Airstudio Team Spotlight: Product Insights in Volume Photography Worfklows

Hear from Angie Buhr on the Impact of Airstudio for Volume Photography Studios

Angie is not just an Airstudio co-founder, she also runs one of Chicago’s oldest photography studios, serving 80-100 accounts. Her leadership there has played a direct role in shaping Airstudio into the all-in-one platform it is today, built to solve real challenges faced by fellow studio owners. 

Angie Buhr, Airstudio Co-founder & Stuart-Rodgers Photography Partner

What’s something Airstudio has simplified that used to be overly complicated?

When I used to manage hiring and onboarding new photographers, it was a bit of a time-consuming process. I'd spend almost an hour with each new hire, explaining how to navigate our schedule and discussing company policies. To simplify things, we created an online training course, which was a game changer. It saved me a lot of time, as new hires could complete it before we even met in person. When we finally met, they'd just show me what they learned by logging into our schedule.

Recently, while reviewing the onboarding course for updates due to some company changes, I realized that a lot of the things I used to emphasize are now automatically handled by Airstudio. For instance, I used to remind photographers to arrive an hour early for setup, but not everyone really got it. Now, Airstudio clearly separates the job start time and the employee shift time, so it’s obvious when someone should show up. It eliminates any confusion. With so much now covered by Airstudio, I’m thinking about trimming down the onboarding course because it seems a lot of what new hires need to know is already built into the system. 

What does Airstudio automate that photography studios used to just accept as manual work? 

In recent discussions with several volume photography companies, I learned that scheduling senior portraits often involves a time-consuming and manual process when the request comes in to schedule appointments for the students. Typically, they receive a data file containing student details and are tasked with booking appointments on specific dates and times at the school. 

The scheduling requires meticulous planning to account for appointment slots, the number of photographers, necessary breaks, and other logistical considerations. Traditionally, this process is managed using spreadsheets—a method that involves substantial copying and pasting, which can be prone to errors and inefficiencies. 

Airstudio transforms this workflow by providing an automated scheduling solution that is both efficient and user-friendly. It takes the cumbersome elements out of the equation, enabling seamless organization of appointments without the need for manual adjustments. The intuitive system quickly processes and optimizes scheduling parameters, saving valuable time and minimizing the likelihood of errors. When people see Airstudio Automated Scheduling in action, they're often impressed by its capability to streamline what was once a tedious task. 

What’s a feature you didn’t expect to matter, but users love?

An unexpected hit among our features at Airstudio is the employee time-off request system. What makes this feature stand out is its simplicity and efficiency. When an employee submits a time-off request, scheduling managers are notified and can easily approve or deny it. Once approved, the time off is automatically logged into the company calendar. This ensures that if someone tries to schedule an employee who has time off, they’re alerted immediately. It’s a straightforward function, yet it significantly streamlines the scheduling process, helping to avoid conflicts and ensure smooth operations.