# What does everyone use for client gallery viewing?



## J.Bat (Oct 9, 2008)

What does everyone use for client gallery viewing?

I need one that you can put passwords with. Any ideas?


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## DavidSR (Oct 9, 2008)

I think most people use SmugMug and you can password protect your galleries if you choose to.


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## Big Mike (Oct 9, 2008)

I use Photocart.  Clients can view their galleries and order photos, all without sending them off of my web site.


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## chrisburke (Oct 9, 2008)

smug mug.. because i can password protect them easily, AND if you have a pro account (which I do, smugmug does all the selling work for you) my clients go to their page, i give them the password.. they go to the page, pick which pictures they want, order them online with their credit card, smugmug sends me a print out of the order, ships the pictures right to my clients house, and sends me my profit of the purchase, its a beautiful system, and their print quality it GREAT


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## Mike_E (Oct 9, 2008)

Is this for sales or only sharing?

If sales look into orderpicture.com .  You have to put up a 29.95 deposit against commissions (flat 12% of the net) for the site to be public.  

I'm giving them a try, among other reasons, because the S&H on a 5X7 is only $2.99.


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## Mike30D (Oct 9, 2008)

I use Collages.net


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## GeneralBenson (Oct 9, 2008)

I've been looking into zenfolio.com  

Does anyone have experience with them, and are there any pros/cons to them versus smugmug. Its the same sort of deal; hosting, viewing, password, and printing.


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## manaheim (Oct 9, 2008)

I would have such a problem sending a customer to something called "smugmug". Too bad, too, because the service Chris describes is pretty cool.


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## SpeedTrap (Oct 9, 2008)

I use Photocart as well, it is right on my own site you can see it in the link in my sig.


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## kellylindseyphotography (Oct 9, 2008)

www.portfoliositez.com

or if you want something free
www.freewebs.com


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## chrisburke (Oct 9, 2008)

manaheim said:


> I would have such a problem sending a customer to something called "smugmug". Too bad, too, because the service Chris describes is pretty cool.



the thing about smug mug is, its totally customizable.. doesnt say anything about smugmug.. when i create a gallery for a customer,  i actually create a link off of my domain and forward it (masked) so the client is actually going to "clientname".chrisburkephotography.com and then they see their gallery... with nothing about "smugmug" on it, other than their recipt when they receive it.


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## manaheim (Oct 9, 2008)

chrisburke said:


> the thing about smug mug is, its totally customizable.. doesnt say anything about smugmug.. when i create a gallery for a customer, i actually create a link off of my domain and forward it (masked) so the client is actually going to "clientname".chrisburkephotography.com and then they see their gallery... with nothing about "smugmug" on it, other than their recipt when they receive it.


 
Oh ok, that helps.  I'm poking around with Zenfolio right now.  I may hit smugmug next.  Very cool business model.  This may well make my going out and taking pics at the local soccer game and selling them to soccermoms a viable business.


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## chrisburke (Oct 9, 2008)

manaheim said:


> Oh ok, that helps.  I'm poking around with Zenfolio right now.  I may hit smugmug next.  Very cool business model.  This may well make my going out and taking pics at the local soccer game and selling them to soccermoms a viable business.



with smugmug they have their default price, which is the ammount they get from the sale of an image (i think the standard 4x6 is like .19 cents) then you set your price.. so if it was like 2 bucks... they take their 19 cents, plus i think 8% of your mark up.. let me double check...hmm i couldnt find it.. ut i think thats right... so for example, if i charged $3 for a metallic 4x6 i profit  1.99 from that sale.... if you get some good shots of the soccer games, it could actually be pretty profitable.


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## Parkerman (Oct 9, 2008)

Chris, how are you customizing your smugmug to run flash like that? As far as i know.. the only flash you can run is your banner and a slide show..


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## prodigy2k7 (Oct 9, 2008)

I use zenphoto with the plugin "zenpage"...

www.LuckyShotPhotos.com

Its kinda vague at the moment, i just recently changed over to the zenpage plugin.


