Photographer application form for second shooters and assistants

Every season, photographers message me their Instagram. I open each profile, then ask about gear, dates and experience, one email at a time. I would rather send one link that asks everything before I look at anyone's work.

How it works

Who they are: name, contact, home base and a portfolio link.
How they work: years shooting, second-shooter experience, styles and the gear they bring.
Whether they fit: free dates, travel range and why they want to shoot with you.

A last tick confirms that they follow the lead photographer's direction.

What an applicant's AI would ask

"Where is your portfolio?" Then "Which cameras and lenses would you bring?" Then "Which dates are you free?" It shows the answers and sends only after a yes. See agent-fillable forms.

Good to know

Open the portfolio links before you read anything else. A link that does not open is an answer in itself. A form shortlists people, it does not hire them, so book a test shoot before the big day. Second shooters also need to respect what your clients allowed, which a photo release records. Couples tell you the plan through a wedding photography questionnaire. More ideas are in forms for photographers.

Questions

Can applicants send sample images?

Not as files. The form takes a portfolio link and a social link. Ask for a gallery that shows live work, and open each link before you shortlist.

How do I compare applicants?

Download the CSV, sort by years shooting and second-shooter experience, then open the portfolio links of the top rows.

Should I ask for ID or tax details?

No. Keep them off the form. Collect any paperwork you need after you choose someone, through your normal process.

Or paste the JSON

Give this to your AI. It needs the AI Form API MCP server or an API key. It makes the form and sends you the link.

text

Create this form with the AI Form API create_form tool (or POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms with my API key). Then reply with the public_url.

{
  "title": "Apply to second shoot with us",
  "description": "Tell us about your work. We read every application and reply to everyone who sends a portfolio link.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "applicant_name",
      "label": "Your name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "applicant_email",
      "label": "Your email",
      "type": "email",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "applicant_phone",
      "label": "Your phone",
      "type": "phone"
    },
    {
      "id": "home_base",
      "label": "Where are you based?",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "portfolio_link",
      "label": "Link to your portfolio",
      "type": "url",
      "required": true,
      "help": "A gallery that shows your own work, ideally from live events."
    },
    {
      "id": "social_link",
      "label": "Your Instagram or other page",
      "type": "url"
    },
    {
      "id": "years_shooting",
      "label": "Years shooting weddings or events",
      "type": "number",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 60
    },
    {
      "id": "second_shot_before",
      "label": "Have you second-shot before?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Yes, many times",
        "A few times",
        "Not yet, but I have shot weddings",
        "Not yet"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "gear_you_bring",
      "label": "Cameras, lenses and flash you would bring",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1000
    },
    {
      "id": "backup_kit",
      "label": "I carry a backup camera and spare memory cards",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "styles_shot",
      "label": "Which styles do you shoot?",
      "type": "multi_choice",
      "options": [
        "Candid and documentary",
        "Posed portraits",
        "Detail shots",
        "Photojournalism",
        "Fine art",
        "Film"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "free_dates",
      "label": "Dates you are free this season",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 800
    },
    {
      "id": "travel_range",
      "label": "How far can you travel?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "My own city only",
        "Within a couple of hours",
        "Anywhere in my region",
        "I can travel further"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "why_join",
      "label": "Why would you like to shoot with us?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "follow_lead_ok",
      "label": "I understand a second shooter follows the lead photographer's direction",
      "type": "checkbox",
      "required": true
    }
  ]
}

Or call the API

bash

curl -X POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AIFORMAPI_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"title":"Apply to second shoot with us","description":"Tell us about your work. We read every application and reply to everyone who sends a portfolio link.","fields":[{"id":"applicant_name","label":"Your name","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":150},{"id":"applicant_email","label":"Your email","type":"email","required":true},{"id":"applicant_phone","label":"Your phone","type":"phone"},{"id":"home_base","label":"Where are you based?","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":200},{"id":"portfolio_link","label":"Link to your portfolio","type":"url","required":true,"help":"A gallery that shows your own work, ideally from live events."},{"id":"social_link","label":"Your Instagram or other page","type":"url"},{"id":"years_shooting","label":"Years shooting weddings or events","type":"number","min":0,"max":60},{"id":"second_shot_before","label":"Have you second-shot before?","type":"single_choice","options":["Yes, many times","A few times","Not yet, but I have shot weddings","Not yet"]},{"id":"gear_you_bring","label":"Cameras, lenses and flash you would bring","type":"long_text","max_length":1000},{"id":"backup_kit","label":"I carry a backup camera and spare memory cards","type":"checkbox"},{"id":"styles_shot","label":"Which styles do you shoot?","type":"multi_choice","options":["Candid and documentary","Posed portraits","Detail shots","Photojournalism","Fine art","Film"]},{"id":"free_dates","label":"Dates you are free this season","type":"long_text","max_length":800},{"id":"travel_range","label":"How far can you travel?","type":"single_choice","options":["My own city only","Within a couple of hours","Anywhere in my region","I can travel further"]},{"id":"why_join","label":"Why would you like to shoot with us?","type":"long_text","required":true,"max_length":1500},{"id":"follow_lead_ok","label":"I understand a second shooter follows the lead photographer'\''s direction","type":"checkbox","required":true}]}'

JSON definition

json

{
  "title": "Apply to second shoot with us",
  "description": "Tell us about your work. We read every application and reply to everyone who sends a portfolio link.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "applicant_name",
      "label": "Your name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "applicant_email",
      "label": "Your email",
      "type": "email",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "applicant_phone",
      "label": "Your phone",
      "type": "phone"
    },
    {
      "id": "home_base",
      "label": "Where are you based?",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "portfolio_link",
      "label": "Link to your portfolio",
      "type": "url",
      "required": true,
      "help": "A gallery that shows your own work, ideally from live events."
    },
    {
      "id": "social_link",
      "label": "Your Instagram or other page",
      "type": "url"
    },
    {
      "id": "years_shooting",
      "label": "Years shooting weddings or events",
      "type": "number",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 60
    },
    {
      "id": "second_shot_before",
      "label": "Have you second-shot before?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "Yes, many times",
        "A few times",
        "Not yet, but I have shot weddings",
        "Not yet"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "gear_you_bring",
      "label": "Cameras, lenses and flash you would bring",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1000
    },
    {
      "id": "backup_kit",
      "label": "I carry a backup camera and spare memory cards",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "styles_shot",
      "label": "Which styles do you shoot?",
      "type": "multi_choice",
      "options": [
        "Candid and documentary",
        "Posed portraits",
        "Detail shots",
        "Photojournalism",
        "Fine art",
        "Film"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "free_dates",
      "label": "Dates you are free this season",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 800
    },
    {
      "id": "travel_range",
      "label": "How far can you travel?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "My own city only",
        "Within a couple of hours",
        "Anywhere in my region",
        "I can travel further"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "why_join",
      "label": "Why would you like to shoot with us?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 1500
    },
    {
      "id": "follow_lead_ok",
      "label": "I understand a second shooter follows the lead photographer's direction",
      "type": "checkbox",
      "required": true
    }
  ]
}

Photographer application form for second shooters