Case Study: How Nick Uses Light Blue To Run a Smarter, More Confident Event Photography Business

Nick runs a thriving event photography agency based in London, working primarily with corporate clients. From conferences and awards ceremonies to headshots and PR shoots, no two days are the same – which is exactly how he likes it.

With a small core team and a wider network of freelancers, Nick juggles a busy calendar of shoots and bookings. His sister Gabriella supports the admin side of the business – responding to enquiries, managing invoices, and keeping on top of the day-to-day using Light Blue.

From Google Sheets to Something Built for the Job

Before discovering Light Blue, Nick relied on a familiar mix of Gmail, Google Sheets, and Calendar to keep the business running. It worked, up to a point. But as the business grew, the cracks began to show.

“Everything was separated and spaced out, which was difficult to navigate and keep track of. It was a mess. I didn’t even have the data in spreadsheets most of the time – I was scrolling through bank statements and emails.”

He’d heard other photographers talk about CRMs, but initially held back – thinking he didn’t have enough volume to justify the investment. Now, looking back, he says that even with a smaller workload, Light Blue would’ve been worth it for the time savings alone.

“Even if I didn’t have as many jobs as I do now, it would still make sense to use something like Light Blue. The amount of time it saves you is always worth the cost.”

Using Data to Stay Calm, Stay Smart, and Stay Profitable

One of Nick’s favourite features in Light Blue is the ability to visualise booking trends using graphs and reports.

“We love the graphs. We love the data.”

With his bookings for the past four years overlaid as line graphs, Nick can clearly see the seasonal ebb and flow of work for a corporate event photographer in London. He always had a gut feel for when the busy and quiet periods were – but now he has the facts to back it up.

“I always knew January and August were quiet, but now I can see exactly when the dips and peaks are. It’s all there – how closely the years follow each other, where the outliers are, what month is strongest. For some reason, November’s always amazing!”

This data doesn’t just satisfy Nick’s curiosity – it gives him confidence and helps him make smarter business decisions.

“When I’m worried about not having many enquiries, I can check the graph and say, actually, this is normal. Or if I’m ahead of last year, I can relax.”

It also helps him adapt his pricing and marketing strategy in real-time. If he’s behind target, he might do a bit more outreach or offer a lower rate to secure bookings. If he’s ahead, he can afford to be choosier or increase his rates.

“It’s satisfying and challenging – I want to beat last year’s numbers every time.”

Streamlining Operations and Staying Focused on What Matters

Having everything in one place has made a huge difference to how Nick and his team manage their workflow. From enquiries and invoices to contracts and communications, Light Blue keeps it all joined up.

That simplicity frees Nick up to focus on what he really loves – shooting, learning, and running a creative business that’s always moving forward.