How MRodPhotos Captures Holiday Magic With Acuity Scheduling Behind the Scenes
MRodPhotos is a premium portrait photography studio in the Bronx, NY, founded and run by photographer Matthew Rodriguez. Known for his rich lighting, bold color profiles, and editorial retouching, Matthew specializes in family portraits, newborn sessions, birthday shoots, and the highly anticipated holiday mini sessions that have become a yearly tradition.
Photography has always been personal for him. “I grew up really tight knit with my family, and I think that allowed me to want to freeze that moment in time,” he says. That connection shows in his work and in the experience he creates for every family walking into his studio.
Growth brought excitement and chaos. Holiday minis filled up fast, messages piled in even faster, and manual scheduling couldn’t keep pace with the volume. Matthew found himself spending more time coordinating than creating.
Something had to shift to relieve the stress on both sides of the camera.
Outgrowing manual scheduling during the holiday season
As owner, Matthew struggled to balance the business side and the creative side of running MRodPhotos while maintaining relationships with clients. Every booking required hands-on back-and-forth, and as demand increased, so did the operational load.
Communication, especially during peak periods, was overwhelming, as MRodPhotos had to field inquiries across text, email, and social media. Managing the different session types and constant messages made consistency hard to maintain and double-bookings became a regular issue. “I definitely have had clients at the same time,” Matthew says, “1:00 PM, two of them outside, and that was my error.”
The holiday minis added another layer of complexity. Matthew and his team build the sets themselves each year. From cement-coated walls to custom-sourced wood, each set takes time to design, construct, and light-test. The last thing he needed during the busy season was an unpredictable booking process.
He needed an online booking system for photographers that could handle holiday demand without pulling him out of the creative zone. A system that would organize his calendar, prevent double-booking, collect client details, handle payments up front, and keep clients informed every step of the way.
The photography scheduling app that fit the studio’s workflow
Matthew chose Acuity Scheduling because it gave him something manual scheduling couldn’t: ease, consistency, and the freedom to stay behind the lens instead of behind a screen.
“Responding to the direct messages, text messages, and emails… they come out fast, hundreds of them, especially during the holiday season. Acuity helps me optimize and make it smooth for my clients.”
Acuity’s flexibility also matched the way he works. He could customize sessions, workflows, reminders, and intake forms while keeping everything in one reliable system—something that quickly became essential.
“My business has been super streamlined. I’m able to grab my camera, dedicate more time to the creative side… and the clients love how simple it is.”
Using Acuity Scheduling to stay consistent and client-ready
Acuity had everything Matthew needed to professionalize his photography business and divert his energy from manual scheduling to engaging camerawork. “I use Acuity for everything, to be honest,” he emphasizes.
Simple self-booking for a variety of services
Matthew now organizes all of his portrait offerings through Acuity. After a consultation to assess their needs, clients can easily book their preferred photography session through his scheduling page. “I'll help them pick exactly what kind of session they want, whether it's a newborn session, a birthday session, or a Christmas mini session, and they can book it right online.”
Intake forms personalize every shoot
Client intake forms fit right into the booking flow, so MRodPhotos can gather details that help families feel comfortable the moment they walk in.
“That’s one of my favorite parts of Acuity: the intake forms. The questions that I can ask the clients before they come in. For example, what’s your child’s favorite music to hear? So when they come on the day of the set, I can have their favorite song on or their favorite type of candy here.”
This gives him a head start on rapport-building, creates a warm environment, and sets the tone for the session. “Those questions and those forms, it helps me out tremendously on the day of shoot."
Deposits eliminate no-shows
Since Acuity integrates with leading payment providers, MRodPhotos can collect payment at the time of booking, too. Clients submit deposits to secure their spots, which has been especially helpful to prevent conflicts during the busy season. “I love having all my systems together,” Matthew says. “It just helps me streamline my whole workflow.”
With payments handled automatically at booking, Matthew no longer has to follow up manually or lose time to last-minute cancellations and missed sessions.
Buffer time and smart scheduling prevent double-bookings
Acuity solved the biggest operational pain point for the studio: overlapping appointments. Advanced calendar controls and real-time availability mean clients only book when Matthew’s truly free. Plus, appointment padding leaves room for prep, breaks, and smoother transitions.
“Acuity, with the way they allow you to set times for bookings and buffers… it doesn’t allow me to double-book at all, which was a big issue for me,” Matthew says.
That reliability matters even more when holiday minis are booked back to back. “Now that I have Acuity to handle that side of it, it doesn't happen anymore. There's no chaos.”
Automated confirmations and reminders support marathon days
With instant appointment confirmations and prep instructions shared before a shoot, everyone knows what to expect. “I noticed a change,” Matthew reflects. “Clients come in way more prepared.”
Appointment reminders triggered at key times keep the entire day running on schedule. “It's super important to have my reminders in there,” Matthew adds. “Not only for me, but for my clients as well. They get 15 minute reminders, they get the day before reminders, and I get them as well. That helps me stay smooth throughout the day with my back-to-back sessions, whether it's five a day, six a day… it just makes it super smooth for us."
A fully streamlined studio and stress-free holiday sessions
The booking platform for photographers makes every step clear for clients and effortless for Matthew. Clients choose their session, submit their deposit, complete the intake form, and receive reminders automatically. Matthew walks in with a full, accurate picture of who’s arriving and what they need. Everyone feels the difference.
“The clients love how simple it is to go online, go to my website, book a session. Before, it was way more manual. Clients would reach out, whether it was a phone call or text, and I’m sending them my email or sending them dates. Acuity completely changed the game for me. It allows me to come in, grab cameras, set up lighting, and go.”
His most notable wins include:
Positive client reviews. “They all have given me so many amazing reviews of how easy and smooth it is to book online.”
Zero double-bookings. “There's no more double-booking. There's no one just showing up at my door… those days are over.”
Fewer inquiries and manual responses. “No more spending time answering so many emails and text messages.”
Eliminated no-shows, thanks to deposits. “No-shows completely went away after I was able to integrate deposits online for my clients.”
Faster, more organized shooting days. “Acuity tells me who’s at 1:00, who’s at 2:00, and who’s at 3:00 PM.”
More time for creativity. “Having the right systems and software allows me to be present more on set instead of being behind my computer.”
Better-prepared clients. “They come in ready to go. They know exactly what's going to happen.”
And during the holidays, when the studio is buzzing with themed sets and excited families, the difference is even more dramatic.
“I like to spend time with my clients, with my families. Acuity allows me to be away from the computer and spend more time here doing what I love on camera.”
Acuity Scheduling sets the stage for standout photography
Acuity stepped in as the photography scheduling software that allowed Matthew to stay present and creative. Now, instead of juggling messages, he runs an efficient, automated booking flow that keeps each season running smoothly for him and his clients.
“Without Acuity, I wouldn't be able to have a streamlined process throughout my day,” he says.
The best scheduling app for photographers is one that disappears into the background and lets the work shine. From sketching new holiday set designs to capturing the moments families treasure most, Acuity keeps MRodPhotos organized behind the scenes so Matthew can spend his time where it counts.
“When you have a system behind you, it really feels like you have a whole team of 50. I feel like I have a big team behind me with Acuity.”
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