How to Deliver Photos to Clients: A Photographer's Guide

What Is Photo Delivery and Why It Matters

Photo delivery is the process of getting your edited images to clients after a shoot. It sounds simple, but the method you choose affects client perception, your workflow efficiency, and whether you get referrals.

70% of photographers now use online galleries for delivery. The shift away from USB drives and DVD handoffs happened years ago, but many photographers still use generic file-sharing links that miss the opportunity to impress clients at the final touchpoint.

Clients expect photo delivery within 2-4 weeks for most sessions. Wedding clients may wait 6-8 weeks for full galleries. Corporate clients often need same-day or next-day turnaround. Your delivery method needs to match these timelines without creating extra work.

A typical session delivers 50-500 images. Wedding photographers deliver 400-800 photos on average. That volume rules out email attachments and makes the gallery or download experience critical.

5 Ways to Deliver Photos to Clients

Here are the main delivery methods, ranked from most professional to most basic:

1. Branded Client Galleries

This is the standard for wedding and portrait photographers. Clients receive a link to an online gallery where they can browse, favorite, and download images. The gallery shows your branding, not a generic platform logo.

How it works: Upload edited photos to a gallery platform. Configure password protection and download settings. Send the client a link. They browse, select favorites, and download.

Best for: Wedding, portrait, event, and boudoir photography where presentation matters.

Platforms: Pixieset, Pic-Time, ShootProof, Fast.io (for team studios)

2. Cloud Storage Links

Share a folder through Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar services. Clients get a link to download files directly.

How it works: Upload files to a folder. Generate a share link with optional password. Send to client.

Best for: Commercial clients who just need the files quickly. Repeat clients who know your work.

Limitations: No branding, limited tracking, files look the same as any other folder.

3. File Transfer Services

WeTransfer, MASV, or similar one-time transfer tools. Files upload once, client downloads, link expires.

How it works: Upload files to the service. Enter client email. They receive a download link.

Best for: Large files that need to move fast. One-off deliveries. Corporate clients who request it.

Limitations: No proofing or favorites. Links expire. No ongoing access.

4. Email Attachments

Direct attachment for small deliveries, usually web-resolution files.

How it works: Attach JPEGs to an email. Send.

Best for: Headshot sessions with 3-5 finals. Social media crops. Rush proofs.

Limitations: Size limits (usually 25MB max). No organization. Unprofessional for large galleries.

5. Physical Media

USB drives, SD cards, or prints delivered in person or by mail.

How it works: Copy files to media. Package and ship or hand off.

Best for: Clients who specifically request it. Luxury presentation with custom packaging. Areas with poor internet.

Limitations: Slow, expensive, no tracking, physical media can fail.

The Professional Photo Delivery Workflow

Here's a step-by-step workflow that works for most photography businesses:

Step 1: Cull and Edit

Before delivery, reduce your shoot to the keepers. A wedding might start with 3,000 captures and deliver 600. Spending delivery bandwidth on images clients will never want wastes everyone's time.

Step 2: Export for Delivery

Export settings depend on client needs:

• Print-ready: Full resolution, minimal compression (JPEG quality 90-100%)
• Social/web: 2048px long edge, sRGB color space, JPEG quality 70-80%
• Album proofing: 1500-2000px, watermarked if needed

A recommended export for most client galleries: 4000px on the long edge, sRGB color, JPEG at 70-80% quality. This balances file size with print capability.

Step 3: Organize by Deliverable

Create clear folder structure:

• /Finals/ - Edited images ready for client
• /Prints/ - Print-ready resolution if separate
• /Social/ - Web-optimized versions

Step 4: Upload to Gallery or Cloud

Use your chosen platform. Most gallery software integrates with Lightroom for direct export. Allow enough time for upload - 500 images at 5MB each is 2.5GB.

Step 5: Configure Access

Before sharing:

• Set password (always for boudoir, usually for weddings, optional for corporate)
• Set expiration if needed (30-90 days is common)
• Configure download permissions (full res, web res, or both)
• Add your branding if the platform supports it

Step 6: Notify the Client

Send a personal email with the gallery link. Include:

• Direct link to the gallery
• Password if applicable
• Instructions for downloading
• Expiration date if set
• Your contact info for questions

Step 7: Follow Up

Check whether they accessed the gallery within a week. A quick "Just checking you received everything" email catches technical issues and shows you care about the experience.

Branded Delivery vs. Generic Links

This is the gap most delivery guides miss. The difference between a WeTransfer link and a branded client portal goes beyond aesthetics.

