ASSIGNMENTS

Assignments are your paid opportunities! New assignments are sent via email and can be viewed and responded to from your Assignments tab in book.soona.co.

You will receive an email with new Assignment opportunities that include the date, time, location & more details about the shoot.
You're required accept or decline in the soona platform.
After notification of assignment, you will have 2 business days to respond to the project. Clients want to work with you, so we might follow-up with you via text!
If there's no response, you will be removed from the booking and someone else will be assigned.
Consistently not responding to assignments can be terms for dismissal from the collective.

Accepting the assignment means you have reviewed what's expected and agree to show up to the shoot. If something changes, and you can no longer accomplish shoot goals, you may cancel the assignemnt. Learn more about cancelations.

Declining the booking means you are turning down the assignment opportunity. You should decline bookings when:

you're unsure you can make it at the date, time, + location listed*
you aren't 100% comfortable with the shoot goals

Consistently declining due to inaccurately listed availability can be terms for dismissal.

AVAILABILITY INQUIRIES

You will receive texts from our number 844-577-6662 asking if you are available at a specific date or time. This usually occurs when we are either trying to fill a booking on short notice or want to consider booking you outside your given availability.

These texts are NOT assignments and should not be considered as such. Always wait for an assignment email as confirmation you have a booking with us. If you have about any upcoming bookings, your Assignments tab.

EMAIL TYPES

assignment email (+ reminders!)
assignment updated email
assignment canceled email

assignment email

you will receive assignment emails for new assignments or rescheduled assignments.

they will display key details and prompt you to accept or decline on book.soona.co. you will have 2 business days to respond.

key details displayed in assignment emails:

shoot title
client name
assigned role
shoot start time + duration
assignment notes
links to the booking details page + shotlist

reminder emails

assignment reminder emails are sent if we don't have a response in the soona platform after 12 hours.

these emails will resurface all information originally sent in the assignment email, and will once again prompt you to respond to the assignment.

repeated non-response to assignments is terms for suspension from the collective.

assignment updated email

these are triggered when one or more of the following booking's details changed:

shoot duration changed
assignment notes were edited
client edited the shoot goals

after receiving this email, you are responsible for re-reviewing all shoot details to note any changes.

if you receive this email after accepting the shoot, you do not have to re-accept the assignment. we assume you will still be servicing the shoot.

if the update prevents you from being able to service the shoot, please cancel via the soona platform.

assignment canceled email

assignment canceled emails are sent if soona cancels your assignment. this email means your services are no longer needed at the date + time listed.

although we do our best to avoid cancelations, they can happen for a variety of reasons including:

client requested reschedule
photographer illness
other pro service members canceled after accepting the assignment
no acceptance or decline response was given in the book.soona.co app

if we cancel an accepted shoot less than 24 hours before the originally scheduled start time, we will compensate you $25 for your blocked off time. see payments for more instructions on how to invoice these instances.

any cancelations that occur more than 24 hours in advance will not be compensated for.

REVIEWING ASSIGNMENT DETAILS

we expect you to review + understand all assignment details before accepting the booking, as well as re-review all details at least 24 hours before you arrive in studio.

locating assignment details

basic assignment details can be found in assignment emails or in the assignments tab.

shoot goals, shotlists, and other specific creative information can be found in the booking details page.

you can navigate into bookings any of the following ways:

the "respond" button or the "shotlist" button in the assignment email
clicking on the booking in the assignments tab through either list or calendar view

about shotlists

shotlists are what clients use to communicate their desired end product.

shotlists come in various forms, but generally they have a description of the scene, important key info (like product, background, or props), and reference images.

soona provides a shotlist builder - however, some clients build their shotlists outside of this tool.

in those cases, the shotlist may be linked in the details tab under "moodboard" or "shoot description," or in the shotlist tab.

MANAGING ASSIGNMENT FREQUENCY

frequency of assignments can vary
depending on a variety of factors that include:

availability
services offered
skills/specialties
client demand or preference

best ways to increase assignment frequency:

✔️ posting wider availability

✔️ ensuring all provider traits are fully complete (and services are turned ON)

✔️ quickly responding to emails + texts

✔️ consistently meeting provider standards

FAQ

what if I accept an assignment + can no longer make it?

this is considered a cancelation. please read our late + cancelation policy for further details on how to cancel and the implications of canceling.

what if I am uncomfortable with the shoot goals?

we only wish to ask services of you that you are comfortable + confident accomplishing.

if you feel uncomfortable with the requests listed in the assignment materials (shot list, booking details, pro service profile), please decline the shoot.

if you have any questions about an assignment, reach out to us via email or text before accepting. we will be happy to answer any questions, comments, and concerns!

there are several assignment emails for one booking - which is true?

reschedules are the most common reason you may receive several scheduling emails for the same booking. if a booking gets rescheduled, you will receive both a cancelation email and a normal assignment email that will list a new date + time.

verifying a reschedule or cancelation:

step 1: check if they are "assignment updated" emails. if this is the case, there is new or updated information for you to review, and you should read through the booking details, shotlist, and pro services tab once more.

step 2: confirm the emails are for the same booking. they'll display the same booking name, client name, and the "respond" button will link to the same booking details page.

step 3: identify the most recent email received. this is the most up-to-date status of that booking.

step 4: double check the status of the booking by navigating to your assignments tab on book.soona.co. view your upcoming assignments in list or calendar view. if you don't see the assignment listed, it's been canceled.

if there is still confusion after those 4 steps, please email or text us for clarification.

what if I need longer to decide if I can accept an assignment?

because of our fast scheduling and turn around times, we require a quick response.

if you are unsure about the assignment for whatever reason, please decline. it is better to decline the assignment upfront than accept and cancel at a later date.

if you need more information about an assignment before you make a decision, please email or text us and we will be happy to answer!

what if I don't see a shotlist?

some clients may decide to create a shotlist outside of the soona provided shot builder tool. in these cases, they will often provide links in the "moodboard" or "shoot goals" sections of the booking details page.

there also may be instances where the client does not provide a shotlist. if this is the case + you have further questions on the project before accepting, please ask our team and we will do what we can to assist.

always remember you have the right to decline service requests that were not disclosed to you upon assignment.