EP 79 - Practical Ways to Use ChatGPT in Your Workflow: A Conversation with Kari Tello
Hi friends! In this episode, Kari and I are covering all things ChatGPT and how we love using it as a tool to help run our businesses. We share a bunch of awesome ways it supports us — how it saves time, helps us stay creative, and keeps things running smoothly.
We’ll walk you through easy ways to get started, real prompts we use all the time, and what it does really well (plus a few things we wish it did better). From writing client emails to planning timelines and generating content ideas — this tool has become a game-changer for both our photography and education work.
Meet Kari:
Kari Tello is a travel wedding photographer based on the West Coast, shooting both film and digital. She’s all about capturing honest moments and creating a laid-back experience for her couples. Kari also uses tools like ChatGPT to streamline her business and keep things running smoothly—so she can spend more time doing what she loves, both behind the camera and outside of work. - She used ChatGPT to write this. HA
“How can I start using ChatGPT in my business without feeling overwhelmed?”
It doesn’t have to be complicated! One of my favorite easy places to start is asking it questions about your own stuff — screenshot your Instagram feed and ask how to make it feel more cohesive. Or drop in your dream client’s vibe and see what it says is missing in your marketing.
Another practical one? Ask it to help you plan your calendar. I’ll literally say: “I want to deliver galleries within 8 weeks. Help me build a workflow.”
The best part is it asks follow-up questions to help clarify what you *actually* want. It’s like having an intern who’s not afraid to speak up when you’re being vague.
“Okay but what do you actually ask it?”
Glad you asked. Here are some real prompts we’ve sent:
- “Write me a wedding client check-in email that sounds warm and excited but still sets clear expectations.”
- “Here’s a photo I want to post — can you help me write a caption that will make people comment or share it to their story?”
- “I’m planning a styled shoot with vendors — what questions should I ask myself or them before we start?”
You can keep it broad or get super specific. The more context you give, the better it gets. It’s weirdly good at matching my tone and saving me from sitting in front of a blank doc for hours.
“What do you wish it did better?”
Kari mentions that Image creation still feels a little clunky. It’s getting there, but she’d love faster and more intuitive ways to generate graphics or visual inspo — especially when dreaming up a mood board or trying to explain a vibe. For now though, text-wise, it’s great.
“What about using ChatGPT just for photographers?”
Game-changer. You can have it write all your client emails (like your engagement session prep or family photo list reminders), help you name galleries, come up with Pinterest keywords based on your couple’s vibe — We’ve even asked it to do things like help plan a timeline for a multi-day wedding.
You can also drop in your favorite editing style and ask how to describe it for your website.
Final Thoughts
At this point, we kind of consider ChatGPT part of the team. It doesn’t replace you, but it helps organize your brain when you’ve got 47 tabs open and a million ideas flying around. It helps you say things better, faster, and with more clarity — and that’s a win for anyone running a creative business.
If you’re curious to go deeper, I’ll be sharing more prompts and tips inside the Summer School membership. Can’t wait to hear how you end up using it too.
Catch you next time!
—Summer
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Instagram: @karishootsfilm Website: karitellophoto.com
(Kari is launching something cool very soon - give her a follow to stay tuned for that!!)
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