About
Made by one person who shoots.
PEARSPECTIVE comes from Josh Pears, a photographer and creative director. I built it for myself first, because finding photo work had turned into a second job that paid nothing. It's also my answer to software you rent.
Why it exists
Getting booked is mostly paperwork. You scroll event listings for an hour. You guess which venue has ever paid a photographer. You write the same email, reword it, send it, and by Thursday you can't remember who answered.
None of that is photography. I wanted the hours back, so I built something to do the looking and the first draft while I kept the decisions. The pitch still sounds like me, and nothing goes out until I say so.
Other photographers lose the same hours. So I turned it into an app.
PEARSPECTIVE helps you put things into perspective, both macro and micro.
I built it against the subscription model, too. Software has drifted into renting: pay every month, lose the lot the day you stop. I think that's backwards. I believe in owning your software. You pay once, it keeps working, and the work you put into it stays on your own computers.
How I decided to build it
- Your work stays yours.
- The database lives on your computer and your keys sit in the system keychain. I don't run a server that holds your client list. Using two computers? Sync moves your leads, clients and projects through a Dropbox, iCloud Drive or OneDrive folder you already have. It comes with a paid license, and it never touches a server of mine.
- You own it.
- $799, or $69 a month for 12 months. Then it's done, with no renewal and nothing to cancel. I'd rather sell you a tool than rent you one.
- It asks before it sends.
- Every pitch waits in a queue for your approval. A bad email costs you a client, so the app doesn't get to make that call.
- The AI is on your account.
- You bring your own key, with a monthly cap you set. I add no markup, and I don't see what you write.
Who makes it
I'm Josh Pears. I work as a creative director and brand strategist, and I shoot photos. I also write code, which is how a photographer ends up shipping a desktop app.
One person makes PEARSPECTIVE: the design, the code, the words on this site, and the inbox you write to when something breaks. If you email me, I answer it myself.
My other work lives at joshpears.com. Questions about the app go to jp@joshpears.com.