Private Galleries: Passwords, Expiry and Sharing

Make client galleries private by default: a password or unlisted link, an expiry date that you state in your contract, and clear rules for who may download. Then tell clients how guest sharing works so they do not have to guess. These choices protect your clients' privacy and your own work.

This post walks through the options, how to choose them, how to handle guests and how to word the rules.

Privacy options

Most gallery tools offer some combination of these. Check your own tool for exactly what it supports.

• Public. Anyone can find and view. Rarely right for client work.
• Unlisted link. Anyone with the link can view, but it does not appear in search. Easy, but links get forwarded.
• Password protected. Viewers need the link and a password. Better for weddings, families and children.
• Email or account sign-in. Viewers register to see the gallery. Gives control, but adds a barrier for guests.
• Download pin or permission. The gallery is viewable, but downloading needs a pin, or is limited to certain sizes.

For a typical client, an unlisted link plus a password is a good balance. For sessions with children, or for private events, choose the stricter end.

Choose passwords that are easy to type on a phone. Many clients open the gallery from a message on their mobile. A short phrase with no symbols is easier than a random string.

Expiry

An online gallery is not an archive. Set an expiry and say so in the contract.

Example schedule (change it for your business):

• Gallery live for 6 months from delivery.
• A reminder at 30 days before expiry, and again at 7 days.
• Renewal available for a small yearly fee.
• Clients are encouraged to download and back up everything.

Why bother? Hosting costs money, galleries left online forever create a long tail of privacy risk, and an expiry is a natural moment to re-engage the client about prints or albums. See also how long to keep client photos for the wider question of retention.

Be clear that expiry of the online gallery does not mean you delete the files straight away. Say how long you keep backups and what a client can expect if they ask later.

Sharing guests

Guests are where privacy gets complicated. The couple wants to share with 150 people; you do not want 150 people with the full-resolution set.

Options:

1. Share the gallery link and password. Quick, but everyone gets the same access.
2. Create a guest gallery or favourites collection. The client picks a set for sharing and guests get web-sized files.
3. Let the client share a link that only shows chosen images. Most gallery platforms support something like this.
4. Print a card with a QR code for the guest gallery at the venue or in thank-you notes.

Explain to the client which route they should use. A line in your delivery message does the job:

For family and friends, use the "Guest album" link rather than the main password. It shows the favourites only and keeps the full set private. (Example wording.)

Downloads

Decide who downloads what.

• Client: full resolution and web size, for personal use.
• Guests: web size, or none.
• Vendors: sent separately with credit rules. See watermarks and previews.

If you offer a download-all option, tell clients how big the file is and that it may take time on a phone connection. Suggest they download on Wi-Fi to a computer and keep two copies.

For prints, direct clients to your ordering process rather than letting them print the files at any shop. Say whether personal printing is allowed. That belongs in your licence wording.

Policy wording

Put this in the contract and repeat it in the delivery email. Keep it short.

Your gallery is private and protected by a password. It stays online for six months from delivery. You may download your images for personal use and share the guest album link with friends and family. Please do not post the main gallery password publicly. We may remove access if the password is shared beyond those you intend. (Example wording. Ask a local adviser to check your terms.)

Add a line on privacy where children are involved, and a line about what happens if a client asks for a gallery to be removed earlier than the stated date.

Rules on privacy, consent and data protection differ by country, so check what applies where you work.

Keeping it consistent

Whatever you choose, apply it to every job. If you use ClickBook, galleries stay in your own gallery tool, but the gallery rules, delivery dates and notes can be kept with the job so your team follows them. A demo shows how jobs and deliverables are organised.

Pair your gallery rules with a clear inquiry response so clients hear your process from the start.

Mistakes to avoid

• Leaving galleries public by default.
• Using the same password for every client.
• Not setting or stating an expiry.
• Forgetting to remind clients to download before the gallery closes.
• Sharing the main gallery link on your own public posts.

Frequently asked questions

Should every client gallery have a password?

Usually yes for private events and family sessions. A password or unlisted link keeps images away from search engines and strangers. Public galleries make sense only when the client has agreed.

How long should a gallery stay online?

Many photographers keep galleries active for several months to a year, then offer renewal. Set the period in your contract and send reminders before expiry.

Can guests download the whole gallery?

That is your choice. Many photographers let the client download everything and let guests view or download only selected images through a share link.

What if a client shares the password publicly?

Change the password and tell the client why. Your policy can say that sharing beyond the stated people may end access.