iPad for Digital Photographers

Taking Care of Business

I've always wanted one device that would do everything. Not just phone calls, photography, or texting, but the whole works. The iPad actually comes close.

In other chapters, I describe its photography prowess. But photographers don't live by pictures alone. We need to organize our week, manage our assets, and communicate with friends and clients just like everyone else. The iPad can help us with those tasks, too.

In the same vein as managing our photo assets, the iPad is not an island unto itself. One of the first decisions you have to make with the business side of the equation is how you're going to integrate the stuff you do on the iPad with your overall workflow that also includes your computer.

I believe that seamless integration is the key to success. The less you have to think about juggling your data, the better you work. When I type a document on the iPad while flying from San Francisco to Phoenix, for example, I want that text available to me that night in the hotel room on my laptop. I don't want to copy it, send it, upload it, or anything else. I just want it there when I'm ready to resume the writing. The same goes for my banking, to-do lists, and spreadsheets.

The good news is, that you can have that effortless integration right now. It takes a little planning upfront but once the pieces are in place, you can pick up your iPhone, iPad, or laptop, ...