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You will find the link to register for your Preview Gallery at the bottom of this page. Please read through all these instructions before proceeding to the registration link. As part of this process, you will be required to provide a gallery user name and password. Keep in mind that a short or simple user name is usually best. If you already have a website, you might want to use your domain name as the user name. Once registered, you will get an e-mail with your information, so keep it safe. Please note that this registration process is for the Preview Gallery only and does not also enroll you as a registered user of the Uphoto.com website. Use the link on the right side of the site for that purpose.
How do I upload my Events/Images?
1. Once you have Registered for your Gallery, you need to go to your Photographer's Dashboard, where you will find links to all of the tools available to you. You can login at www.previewgallery.com/dashboard
2. Log-in to the Dashboard, with your Gallery/Username. Explore the menus and the functions they access.
3. The first thing you must do is set up your pricing and payment/shipping options. Choose "Event Tools" from the Menu and "Products & Prices" and create a new Product Catalog from the left side Menu. Select the Print Sizes you want to offer by checking or un-checking the boxes, and then set the Print Prices you wish to charge. You can click and drag the various print sizes into different positions to make managing your catalog easier. For now, just fill in the "Standard Price" and save the new Product Catalog at the bottom of the page. Use a name that makes sense like "Wedding" or "Portrait", etc. You can go back and make changes later if you need to.
4. Next, use the "Event Tools" Menu again and this time select "Shipping & Payments". As before, from the left side menu, choose the "Product Catalog" you just created in the step above and fill out the required information.
5. The first time you prepare an event, set your prices for a few print sizes, set some basic shipping charges, and be sure to set your shipping options. If you want to collect payments online, enter your PayPal account information (email address registered with PayPal). Normally, it's best to offer just one or two payment options (like PayPal)
6. Now, use the "Event Tools" Menu again but this time choose the "Upload New Event" option. Select an "Event Type", "Product Catalog" and provide an "Event Name" and select the options you want. For your test event, leave all the options as "no" and then click "Upload Images" to start the upload module and then follow the on-screen instructions. For this test event, just upload a few images in one folder, perhaps 10 or 20. You should make a habit of not putting more than 250 images in a single folder, because too many images will slow and interfere with the ordering process. When the upload finishes, close the Dashboard and your browser. Restart your browser and go to your preview gallery to see how the upload worked.
7. Explore your test Gallery, place an order, and see how you receive it back by email. Later, you can upload a REAL event, maybe a wedding, and break the event into "Categories"...
Place these Categorized Sub-Folders inside a main Event folder and upload your entire Event all at once. Our Upload Utility will re-size the images for you to the required sizes for the Gallery before uploading them to your event.
NOTE: Image rotation has to be performed prior to uploading your images. If you have a PC, use our Presentation gold software to organize your images and the Auto Rotation feature will handle the images rotation.
If you are using a MAC, you must be sure the images are truly rotated. Some of the MAC software applies the Auto Rotation for viewing purposes, but does not actually apply the rotation. Make a few test uploads and check the rotation.
We have many useful tools in Preview Gallery that will help you improve your sales. Look at the Package Making System that allows you to create prices for your packages, based on the number of poses ordered in the package.
Create discount/complimentary "Coupons" for your clients.
Review the EZ Photo ID Toolbox. this is a marvelous tool for displaying school images requiring individual ID and security.
How do my Clients View their images?
You have a few ways you can do this.
1. Send your clients directly to your Preview Gallery by giving them your address www.previewgallery.com/"yourgallery".
2. You can register an easy to remember custom web domain with us at PhotoDomains.net and then re-direct that domain to your Preview Gallery home page, or a specific event on your Gallery. Domain registrations are only $9.99 per year!
3. You can include a link to your Preview Gallery on your own website if you have one.
4. You can also give them a direct link to their event. When you create/upload a new event, a Link/Path is created. It will be available for you to copy, from the Manage/Upload Event screen. You simply click the button and an email will be created. Send the link to your client.
You will also have the option of creating a "Shut Off" date for your Event. You can re-activate the Event at any time. Shutting Off an Event does not remove it from your Gallery, it simply makes it not available for viewing unless you re-activate it. This can help "encourage" clients to make their order selections in a more timely manor.
Can I password Protect my Events?
You can "Hide" and event from display in the Event list that is visible on your Gallery. When you prepare your Event for display, you will have the option of "Hiding" the Event. Hiding an Event is our method is Password Protecting it.
How do I receive my orders from the web?
You will receive an email with your order enclosed. We have an automated order processing system that can prepare your work for production within our lab. You can use the EZ Print Order Toolbox in the Dashboard to manually create an order or if you use the "Express" option or if you are a PC user of the Presentation Gold software , it will create the orders automatically from the the information provide by the web customer and FTP it to us for processing. You will have to provide credit card information to keep on file in order for us to "drop-ship" directly to your customer. Contact us for more details about this service.
How do I collect Payments for my orders created on my Gallery?
You can have your clients contact you with their payments, or you can create a PayPal account and have them pay online. PayPal is the number one payment gateway for small businesses on the web. Their rates are excellent, your clients can pay with virtually any major credit card, and they DO NOT need to have their own PayPal account.
If you don't already have a PayPal account, you can create on in a few minutes. Visit www.paypal.com
PC Users
You can install our Pro Image Upload Utility and our Presentation Gold software. These programs will help you organize your events very quickly, then click a button and upload your event to your Gallery.
When your clients place orders on your Gallery, the Presentation Gold software retrieves the orders and finds the ordered images for you. All you have to do is your retouching, cropping and other enhancements, then click a button and your order is on its way to Uphoto.
If you need help on any of these procedures, check out the video tutorials available from the Dashboard "Support" Menu located in the "Help / Instructions" section. You can also drop by the lab for one-on-one help with your Gallery.
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