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Gallery Management in ShootPath

Quick Reference​

Galleries are where you upload, organize, and deliver your edited photos to clients. Think of them as beautiful, branded online albums that clients can access from anywhere!

What You Can Do with Galleries:

  • Upload photos - Drag and drop edited images
  • Create collections - Organize into sneak peeks, highlights, categories
  • Share with clients - Send secure gallery links
  • Track selections - See which photos clients favorite
  • Control downloads - Allow or restrict photo downloads
  • Apply watermarks - Protect your work with branding
  • Set expiration dates - Gallery access ends after X days

Gallery vs Collections:

  • Gallery = The entire container for all photos from a job
  • Collection = A curated subset within the gallery (like "Sneak Peeks" or "Ceremony")

Typical Workflow:

  1. Create a gallery for the job
  2. Upload edited photos
  3. Organize into collections (optional)
  4. Configure settings (watermarks, downloads, expiration)
  5. Publish and send gallery link to client
  6. Client views, favorites, and downloads photos

Next Steps: Learn how to create your first gallery and start delivering photos professionally!

Detailed Guide​

What Are Galleries?​

After you've shot and edited photos for a client, galleries are how you deliver those images. Instead of emailing massive ZIP files or using Dropbox, ShootPath galleries provide a professional, branded experience for your clients.

Why galleries matter:

Professional presentation - Your logo, colors, and branding make every delivery feel polished and premium. No generic file-sharing interfaces!

Organized delivery - Group photos into collections (ceremony, reception, portraits) so clients can easily find specific moments.

Control and security - You decide who can access the gallery, whether they can download, if watermarks are applied, and when access expires.

Client experience - Beautiful grid layouts, full-screen viewing, easy downloads, and mobile-friendly design. Clients love the experience!

Marketing tool - Watermarked previews shared on social media = free advertising. Happy clients sharing your work = new inquiries!

How Galleries Work​

Each job in ShootPath can have one gallery. That gallery contains all the photos you're delivering to that client.

The structure:

Job: Smith Family Portraits
  └─ Gallery: "Smith Family Gallery"
      ├─ Collection: "Sneak Peeks" (5 photos)
      ├─ Collection: "Park Photos" (15 photos)
      ├─ Collection: "Downtown Photos" (12 photos)
      └─ Collection: "Highlights" (25 photos)

What's inside:

  • Photos - Your edited images uploaded from your computer
  • Collections - Organized subsets of photos
  • Settings - Download options, watermarks, access control
  • Client tools - Favorites, selections, downloads, sharing

Galleries vs Collections​

New to ShootPath? The difference between galleries and collections can be confusing at first:

Gallery = The Container Think of a gallery as the main folder or album for a job. It holds ALL the photos you're delivering to that client.

Collection = Organized Subsets Collections are like playlists or chapters within the gallery. They help clients navigate large sets of photos.

Example for a wedding:

  • Gallery: "Sarah & Tom Wedding" (400 photos total)
    • Collection: "Sneak Peeks" (10 photos)
    • Collection: "Ceremony" (75 photos)
    • Collection: "Portraits" (100 photos)
    • Collection: "Reception" (215 photos)

Clients can browse the full gallery (all 400 photos) or jump directly to specific collections (just ceremony photos).

Do you need collections? Not always! For small sessions (mini sessions with 10-15 photos), a single gallery without collections works great. For larger jobs (weddings, events), collections help clients navigate without feeling overwhelmed.

Photo Management:

  • Upload single photos or bulk upload hundreds
  • Drag-and-drop interface
  • Automatic thumbnail generation
  • Original high-res files stored securely

Organization:

  • Create unlimited collections
  • Move photos between collections
  • Reorder photos within collections
  • Name and describe each collection

Client Experience:

  • Beautiful grid view for browsing
  • Full-screen lightbox for viewing
  • Download individual photos or entire collections
  • Favorite photos (heart icon)
  • Mobile-friendly responsive design
  • Share gallery with family/friends

Access Control:

  • Password protection (optional)
  • Expiration dates (gallery access ends after X days)
  • Download restrictions (view-only vs full download)
  • Client-specific gallery links

Branding:

  • Apply watermarks to previews
  • Your logo displayed prominently
  • Custom gallery URLs
  • Professional presentation

Tracking:

  • See which photos clients favorited
  • Track downloads
  • Monitor gallery views
  • Know when client accessed gallery

The Photo Delivery Workflow​

Here's how galleries fit into your overall photography workflow:

1. The Shoot Happens You capture amazing photos for your client. Memory cards full of potential!

2. You Edit Import, cull, and edit photos in your preferred software (Lightroom, Capture One, etc.). Export high-res JPEGs ready for delivery.

