How to Share Photos with Clients: A Practical Guide
Use a proofing gallery when clients need to choose images, and a delivery method that preserves the intended files when they need finished photographs. Those are different tasks. A link to small previews is not the same deliverable as a folder of high-resolution edited JPEGs.
Before sending anything, answer three questions: what should the client do, which files should they receive, and how long should access remain available? Then choose the tool and write the instructions around that decision.
Choose a sharing method for the task
Clients need to choose photos for editing
Use a proofing workflow that records choices against identifiable filenames. Clients should know how many images to select, whether additional selections cost extra, and how to submit a final shortlist.
Avoid collecting screenshots as the main record: a screenshot may not show the filename, and several messages can contradict each other. For detailed selection setup, see how to send photos to clients for selection.
Clients need the finished files
A delivery gallery or shared folder can work, provided it supports the files and permissions you need. Check that recipients can download the intended resolution and that the transfer does not substitute a smaller preview.
For a folder-based handoff, use descriptive folder names and a short delivery note. Tell clients whether they should download individual files or an archive, and whether they need an account. These details depend on the service, so check the recipient experience before sending.
Clients only need to see one or two examples
Email attachments or messenger previews may be adequate for a quick discussion. If exact resolution matters, verify how that channel handles files rather than assuming it preserves them. For formal approval, keep the final decision in one place with the corresponding filenames.
Prepare a clean, identifiable set of images
Cull technically unusable files and unnecessary near-duplicates before sending proofs. Show enough variation to support the client's decision, not every shutter press. There is no single correct gallery size for a headshot session and a wedding.
Keep preview base names matched to originals. For example, DSC_0421.jpg should refer to the same photograph as DSC_0421.NEF. If multiple cameras produce overlapping names, resolve those collisions before uploading. See how to organize photography files for the larger naming and folder workflow.
For general screen viewing, an sRGB JPEG is a practical export choice. For final delivery, agree the required pixel dimensions, file format, and usage with the client. A DPI label alone does not establish how much image detail a file contains.
If a client needs social and print versions, separate them clearly. Do not call a resized proof a print-ready original, and keep an independent backup of the source files.
Set up a proofing handoff in like.photos
The following steps describe the proofing stage, not delivery of original full-resolution files:
- Create a project and upload JPEGs for the preview gallery.
- Open Share and choose the selection rule: Unlimited, Fixed limit, or Package allowance. For a numbered rule, enter the count and confirm it with OK.
- Review access protection and the displayed gallery expiry. If you use a PIN, communicate it to the intended recipient.
- Under Downloads, choose No downloads for a viewing-and-selection-only handoff. Other ZIP options depend on your plan and project settings.
- Copy the Client share link and send it with the instructions below.
- After the client submits, open Results and retrieve the selected filenames for the next editing stage.
like.photos provides optimized JPEG previews. Enabling photo downloads does not turn those previews into original-resolution delivery. The Results CSV is a filename list for the photographer, not an image archive or a Lightroom import file.
Send a message that explains one next step
Replace every bracketed field before sending this example. Choose a deadline that falls before the actual gallery expiry.
Hi [name], your photo previews are ready: [gallery link]. Please choose [number] images for final editing by [date, time, timezone]. Tap the heart on each choice, review your shortlist, and submit the selection when it is final. These are previews, not the finished files. I will confirm the editing schedule after receiving your choices. If access is difficult or you need more time, reply before the deadline.
If the package permits extras, include the agreed price or approval process in that message. A selected extra image should not become an unexpected charge. For wording that addresses delays, use the client-selection reminder templates.
Check access without promising complete protection
Open the recipient link in a signed-out browser and verify the access steps, visible gallery, and download settings. On a phone, check that the instructions and filenames are usable without relying on your photographer session.
A link can be forwarded. A PIN adds an access barrier, but someone who knows it may share it too. Disabling downloads does not prevent screenshots or every form of copying, and a watermark is not a privacy guarantee.
For sensitive work, agree who may view the images and use an access method appropriate to that sensitivity. Keep client delivery separate from permission to use photographs in a public portfolio.
Finish with a separate delivery note
After editing, deliver the agreed final files through a suitable delivery service. Include the file count, formats or sizes, permitted use, and the actual access deadline. Ask the recipient to download and back up their copy; do not imply that a temporary gallery is permanent archival storage.
A short example:
Your [number] finished photographs are ready: [delivery link]. This delivery contains [file format and dimensions] for [agreed use]. Please download and back up the files before [date, timezone]. If the download fails or the file count differs, let me know so I can resolve it.
Keep proofing, editing approval, and final delivery distinct. That gives the client a clear action at every stage and gives you a reliable record of what was selected and supplied.
