Turn Your Passion
Into a Business

People are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of photos & videos they have accumulated, both physical and digital, and need help. Professional photo managers help organize, preserve, and curate these memories, ensuring they are easily accessible and safeguarded for future generations.

No, you don’t need prior experience in photo organizing to join. Very few people start with experience, but they all share a willingness to learn and a passion for preserving memories.

Yes, you can focus on specific services like scanning or photobook design or specialize in genealogy or family storytelling. The profession offers flexibility, allowing you to tailor your business to your skills and interests while meeting the unique needs of your clients.

Starting your business may require some investment in tools, software, or additional courses, depending on the services you plan to offer. Basic tools like a scanner or photo editing software are often essential for tasks like scanning or organizing photos. While our core curriculum provides a strong foundation, additional certifications or specialized courses can be helpful if you want to expand into other areas. These investments can be made gradually as your business grows and your needs evolve. Download our free cheat sheet: Essential Equipment & Start-Up Costs for Photo Organizing Businesses.

Most professional photo managers start part-time and transition to full-time as their business grows and demand increases. The flexibility of the profession allows individuals to tailor their workload to fit their lifestyle and goals.

The timeline for making money varies, but many professional photo managers begin earning within a few months by taking on small projects while building their skills and client base.

You can find success stories from current members on our YouTube Channel in the Career Advice with a Pro series. Each month, we interview photo managers from around the world and ask them key questions to share their experiences and insights. They discuss their professional backgrounds, how they find clients, what they love about their job, and the challenges they face. They also share how being a member of The Photo Managers has helped them grow their businesses and offer advice to those just starting out. These stories provide valuable inspiration and guidance for anyone considering a career in professional photo management.

Our curriculum is designed to support every stage of your photo management journey, offering three levels of photo organizing training and a dedicated business training track.

Basic Photo Organizing Curriculum (Photo Manager in Training level):
• Printed Photo Organizing Made Easy ($79 value) for organizing physical photos
• How to Scan Photos, Slides & Negatives ($79 value) for digitizing memories.

Standard Photo Organizing Curriculum (Photo Manager Professional level):
• Printed Photo Organizing Made Easy ($79 value) for organizing physical photos
• How to Scan Photos, Slides & Negatives ($79 value) for digitizing memories.
• Organizing Your Client’s Printed Photos Course ($399 value), offering in-depth guidance for client projects
• Building Blocks of Digital Photo Organizing Course ($399 value), which teaches essential techniques for managing digital photo collections

Advanced Photo Organizing Curriculum (Photo Manager Professional Plus level):
• Printed Photo Organizing Made Easy ($79 value) for organizing physical photos
• How to Scan Photos, Slides & Negatives ($79 value) for digitizing memories.
• Organizing Your Client’s Printed Photos Course ($399 value), offering in-depth guidance for client projects
• Building Blocks of Digital Photo Organizing Course ($399 value), which teaches essential techniques for managing digital photo collections
• Deep Dive Training on Digital Photo Organizing (DPO PRO) ($649 value) for advanced skills

Business Training Core Curriculum (Photo Manager Professional and above):
• Business Foundations Course ($149 value) to help you confidently establish and grow your business

Together, these programs provide a comprehensive foundation for building a successful photo management career.

No, you don’t need to watch all the courses before starting your business. We encourage you to focus only on the courses you need when you need them. The classes are on-demand and available anytime, allowing you to learn at your own pace.

No, certification is optional. While it demonstrates a commitment to learning best practices and can enhance your credibility, it is not a requirement for membership.

We created Photo Manager Professional Plus to shorten your learning curve and accelerate your path to profitability. Many new photo managers struggle with mastering digital photo organizing due to complex software, ever-growing photo collections, and the challenge of finding time to document processes and create duplicable systems while starting a business. To simplify the journey and set you up for success, we bundled two essential resources that most new members eventually purchase separately, saving you time and money. 

Yes, for our Professional Members (not PMIT) we offer a range of resources to help you build your business, find clients, and receive mentorship from experienced professionals. These include on-demand courses, marketing materials, and business tools specifically designed for photo managers. In addition, we provide networking opportunities and a group mentoring program, where you’ll be paired with four new members and a seasoned professional mentor.  Combined with our supportive community and access to expert guidance, these resources are designed to help you succeed in growing your business.

Yes, you can upgrade your membership at any time. If you’re moving from the Photo Manager in Training program to a Professional Membership, we’ll seamlessly pro-rate the investment you’ve already made. For example, if you choose to upgrade in month 6, the cost for the Professional Membership will be adjusted to reflect the time remaining in your current term.

If you’re upgrading from Professional Membership to Professional Plus, you can do so during your first year for an additional $1,000. This upgrade includes the Deep Dive Training on Photo Mechanic, Apple Photos, and Adobe Lightroom Classic ($649 value) and the Business Backend Operations Manual ($599 value). While this option costs $170 more than purchasing Pro Plus upfront, it still saves you $248 compared to buying these resources separately.

Give us a try for a full 30 days 100% risk-free. If you’re not happy with your purchase (but we’re sure you will be!) we have a 30-day no questions asked money-back guarantee.

No, artificial intelligence (AI) is unlikely to replace professional photo managers. While AI can assist with tasks like image sorting and tagging, it lacks the personal touch, creativity, and nuanced decision-making that professional photo managers bring to organizing and preserving memories. Clients value the expertise, empathy, and tailored solutions that professionals provide, which technology alone cannot replicate.

We are proud to support a growing international community of photo managers. To accommodate exchange rate differences, we offer a 10% discount on membership fees for our international members. Please contact support@thephotomanagers.com to request your discount code.

Additionally, we have active and supportive regional groups in Canada, Europe, Australia, and South America, providing opportunities for members to connect, collaborate, and share ideas. Our Europe and Australia communities also host in-person conferences, fully supported by The Photo Managers, offering tailored opportunities for learning, networking, and professional growth. We are committed to ensuring that our international members feel valued and have access to the resources and community they need to thrive.

Yes! If you know this is the right career for you but you have questions and would like to speak with a real person, schedule a 15-minute call.