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## chrisburke (Oct 10, 2008)

Parkerman said:


> Chris, how are you customizing your smugmug to run flash like that? As far as i know.. the only flash you can run is your banner and a slide show..



its a cross between using the smug mug slide show, and some html.. it can be found here

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=73247

also i finally had a chance to make smug mug custom for those who said they didnt like the look of smug mug.. heres what it can look like with a bit of html and java know how...  http://chrisburke.smugmug.com/gallery/6123874_bmXAJ#385166562_8YxcU

notice, that the only smug mug mention is at the bottom where it says "powered by"  

i wont be using smug mug as my main gallery viewer for like portfolio and such.. i will only be using it as a way for my clients to buy their pictures.. so they will only see their gallery, not all the other stuff on smug mug


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## Sue Bruce (Oct 20, 2008)

I have been very happy with SmugMug (my site is at www.suebrucephotography.com).  I hired someone to put in a few hours of work and customize my site.  I think I will be rehiring them to add a page in the next month or two.

The gallery password facility is  great.  Also, they stand by their guarantee.  I have had 2 clients not happy with their orders - both the clients fault - but SmugMug totally reprinted with different finishes and/or sizes ... at no cost to my client OR me.  Extremely excellent service!!

Sue


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## Alleh Lindquist (Oct 20, 2008)

I wrote this about selling prints online the services listed would also offer client galleries


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## Bturchin (Nov 17, 2008)

Hey I just started useing photoreflect & Express digital has everything you will need to sell to clients with password protection . Also you have a tremendous amount of photo labs to do your fulfillment. Also there is no upfront costs to open an account. ck it out it might just be what your looking for good luck.


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## GwagDesigns (Nov 18, 2008)

I second SmugMug, the amount of customization you can do to it is great. And i have a good client area set up so far.


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## Dubious Drewski (Nov 18, 2008)

Smugmug looks great.  The only reason I'd want to use it is to maybe start making some cash from my photos, but I'm a little hesitant to pay $150 for their service; I'm not sure my photos are quality enough to make that money back in a year.

Ugh, I don't know.


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## Village Idiot (Nov 19, 2008)

Dubious Drewski said:


> Smugmug looks great. The only reason I'd want to use it is to maybe start making some cash from my photos, but I'm a little hesitant to pay $150 for their service; I'm not sure my photos are quality enough to make that money back in a year.
> 
> Ugh, I don't know.


 
That's why you use it as a supplemental tool. Charge some one a $75 sitting fee and sell them prints from whatever package you put together, then provide them with a password protected photo gallery where they can order more from. You could make $100-$150 off of on client. Do that twice and it will have paid for itself.


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## rubbertree (Nov 19, 2008)

I love smugmug and have never come across anyone that has ever taken offense or been taken aback by the name. That's a new one for me.


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## McQueen278 (Nov 19, 2008)

+1 for SmugMug.  Great site, great service.


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## chrisburke (Nov 19, 2008)

yea, if your making any money at photography, its very easy to cover the cost of a pro account with smug mug... my account was free (i can talk people into almost anything) but 150 bucks is nothing in the photo world.. if I had paid for smug mug i would have had it paid off in one sitting... i charge the client $60/hour for the sitting.. so the sitting was 1 hour.. then i put the pics online.. they ordered i $160 worth of prints... so in one sitting I actually made more than enough to cover the cost...


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## JodieO (Nov 20, 2008)

Oh wow, no offense guys, but why would you let someone take a commission off of your sales? No way, no how would I do that.

I too use PhotoCart for sales but I use IntoTheDarkroom slideshare max for showing clients because I like that you can show the images big and it automatically watermarks (they then click on the shopping cart icon which takes them to photocart which is hosted on my site - eventually when IntoTheDarkroom has more customization ability for their shopping cart, I will use that too...).

I'd rather pay the $150 or maybe a bit more (like PhotoCart) for something that doesn't take a commission from my sales.

And is smugmug printing the prints for you? If so, are they professional quality? Are you having them mounted on styrene or something? Sprayed finish for protection? etc. etc.?

I'm a control freak of my images, and I wouldn't go for anything less than the best professional quality prints, that's why I am asking...


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## chrisburke (Nov 20, 2008)

JodieO...  I totally understand your concerns.. I too am a mega control freak.. thats why before I decided to go with smugmug, I researched it for like 6 months... i had them send me numerous sample prints, in all the different finishes they offer.

