How to deliver photos to clients

Before you export anything, be clear about what the client is getting. Is it every edited photo from the session, or only the images they chose during proofing? Mixing the two is the most common source of “where’s that photo?” emails. Write it into your contract or booking confirmation and repeat it in the delivery message.

If the client is choosing, run a proofing round first and deliver only the selection; our proofing workflow guide covers that. In PhotoShr this is the difference between a delivery gallery, which shows and offers everything you upload, and a proofing gallery, where clients pick favourites first.

Most clients want two things: high-resolution files for printing and smaller copies that are quick to share. Exporting both by hand doubles your work, so look for a delivery method that produces the second from the first.

• Full-size JPEGs are the safest default for prints. Export in sRGB unless a lab asks otherwise.
• Web-size copies are what clients actually post. A long edge of around 2,000 pixels is plenty for social media and messaging apps.
• Sensible filenames help when a client emails about a particular photo. Keep your camera numbers or a simple sequence.

In PhotoShr you upload your edited finals once — JPG, PNG, WebP or TIFF — and the web-size copy (2048 pixels on the long edge) is made for you. Clients choose full size or web size per photo, or download the whole set in one go.

Client photos are personal, and a delivery link tends to get forwarded. At the same time, every extra hoop between a client and their photos produces a support email. Aim for the lightest protection that fits the job:

• A link and a passcode for most sessions — easy to pass to a partner or a parent, but not open to anyone who stumbles on the URL.
• Invited clients only for sensitive work, where only the people you emailed can open the gallery.
• A public link only when you mean it, such as a public event.

PhotoShr starts every gallery with a passcode, lets you switch to invited-only or public per gallery, and keeps client galleries out of search engines. Invited clients sign in with a magic link or a one-time code rather than a password. You can also require a sign-in before downloading, and on Studio and Agency set an expiry date on the link and decide per invited client who may download.

The message that goes with the photos is a small piece of client service. Keep it short and include: a thank-you, how to open the gallery, how long it will stay available, and what to do next — downloading a backup, ordering prints from you, or booking the next session.

When you send a delivery from PhotoShr, your client receives a “your photos are ready” email that links to a delivery page carrying your logo. On Studio, that page can also show a cover image, a personal message and a link to book again; on Agency it carries no PhotoShr branding at all.

Sooner or later you’ll notice a stray hair or a crooked horizon after delivery. Make sure you can replace a file without sending a new link — in PhotoShr you can replace or remove the deliverable after sending. Remind clients to download and back up their photos, and tell them how long the gallery will stay online.

It also pays to think about your own backup. Whatever service you use should let you download your photos at any time, and you should know what happens to client links if you stop paying. On PhotoShr you can download all your photos whenever you like, and the pricing page explains what happens to client links if you cancel.

• Confirm what’s included: every edit, or the client’s selection.
• Export full-size files; let your tool make web-size copies.
• Choose an access level that fits the shoot.
• Send a short, warm message with clear next steps.
• Check the gallery on a phone before you send it.
• Keep a way to fix a file after delivery.

Want to see how a finished delivery looks from the client’s side? Open the example galleries, or read about delivery for event photographers and wedding photographers.