Client photo proofing without confusing revision loops
A favourite helps somebody explore. A submitted selection should give the photographer an identifiable production instruction.
A client marked images in a gallery, then sent extra numbers in a message. Someone else on their team added another list by email. The photographer now has to establish which choice is authoritative before editing begins. That difficulty often reflects an incomplete decision process rather than a lack of photographs.
A proofing gallery provides a framework when the client understands what to do and how a choice becomes ready for the next stage. The method below organises the handover between browsing and production. It can support corporate coverage, portraits or celebrations, provided the purpose and final decision-maker are identified.
Key takeaways
- Define the purpose and number of images before sharing the gallery.
- Keep file references stable while the client chooses.
- Treat changes after submission as a new version to review.
Define the decision the client must make
Explain what the choice is for: retouching an agreed number of photographs, an album shortlist or another specified deliverable. The same interface action does not automatically mean the same thing to every recipient. State what happens after submission and where questions should go.
Set a suitable selection limit and an expected return date. When a company has several stakeholders, name the person who consolidates their views and submits the final set. Preparatory discussion is useful, but there must be an identifiable point where a decision becomes an instruction for production rather than another provisional opinion.
Stabilise references before sharing
Finish the initial edit and naming before inviting clients to choose. Gallery references must be traceable to production originals. Replacing files or changing their names while selection is underway creates a risk that the chosen reference no longer identifies the intended photograph.
Use a consistent naming method between displayed exports and the working catalogue. Check a small set of references before sharing the full coverage. When including similar variants, make them distinguishable. One displayed name should not refer to two different originals, and the team should know how any export suffixes relate to source filenames.
Distinguish favourites from a submitted selection
A visitor may mark favourites while browsing. That does not necessarily represent a final instruction: the marks can be temporary navigation aids or choices still being discussed. The photographer needs to know which state actually starts the agreed work.
Galafolio's selection journey lets a client submit a defined set for review in the studio. Explain that action and the intended limit. Check the selection's state before processing it rather than assuming that a favourite count proves completion. A visible submission step helps both sides recognise the handover.
| State | Meaning to agree | Professional action |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing | The client explores proposed images | Make references understandable |
| Favourites | Navigation aids or provisional choices | Do not start production by assumption |
| Submitted selection | A set handed over for the next step | Review contents and references |
| Reopened selection | A change requested after submission | Check the new version before resuming |
Hand references over to the editing process
Review the submitted set in the studio and use the available filename-copy or CSV actions. These references help locate corresponding files in your editing environment. Check the match before starting, particularly if your method changes or removes filename extensions during the handover.
Galafolio transfers references; it does not provide native Lightroom synchronisation. Using those names within an editing catalogue remains part of your own workflow and should be tested with its organisation. Inspect the resulting set instead of assuming that a successful paste means the correct photographs have been found.
Define changes after submission
A client may want to replace a photograph after submitting the set. Establish a rule: the team reviews the request, decides whether to reopen and checks the new choice before proceeding. This prevents a gallery selection from being combined with scattered corrections across several channels without a clear final version.
If editing has already begun, clarify what is being replaced and what remains requested. Preserve the references needed to follow your work. A gallery's technical state does not replace an explanation of a change's consequences, but it helps identify which set should now be processed and avoids silently changing the production brief.
Close the loop with the final handover
When editing is complete, compare delivered exports with the set actually approved for production. Verify names, versions and any agreed exclusions. If final exports are presented in another gallery, distinguish that delivery from the proofing set so clients do not download unfinished previews by mistake.
Explain permitted downloads and preservation of received files. To improve the process, record recurring questions: a misunderstood limit, a forgotten submission or an untraceable reference. Address the instruction or organisation behind those difficulties rather than relying only on repeated generic reminders. The useful measure is whether the next handover becomes clearer.
- One person submits the final decision.
- The role of favourites is explained.
- References match production originals.
- Changes follow a reopening rule.
- Final exports are compared with the approved selection.
Put the method into practice
Useful client proofing creates a clear transfer of responsibility. The client hands over a defined set, and the professional checks what will be produced. That transfer depends as much on instructions and references as on the gallery interface.
Use Galafolio's selection guide to prepare the journey and test it with a few images before sharing full coverage. Confirm how the submitted choice appears in the studio and how its references lead back to the correct originals.
Common questions
Can I work directly from favourites?
Only when their role has been explicitly agreed. For a clearer handover, ask for a submitted selection and verify its state in the studio.
Does Galafolio synchronise Lightroom?
No. Copied names and CSV files provide references to use manually in your editing environment. Always check the resulting matches.
How should several client stakeholders choose together?
Name an interlocutor who consolidates their views and submits the final set. Explain how differences are resolved before production starts.