What clients see with a generic link:

• Someone else's logo and colors
• A functional but forgettable interface
• No context about your brand
• The same experience they get from every file sender

What clients see with branded delivery:

• Your logo, your colors, your domain
• A gallery designed to showcase photography
• Professional presentation that matches your session experience
• An impression that extends beyond the shoot itself

Photo delivery is often the last interaction before a client refers you, or doesn't. A WeTransfer link works. A branded gallery impresses.

For high-volume commercial work where clients just need files fast, generic links are fine. For wedding, portrait, and premium corporate work, branded delivery justifies higher rates and generates more referrals.

Choosing the Right Gallery Platform

The platform you choose depends on what kind of photography you do.

For Wedding and Portrait Photographers

Pixieset and Pic-Time dominate this market. Both offer beautiful galleries, print sales integration, and client-friendly favorites selection. Pricing runs $30-50/month for unlimited storage.

Key features to compare:

• Print lab integration (which labs are available?)
• Album proofing tools (for wedding albums)
• Marketing automation (Pic-Time is stronger here)
• Mobile app experience (clients browse on phones)

For Commercial and Corporate Photographers

Wedding-focused platforms have features you'll never use (print sales, album proofing) and may lack what you need (team access, detailed permissions, video support).

Fast.io handles commercial delivery better:

• Branded portals without the print sales features you'll never use
• Team access with usage-based pricing, not per-seat costs
• Video streaming for projects that include both stills and video
• Permissions that match what corporate clients actually need
• Organization-owned files so your archive outlasts staff changes

For High-Volume Studios

Studios with multiple photographers and assistants face per-seat pricing problems. A 10-person studio paying $15/user/month spends $1,800/year before storage.

Usage-based platforms scale better. Fast.io includes 25 seats in the Pro plan, with additional seats at $1/month.

For Hybrid Photo/Video

If you deliver both stills and video (common for weddings, events, commercial), you need a platform that handles video well. Most gallery platforms treat video as an afterthought.

Fast.io uses HLS streaming, the same tech Netflix uses, for video playback without buffering. Clients can scrub through footage right away instead of waiting for downloads.

File Format and Quality Settings

What you deliver matters as much as how you deliver it.

Never Deliver RAW Files

RAW files require specialized software to view and look flat without processing. Clients can't use them. Worse, delivering RAW implies they can reprocess your work however they want.

Exceptions exist for commercial licensing where the client specifically purchases RAW rights, but even then, include processed versions.

Standard Delivery Formats

JPEG is the universal standard for client delivery. Every device can open it, file sizes are reasonable, and quality is excellent for viewing and printing.

TIFF is rarely needed. Only deliver TIFFs when clients specifically request them for print production or archival purposes. File sizes are 10-20x larger than JPEG.

Recommended Export Settings

For a general-purpose delivery that works for printing and web:

• Resolution: 300 PPI (for print compatibility)
• Long edge: 4000-5000px (enough for large prints)
• Color space: sRGB (universal compatibility)
• JPEG quality: 70-85% (balance of size and quality)
• File naming: Include your studio name and image number

For web-only delivery (social media, websites):

• Long edge: 2048px
• Color space: sRGB
• JPEG quality: 70-80%

Download Options to Offer

Give clients appropriate choices:

• High-resolution: Full delivery files for printing
• Web-resolution: Smaller files for social sharing
• ZIP download: All files in one package

Some gallery platforms let clients choose resolution when downloading. This reduces your need to export multiple versions.

Setting Client Expectations

Delivery problems often start before the shoot. Clear communication prevents most issues.

Timeline Expectations

State your delivery timeline in your contract and pre-shoot communications:

• Headshots: 3-5 business days
• Portraits and events: 1-2 weeks
• Weddings: 4-8 weeks (full gallery)
• Rush delivery: Available at additional cost

Under-promise and over-deliver. If you can turn around a wedding in 4 weeks, quote 6. Delivering early feels like a bonus.

What They'll Receive

Specify in advance:

• Number of edited images (range is fine: "400-600 final images")
• Resolution and format (print-ready JPEGs)
• Digital downloads, prints, or both
• How long they'll have access (if using expiring links)

Access and Sharing

Explain the gallery experience before delivery:

• How to access (link and password)
• How to select favorites (if applicable)
• How to download (individual vs. full gallery)
• Whether they can share the link (couples often share with family)

Wedding clients in particular need clear instructions. Multiple family members will access the gallery, and confusion creates support requests.