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Proof Gallery Launch Checklist

A pre-flight checklist to run through before a client proofing gallery goes live, covering the cull, the rules, image protection, and the client-side test.

Download the checklist (.txt)

Reviewed for 2026, updated September 8, 2026.

Most proofing problems are decided before the client ever opens the gallery: an unfinished cull, a missing deadline, a watermark that was never applied, or instructions that only make sense to the photographer. This checklist is the list we wish every gallery went through before the link is sent. It follows the order of the proofing guide at /guide/, from the culled set through expectations, protection, print offers, and the final test from the client's side.

Print it or keep it open next to your gallery tool. Not every line applies to every job, so cross out what does not fit rather than skipping the whole list. If you need to size the upload before you start, the Proof Gallery Storage and Upload Planner at /tools/gallery-storage-planner/ gives a rough figure for gallery size and upload time.

  • The cull is finished: misses, blinks, and near duplicates are out of the set
  • Proofs carry light, consistent corrections and match each other in tone
  • Every proof is named in one sequence that matches your catalog, with no renaming on export
  • The gallery is sequenced in shoot order or story order, not upload order
  • The selection allowance is decided and written into the gallery instructions
  • The selection deadline is set and stated in both the gallery and the delivery email
  • The revision policy is in the signed agreement: rounds included and the cost beyond that
  • The client knows whether proofs are rough or representative of the final edit
  • A watermark is applied, small and consistent, or a subtle repeated pattern
  • Proofs are exported at screen resolution, not print resolution
  • Download is disabled or limited to what the contract allows
  • The gallery is password protected or on a link that cannot be guessed
  • A short line in the gallery explains that proofs are unedited and not for sharing
  • Instructions are short, visible on the first screen, and written in plain language
  • If you sell prints, products, sizes, and prices are listed where the client marks favorites
  • The gallery has been opened on a phone and scrolls, zooms, and marks without pinching
  • Favorites, the running count, and the submit step have been tested as a client would use them
  • Progress saves automatically if the client closes the gallery mid-review
  • A confirmation message is written and ready to send the moment the client submits
  • The timeline from submission to finished files is stated in writing
  • An expiry date is set and mentioned, so the gallery does not live forever
  • A calendar reminder is set for two days before the selection deadline
  • A follow-up message is drafted for clients who go quiet after the deadline
  • The culled set is backed up in a second location before the gallery goes out
Free to use and sharehttps://framepickr.com/templates/proof-gallery-launch-checklist/

Use it in your business, share it with your team, or link to it from your own site.

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