How to Choose the Right Showit Template for Photographers (Without Overthinking It)

Pinkerton House Perspective
Designed by a photographer with 20+ years in the wedding industry, Pinkerton House creates Showit website templates for photographers and creative businesses who care about both beauty and results.

If you’ve ever searched for the perfect Showit website template for photographers, clicked through a dozen demos, and thought, “These are beautiful… but which one will actually work for my business?” — you’re not alone.

Most photographers don’t struggle with choosing a Showit template because they lack taste. They struggle because they’re trying to balance two things at once: wanting a website that feels polished and ready to launch, while still being flexible enough to make their own.

If you’re a photographer comparing different Showit website templates, this guide will help you see what actually matters — beyond pretty design.

After two decades in the wedding and photography industry, and after designing Showit templates specifically for photographers and creative businesses, I’ve learned this:

The best Showit template feels complete from the start — but flexible enough to make it unmistakably yours.

Here’s how to choose the right Showit template for photographers, without the analysis paralysis.

Short Answer: How Do You Choose the Right Showit Template?
If you’re a photographer choosing a Showit template, look for one with strategic structure and a design that supports your business model. The best Showit templates feel polished and ready to launch — but flexible enough to make it unmistakeably yours.

1) Style Is a Must, But So Is Structure

As photographers we are drawn to beautiful design – and with good reason. Discerning style is one of our super powers and should not be ignored! Because of this, when you scroll through a Showit website template, it’s really easy to focus on the fonts, colors, and photos (and I am a sucker for a perfectly curated photo gallery). But the truth is, those are also the easiest things to change – and as a photographer you will likely change out every image in that template.

For photographers searching for the right Showit website template that actually books clients and performs in search, structure — not style alone — will make the biggest difference.

Ask yourself:

• Is the homepage easy to scan to get the gist quick?
• Does it clearly explain what this business does within a few seconds?
• Is the flow of sections logical for how we make purchase decisions (intro → credibility → services → story → inquiry)?
• Does it feel calm and intentional, not busy & chaotic?

A strong Showit website template should feel like a well-designed magazine layout — not a haphazardly cut and pasted collage.

If the structure is solid, you can make the style your own.
If the structure is weak, no amount of beautiful photos will fix it.

But here’s the sweet spot for photographers and creative businesses: look for Showit templates with style that resonates with you + structure baked in from the start.

2) Choose a Template That Matches Your Business, Not Your Mood

A common mistake I see photographers make is choosing a template based on their current aesthetic mood.

For example:

• You love minimalist design → you choose an ultra-minimal template. But your business actually relies heavily on storytelling, extensive galleries, testimonials, and room for emotional connection.

Or:

• You’re drawn to editorial layouts → but your clients need a little more basic structure for clarity and guidance.

In addition to thinking about your aesthetic preferences (which shouldn’t be ignored), think about how your business actually works.

Ask yourself:

• Do I need to showcase multiple services or lots of social proof?
• Do I rely heavily on galleries?
• What do the the kinds of clients I’m trying to attract need to see + hear?
• Do I need space for education or resources?
• Do I have a blog I need to carry over (or start!). Hint: you absolutely should! An intentional blog is still one of the most effective ways for photographers, wedding pros and creatives to bring the right traffic to your website.

Ask yourself these questions as you evaluate any template you’re thinking about. The right photographer website template should support your business model, not fight it.

3) Make Sure the Template Is Strategic, Not Just Beautiful

Many Showit templates look stunning — but fall apart when it comes to conversion strategy, SEO, and readiness for AI generated search (GEO).

A strategic Showit template should:

• Subtly draw visitors to the next action you want them to take
• Highlight your credibility
• Make it easy to understand your value
• Lead people toward inquiry without pressure
• Be structured in a way that makes it easy for you to get found in searches

A great Showit website makes search engines happy and quietly answers the questions your ideal client is already asking:

• Are you experienced?
• Do you understand my kind of wedding / brand / story?
• Are you worth the investment?
• Am I going to like you?
• Can I trust you?

When a template is designed with those questions in mind, it becomes more than a design — it becomes an invaluable tool.

An Example From My Business

Many years back I set out to do a refresh on my own wedding photography website with the intention of attracting a different kind of client – specifically one’s who shared my taste in aesthetics and were willing to pay a premium for really smooth, seamless process.

With this goal in mind, I set out to build a site with tons of room to display all of my shoots that were exactly the kinds of jobs I wanted more of (with space for keywords and descriptions to bring my ideal clients straight there). I sought to build trust and authority by integrating testimonials from other vendors and my dream clients that got right to the heart of why working with me was different. I built an entire page dedicated to laying out my process in the simplest way and answering all of my ideal client’s questions from the get-go. And I revised my inquiry form to be sure I was collecting key pieces of information that would help me know right away if an inquiry was likely to be a good fit for my goals.

