We've compiled a list of the most-asked questions that we hear from ShootProof studios. Click the appropriate heading to quickly navigate to helpful answers:
Getting Started
Downloads
Watermarks
Orders
Sales and Pricing
Emails
Galleries
Getting Started
How does the free trial work?
When you sign up for a free trial, you'll have 14 days to experience all the ways your business can thrive with ShootProof. No credit card is required and you can cancel at any time!
How do your photo plans work?
Choose the plan that's right for your growing business and upgrade at any time! The photo count in each plan is the total number of photos you can have online in your ShootProof account at any given time. You can have these photos spread across an unlimited number of galleries. Upload new photos and you’ll begin using that space. Delete photos and you’ll free space up!
How can I make money with ShootProof?
Keep every penny of profit with every plan! From session fees gathered from our invoicing tool to printed products and digital files sold through your galleries, earn as much as you want - ShootProof will never take a commission.
What payment methods do you accept?
Pay for your ShootProof subscription with any major credit card (not required during your free trial). Once you set up a payment processor through ShootProof, clients can pay for prints, digitals, and invoices via credit card. If you live in the U.S. and are using ShootProof Pay, clients may also pay with Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Do I need my own website?
You don’t need a website to use ShootProof. In fact, if you don’t have a website yet, your ShootProof Portfolio Website is the perfect solution to showcase your images, tell prospects a little about yourself, and even collect leads through a contact form. If you already have a website, you can optionally integrate your ShootProof galleries by easily setting up a custom subdomain.
Downloads
Can I limit free downloads to one specific person, and can I limit the number they can download?
Yes, you can allow only the Linked Contact to download digital images. You can also limit the number of downloads that the Linked Contact may have.
First, you’ll need to set a Linked Contact to the Gallery. This is one person who you correspond with most. For instance, for a family session, a parent might be the Linked Contact, but for a wedding, you may choose to link the bride. There can only be one Linked Contact for each gallery.
After linking the contact, define Free Digitals for the contact. You can allow them to download all of the gallery images, or limit the number. If they are assigned limited downloads, they’ll see a countdown of remaining downloads. If a client downloads the same image more than once, it will only count as one download.
How do I give gallery visitors a limited number of downloads and then upsell additional files?
A popular business model involves giving clients a certain number of digital downloads for “free”, while upselling additional files, prints, and products. There are two ways to give clients a limited number of digital downloads: Set up a download permission or create a discount code. For most cases, creating a download permission is the easiest, most intuitive way for clients to download a limited number of free digitals. However, some photographers prefer their clients go through the shopping cart for free downloads, since they know their clients will be purchasing extra items anyways.
Option 1: Create a digital download permission*
ShootProof identifies gallery visitors by their email addresses. By creating a Gallery Level rule with limited downloads, each visitor will only be able to download the number of files you specify. If they want additional files, they’d need to add them to a shopping cart. In this workflow, you need to have individual digital downloads included on your price list.
Option 2: Create a Discount for free digital downloads
If clients will likely make additional purchases, create an Item Discount Promo Code for a certain number of digital downloads. To ensure that they only use the code one time, make it a single-use code. Once they’ve added all of their items (including the digitals) to their cart, they’ll enter the promo code and the price will adjust accordingly.
*Item Discounts are not compatible with Packages, so if your price sheet contains a Package, use digital permissions rather than promo codes to limit free downloads.
Can I tell if my client has downloaded images?
Yes, you can tell if, and when, your client has downloaded their images. If the images were downloaded using the Free Digitals settings in the gallery, check Visitor Activity. Not only can you see when they downloaded, but you can also click the blue number for a list of the file names they downloaded.
If the files were purchased through the gallery, check the email status. If the order email indicates that a link was clicked, the client has clicked the download link contained in the email.
Watermarks
Can I add or remove watermarks without re-uploading the entire gallery?
Yes, if you’ve uploaded a gallery and realized you need to add or remove a watermark, there’s no need to re-upload the gallery*. Simply use the Refresh Watermark tool. You can find that by clicking the More Actions drop-down menu in the top right corner of the gallery. The watermark is added or removed from the whole gallery at once.
*You are not able to refresh current galleries with the new watermarks with AI protection. You can only apply watermarks with AI protection to new galleries.
Do watermarks stay on the images when my client downloads or orders prints?
When your clients purchase prints or digital downloads, ShootProof always removes watermarks that have been applied within your ShootProof gallery.
