Photonesto is a tool for photographers that allows for the quick and easy sharing of photos from a session with clients. Proofing galleries in Photonesto enable the creation of virtual photo galleries and their delivery to clients in a professional and efficient manner. They also offer the option to sell photos ordered as part of a package, as well as additional ones selected by the client after the session. This is an excellent solution for all photographers specializing in portrait, maternity, and children's photography.
Creating and using a private session is very intuitive, and getting familiar with the entire process takes only a moment. Our step-by-step guide will answer all your questions and help you start using Photonesto right away.
Next steps:
1. Logging into the Photographer's Panel in Photonesto
To begin creating a Proofing gallery, first log in to the photographer's panel. Just enter your email address and password on the Photonesto login page.
If you don't have an account yet, you can create one here.
2. Creating a new Proofing gallery
After logging in, you'll be taken to the photographer's panel. To create a Proofing gallery, click "Create" (in the top-left corner of the screen), then select the Proofing gallery option.
Specifying the package and additional photos
You will be asked to provide the session name, access password, as well as the client's email address and phone number.
In the next step, you'll be able to choose between three buttons: one package, many packages, and no package.
The first option, one package, is for when the client is using a single specific offer that was presented to them beforehand.
Many packages is an option where the client decides which pricing tier suits them best only when they are selecting photos.
No package is for when the client pays, for example, 50 USD for each photo, and the final sum depends on how many shots they choose.
Regardless of the option you choose, you'll need to provide a few more details, such as the price of the photo package, the number of photos included, the price for each additional photograph, and the amount of the client's deposit. You can, of course, edit this later in the "Shopping configuration" tab directly within the gallery.
Each gallery is based on a single price list that you set, and only the products available in that price list will be available for sale.
Cover photo and uploading photos for selection
Your Proofing gallery has been created! To give it a unique character and make it more attractive to the client, add a cover photo by choosing one of your shots. You can select from the available cover types and indicate a focal point, which is the element of the photo that should be its central point. This will help ensure the cover displays nicely on both computers and mobile devices.
Applying a watermark to the cover, however, is optional. To do so, you must select this option while adding the cover.
Next, add photos from the session by clicking the "Upload photos" button on the right side of the screen.
A watermark will be applied to each photo to protect your images and give clients full access only to the ones they have paid for.
3. Publishing the Proofing gallery
The photos are ready to be published - just click the "Publish" button at the top of the screen. You still need to decide how long the gallery should be available to the client. The fee for publishing the photos is calculated based on the publication period and the gallery's size. Detailed information about fees can be found HERE.
4. Sending the gallery to the client
Your gallery with the session can now be sent to the client. To do this, select the "Share with customer" -> "Send via e-mail" option. A ready-made message will appear on the screen, which you can send immediately or personalize in a way that suits you best. Now, all you have to do is click "Send".
5. Client's photo selection
The client receives a message from you containing the login details for their Proofing gallery (a unique web address and an access password). By clicking "Visit gallery", the client goes directly to the Proofing gallery page, where their photos are located. Here, they can select photos for their package, as well as choose to purchase additional photos and select extra products offered.
They make their photo selection by clicking the heart icon located in the bottom-right corner of each photo. They can purchase additional products by clicking the shopping cart icon next to the heart or directly from the cart.
Once they have made their selection, they proceed to the cart, where they will find an order summary and the price for all the products they have chosen. By clicking "Checkout" they move on to select the delivery and payment method (if you want to know how to configure these, we refer you HERE). Then, by using the "Send to photographer" button, the client confirms their order. After placing the order, they receive a message with an order summary and a confirmation email.
6. Delivering the finished shots
Once the client has placed an order, you will receive an email notification. You can then log in to that session in Photonesto. There, you'll find all the photos the client has selected in the "Selected photos" tab.
Next, go to the "Delivered photos" tab and click "Add photos". You have two options to choose from:
"Upload from a computer" - upload the finished, edited files you want to deliver to the client
"Photos ordered by the customer" - deliver the photos the client selected and which were previously uploaded to the gallery. Choose this option if the edited photos have already been uploaded to the gallery.
You also have the option to replace photos. If the photos you've added to this panel need additional editing, for example, you can use the "Replace photos" button to do so in bulk for all the photos the client has selected.
Now you need to make them available to the client - press the "Send to customer" button.
This way, they will receive a confirmation message that the photos are ready to download. Importantly, the final versions of the photos no longer have a watermark and can be downloaded in full or web resolution.
Sharing photos with clients through online galleries is a simple, fast, and with Photonesto, an elegant and reliable solution. Take advantage of the transparent and effective sales system offered by Photonesto's Proofing galleries: your clients will be happy, and you'll have more time for photography!