Photo delivery is the moment your client finally receives their pictures, and a client gallery is the private online space where they view, choose and download them. Getting this step right turns a good shoot into a great experience, because delivery is what the client remembers most.
Many new photographers put all their energy into the shoot and then send files as an afterthought. A rushed link, a confusing folder or a long silence can undo hours of careful work. The good news is that a calm, clear delivery process is easy to learn, and once you set it up you can repeat it for every client.
This guide explains in plain words what a client gallery is, how proofing works, how long delivery should take, which files to send, how to name and size them, and how to protect your work. You will find step by step workflows, a worked example for a family session, common mistakes, a 10-minute exercise and answers to common questions.
What a client gallery is
A client gallery is a private web page that holds the photos from one session or event. Only people with the link, and sometimes a password, can see it. Inside, the client can scroll through the images, mark favorites, download files and often order prints.
Think of it like a digital photo album with a front door. You decide who gets the key, how long the door stays open and what the visitor can do inside. Most gallery services built for photographers let you set these rules without any coding.
A gallery is better than emailing files or sharing a general cloud folder for three reasons. It looks professional and shows the photos at their best. It keeps everything in one place, so nothing gets lost in an inbox. And it gives the client simple tools to choose, download and share, which saves you a stream of questions.
Proofing versus final delivery
There are two common ways to deliver, and it helps to know the difference before you book your first client.
Proofing galleries
A proofing gallery shows a selection of lightly edited images, called proofs, so the client can choose which ones they want fully finished. Proofs are often smaller, may carry a watermark, and cannot be downloaded at full size. The client marks favorites, you finish only those, and then you deliver the finals.
Proofing suits work where the client buys a set number of images, such as headshots, product shots or portrait packages where extra images cost more. It saves you from retouching photos nobody will use.
Full delivery galleries
A full delivery gallery contains every finished image the client is getting, ready to download. Weddings, events and many family sessions work this way, because the client expects a complete set of edited photos rather than a pick list.
Some photographers combine the two. They deliver a full gallery, then let the client choose a handful of favorites for extra retouching or for a printed album. Pick the model that matches what you promised in your contract, and say clearly which one you use before the shoot.
Turnaround times: how long delivery should take
Turnaround time is the gap between the shoot and the moment the client receives their photos. Clients care about this more than almost anything else, because waiting feels long when you are excited to see your pictures.
There is no single correct number. A simple headshot might be ready in a few days, while a full wedding can take several weeks because of the number of images and the editing involved. What matters is that you set a clear expectation and then meet it, or better, beat it.
Here are some simple rules that keep turnaround calm:
- Promise a range you can keep in a busy week. If you usually finish in a week, promise two. Delivering early feels great; delivering late damages trust.
- Write it in the contract. Put the delivery window in writing so there is no confusion later.
- Send a sneak peek. A few finished favorites within a day or two of the shoot keeps the excitement going while you edit the rest.
- Block editing time in your calendar. Treat editing like a booked session, not something you do when you feel like it.
- Tell the client early if something changes. Illness and computer trouble happen. A short honest message before the deadline is far better than silence after it.
Choosing which photos to deliver
Delivering more photos is not always better. A gallery full of near duplicates, blinks and test shots makes it harder for the client to find the good ones and makes your work look less polished.
Before you edit, go through every image and keep only the best version of each moment. This step is called culling, and you can learn a simple system in the photo culling workflow guide. A good rule for beginners: if two frames look almost the same, keep the one with the sharpest eyes and the best expression, and let the other go.
Aim for variety in the final set. For a portrait session, include close ups, half length and full length frames, a few wider shots that show the place, and some candid moments between the posed ones. Variety makes a gallery feel like a story instead of a stack of copies.
Which files to send
Most clients need high quality JPEG files. JPEG is the standard photo format that opens on every phone, computer and print lab. Very few clients need RAW files, which are the unprocessed data from your camera, and most photographers do not hand them over because they are unfinished work.
It helps to offer two sizes:
- Full resolution files for printing. These keep all the detail your camera captured, so the client can make large prints.