If you allow free downloads, you can indicate whether you’d like for the watermark to remain on photos when downloaded.
Orders
When I approve an order for lab fulfillment, I see a charge for shipping. Why am I charged for shipping when my client was supposed to pay for it?
When you choose to pass lab shipping costs on to your clients, they will pay a shipping fee at checkout which reimburses you for the lab's shipping costs. This means that while you see a line item for shipping, you're not coming out of pocket for any shipping costs - you’re simply passing along the funds that you’ve collected from your client to the lab.
What do I do if my client doesn't receive their order or it arrives damaged?
One of the great perks of lab fulfilling orders through ShootProof is the service you’ll receive in the unlikely event that an issue arises with your order. If an order is lost or damaged during shipment, or if an order arrives and is incorrect, let ShootProof’s team of Support Specialists resolve that matter on your behalf! Email support@shootproof.com and include the order number, well-lit photos of the prints, and the reason for the client’s dissatisfaction.
Before printing with any of our partner labs, we strongly encourage you to order test prints. You can contact the lab directly to request samples of various paper types, or you can print your own images through ShootProof, using Studio Ordering. All labs suggest calibrating your monitor and adjusting brightness for the most accurate results.
Sales and Pricing
Will my clients see the lab's pricing when they receive their order?
Your client’s order will arrive white-labeled, meaning there will be no indicators as to where the order was printed or how much the prints cost you. Labs may include a packing slip, but it will never show the lab cost.
Why does my client see multiple pending charges from ShootProof on their bank statement?
During checkout, your client may enter some incorrect information, such as billing zip code or CVV, and the charge will be declined. If they eventually enter the correct information and complete the checkout, they may see multiple transactions on their statement. Some card companies will put the declined amount on “hold”. Once the transaction settles, the line item will be removed from the statement.
Can I bundle items to sell as a "Collection" or "Package"?
Bundling prints and digitals into a Collection or Package can be a convenient and profitable way to sell. ShootProof gives you the ability to build Packages within a price sheet. You’ll have the option to sell items a la carte, or limit purchasing to packages only. For a more in-depth look at Package strategies, watch our on-demand webinar here.
Can I sell bundles of digital files?
You can sell bundles of digital files by creating Packages. For example, you may wish to sell 5, 10, 15, or all gallery downloads. Simply create a Package for each scenario. When your client chooses the package, they will select the images they’d like included.
Emails
How do I know which email template type to use when I create a new template?
Email templates are super convenient. Create a template once, then use it again and again, saving you time! Because templates are specific to where they’re used within ShootProof, you’ll need to pay special attention to the type of email template you use. For example, if you’re crafting a template to use when sending a gallery link to clients, choose Email Gallery Link. For a complete list of templates and where they can be used, click here.
Can I tell if my clients have received an email I sent through ShootProof?
All emails that you send through ShootProof are tracked. This makes it convenient for you to see who has received your emails, when they were opened, and even if links within the email were clicked. Click Studio, Email, then select the Activity tab to see your email history.
If you see many dropped emails, there may be a few things to consider. Read here for a few reasons why your clients may not receive your emails.
Galleries
Is my gallery Public or Private?
You can choose to make your galleries Public or Private, depending on your security needs. Public galleries show on your ShootProof Portfolio Website, while Private galleries can only be accessed through a direct link that you will need to share with your clients.
You can check your gallery’s accessibility status in Gallery Settings, under the General tab. We recommend making most galleries Private and using a hard-to-guess password (not the client or gallery name!).
What is my ShootProof Portfolio Website?
Your ShootProof Portfolio Website is a landing page where people can go to see all of your Public galleries and view information about you and your studio. Within your ShootProof Portfolio Website, you can use Categories to organize Public galleries to make it easier for clients to find the content they’re looking for.
How do I add my ShootProof galleries to my existing website?
There are a few ways to integrate your ShootProof galleries with your business website. You can simply add a link on your website, pointing to ShootProof, and can even create a custom domain, removing ShootProof from the URL. Other options include embedding your galleries or allowing clients to log into their galleries from your website. Check out this article to explore your options and setup details.
How do I know what my client will see when I send them their gallery?
Before sending a gallery to your client, it’s always best to check it out from their perspective. Within the gallery, click Preview Gallery to see exactly what they will see. Click around and be sure all the settings are correct, then send the gallery with confidence!