
Task
Confirm props and styling brief with client
3
Before end
Task
Issue call sheet to all crew
2
Before end
Task
Confirm crew call times and location access
1
Before end
Task
Pack gear, charge batteries, format cards
1
Before end
Task
Final brief review — confirm any last-minute changes with client
0
Before end
Appointment
Shoot Day — block full day
"Commercial Photo Shoot — Post-Production"
Apply this when: Shoot has wrapped. Set Project start = shoot date, due date = agreed final delivery date.
1
After start
Task
Back up cards to at least two separate locations
1
After start
Task
Send wrap note to client — confirm delivery timeline
3
After start
Task
Begin culling and selects edit
7
After start
Task
Send selects gallery link to client for review
5
Before end
Task
Begin final retouch once selects are approved
2
Before end
Task
Final QC on all delivery files
0
Before end
Task
Deliver final retouched files to client
0
Before end
Task
Issue final invoice
7
After start
Task
Follow up on outstanding invoice if unpaid (set Due Date manually after invoice sent)
"Commercial Video Production — Pre-Production"
Apply this when: Deposit or PO received for a video job. Set Project start = booking date, due date = shoot date.
0
After start
Task
Confirm brief and lock scope — script or storyboard approved
0
After start
Task
Book crew: DP, sound, gaffer, production assistant
0
After start
Task
Confirm talent and issue talent/location releases
3
After start
Task
Location scout — confirm all locations
5
After start
Task
Share shot list and storyboard with client for approval
7
After start
Task
Obtain permits and confirm gear rental
10
After start
Task
Confirm music licensing if original score is not in use
3
Before end
Task
Issue call sheet to all crew
2
Before end
Task
Confirm crew, location access, and parking
1
Before end
Task
Tech check — camera, sound, lighting all confirmed
0
Before end
Appointment
Shoot Day — block full day
"Commercial Video Production — Post-Production"
Apply this when: Shoot has wrapped. Set Project start = shoot date, due date = agreed final delivery date.
1
After start
Task
Back up and verify all footage
1
After start
Task
Send wrap note — confirm post timeline with client
5
After start
Task
Begin offline edit / rough assembly
10
After start
Task
Deliver rough cut for client review
7
Before end
Task
Deliver revised cut incorporating client feedback
3
Before end
Task
Final colour grade and sound mix
1
Before end
Task
Final QC — all formats and aspect ratios confirmed
0
Before end
Task
Deliver final approved files to client
0
Before end
Task
Issue final invoice
"New Client Onboarding"
Apply this when: A brand or agency books their first job. Apply to the Company record on the day they confirm. Set start = booking date (no due date required — all tasks use After start).
0
After start
Task
Send welcome email — introduce yourself and the team
0
After start
Task
Collect billing information — PO process, invoice recipient, payment terms
0
After start
Task
Request brand guidelines, style reference, and approved colour palette
0
After start
Task
Confirm decision maker, creative approver, and billing contact in Daylite
2
After start
Task
Send credential pack / show reel relevant to their industry or brief
3
After start
Appointment
Intro production call — meet the full team, walk through workflow
5
After start
Task
Add all relevant contacts to Company record with correct Roles
7
After start
Task
Note any usage rights, exclusivity, or NDA requirements in Daylite
Forms & Custom Fields
Use Forms and Custom Fields to capture the structured information that makes commercial jobs run smoothly.
When to use a Form: Use Forms for structured multi-field intake that only applies to some records. A commercial shoot brief has 10–15 fields — that's a Form. You create a form instance on the Project or Opportunity when you need it, not on every record.
When to use a Custom Field: Use Custom Fields for single data points that belong on every record of a type. An "Agreed Day Rate" on every Opportunity, or a "Final Delivery Link" on every Project — these are Custom Fields because you want them on every record without exception.
Recommended Forms
Commercial Shoot Brief (on Opportunity or Project):
Project name / working title
Usage rights required (Popup Options: Web Only / Print / Advertising / Broadcast / Unlimited)
Territory (Popup Options: Canada / USA / North America / International / Unlimited)
Usage term (Popup Options: 6 months / 1 year / 2 years / Unlimited)
Exclusivity required? (Checkbox)
Talent / models required? (Checkbox)
Key deliverables (Multiple Checkboxes: Hero stills / Supporting stills / Cut-down video / Full video / Social formats / GIFs)
Creative brief attached? (Checkbox)
Moodboard / reference links (Text)
Technical specs required (Text — e.g. file format, resolution, colour space)
Notes (Text)
Post-Production Delivery Spec (on Project):
Final file format (Popup Options: JPEG / TIFF / RAW / MOV / MP4 / ProRes)
Colour profile (Popup Options: sRGB / AdobeRGB / Rec. 709 / Custom)
Resolution / frame rate (Text)
Naming convention agreed (Text)
Transfer method (Popup Options: Wetransfer / Dropbox / Frame.io / Google Drive / USB / Other)
Gallery / delivery link (Text)
Gallery password (Text)
Recommended Custom Fields
On Opportunity:
Extra 1 — Day Rate Agreed
Extra 2 — Licensing Fee
Extra 3 — Usage Rights Summary
Extra Date 1 — Estimate Expiry Date
On Project:
Extra 1 — PO Number / Job Number
Extra 2 — Gallery Link
Extra 3 — Gallery Password
Extra 4 — Asset Archive Location
Extra Date 1 — Final Delivery Deadline (agreed with client)
Extra Date 2 — Invoice Due Date
Letter & Email Templates
Commercial clients expect fast, professional, and consistent communication. Build templates for every repeatable touchpoint and spend your time on the brief, not the email.
Template: Initial Response to Inbound Brief
Used For: Replying to a new enquiry or brief — same day, ideally within the hour
Body:
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
Thanks for reaching out — this sounds like a great project.
I've had a chance to review the brief and I'd love to discuss it further before putting together an estimate. A quick call would help me make sure I scope it accurately and ask the right questions about usage, timeline, and deliverables.
I'm available {{AvailableTimes}} — let me know what works for you, or feel free to book directly at {{CalendarLink}}.
Looking forward to it.
<$me.fullname$> <$me.phone1$>
Template: Estimate Follow-Up
Used For: 5–7 days after an estimate has gone out with no response
Body:
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
I wanted to follow up on the estimate I sent over on {{EstimateDate}} for {{ProjectName}}.
Happy to talk through any questions on the scope, rate, or usage terms — or if priorities have shifted since we spoke, just let me know and I can adjust the estimate accordingly.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
<$me.fullname$>
Template: Booking Confirmation
Used For: Deposit or PO received — job is confirmed
Body:
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
Great news — we're confirmed for {{ProjectName}}.
Here's a quick summary of what we have locked in:
Shoot date: {{ShootDate}}
Location: {{Location}}
Deliverables: {{Deliverables}}
Usage rights: {{UsageRights}}
Next step: I'll send over a pre-production questionnaire within the next 48 hours to make sure we're aligned on all the details before we get into prep.
If anything changes on your end before then, don't hesitate to reach out.
<$me.fullname$> <$me.phone1$>
Template: Selects Review Request
Used For: Sending selects gallery link after the shoot — requesting client approval before final post
Body:
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
The selects from {{ShootDate}} are ready for your review.
Gallery link: {{GalleryLink}} Password: {{GalleryPassword}}
Please mark your approved selects by {{ReviewDeadline}}. Once I have your selections, I'll move straight into final retouching and have the delivered files to you by {{DeliveryDate}}.
If you have questions about any of the images or want to discuss selects on a call, I'm happy to do that.
<$me.fullname$>
Template: Final Delivery
Used For: Final approved assets have been delivered