Online Photo Gallery Delivery: How It Works and What to Do With It

How Online Gallery Delivery Works

Most professional photographers now deliver completed photographs via a private online gallery link sent by email. When you receive your gallery notification, you'll get a URL that opens a password-protected or link-protected online gallery where you can view, download, and share your images. You don't need an account, app, or special software — just a web browser.

Popular gallery platforms used by professional photographers in the UK include Pixieset, Shootproof, and Pic-Time. All of these offer similar basic functionality: browse images, download individual images or the full gallery as a ZIP file, and optionally order prints or products directly from the gallery.

Downloading Your Images

Download your full gallery immediately upon receiving the link — don't leave images exclusively in the photographer's gallery system. Most gallery platforms retain images for a fixed period (typically 3 months to 1 year), after which the link may expire or images may be removed. Some photographers keep files indefinitely; some don't. Your contract should specify how long your gallery will remain active.

After downloading, back up your images in at least two locations: an external hard drive and a cloud storage service (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox, or similar). High-resolution photograph files can be quite large; a portrait session of 50 images might be 1–2GB total. Make sure your cloud backup service has sufficient storage.

Sharing With Family

Most online gallery platforms include a "share" feature that generates a link you can send to family members. This allows parents, siblings, and friends to view and download images from your portrait session without you having to manually transfer files. Before sharing your gallery link widely, check your photographer's terms — some photographers' usage terms cover what images can be shared publicly on social media while the gallery includes all images.

Favourite-Marking and Print Ordering

Gallery platforms typically include a hearts or favourites feature that lets you mark preferred images. If your photographer offers a print or product ordering service from the gallery, mark your favourites first, then view the products section. Professional lab prints ordered through photographer galleries are produced on calibrated, archival papers and typically deliver within 7–14 days to your home address.