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How to Create Your First Client Gallery

Published: July 10, 2026Category: Gallery ConfigurationDifficulty: Intermediate

Creating professional, structured galleries is the core workflow of Albumya. By configuring clean directories and enabling photo-selection flags, you can streamline the review process and collaborate with your clients directly online.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1

Select Client and Create Folders

Select your client from the sidebar. In the Photos tab, click the 'New Folder' button. Type a name (e.g. 'Wedding Day', 'Pre-Wedding', 'Reception') and click 'Create'.

2

Upload Event Photos

Click on the newly created folder to open it. Drag and drop your high-resolution photography files into the upload box (or click to browse). Uploads will start immediately, generating low-resolution watermarked thumbnails automatically.

3

Activate Client Photo-Selection Mode

Go back to the folder list. Right-click on the folder card and select 'Add to Selection'. A star icon appears next to the folder name, which automatically makes it visible to your client on their selection portal.

4

Share Gallery Link with Client

Copy the client's public link (e.g. localhost:3000/client_username) and share the credentials. The client can log in, browse photos, and click the star icon on photos they want to select.

5

Download Client Starred Photos in ZIP

Once the client finishes selections, right-click on the selection-enabled folder in your dashboard, and click 'Download Selected Photos'. The background worker queues a zipping task. You will receive a header notification with a green 'Download ZIP' button to download the selection.

S3 Security & Watermarks

When files are uploaded, Albumya automatically prevents client access to original high-res versions. In their photo-selection panel, only low-resolution watermarked thumbnails and web-optimized large images are rendered, keeping your intellectual property safe.

Recursive Collaboration

If you have added collaborators (other designers or photographers) to a workspace, they can view these folders and upload photos. However, only the primary studio owner can initiate the client-selected photos download zip.