Twenty WhatsApp message templates for photographers and videographers: from "are you free on the 14th" to the gallery link
Photographers get the same message from every couple and every brand: are you free, how much, what do we get, when do we get it. The answers are standard until the creative part begins. These templates handle the standard part so the creative part gets the time.
Quick answer
Twenty templates across enquiries (date check, packages and pricing, what is included, qualifying questions for weddings, events and commercial work), booking (quote, deposit and date lock, contract, payment schedule), planning (timeline questions, shot list, location and permits, weather plan), shoot day (arrival, running late, extra hours), delivery (timeline, sneak peek, gallery link, album and prints, revisions, usage rights), and review and referral.
Before you use these
Enquiries
Date check
Thanks for reaching out. [Date] is [available / already booked]. If available: what kind of shoot, where, and roughly how many hours? I will send the right package.
Packages
Our [wedding / event / portrait] packages: [Package A] RM [price] ([hours, deliverables]); [Package B] RM [price] ([hours, deliverables]). Full details: [link]. All include [edited images, online gallery].
What is included
[Package] includes [hours] of coverage, [N] edited images, an online gallery, and [extras]. Not included: [travel beyond X km, prints, albums, second shooter].
Qualifying (wedding)
A few questions so I can quote properly: date and venue(s), ceremony and reception times, expected guests, and whether you want a second shooter or video too.
Qualifying (commercial)
To quote: what is the content for ([website / social / print]), how many products or people, location, deadline, and do you need usage rights beyond [standard]?
Booking
Quote
Quote for [event] on [date]: [package], RM [total]. Includes [summary]. To lock the date: 30% deposit (RM [amount]) via [link] and the signed agreement [link]. Balance due [when]. Valid until [date] as dates go quickly.
Date locked
Deposit received; [date] is locked for you. Agreement countersigned and attached. Next: a planning call around [weeks] before. Congratulations!
Balance reminder
Reminder: the balance of RM [amount] is due by [date], before the shoot. Pay via [method] and send the receipt here.
Planning and shoot day
Timeline
For the day, could you send the timeline (getting ready, ceremony, portraits, reception) and any must-have shots or people? I will plan coverage around it.
Location and permits
For [location], [permit or fee note]. Best light is [time]; shall we plan the portraits then?
Weather plan
If it rains, [indoor alternative / reschedule policy]. I will check the forecast [days] before and message you.
Day before
See you tomorrow. I will arrive at [location] at [time]. My number is this one; call if anything changes.
Running late
Sorry, I am delayed by [reason] and will arrive at [time]. I will make up the time at the end.
Extra hours
We are approaching the [N] hours booked. Extra coverage is RM [rate] per hour; want me to stay for [event]?
Delivery
Delivery timeline
Edited images are delivered in [N] weeks via an online gallery; video in [N] weeks. A sneak peek comes within [days].
Sneak peek
A few from [event] while I edit the rest: [link or images]. The full gallery is on its way.
Gallery
Your gallery is ready: [link], password [password]. [N] images, downloadable in full resolution. It stays online for [period]. Prints and albums: [link].
Revisions and usage
Included: [N] rounds of revisions on selected images. Usage: [personal use / commercial use as agreed]; for other uses, message me. Please credit [name] when sharing if you can.
Review and referral
Thank you for having me. If you love the photos, a review here helps: [link]. And if friends are planning [event type], I would love to shoot for them too.
Every template here can be a taught answer or an instruction line in a ReplyKit agent, so date checks, packages and qualifying questions are answered at any hour and the deposit link sent, while you are on a shoot without a person copying and pasting. The agent asks the questions in order, fills the lead card, and hands over when the template says a person should. Instructions are in how to write instructions.
Wedding-specific handling is in the wedding vendor guide, and studio bookings in the portrait studio guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do I answer 'are you free on this date?' on WhatsApp?
State availability and ask shoot type, location and hours so you can send the right package.
What locks a photography date?
A deposit and a signed agreement. Say so in the quote.
How should I state delivery timelines?
In weeks, in the package and again at booking, with a sneak-peek promise.
How do I handle extra hours on the day?
Message before the booked time ends with the rate and the offer to stay.
Can these be automated?
Enquiries, packages and qualifying can be taught answers in a ReplyKit agent; the creative conversation stays with you.
Date checks and packages answered while you shoot
Twenty photographer replies as taught answers. 7-day free trial.
Sources and further reading
- WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy · opt-in, opt-out and prohibited-use rules every business must follow
- Harvard Business Review, The Short Life of Online Sales Leads (Oldroyd, McElheran, Elkington, 2011) · firms that responded within an hour were about seven times more likely to qualify the lead
ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. This article is general guidance for running a small business, not legal, financial or regulatory advice.