The Day-Before Message to Your Photography Client

A good day-before message does four things in under a minute of reading: it confirms the time and place, tells the client what to bring or wear, names the weather plan, and asks for a reply. Send it the afternoon before the shoot. That is the answer; the rest is how to build one that clients actually read.

What to include

Keep it to what the client needs tomorrow. Anything that could have been said last week should have been said last week.

• Time and place, with an address or a map pin.
• Who is coming, meaning you, plus any second shooter by first name.
• How long you will be there.
• What to wear or bring, only if it matters.
• Your phone number, for the morning of the shoot.
• One question: "Can you confirm this works?"

Leave out your full process, the pricing, the delivery timeline and anything that reads like terms. Those belong in the proposal and contract.

Timing and place

Be exact. "Around 4" produces a client arriving at 4:25. Say "4:00 pm, at the north gate, by the stone bridge" and add a pin.

Think about what the client will actually do at 3:45. If parking is awkward, say where to park. If the venue has two entrances, say which one. If you arrive early to scout, say so, because a client who sees you early feels looked after.

For a portrait session at a public spot, name a landmark rather than a street. For a home session, confirm the address and any door code or gate instruction. For commercial work, name the person at the site who will meet you.

Add a lateness note in a friendly way: "If you are running late, text me. We have the light until 6:30, so there is room."

Weather and plan B

Outdoor work needs one sentence about weather, whatever the forecast says.

• If rain is possible, name the alternative: a covered spot, the venue's indoor room, or a move of an hour.
• Say who decides and by when. "I will message you by noon with a go or no-go."
• For sunrise or sunset sessions, mention the time the light is gone.
• In hot climates, say where there is shade and remind clients to bring water.

Clients rarely mind a plan B. They mind finding out about it on the spot.

Example message

This is an example. Change the details to suit your shoot and your tone.

Hi Maya and Dev, a quick note for tomorrow's session. We start at 4:00 pm at the north gate of Hillside Gardens, by the stone bridge. Parking is on the left before the gate. I will be there from 3:40 with one assistant, Sam. We will finish around 5:15. Wear what you like being in. Plain colours photograph easily, and a layer helps if it cools down. The forecast shows a small chance of rain after 5. If it gets wet we will move under the pergola by the cafe. I will message you at noon if I think we should shift the time. My number is 000-000-0000 if anything changes. Could you reply to confirm? See you tomorrow.

It runs to about 110 words. A client reads it in thirty seconds and has everything.

Using ClickBook for reminders

If you run several shoots a week, writing each one from scratch is where reminders get skipped. ClickBook keeps the shoot time, venue and crew on the project, so you can see which shoots tomorrow still need a message. A call sheet is available on your phone for the crew. See the demo for how the project view looks.

What not to send

• A long list of rules. The day before is not the time to introduce new terms.
• A payment request, unless the balance is genuinely due. If it is, send it as a separate message with the invoice, not folded into a friendly reminder.
• Posing homework. One idea is fine. A Pinterest board of forty images the night before only builds worry.
• Anything vague about time. Vague times are where most late starts begin.
• A message that sounds like a form letter. Use the clients' names and one personal detail.
• Silence about who is attending. If someone new is coming, such as a second shooter or an assistant, name them.

If a client does not reply by the evening, a short text or a call is not pushy. It is better to learn at 7 pm that someone is ill than at 4 pm when you are standing at the gate.

What you send afterwards matters too. Your post-shoot follow-up picks up where this message leaves off, and if the client keeps asking for extras on the day, see how to handle scope creep. Clear communication early also helps your inquiry-to-booking rate over time, because clients talk about how easy you were to work with.

Example: a short version for a quick session

Not every job needs 110 words. For a short headshot session, this is enough, and the details are examples.

Hi Priya, tomorrow at 10:30 am at the studio on the second floor, with lift access from the back lane. Plan on 40 minutes. Bring two tops you feel good in, and arrive a few minutes early if you can. I am on 000-000-0000 if you cannot find us. Could you reply to confirm?

A pre-send check

Read the draft once with the client's eyes. Is the time right? Does the pin open the correct place? Is the date written as the client writes it? Is there one clear request at the end? Two minutes here prevents most day-of confusion, and it is the habit worth building before any template.

Frequently asked questions

When should I send the reminder?

The afternoon before is common, early enough to fix a problem and late enough to be fresh. For weddings, many photographers also send a fuller plan a week out and keep the day-before message short.

Should I ask the client to reply?

Yes. Ask for a one-word confirmation. If you hear nothing by the evening, call or send a second short message.

Should I send the reminder by email or text?

Use whichever the client has been replying to. Email is fine for the details, and a short text can point to it.

What if the client wants to reschedule at this point?

Follow the terms in your contract. Reply kindly, state what the terms say and offer the nearest available dates.