image selection to the photographer

azucara

undecided if i should use smug mug. maybe i'm missing it, but as a wedding photographer looking to not only show clients and their guests the images (and sell-which smug mug handles) but also provide the actual couple a way of selecting images to then produce a wedding album, I am confused if I am at the right place/site. smug mug seems to offer so much, and then this is where i get stuck. is this even a possiblility? I would want them to choose about 100 images (for example) via smug mug (without cost to them), so that I may then know the selection for which to build them a wedding album. It's not so easy deciphering hand typed image numbers and I think smug mug may answer this need, yet I cannot find it. any suggestions? am I using the right site?

coleygm

azucara wrote:

undecided if i should use smug mug. maybe i'm missing it, but as a wedding photographer looking to not only show clients and their guests the images (and sell-which smug mug handles) but also provide the actual couple a way of selecting images to then produce a wedding album, I am confused if I am at the right place/site. smug mug seems to offer so much, and then this is where i get stuck. is this even a possiblility? I would want them to choose about 100 images (for example) via smug mug (without cost to them), so that I may then know the selection for which to build them a wedding album. It's not so easy deciphering hand typed image numbers and I think smug mug may answer this need, yet I cannot find it. any suggestions? am I using the right site?

Welcome...and I'll start by saying that i spent a few months searching for the best on line photo service, and SmugMug was what i chose and still think it's the best. Granted, SmugMug will be the first to admit that they are not perfect, but no service is. They continue to make improvements based on their customers feedback though, and their customer service is outstanding. In all things, it's not if their will be problems...but how one handles the issues when they come that counts IMO.

What your talking about has been talked about by others, and there are SmugMuggers that have implemented systems along the lines that your talking. SmugMug does not offer this ability out of the box, although i know they've talked about it in future upgrades. ...but with SmugMug, everything is customizable...so with a little work, you can insert the right script into your site to introduce this functionality. The nice thing about SmugMug too is this forum where everyone helps everyone else. ....so know that there are those out there that will help you develop this on your site.

Personally, i have my clients submit to me the photo name(s) they want via email that they select by going through their galleries...and i build their books from that. At some point it would be nice to automate the whole thing, but all things in time.

Mark Dickinson

Hello, Here's how I do it..

Shoot
Edit
Post
Preview
_______

Request client to post a comment saying "album" or other trigger word
We collect the photos, either to another gallery or rightclick open it and save it to a folder on the computer.
From there we either create it with the coop publishing companies on the smugmug or use an external one

Once you create the new created y you can approve the comment, delete it or delete the collected photos after download.

It seems nice. Plus with having the photos online for them to view and CONFIRM that they selected that one, it does help out.