How to let clients choose their photos
The reliable way to let clients choose their photos is a proofing gallery: you deliver the set, the client favourites or selects the ones they want in a tap, and the shortlist comes straight back to you — no accounts, no emailed filename lists, no spreadsheets to decode. The goal is to make choosing effortless for the client and unambiguous for you.
The steps
- Deliver the full set to a gallery. Upload the reviewed images and send one private link. Organise into sections so the client can navigate hundreds of frames without fatigue. How to deliver galleries →
- Tell them what you need. Be specific: “Favourite the 40 you’d like retouched”, or “heart everything you want in the album”. A clear target beats “let me know which ones you like”.
- Let them favourite in one tap. The client taps the heart on each image they want — on their phone, with no login. Low friction means they actually finish.
- Get the shortlist back automatically. Their favourites collect into a list attached to the real images, so there’s no transcription and no wrong-photo mistakes.
- Confirm and act. Review the shortlist, confirm the count if there’s a package limit, and move it into retouching, album design or a print order.
Make it easy or they won’t finish
Selection stalls when it’s a chore. Remove the friction:
- No account. The moment a client has to sign up, participation drops. Why no client login matters →
- Mobile-first. Most clients proof on a phone in the evening — it has to feel good there.
- A clear ask and a visible count. People satisfice; give them an obvious target and show progress.
Handling package limits
If the client’s package includes a fixed number (say 50 edits), make the target explicit and let them go over as “extras” rather than blocking them. A gentle count is friendlier than a hard wall, and upsells happen naturally.
CuratePics galleries let clients favourite in one tap with no account, and the shortlist comes straight back to you. See how it works →