- Web size files for sharing online. These are smaller, load quickly and look good on screens. A long edge of around two thousand pixels is a common choice.
Many gallery services create the web size automatically when the client downloads. If you export the files yourself, the export guide walks through size, quality and color settings. Export in the sRGB color space, the standard color range for screens and most labs, so colors look the same on the client’s devices as they did on yours.
Naming and organizing your delivery
Clear file names save the client confusion and save you time when they ask about a specific photo months later. A simple pattern works well: the client’s name, the session type and a number, such as “lee-family-session-001.jpg”.
Inside the gallery, group images into sets if the session had distinct parts. A wedding might have sets for getting ready, the ceremony, portraits and the reception. A family session might have sets for the park and for home. Sets make a large gallery easy to browse.
On your own computer, keep the delivered files in a folder that matches the gallery, next to your original files. The photo file management guide explains a folder structure that works for client work.
Gallery settings that matter
Gallery services offer many options. These are the ones worth thinking about for every client.
- Password. A password keeps private sessions private, especially for families with young children or for unreleased commercial work.
- Download permissions. Decide whether the client can download everything at once, single images, or only after choosing favorites.
- Expiry date. Many photographers keep galleries open for a set time, such as a few months. Tell the client the date so they download and back up their photos before it closes.
- Favorites. Turn this on so clients can mark the images they love. It is useful for proofing, albums and print orders.
- Cover image. Choose a strong photo for the gallery cover. It is the first thing the client sees and sets the mood for everything that follows.
- Sharing. Decide whether guests, such as wedding guests or family members, can view the gallery and whether they can download.
Protecting your work
Delivery means handing over files, so it is worth knowing what you are giving and what you are keeping. In most places you, the photographer, own the copyright to your photos. The client receives a license, which is permission to use the images in certain ways, such as personal printing and sharing on social media.
Spell out that license in your contract and repeat it in your delivery message in friendly language. For example: “You are welcome to print these photos and share them online. If you share them, a photo credit is always appreciated.” For commercial clients, the license may be more detailed, and the usage rights guide explains how to agree on it.
Watermarks are useful on proofs, but most clients do not want them on final images. A small credit in the caption when they share is a kinder way to get your name out.
Writing the delivery message
The message that comes with the gallery link matters as much as the gallery itself. It is your chance to thank the client, explain what they are getting and make the next steps obvious.
A good delivery message includes:
- A warm thank you and one sentence about something you enjoyed at the shoot.
- The gallery link and password, if there is one.
- How many photos are inside and which sizes they can download.
- The date the gallery will close, with a reminder to back up their files.
- A short note on how they can use the photos.
- How to order prints or albums, if you offer them.
- A friendly request for a review or testimonial, if they are happy.
Keep it short and easy to scan. Clients often open the message on a phone, so put the link near the top.
Step by step: a simple delivery workflow
Here is a workflow you can copy for almost any session. It takes the guesswork out of delivery and makes every client feel looked after.
- Back up the card the same day. Copy the files to two places before you do anything else. The photo backup guide shows a simple setup.
- Send a sneak peek. Edit three to five favorites and send them within a day or two.
- Cull the full set. Remove duplicates, blinks, missed focus and test frames.
- Edit for consistency. Apply a base edit and match color and brightness across the set. The consistent editing guide explains how.
- Export two sizes. Full resolution JPEGs and web size JPEGs in sRGB.
- Build the gallery. Upload, sort into sets, choose a cover and set the password, downloads and expiry date.
- Check it as the client would. Open the gallery on your phone, try a download and read the delivery message aloud.
- Send the link. Use your delivery message template.
- Follow up. A week later, check that they downloaded their photos and ask if they have questions.
- Archive. Keep the final files and your originals safe in your long term backup.
Worked example: a family session in the park
Imagine you photographed a family of four in a park late on a Saturday afternoon. You took about six hundred frames. Here is how delivery might go.
Saturday evening. You copy the card to your computer and to an external drive. You pick four favorites, a laughing group shot, a close up of the youngest child, a parents only portrait and a candid of the kids running, and give them a quick edit.
