Selection Gallery (Proofing)

Every gallery runs in one of two modes. In delivery mode, all photos are ready to download; that is how you work once editing is done. In proofing mode, your clients review previews and pick their included amount from them. Only then do you edit the selected photos.

You switch the mode at the very top of the gallery editor. Switching works in both directions and loses nothing: guest, master, and proofing password exist side by side.

A selection gallery needs its own proofing password. The guest password of your delivery galleries does not open it; your clients make binding decisions here, so access is tighter.

Without a password set, the mode cannot be switched on. You can set one in the same step.

You define per album how many photos the package includes, say 10 from “Portraits” and 5 from “Family photos”. An album without an amount does not count; an amount of 0 means that only additional photos can be picked from it.

For the case that someone picks more, you have two options: either the selection blocks at the limit, or the extra photo goes onto a list as an additional photo. Once agreed, you approve those one by one or all at once.

Your clients can write a note on any photo, a retouching request for example. You reply right on the photo. New messages appear on both sides without reloading; if several pile up, you get a summary by email.

A request you have carried out can be marked as done without a reply, on the single photo or for many at once via multi-select. If your client writes again afterwards, the thread counts as open again.

With Photographer’s Choice you mark your own recommendations: the red bookmark on the photo in the gallery view. Your clients see the mark on the photo and filter by it via the “Recommended” button, which only appears in albums where you have marked something.

If you have no use for this, you can switch notes off per gallery.

Once the selection is done, your clients finalize it bindingly. After that it is frozen; it can only be changed if you reopen it.

You get the file names as a copy-ready list, formatted for Lightroom’s library filter. With the Lightroom plugin you pull the selection straight into a collection instead.

You bring in the edited files via “Replace photo” right on the tile; selection and notes stay with the photo, because it remains the same photo.

Whether the selected photos are available for download right away or only after your editing is a per-gallery setting. If you release the download after editing, a notification can go out to your clients; the email address for it is asked for when the selection is finalized. If someone orders more later, you open a new selection round. Photos already bought stay locked, and the included amount counts across all rounds; nothing becomes included after the fact.

As long as nothing has been bought, the previews are protected. Basic protection blocks right-click and dragging. On top of that you can switch on a diagonal blur: one half of the image stays sharp, the other is fogged, and the side switches with the mouse pointer. A screenshot therefore never shows the whole image.

To be honest about it: this does not prevent screenshots, and with two captures an image can be pieced together. It makes casual taking harder; more than that, no web gallery can do.

A watermark can also be laid over the previews. The released downloads reach your clients clean.

Every step ends up in a log: finalizing, reopening, approved additional photos, new rounds, each with a timestamp and the file names involved. The log outlives the photos and stays readable even when the gallery has long expired.