3. Create Gallery In ShootPath, create a gallery for the job. This sets up the container for all photos.

4. Upload Photos Drag and drop edited photos into the gallery. ShootPath processes and generates previews.

5. Organize (Optional) Create collections to group photos logically. Add photos to each collection.

6. Configure Settings Set download options, watermarks, expiration dates, and access controls.

7. Publish & Share Make the gallery visible and send the link to your client (or let ShootPath auto-notify them).

8. Client Enjoys Client browses, favorites, and downloads their photos. They share on social media. You get tagged. New inquiries roll in!

9. Mark Complete After delivery and final payment, mark the job complete. Gallery remains accessible until expiration.

When to Use Galleries​

Every client delivery! Galleries are your professional delivery method for:

Weddings - 300-800 photos organized into ceremony, portraits, reception, etc.

Portrait Sessions - 20-50 photos from family portraits, seniors, engagement sessions

Events - 100-500 photos from corporate events, parties, conferences

Newborn Sessions - 30-50 photos of baby, family, and sibling shots

Commercial Work - Product photos, real estate, headshots delivered professionally

Even small jobs benefit from gallery delivery. It's faster than emailing files, more professional than Dropbox, and creates a better client experience!

Every gallery has configurable settings that control how it works:

Download Options:

  • Allow full downloads (clients get high-res files)
  • Restrict downloads (view only, must order prints)
  • Require selections first (client picks favorites before downloading all)

Watermark Settings:

  • Apply watermarks to preview images
  • No watermark on downloaded files
  • Always watermark (even downloads)
  • Custom watermark design (your logo or text)

Access Control:

  • Public link (anyone with link can view)
  • Password protected (extra security)
  • Expiration date (access ends after 30/60/90 days)

Sharing:

  • Allow clients to share gallery with family/friends
  • Restrict sharing (private to client only)

Notifications:

  • Auto-email client when gallery is ready
  • Notify when new collections are published
  • Remind before gallery expires

Customize these settings based on your business model and how you deliver photos! Learn more in Gallery Settings.

Example Workflows​

Different photographers use galleries in different ways. Here are common patterns:

Wedding Photographer - Staged Delivery:

  • Day 2: Create gallery, publish "Sneak Peeks" collection (10 photos)
  • Week 2: Publish "Highlights" collection (75 photos)
  • Week 6: Publish "Full Gallery" collection (all 400 photos)
  • Three touchpoints keep clients engaged throughout editing!

Portrait Photographer - Simple Delivery:

  • Week 2: Create gallery, upload all 30 edited photos
  • One "Full Gallery" collection
  • Client downloads all at once
  • Fast and straightforward!

Event Photographer - Rush Delivery:

  • Same day: Create gallery, publish sneak peeks (20 photos)
  • Day 3: Publish full gallery (300 photos)
  • Client uses photos for immediate marketing
  • Speed is critical!

Print-Sales Photographer:

  • Create gallery with download restrictions (view only)
  • Client browses and selects favorites
  • Orders prints through your print lab
  • Delivers physical products instead of digital files

Choose the approach that fits your workflow and client expectations!

Pro Tip

Deliver sneak peeks within 24-48 hours of every shoot! Clients are excited RIGHT NOW - capitalize on that energy. Even 3-5 stunning preview photos keep momentum going while you finish editing the rest.

What's Next?​

Ready to start delivering photos professionally? Here's what to explore:

Creating Galleries - Set up your first gallery and upload photos

Collections - Organize photos into sneak peeks, highlights, and categories

Client Selections - Let clients favorite photos and track what they love

Gallery Settings - Customize watermarks, downloads, and access controls

Sharing Galleries - Send gallery links and deliver work to clients

Questions? Look for the help links throughout ShootPath, or reach out to support if you need help!