Sunday. You send the four sneak peek images with a short note: “I had so much fun with you all yesterday. Here are a few favorites while I work on the rest. Your full gallery will be ready within two weeks.”
Monday to Wednesday. You cull six hundred frames down to about seventy. You remove blinks, near duplicates and frames where someone looked away. You keep a mix of posed groups, pairs, individual portraits and candid moments.
Thursday. You apply your base edit, match the warm evening light across the set and fix a few skin blemishes. You export full size and web size JPEGs.
Friday. You build the gallery with two sets, “Together” and “Playtime”, choose the laughing group shot as the cover and set a password. You check it on your phone, then send the delivery message. The family receives their photos in under a week, well inside the two weeks you promised.
The result is a client who feels cared for, shares the gallery with grandparents and is far more likely to book again and recommend you.
Worked example: a corporate headshot day
Now imagine you photographed twelve staff headshots at an office. The company buys one finished image per person.
This is a natural fit for proofing. You upload a proofing gallery with the best eight to ten frames of each person, lightly edited and watermarked. Each person marks their favorite. You retouch only those twelve images, crop them to the size the company asked for, and deliver them in a final gallery with clear names such as “jordan-smith-headshot.jpg”.
Because the company may use the images on their website and in print, you check the license in your contract covers both, and you deliver full resolution and web size files. The headshot guide covers the shooting side of a day like this.
Prints, albums and products
Many clients love their photos but never print them. Offering prints and albums through the gallery gives them an easy way to enjoy their pictures off the screen, and gives you extra income.
Most gallery services connect to professional print labs and let clients order straight from the gallery. Before you turn this on, order a few test prints yourself so you know the quality and color are good. The preparing photos for print guide explains how to make sure your files print well.
Mention print options in your delivery message, and again in your follow up. A gentle reminder near the gallery expiry date often prompts orders from clients who meant to print but forgot.
Common mistakes
- Silence after the shoot. Weeks with no word makes clients anxious. A quick sneak peek and a clear date fix this.
- Promising a turnaround you cannot keep. Promise a safe range and deliver early.
- Delivering too many similar images. Cull firmly so every photo earns its place.
- Uneven editing. Photos from the same session that jump between warm and cool look unprofessional.
- Sending only huge files. Clients struggle to share large files on phones. Offer a web size too.
- No expiry warning. Clients lose photos when galleries close without notice. Tell them the date and remind them before it arrives.
- Not testing the gallery. A broken link or wrong password is a poor first impression. Check it yourself first.
- Keeping no copy. Clients lose files. Keep your own archive so you can help when they ask.
Try this: a 10-minute delivery template
You can prepare for your next client right now, even if you have not booked one yet.
- Minutes 1 to 3: Write a delivery message template using the seven points above. Leave blanks for the client’s name, the link and the dates.
- Minutes 4 to 6: Write down your file naming pattern and the two export sizes you will use.
- Minutes 7 to 8: Decide on a turnaround range you can keep in a busy week, and a gallery expiry period.
- Minutes 9 to 10: Pick ten photos you already have, put them in a free trial gallery or a private folder, and open it on your phone as if you were the client. Note one thing you would improve.
Save the template. Next time you finish a shoot, delivery will take minutes to set up instead of an evening of guesswork.
Frequently asked questions
What is a client gallery?
A private online page where a client can view, choose and download the photos from their session, often protected by a password.
How long should photo delivery take?
It depends on the job. Small sessions often take days and large events take weeks. Promise a range you can keep and tell the client in writing.
Should I give clients RAW files?
Most photographers do not, because RAW files are unfinished. Clients usually need edited JPEGs in full and web sizes.
How many photos should I deliver?
Deliver the best version of each moment, not every frame. Quality and variety matter more than quantity.
How long should a gallery stay online?
Many photographers keep galleries open for a few months. Tell clients the closing date and remind them to back up their files.
What is the difference between proofing and delivery?
Proofing lets the client choose favorites from lightly edited previews. Delivery hands over the finished images ready to download.
Want the whole client process from first message to final gallery? Read the photography client management guide.
Not sure how to bill for the work before you deliver? Learn about photography invoicing.