Proofing Gallery vs Delivery Gallery: What Is the Difference?
Photographers use the word "gallery" for two different things, and mixing them up causes confusion for clients. A proofing gallery is where a client chooses photos. A delivery gallery is where they receive the finished ones.
This guide explains both, when each is used, and how to choose a setup that suits weddings and events.
The short version
- A proofing gallery shows a set of photos so the client can review them and pick favorites, for example for an album or for retouching.
- A delivery gallery hands over the finished, edited photos so the client and their guests can view and download them.
Many photographers use one tool for both. Others use a proofing step only for products like albums and prints, and skip it for event delivery.
What a proofing gallery is for
Proofing exists when the client has a decision to make. Typical cases:
- Choosing photos for a printed album
- Selecting which images get extra retouching
- Approving a shortlist before final delivery
The gallery usually shows previews, often with a watermark, and gives the client a way to mark favorites and leave comments. The photographer then works from the client's selections.
What a delivery gallery is for
Delivery is about getting the finished photos to people in a way that is easy to use. For a wedding, that means the couple and also their guests, who may number in the hundreds.
Good delivery answers questions like:
- Does the client get a branded gallery with a link they can share?
- Can guests find their own photos without scrolling through thousands?
- Are downloads open, limited or watermarked?
- How long does the link keep working?
Weak delivery turns the photographer into a support desk, answering "can you send me the one of us by the cake" for months. Our glossary has a short entry on gallery delivery.
Do you need both?
It depends on your work.
You probably need proofing if you sell albums or prints where the client selects the images, or you let clients pick a limited number of retouched photos.
You can often skip proofing if you deliver a full edited set to the couple and their guests. In that case, the effort is better spent on delivery: how guests find their photos and how the link behaves.
Choosing a setup
Ask these questions:
- What does the client actually decide? If nothing, you do not need proofing.
- Who looks at the photos? Couples want their best photos. Guests want to find themselves.
- How many photos is it? Hundreds or thousands of photos need search, not just a scrolling grid.
- What do you want your brand to look like? A branded gallery reinforces your studio.
Where Pixeva fits
Pixeva is a delivery gallery. A photographer uploads the finished photos, shares a branded gallery link, and guests take a selfie to find the photos they appear in. It can also collect photos guests take themselves, so the photographer's set and the guests' candids sit in one album. It does not replace a tool where a client selects photos for an album, so if you need that step, use a proofing tool for it and Pixeva for delivery.
You can read how the workflow fits together on the for photographers page and in our guide to the photographer and guest workflow.
Questions photographers ask
Is a proofing gallery the same as a client gallery? Not always. "Client gallery" is a loose term that can mean either. Check what the client can actually do in it.
Should proofing galleries be watermarked? Often yes, to protect unfinished work. Delivery galleries usually are not.
How long should a delivery gallery stay online? Long enough that clients and guests can come back to it. Decide your policy and say it clearly in your contract.
Can guests use a proofing gallery? Usually not. Proofing is meant for the client decisions, and delivery is for everyone else.
Summary
Proofing is for choosing, and delivery is for receiving. Decide whether your clients really need to choose, and spend the rest of your effort on making delivery easy for the couple and their guests. If delivery is where you lose the most time, try a gallery with selfie search for guests, and you can start a free event to see how it works.
