How to Prepare Clients Before Sending a Photo Gallery

Preparing clients before sending a photo gallery can remove many of the questions photographers receive after delivery. A short explanation of what the gallery contains, what the client should do and what happens next makes the experience feel much more organised.

The preparation should happen before the link arrives, particularly when the gallery is being used for proofing, selections or another stage that requires action from the client.

Tell the client what kind of gallery they are receiving

A proof gallery and a final delivery gallery serve different purposes.

If the client needs to choose photographs, say so. If the work is complete and ready to download, make that equally clear.

Clients should not have to inspect the gallery and guess what stage the project has reached.

Explain what is included in their package

If the client has paid for a fixed number of final photographs, remind them before they begin selecting.

If all finished images are included, tell them that instead.

This avoids clients marking thirty favourites when the package includes ten and only discovering the difference after they have spent time choosing.

Tell them how selections work

If the client needs to choose favourites, explain the method in one or two sentences before sending the gallery.

Do not ask them to invent their own process by sending screenshots, copying filenames or creating a separate spreadsheet unless that is genuinely part of your workflow.

FolioDen's proofing tools are designed to keep favourites and selections connected to the gallery.

Set a deadline when the project depends on their choices

A selection deadline helps the project continue moving.

Explain when you need their choices and why. For example, detailed retouching may not begin until the final images have been selected.

A deadline feels more reasonable when the client understands what happens after it.

Explain whether the images are finished

Proof photographs may have basic preparation but still require final retouching.

If so, tell the client. Otherwise they may judge an unfinished proof as though it represents the final product.

Likewise, when sending the completed gallery, make it explicit that these are the final edited photographs.

Prepare clients for downloads

If downloading is part of the final delivery, tell the client that they will be able to download their photographs from the gallery.

If there is a recommended method for downloading a large collection, explain it briefly without overwhelming them with technical detail.

Explain gallery sharing

Some clients will immediately share their gallery with family, friends or colleagues.

Tell them whether sharing the gallery link is appropriate for the job and make sure your privacy settings reflect that expectation.

Discuss privacy before delivery when necessary

Do not wait until after sending sensitive photography to discover that the client expected a different level of access.

For weddings, portraits and commercial projects in particular, privacy expectations are worth establishing before the gallery goes live.

Tell clients if the gallery will expire

If you remove or archive galleries after a defined period, explain that before the client assumes the link will remain available forever.

Give them enough time to view and download the photographs they are entitled to receive.

Tell them what happens after selections

A proofing client needs to know what their choices trigger.

Will you complete detailed retouching? Will the selected files appear in a new final gallery? Can they buy additional photographs?

A simple description of the next stage makes the proofing process feel intentional.

Keep instructions short

Preparing the client does not mean sending a long technical manual.

Most galleries need only a few clear points:

• what the gallery contains;
• what the client needs to do;
• how many images they should choose if relevant;
• when choices are due;
• what happens next.

Use consistent instructions across similar jobs

Create a standard explanation for recurring workflows such as portrait proofing, commercial selections or final wedding delivery.

You can then personalise it for each client without rewriting the entire process every time.

Test your own instructions

Read the message from the perspective of somebody who has never used your gallery system before.

If an instruction only makes sense because you already know where the button is, rewrite it more clearly.

Preparation reduces unnecessary support

Good client preparation should reduce questions such as “What do I do now?”, “How many do I choose?” and “Are these the finished files?”

The result is less admin for the photographer and a more confident experience for the client.

Before sending the finished gallery, use our gallery delivery checklist for photographers.

Where FolioDen fits

FolioDen keeps client viewing, proofing, favourites and downloads inside the gallery experience so photographers can give clients one clear place to complete the required action.

You can explore proofing, client galleries, open the demo gallery or create a free account.

Once the gallery has been sent, activity reports can help photographers understand what clients are doing afterwards and decide whether any follow-up is needed.