Setting up Studio Ninja can feel a bit like preparing for a big move – you know it’s going to make your life so much better once it’s done, but the thought of gathering everything together first? That’s where it gets overwhelming.
If you’re staring at your new Studio Ninja account wondering where to even begin, you’re definitely not alone. Having a proper Studio Ninja setup checklist makes all the difference between a smooth setup and spending your weekend pulling your hair out. The good news is that with a bit of preparation, your setup can go much more smoothly than you think.
I’ve helped hundreds of photographers get their Studio Ninja systems up and running, and the ones who have the smoothest experience are always the ones who come prepared. So let’s talk about exactly what you need to gather before you dive in.
Why Preparation Matters for Your Studio Ninja Setup
Think of setting up Studio Ninja like baking a cake – you could start throwing ingredients together as you go, but you’ll have a much better result (and way less stress) if you measure everything out first.
When you have all your content ready to go, you can focus on getting your workflows right instead of stopping every few minutes to hunt for that contract template or figure out what your session reminder email should say.
Plus, there’s something really satisfying about ticking items off a proper checklist. It makes the whole process feel manageable instead of overwhelming.
The Complete Studio Ninja Setup Checklist
Here’s everything you’ll want to gather before you start your Studio Ninja setup:
1. Your ABN
What you need: Your 11-digit Australian Business Number.
You can find it on your tax invoices, or look it up via the ABN Lookup website.
2. Your Logo
What you need: Logo file, ideally 500px wide, maximum 2MB, JPG or PNG format only
Your logo appears on invoices and throughout your client portal, so you want it crisp and professional. If your file’s too big, most online image compressors can shrink it without losing quality.
3. Client Portal Banner Image + Colour
What you need: Banner image sized 1540px by 300px, maximum 5MB, JPG or PNG, plus a colour hex code for the portal buttons.
This is the first thing your clients see when they log into their portal, a single image, a collection of images, or a general heading all work. Canva is a great tool for putting this together.
4. Email Signature
What you need: Your signature as text or an image, whichever you prefer.
One thing worth knowing: text signatures can include clickable links, image signatures can’t.
5. Payment Terms + Payment Methods
What you need: Your invoice terms and how clients can pay.
For example, a 20% deposit with the remainder due 4 weeks before a wedding, or a $100 deposit for other session types, plus whether you take bank transfer, Stripe for card payment, cash, etc.
6. Package & Pricing information
What you need: Every session type, package, add-on, and price you offer.
Whatever format it’s already in, a PDF, a screenshot, or a plain list all work. Package name, price and what’s included are the key details to have ready.
7. Client Facing PDFs and Links
What you need: Anything you already send clients, pricing guides, welcome documents, wardrobe guides, links to book a call, etc.
Gather these into one folder so they’re easy to attach to the relevant emails during setup. If you don’t have any yet, that’s fine, they can be added later.
8. Contract Template/s
What you need: Photography contracts for each type of session you offer.
If you don’t have contracts yet, I recommend the ones from Foundd Legal (KPVIRTUAL is my affiliate code and gets you 15% off). They’re written specifically for photographers and cover all the important legal bits you need.
9. Email Templates
What you need: All your client communication emails written out and ready to go.
This includes inquiry responses, booking confirmations, session reminders, payment reminders, gallery delivery emails – basically every email you send during your client experience.
Don’t worry about making them perfect right now. You can always refine them later, but having something written down gives you a solid starting point.
If writing email templates from scratch feels daunting, I’ve got ready-made email templates that sound warm and professional for you to use as a base.
10. Questionnaire Templates
What you need: Pre-session questionnaires for each session type you offer.
Family sessions need different questions than weddings, and couples sessions are different again. Think about what information you actually need to deliver a great experience, and write those questions down.
Need help with what questions to ask? My questionnaire templates cover all the important details for family, wedding, and couple sessions without overwhelming your clients.
11. Workflow Steps
What you need: Your client journey mapped out, from first enquiry through to gallery delivery, for each session type.
This is genuinely the most important part of your setup, and often where people get stuck. If you’re not sure where to start, my Workflow Blueprints ($15) map out three complete client journeys with task timing and automation guidance built in.
12. Log-Ins
What you need: Logins for the tools you actually use, so they can be connected to Studio Ninja.
Email (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) and your website platform are the most important to connect. Xero or QuickBooks, and Pic-Time or ShootProof, if you use them.
13. List of Current Bookings
What you need: Job name, client first name, client email, and session type for any upcoming sessions or active enquiries.
Having this ready means it can be transferred straight into Studio Ninja without digging it up later.
What if You Don’t Have Everything Ready?
You don’t need to have everything perfect before you start. But having most of these things ready will make your setup experience so much smoother.
If you’re missing a few pieces, don’t let that stop you. You can always add or update things later. Studio Ninja is designed to grow with your business.
The most important things to have ready are your workflow steps and basic email templates. Everything else can be added as you go.
Making Setup Feel Less Overwhelming
Setting up Studio Ninja doesn’t have to be a weekend-long project that leaves you feeling drained. When you come prepared with this checklist, you can actually enjoy the process of creating a system that’ll make your business life so much easier.
Remember, every successful photographer started somewhere. Your setup doesn’t need to be perfect from day one – it just needs to be better than what you’re doing now.
Need Help Getting Everything Set Up?
If you’re looking at this checklist and feeling a bit overwhelmed, that’s completely normal. Setting up Studio Ninja properly takes time and thought, and when you’re already juggling clients and family, finding that time can feel impossible.
That’s exactly why I offer done-for-you Studio Ninja setups. You gather what you can using this checklist, and I’ll handle the setup, workflow building, and automation configuration from there. No weekend projects, no wondering if you’ve done something wrong, just a system that works from day one.
If you go Premium, my email, questionnaire and workflow templates are included, so there’s nothing to write from scratch. If you’ve already got your own content ready, BYO setups build everything around what you bring.
Ready to get your Studio Ninja system properly sorted? Learn more about my Setup service here – because you’ve got better things to do than figure out Studio Ninja settings on your own.
