During your passionate photography journey, you may decide, at some point, to take things up a notch and turn your hobby into an earning opportunity. This is where you’ll have to face all the hindrances.
One of the biggest challenges you have to face is sharing photos with your clients effectively and securely.
Here are the common issues people often face when sharing photos with clients.
Table of Contents
Things to consider
File size
With the growing demand for pictures from every angle, you cannot satisfy the client if you don’t have a lot of images of the target. This leads to massive file sizes, which creates obstacles when sharing them.
Security
In the end, it all boils down to the security of the pictures. No one would want their photos to get leaked. Thus, as a photographer, you must keep the files’ security in mind.
Transfer speed
The slow transfer speed of some apps is yet another common issue most photographers face. Choose a reliable software so your clients don’t have to wait for ages for the images to be loaded or downloaded.
Album design
If you are a professional photographer and you get paid for your photos – you might want to think about the overall look and design of your online photo album.
Zenfolio
Pros
- Powerful and creative AI tools
- Easy to use, extremely fast results
- A number of built-in presets and layers
- You can upload your own pictures as layers
Cons
- Slow loading for AI tools (might need a more powerful computer)
- No Mobile App for editing
Zenfolio is an innovative platform that helps photographers and editors show their best skills on a budget.
This platform believes in quality over quantity. Although it does not have immeasurable template options, the few ones it offers are more than enough in most cases.
Its three levels of services help photographers of all levels – from the novice to the expert. Thus, with this all-in-one platform, you can build your portfolio, run meetings with clients, and do marketing campaigns at the same time.
Pixieset
Pros
- Online photo albums with customizable design
- Fast download speed
- Sets up easily
- Managed security
Cons
- The basic plan only has 10 GB of storage
Pixieset is definitely the “everything you need” for a professional photographer. The list of its unique features cannot be explained at once, but here are the key ones.
It has unlimited gallery options for you to micro-organize your images. Moreover, these images do not get expired until you delete them yourself.
With its customized features, you can make personalized cover looks to satisfy your clients.
And with the fully-hosted feature, you can store the files on the most reliable cloud structure.
Some additional benefits include the custom sharing options and easy access with the PIN.
WeTransfer
Pros
- Completely free (up to 2 GB)
- Easy file sharing option
- No zipping needed
- Easy tracking option
Cons
- Transfer files gets deleted in 7 days in the basic version
WeTransfer is yet another well-known platform you can trust.
It rose to fame after a super easy file transferring method, that is, by only using the recipients’ and senders’ email IDs.
This cloud-based file-sharing app has bridged the gap in the market by providing personalized profiles to users with different backgrounds.
Its password-protected transfer and integration with social media is the cherry on top. While all fruitful things come at a cost, you can get all the essential features for free.
However, you will have to pay little for the premium features.
Dropbox
Pros
- Hassle-free usage
- Option of spaces that is a virtual workstation
- Smart Sync option
Cons
- Limited photo album design customization
- 2 GB storage limit in the free version
Dropbox has proven to be one of the market leaders for file transfer. I wouldn’t say it’s the best option out there for photographers, but it’s definitely a reliable one.
Since its inception in 2008, it has never stopped evolving, which gives it quite an edge in the market.
With its “smart sync” option, you can always keep a check on your hard drive storage. And its “only view” and “edit” options give you complete authority over your files.
This amazing service app can also be integrated with Google docs and MS Word for better workflow and collaboration. The additional features such as dropbox paper and dropbox rewind further ease your work.
Google Drive
Pros
- Easily accessible
- Safe and reliable
- No storage limit in the pro version
Cons
- 15 GB storage limit in the free version
- No album designing options
Google Drive is your savior if you are looking for an easy, simple, free, and fast file-sharing option.
This great site is protected by Google, making it safe for personal and business use. The excessive focus on data privacy makes it distinct from the rest.
On top of that, it has numerous features that make it the first preference of users. One is team collaboration, where you can work simultaneously with countless others.
You can also share photos with other people with complete access authority. The advanced search features and the drag-and-drop uploads are the icings on the cake, improving your workflow in no time.
Flash Drive (USB)
Pros
- Cheap method
- No danger of cybercrime
Cons
- More risk of corruption of files if not used effectively
- Physical transfer
Flash drives are one of the most conventional and effective methods for sharing photos with clients.
Some people love keeping it a physical keepsake.
Also, the flash drive is the only physical option that does not even require the internet to work. You can always access the photos no matter what.
On the other hand, it requires physical contact or post-service to get transferred. So I would say using flash drives to transfer photos is getting outdated.
Which way is the fastest?
WeTransfer is one of the quickest ways to send photos to clients since it provides high-speed file transfer capabilities. It’s free up to 2 GB transfers and no account is required, making it quick and easy to use.
From my experience, uploading and getting a download link from WeTransfer usually takes just 1-5 minutes.
Which way will leave a good impression on clients?
The one I personally use is Pixieset. With this platform, you can easily deliver photos by offering a user-friendly and visually appealing interface. My clients are always satisfied since Pixieset leaves a positive impression on clients.
Clients can easily access and download their images, creating a seamless and professional experience.
The platform’s customization options allow you to personalize your galleries and include your branding. The images are large, can be opened both on desktop and mobile, and the image grid is satisfying to view.
How you share photos with clients is a very important yet overlooked process.
In this busy world, people do not look through all the pros and cons of a platform before using it.
But it hits them back when they sit down to send their photos to clients.
To make picking the right photo-sharing platform easier, we have narrowed down all the best options for you:
- Zenfolio
- Pixieset
- Wetransfer
- Dropbox
- Google Drive
- USB Flash Drive
Of course, the best way to share photos with clients depends on your preferences, the needs of clients, and the overall budget.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to share photos with clients?
The best way to share photos with your client might be to create an online photo album using services like Zenfolio or Pixieset. They allow you to customize the album and share it with your client in a few clicks. Also, viewers will have the opportunity to download photos.
What are free ways to share photos with clients?
Tools like Google Drive, WeTransfer, Dropbox or Pixieset all have limited free plans for file transfer and sharing. Otherwise, you might want to use the old school method of sharing pictures – a USB flash drive.
More guides