Yes, smugmug takes a cut of your profit, but in all honesty, the quality of the work they do is well worth the small cut they take... I have no quams about giving them that cut....  there are ways around the amount that they take off your profit, but I don't recommend them, because smugmug is worth every penny.

Going to smugmug has cut down the amount of work I have to do significantly... before I had to prepare portfolio's for clients, drive to the printers to drop off, drive back to pick up, then make sure the clients got their pics (either by having them come pick them up, or by me dropping them off)  now I do the session (whether its a wedding or a portrait session) go home, make some edits, put the pics online send an email to the client with their web gallery address and password... then i'm done.. no more work for me... the client places their order online... then smugmug sends me an email saying "this is what your client has ordered and in these sizes" I double check the crops to make sure they look good.. and thats it.. smugmug prints (in amazing quality) and ships it right to my clients house....


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## jlykins (Nov 20, 2008)

There was an interesting article in shutterbug a month or two ago about their service. It's 12.95 monthly or 99.95 yearly. They take 10% per sale but that includes credit card sales. I have been toying with the idea of doing this. I currently have no "gallery" for the customer to access after a shoot. I really need to get that added to my site.


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## jlykins (Nov 20, 2008)

Oh sorry, here's the link to Shutterbugs site:  http://www.shutterbugstorefront.com/scripts/website.pl?rm=pricing


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## JodieO (Nov 20, 2008)

chrisburke said:


> JodieO... I totally understand your concerns.. I too am a mega control freak.. thats why before I decided to go with smugmug, I researched it for like 6 months... i had them send me numerous sample prints, in all the different finishes they offer.
> 
> Yes, smugmug takes a cut of your profit, but in all honesty, the quality of the work they do is well worth the small cut they take... I have no quams about giving them that cut.... there are ways around the amount that they take off your profit, but I don't recommend them, because smugmug is worth every penny.
> 
> Going to smugmug has cut down the amount of work I have to do significantly... before I had to prepare portfolio's for clients, drive to the printers to drop off, drive back to pick up, then make sure the clients got their pics (either by having them come pick them up, or by me dropping them off) now I do the session (whether its a wedding or a portrait session) go home, make some edits, put the pics online send an email to the client with their web gallery address and password... then i'm done.. no more work for me... the client places their order online... then smugmug sends me an email saying "this is what your client has ordered and in these sizes" I double check the crops to make sure they look good.. and thats it.. smugmug prints (in amazing quality) and ships it right to my clients house....


 
Nope, still wouldn't convince me. The lab I use is incredible with customer service and quality, absolutely incredible. All I do is the session, edit, upload to the net, the customer orders... and after my printout comes to my email saying "You've got cash" which automatically goes into my bank account, I print the sheet which is my customer's order. I simply upload their order straight to my lab using ROES, and I can either have it shipped straight to them, or have it shipped straight to me (for FREE) where I can then "fluff it up" in nice professional boxes, etc., and then ship to them (or they pick up from my studio if they would like).

No one takes a cut from me, and I can see all the images, and I don't have to leave my home office for any of it. :thumbup:

I do the same thing when I order fine art canvases or gallery mounts, coffee table books, albums, etc.


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## modlife (Jan 18, 2009)

manaheim said:


> I would have such a problem sending a customer to something called "smugmug". Too bad, too, because the service Chris describes is pretty cool.



Like any service, just link to the gallery from your website...don't send people directly to the service.


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## sabbath999 (Jan 18, 2009)

GeneralBenson said:


> I've been looking into zenfolio.com
> 
> Does anyone have experience with them, and are there any pros/cons to them versus smugmug. Its the same sort of deal; hosting, viewing, password, and printing.



I have used them for a year, have 10,000 or so pictures online with them, EXTREMELY satisfied.

Check out my website (link in my sig) so you can see the quality of it.

I don't sell though... I am strictly amateur...


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## bradsperry (Jan 20, 2009)

sabbath999 said:


> I have used them for a year, have 10,000 or so pictures online with them, EXTREMELY satisfied.
> 
> Check out my website (link in my sig) so you can see the quality of it.
> 
> I don't sell though... I am strictly amateur...


 
but when it comes to slaughtering a picture, your an expert, right? ...... god your such a punk.


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## cas3021 (Mar 13, 2009)

Photo Reflect and Express Digital.  I am selling my Express Photo Software and dongle key if your looking.


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