The short answer is, it depends. How do you want to use it? Do you need to share your images with clients, or are you looking to sell prints of your work? Do you want access to other tools that can help you brand your photography business? Well, this review should help you decide if this popular tool is the right one for you.
The Shootproof Interface
<img class=“aligncenter wp-image-176179 size-full” src=“https://expertphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/photography-shootproof-review-interface.jpg" alt=“A screenshot of Shootproof website interface” width=”700″ height=”329″ /> When it comes to navigating any software program, you should look for ease of use. A simple but appealing interface that is easy to navigate. Shootproof definitely offers this. Navigating the site is pretty intuitive. And there are videos for almost every feature. The interface in Shootproof is so organized, so it’s easy to find what you need. The first menu tab is for the “Dashboard”. This provides you a record of your recent activities such as sales history or lab orders. You can also see notifications there, such as when a client has finished selecting their favourite images from their gallery. This is also where you go to create a new gallery. The second menu is a dropdown tab called “Studio”. It contains all global settings and many features. This include automatic emails or templates, contracts, and interface styling options. <img class=“aligncenter wp-image-176200 size-full” src=“https://expertphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/photography-shootproof-review-contracts.jpg" alt=“A screenshot of Shootproof website homepage – contracts” width=”731″ height=”288″ /> The next menu dropdown is “Photos”. It’s where you’ll find all the different possibilities to showcase your images to your clients. You can find all the information related to your sales in the second-to-last dropdown “Commerce”. The final tab is for “Reports”. You’ll find information on your gallery visitors, sales, orders, and invoice payments. The user interface is very clean, well-designed and efficient to use. There is also a free Shootproof Lightroom Plugin. This allows you to create galleries and album structures, and upload photos to Shootproof from Lightroom. The plugin will keep your work in sync. Edit or remove a file from a gallery in Lightroom and Publish the update to Shootproof. Reference here. <img class=“aligncenter wp-image-176210 size-full” src=“https://expertphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/photography-shootproof-review-gallery-1.jpg" alt=“A screenshot of Shootproof website gallery interface” width=”700″ height=”264″ />
Galleries
<img class=“aligncenter wp-image-176191 size-full” src=“https://expertphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/photograph-shootproof-review-gallery-cover.jpg" alt=“A screenshot of Shootproof website gallery interface” width=”700″ height=”361″ /> The main feature of Shootproof is the gallery proofing feature – hence the name. When you create a gallery, Shootproof gives you a lot of flexibility in how you lay it out. This is a missing feature from some of the other free gallery apps out there. When you click on the “Layout” tab in Gallery Settings, it will show you how your various pages will look on desktop or mobile. There are several choices for your Intro page to your gallery. <img class=“aligncenter wp-image-176194 size-full” src=“https://expertphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/photography-shootproof-gallery-layout.jpg" alt=“A screenshot of Shootproof website gallery interface” width=”593″ height=”700″ /> There are several other options to tweak your galleries and share them. You can password protect your galleries so they cannot be shared without a PIN. There is also a “Free Digitals” tab where clients can download the images. You can create a print release or watermark your photos. And you can limit the number of downloads per visitor. You can even show a “Download All” button. <img class=“aligncenter wp-image-176204 size-full” src=“https://expertphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/photography-shootproof-permissions.jpg" alt=“A screenshot of Shootproof website interface – create digital permission” width=”580″ height=”677″ /> One bonus feature is the ability to add music. This could be a nice touch for a longer gallery that takes more time to go through (such as wedding photography). Music can also add energy and emotion to the gallery viewing experience. Music can be tricky because of licensing and copyright issues. Shootproof integrates with Triple Scoop Music’s extensive catalog of songs. You have to pay $6 a month extra or more for this feature. It might be worth it for you, depending on the type of photography you shoot and how you want to present your images. You can buy a package for wedding photography, boudoir, etc. <img class=“aligncenter wp-image-176233 size-full” src=“https://expertphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/photography-shootproof-triple-scoop.jpg" alt=“A screenshot how to add music on the Shootproof website” width=”671″ height=”700″ />
Contracts and Invoicing
If you don’t already have a business management system in place, Shootproof could provide a simple solution. But if you’re a commercial photographer, then Shootproof may be a little too simple for your needs. You’ll need more extensive estimating software. Shootproof is best for retail photographers, like wedding and portrait photographers. It allows you to invoice and send contracts. If you already own a contract template, you can import it in ShootProof. Or you can buy one online. Contracts can be signed on a computer with the mouse, or on your phone. This is especially useful if you do in-person meetings. Or if you need a last-minute model or property release. You can also add a logo to your invoice, which gives a professional touch to your brand. <img class=“aligncenter wp-image-176222 size-full” src=“https://expertphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/photography-shootproof-invoicing.jpg" alt=“A screenshot how to create contracts and invoices on the Shootproof website” width=”700″ height=”392″ />
eCommerce
You can create price sheets, discounts and packages with Shootproof. There is also a self-fulfilment option if you don’t make your own prints. ShootProof works with a wide choice for the U.S.A. including BlackRiver, Miller’s, and ProDPI. There are also a couple of options for Canadian and Australian photographers. In Europe, Shootproof works with LoxleyLab. When using a partner lab, set your pricing and enable the print order on the gallery of your choice. Orders are manually approved, so they must be perfectly retouched to go to the lab. the lab. With orders made through Shootproof there aren’t any additional fees added that will cut into your profit.
Pricing
Shootproof offer multi-tiered pricing so you can choose and only pay for what works for you. The more images you will need to upload, the higher the price. The good news is that there are six different price levels. You can choose the one that will work with how heavily you shoot. You won’t have to pay more than you’ll need. There is even a free option that allows you to upload 100 images. This is great if you only need to send a few images out once in a while. The most inexpensive tier is $12 a month or $120 a year for 1500 images. The most expensive is $65 a month/$650 a year for unlimited photos. This could be a great choice for high volume shooters like wedding photographers.
Conclusion
One of the biggest factors when choosing Shootproof is the amount you actually shoot. If you’re a low volume shooter, it may not be the best option for you. Unless you want to sell prints or make use of the other features besides the gallery display such as the invoicing feature. The ease of use and the customer interface are the big benefits of Shootproof. This is a great program for retail photographers. But it may not be the best option for a commercial photography studio.
