Photography proofing & delivery
A favorite is a selection, not necessarily a finished file. Choose a gallery tool with the controls your client needs, then make the final delivery explicit.
Official documentation checked October 5, 2026. Recommendations below describe workflow fit; no hands-on vendor benchmark, invented prices or guaranteed outcomes are claimed.
Start here: Pixieset documents photo favorite lists and notes; Format connects favorite selection to gallery presentation and optional downloads; SmugMug documents separate guest and owner download behavior. Test selections, permission settings and mobile delivery on the intended plan before making a gallery live.
Structured client photo selections
Favorite lists let clients maintain multiple selections and, when enabled, add notes. A preset list can have a selection limit. Gallery owners can inspect favorite activity, copy filenames or send selected photos as downloads. Favorites are for photos, not video. Check your plan and collection settings for the full workflow.
Trial task: have a client return a named list with a retouch note, then reconcile every selected filename before delivery.
Portfolio-connected proofing
The client-gallery guide documents favoriting, image filenames, single-image downloads and Download All when enabled. Its favorites view can offer Download Favorites; the documented bulk path produces ZIP download links sent by email. The guide notes mobile limitations, so test your actual client's device.
Trial task: inspect a favorite list and confirm whether single-image or emailed ZIP delivery suits the client.
Explicit guest download permissions
The delivery guide distinguishes visitor downloads from logged-in owner downloads. Guest settings can choose download sizes and require a download password; logged-in owners receive original files. Owner archive downloads can include hidden photos, while logged-out visitor gallery downloads exclude them. Test as a guest before sharing a handoff.
Official gallery-download guide
Trial task: log out, check the permitted resolution and verify the exact files a guest receives.
Use this local approval desk to distinguish pending, selected and delivery-approved images. Only files you explicitly mark Approved enter the actual ZIP, with a matching delivery manifest and handoff notes.
Load the demo or add images you have permission to deliver.
This is a local review and packaging tool, not a hosted client gallery or authentication system. Demo images are original illustrations, not client photos. Uploaded files stay in this tab. Notes and approval decisions are yours; no retouching, AI analysis or automatic client consent is implied. Original file bytes are delivered unchanged, including any embedded metadata. Review metadata and delivery rights before sharing.
fflate 0.8.2 creates a real ZIP of the approved original files. It also includes delivery.json, delivery.csv and handoff.md describing that approved snapshot. ZIP files are not password-encrypted; sharing a ZIP grants access to its contents. SHA-256 in the delivery manifest identifies exact bytes, not image quality, consent or authenticity. Full review JSON and CSV include all statuses; review before sharing. No automatic persistence: reload clears image state, and reset releases preview URLs.
Selected for editing. Prepared for review. Approved for delivery. Keep those stages separate so an attractive thumbnail cannot become an accidental final file.
Ask the client to confirm one list and return specific editing requests. Maintain a stable mapping from source filename to final file. This desk prefixes exported approved files with a distinct item ID so repeated filenames cannot overwrite each other.
Check the gallery's visibility, password and download rules separately. A password on a page does not encrypt a file after download. Inspect the logged-out client view and a realistic phone before sending the link.
Confirm that the approved files are the finished versions and intended resolution. Open the delivered archive and reconcile its image count and names against the manifest. This tool packages originals unchanged; it does not produce final retouches or replace your master archive.
Explain which files to use, how to save them, which filenames to keep for feedback and what the next action is. Agree a retention or re-download process separately with your actual vendor and client; this tool does not host files or schedule reminders.
No. A favorite normally records a selection, while delivery approval depends on your agreed workflow and file version. This desk uses separate statuses to make your decision explicit.
No. It downloads a local ZIP and review records. You decide how and whether to share them. The tool neither contacts clients nor changes a vendor account.
This tool packages files already prepared for delivery. It does not recompress, strip metadata or retouch them. Use the portfolio preparation tool if you need web-size derivatives, and keep a separate master copy.
The desk displays the excess and blocks delivery ZIP creation until you change the allowance or reduce the selected/approved set. This is a user-entered workflow allowance, not a vendor rule or contractual judgment.