Founding 30 · Denver
Denver photographers - clients come to you.
We picked 30 founding photographers in Denver. You shoot. We send the bookings. You keep 90% of every dollar - locked at that rate for life.
30 of 30 spots claimed
Founding cohort full
Join photographers across our launch cities already building their client pipeline on Shuttercat.
Why photographers actually get booked on Shuttercat.
Most platforms sell your contact info and disappear. Shuttercat only makes money when you get booked - so every tool we build is designed to fill your calendar.
Shuttercat works differently. The whole booking - discovery, messaging, payment, reviews - happens here. Clients don't leak off-platform because there's no reason to. You build a reputation. You get repeat bookings. The work compounds.
We also won't pretend we accept everyone. Every applicant is portfolio-reviewed by a real person. Every approved photographer is ID-verified. The bar exists because clients will be paying real money to book you - and that has to mean something.
The math that matters.
Most platforms charge photographers two ways: a monthly fee whether you work or not, and a cut of every job. We do one. You only pay when you get paid.
Founding 30
10%
per booking, locked for life
Standard
15%
per booking
No monthly fee. No upfront cost. No fee for unused listings.
What's included when you join.
Real, paid bookings.
Clients book and pay through Shuttercat. The money sits in escrow until your session is done.
No chasing leads.
Inquiries come pre-qualified - they've already picked your profile and chosen a session type.
Your own page.
A dedicated profile page with proper meta tags and structured data, so search engines can find and index your work.
Stripe payouts.
Your earnings transfer directly to your bank - no waiting for clients to remember to Venmo you.
Verified clients.
Every client is identity-verified before booking. No more wondering if a stranger will actually show up.
Founding lifetime rate.
As long as you're with Shuttercat, your rate stays at 10%.
How it works.
Apply.
Five fields, five minutes. Drop your portfolio link.
Get reviewed.
A real person reviews your work within 48 hours. Not an algorithm.
Build your profile.
Choose your session types, set your prices, upload your best work.
Get booked.
Clients find you, book you, and pay through Shuttercat. You shoot. You get paid.
Who we're looking for.
Consistent portfolio in at least one session type - headshots, dating profile photos, weddings, families, corporate events, real estate, content creators, or brand work.
Reliable and professional with clients - you respond to messages promptly and show up when a booking lands.
Based in or near Denver - Boulder, Aurora, Lakewood, and the surrounding metro all count.
Quality you'd put your name on - clean, consistent images. No studio, website, or six-figure body of work required.
The founding cohort is full.
All 30 founding spots are claimed. You can still join Shuttercat the regular way - apply below and we'll review your portfolio within 48 hours.
The Denver founding cohort is full.
All 30 founding spots are claimed. You can still join Shuttercat as a photographer — same platform, same verified clients, same direct payouts. Apply the regular way and we'll review your portfolio within 48 hours.
Become a photographer →Why are we doing this?
We're new. Denver is our first city. The founding 30 program exists because we need photographers who'll stick with us while we build the client side - and we want to reward them properly for that.
In return: a rate that won't move on you, a real say in how the platform evolves, and a head start on every client we send to Denver from day one.
If you're skeptical, good. So are we. Apply, talk to us, and decide if it's worth your time.
Questions.
Founding cohort full. Denver is live.
The founding 30 is closed - but you can still apply to become a photographer.
Apply to join →