The results from my new website were more than I hoped for. A huge increase in traffic to my site. More ideal client inquiries in my inbox. More bookings from the right clients. More income from less work. More saying “no” when it made sense. My website truly did become one of my very most valuable sales tools. And I’ve seen it over and over again when photographers and wedding industry pros invest in a strategic website. You can read more on what every photographer website needs to actually book clients right here.

Gorgeous images + style will get your site pretty far. Strategy will tip it right into “most valuable new employee” status.

4) Common Mistakes Photographers Make When Choosing Showit Templates

Here are a few red flags I gently warn photographers about:

Choosing something ultra trendy.
Trends age quickly. Structure lasts.

Choosing something too rigid.
If every section feels locked in, you’ll outgrow it fast.

Choosing something that only works with perfect photos.
Your website should feel strong even when you’re new or growing.

Choosing something on looks alone.
Remember, beauty + style are key for the kind of business you’re running, but if they’re not supported by strategy, you’ll be leaving real opportunities on the table.

5) Think of a Showit Template as a Ready-Made Foundation (Not a Blank Canvas)

The best Showit templates don’t ask you to build everything from scratch.
They give you a beautiful, strategic starting point — and the freedom to make it yours.

Look for a template that feels:

• polished + elevated, not generic
• structured, not restrictive
• customizable, not complicated

Your website should feel ready to work for you, not so rigid you’re afraid you’ll break it.

The Pinkerton House Perspective

After years of watching photographers struggle with websites that look beautiful but don’t actually attract and book the right clients — or websites that just don’t reflect the level of artistry and experience they’ve grown into — I design everything at Pinkerton House around one idea:

A website should make everything in your business feel easier, not more complicated.

That’s why I believe the best Showit templates strike a balance between being finished enough to trust and flexible enough to make uniquely yours. When that balance is right, photographers stop second-guessing and start showing up more confidently online.

What Makes a Good Showit Template for Photographers?

A good Showit template for photographers should feel polished + complete from the start — not like a blank canvas you have to wrestle into shape.

Look for a Showit website template that offers:

• a clear, intuitive homepage structure that guides visitors naturally
• flexible (and multiple) gallery layouts designed for real photography work (yours!)
• built-in space for storytelling and social proof (not just pretty images)
• easy customization that doesn’t break the design
• SEO-friendly structure
• Seamless WordPress blog integration with a matching beautiful design so your blog never looks like an afterthought
• a mobile design that’s just as gorgeous and functional as the desktop version

When those foundations are in place, you’re not starting from scratch — you’re starting from a thoughtfully designed framework that’s ready to launch and easy to evolve.

A Simple Starting Point

If you’re exploring Showit templates and want something that feels elevated, strategic, and refreshingly easy to customize, Pinkerton House templates were designed with exactly that balance in mind.

They’re built specifically for photographers, wedding pros, and creative businesses who care deeply about aesthetics — but also want a website that supports their goals, not just their mood board.

Each Pinkerton House Showit template is:

• visually elevated
• conversion-conscious
• structured for clarity and flow
• designed to be customized quickly without sacrificing design integrity

If you’d like to explore the collection, you can browse the templates here:

→ Pinkerton House Showit Templates

Choosing a Showit template isn’t about finding something that’s perfect out of the box (though I try my darndest to make them just that) — it’s about choosing a foundation that makes launching feel lighter, faster, and more aligned so you can stop spinning and start building.

Frequently Asked Questions About Showit Templates for Photographers

Do photographers really need a Showit template?
No — there are many strong options out there for creatives looking to refresh their site. But Showit templates dramatically reduce the time and energy required to launch a strategic, elevated website. For photographers who want full creative control over design without starting from scratch, Showit templates are often the best middle ground.

Are Showit templates customizable?
Ohhhh yes. A well-designed Showit website template is easy to customize without breaking the layout. Fonts, colors, images, and content can all be adjusted while keeping the overall design intact. And if you want to go further and tweak layouts, flow, and add and subtract design elements, there’s no better platform than Showit for the job.

What’s the difference between a Showit template and a custom website?
A custom website is designed from the ground up for one business, which can come with a hefty price tag and lengthy timeline. A Showit template is a professionally designed framework that allows photographers to launch faster at a much lower investment — while still looking elevated and intentional.

How do I know if a Showit template will work for my photography business?
Look for a template with a clear homepage structure, flexible galleries, space for storytelling, and SEO-friendly blog integration. And don’t forget to be sure the mobile design is just as beautiful and functional as the desktop one! If it supports your work and how you actually book clients, it’s likely a good fit.

Can I use a Showit template if my brand evolves over time?
Absolutely. The best Showit templates are designed to grow with your business — allowing you to refine your branding, messaging, and imagery without needing a full redesign.

I hope this guide helps you find clarity as you search for the right Showit site template to help your business grow and thrive! You can find more guidance like this in our Showit Website Design Journal. If you’re still unsure which direction fits your brand best, ask your question in the comments and I’ll do my best to help!