What is photo proofing?
Photo proofing is the step where a client reviews a delivered gallery and marks which photos they want — favourites for an album, selects for retouching, or picks for prints — before you finalise the work. Done well it’s a few taps in a gallery; done badly it’s a client emailing you a list of filenames like “IMG_4821, 4834, 4890”. A proofing-capable gallery turns selection into a shared, unambiguous list.
What proofing is for
- Album design — the couple favourites the frames they want in the book.
- Retouch selection — the client marks which images get your full edit.
- Print orders — picks flow into a store or an order list.
- Sign-off — commercial and event clients approve a shortlist before use.
The common thread: you need the client’s choices back in a form you can act on without transcription errors.
Proofing vs favouriting vs selecting
These words get used loosely. In practice:
- Favouriting — the client hearts images they love (an album shortlist).
- Selecting — a more formal pick, often with a target count (“choose 40”).
- Proofing — the whole review-and-approve step, which may include favourites, selects and comments.
A good client gallery supports all three without the client creating an account.
Why it beats the old way
Emailed filename lists are slow and error-prone — one mistyped number and the wrong photo goes in the album. In-gallery proofing means the client taps, the shortlist comes straight back to you attached to the actual images, and there’s no ambiguity about which frame they meant. It’s faster for them and safer for you.
What to look for
- No client login to favourite or select — friction kills participation. Why no-login matters →
- Favourites that come back to you as a clear list, not a screenshot.
- Optional comments/annotations for retouch notes.
- Works on a phone, because that’s where clients actually do it.
CuratePics galleries let clients favourite and proof in one tap, no account required — and the shortlist comes straight back to you. See a live gallery →