How to Let Clients Choose Photos Before Editing

The session is finished, and you have 50 strong portraits. Your client's package includes 10 finished images. Before you spend hours retouching, you need to know which expressions, poses, and moments they want to keep.

To let clients choose photos before detailed editing, share a curated proof gallery, ask them to mark their favorites, and confirm one final selection before retouching. Give them the included image count, a deadline, and instructions for requesting extras when you send the link.

Here is a practical workflow for that 50-proof, 10-image portrait session. The numbers are an example, so adapt them to your package and the choices you agreed with your client.

1. Decide who chooses the final photos

Client selection works well when a portrait, headshot, or branding package includes a specific number of retouched images. The photographer decides which frames are strong enough to show; the client chooses the expressions and uses that suit them.

That is different from delivering a wedding package where you have agreed to curate and edit the complete collection yourself. In that case, clients might select favorites afterward for an album or prints. Explain which kind of selection you are asking for.

Before sending proofs, settle four details:

• Included images: In this example, the package includes 10 finished photos.
• Selection deadline: Give an actual date rather than “whenever you get a chance.”
• Extra images: State the price and obtain approval before editing additional choices.
• Delivery timing: Explain when finished images will arrive after the selection is confirmed.

These are your studio's agreements. Do not assume a gallery automatically enforces the count or deadline you put in an email.

2. Cull first, then prepare consistent proofs

Client photo selection does not mean asking the client to sort every frame from the shoot. Remove missed focus, accidental frames, unusable expressions, and unnecessary duplicates before uploading.

For the example session, prepare 50 distinct, usable proofs with a meaningful mix of poses and expressions. If only 30 images offer real choices, send 30. The goal is a useful selection, not a quota.

Apply enough exposure and color correction for the client to judge the photos fairly. Save detailed skin work, distractions removal, and other time-consuming retouching for the confirmed images. Tell the client that proofs are previews and explain what the finished treatment includes.

Keep filenames consistent with your editing catalog. A name such as portrait-023.jpg should still identify the same image when you return to edit it. Avoid renaming the files halfway through selection.

3. Share one gallery with clear selection instructions

Upload the prepared proofs to a dedicated GaleoSelect gallery and share its link with your client. Ask them to use the gallery's heart or favorites control to mark their choices, keeping the selection attached to the images instead of collecting screenshots across messages.

For a larger session, group the images by outfit, location, or intended use. A branding client might find “Headshots,” “At Work,” and “Details” easier to navigate than one uninterrupted grid. Our wedding gallery organization guide covers how to approach larger collections.

Open the shared gallery yourself before sending it. Check what a visitor can see, whether any access instructions are needed, and whether the photos are easy to browse on a phone. If you use password protection or download controls, verify the settings for this particular gallery.

A client photo selection email you can copy

Replace the bracketed details before sending:

Hi [Name],

Your portrait proofs are ready: [gallery link].

Your package includes 10 finished images. Please open the gallery and use the heart/favorites control to mark the 10 photos you would like me to retouch by [date].

These are lightly corrected previews. Your selected images will receive [describe included finishing].

If you would like more than 10, additional finished images cost [price] each. Let me know how many extras you want, and I will confirm the total before editing them.

Once you are happy with your choices, reply to this email to tell me your selection is final. I will confirm the image list and deliver your finished photos within [turnaround] after confirmation.

If you get stuck between two similar photos, send me their filenames and I will help you choose.

The confirmation reply matters. A client can mark an image while browsing without intending it to be a final editing request.

4. Make choosing on a phone straightforward

Try the same journey your client will take: open the link, enlarge a photo, mark a favorite, and return to browsing. Make sure your instructions use the labels and controls visible in the shared gallery.

Suggest two passes if the client feels overwhelmed. First, mark the images they immediately like. Then compare similar frames and narrow the shortlist to the included count. For headshots, ask them to think about where each image will appear: a website biography, a speaker profile, or a professional social account.

For a fuller delivery check, use our mobile gallery checklist. A client should not have to guess how to move between browsing and reviewing favorites.

5. Confirm the exact selection before retouching

When the client says they are finished, review the selected images and count them. Match their filenames to the originals in your editing catalog, then keep a dated record of the agreed list in your job notes.

For our example, your confirmation might read:

Thanks! I have your 10 selected images recorded: [filenames]. I will retouch these and deliver them by [date]. Please contact me before changing your selection so I can confirm whether editing has started.

This manual confirmation gives you a clear reference even if favorites change later. It does not depend on the gallery locking the selection automatically.

If the client picked 14 photos, ask whether they want to narrow the list to 10 or approve four paid extras. If they picked eight, ask whether the eight are intentional or whether they need help choosing the remaining two. Resolve the difference before starting work.

What if the client misses the deadline?

Send a short reminder with the same gallery link, included count, and a revised date if appropriate. Explain how a delayed selection affects their delivery slot. If they are stuck, offer to recommend a shortlist for their approval.

What if they change their mind?

Check whether you have started editing the affected images. Explain any timing or cost implications under your agreed revision policy and obtain confirmation before doing additional work. Record the replacement filenames so the old and new requests do not get mixed together.

6. Deliver finished images as a clear final collection

Retouch the confirmed originals, check the exports, and deliver a clearly labeled final gallery or collection. Tell the client which images are finished and where to download them. Avoid leaving proofs and final exports mixed together without clear labels.

Before sending the final link, verify the image count, filenames, download settings, and appearance on desktop and mobile. Follow the delivery resolution and file format agreed for the job.

If you are setting up your first delivery process, our guide to client photo galleries covers the broader workflow.

Client photo selection checklist

• Remove unusable frames and unnecessary duplicates.
• Prepare consistent proofs with stable filenames.
• State the included count, selection deadline, and extra-image price.
• Check the shared gallery and favorites experience on a phone.
• Send the gallery link with clear instructions.
• Confirm the final count and save the agreed filenames.
• Retouch the confirmed originals and check the final delivery.

Common photo proofing questions

Should clients see completely unedited photos?

That depends on what you agreed to show. For this workflow, lightly corrected proofs help clients judge expressions and poses without mistaking inconsistent exposure or color for the finished result. Explain which editing steps still remain.

How many proofs should I send?

Send enough strong, distinct options to support the included selection. The 50-to-10 example is a starting point, not an industry rule. A short headshot session may need fewer choices; a branding session with multiple uses may need more.

Can I use favorites as the final editing list?

Yes, after the client explicitly confirms the choices and you record the agreed filenames. Treat favorites as a working shortlist until that confirmation arrives.

Does this work for wedding photography?

It can work for selecting album images or prints from an already finished wedding gallery. Only use selection before editing if that is the delivery arrangement you agreed with the couple.

Ready to try the client side? Explore a GaleoSelect demo gallery, then create your own gallery when you are ready to collect selections.

Stock photography: George Milton (cover and final-editing section) and Michael Burrows (proof preparation), used under the Pexels License. Photos illustrate the workflow and do not show GaleoSelect.