Secure Gallery Downloads for Boudoir and Portrait Clients

Downloads should not be treated as a default toggle. They are the moment a client can keep files outside your gallery, so the workflow should wait until finals are approved and ready.

For boudoir clients, this is a trust issue. They need to know which files are final, who can access them, and how long the gallery remains available. A secure download workflow answers those questions before the client clicks.

• Keep the proofing gallery downloads disabled.
• Mark only intended delivery files Final before enabling downloads; proofs remain unavailable.
• Use PINs or invite links for access.
• Confirm the archive contains every published final asset and only intended deliverables.
• Explain retention and expiration in plain language.

Proof galleries are for review and selection. Final galleries are for keeping. Mixing those states creates confusion and increases the chance that clients save unfinished images.

Framekeep proof/final flags control preview treatment and per-asset download eligibility. Mark only intended published delivery assets Final before enabling its gallery-level setting.

• Proofing gallery: private, watermarked, favorites enabled, downloads off.
• Published Finals: private, unwatermarked, favorites optional, downloads on.
• Archive: available after downloads are enabled and contains every published final asset in that gallery.

A link alone is rarely enough for sensitive work. Use a PIN, password, or invite token so accidental forwarding does not become uncontrolled access. If clients may share with a partner, create a separate invite rather than one permanent URL.

Keep the language human. Say who the link is for, whether it can be shared, and how to ask for another invite. This protects privacy without making the experience feel cold.

• Use a unique PIN or invite for each gallery.
• Avoid public indexes and public gallery directories for private work.
• Create partner access only when the client asks.
• Expire or revoke invites when the delivery window ends.

Archive downloads are convenient, but they should be tested. A successful archive should return a ZIP content type and contain every published final asset in the gallery while excluding proofs. Before delivery, verify that only purchased files are marked Final.

This is where a smoke test helps. It catches storage, database, and archive-generation issues before they become client support problems.

• Confirm the response is application/zip.
• Open the ZIP and count files.
• Check filenames are recognizable.
• Verify large galleries stay under your archive limits.
• Test both PIN and invite access before launch.

The final email should be clear, brief, and reassuring. Tell clients that finals are ready, downloads are enabled, and the gallery remains private. Studio galleries archive after 14 days; mention any earlier invite-expiry date separately.

Do not bury privacy terms in a long paragraph. Use short sentences and direct labels so clients can act without asking follow-up questions.

• "Your final images are ready and downloads are enabled."
• "Use your PIN to open the gallery."
• "This link is private; ask me if you want a separate partner invite."
• "This invite expires on the date stated above."

Framekeep lets photographers publish assets intentionally, keep a proofing gallery downloads-off, enable downloads at the gallery level, and generate a ZIP archive containing every published final asset after access is verified. Mark only intended published delivery assets Final before enabling downloads when unfinished images must stay unavailable.

The product angle is practical: clients get a clean final handoff, while photographers keep control over privacy, proof status, and archive delivery.

• PIN and invite access for private viewing.
• Download toggle at the gallery level.
• Archive generation for published assets.
• Final/no-watermark previews for delivered files.
• Proof/watermark previews for selection-only assets.