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Candy's September Recap: New Features from Last Month!📸🎉

Candy's September Recap: New Features from Last Month!📸🎉
Hello, wonderful photographers!

Candy here, bringing you the first edition of our Recap series! 🌟

This blog post will cover alllllll of September's new features and changes worth mentioning! But going forward, we will be doing Weekly Recaps to keep you in the loop even faster.

We've been busy bees these past few weeks, and I can't wait to share all the fantastic new features and improvements we've made to help you shine even brighter. ✨

Psst... since this is our inaugural recap, we're covering updates from all of September, so grab a comfy seat—it's a bit longer than usual! Going forward, these recaps will be weekly and shorter, but just as sweet. 😉

1. Manual Gallery Assignment & Participant Creation 🛠️

We're thrilled to announce that manual gallery assignment and participant creation are now live! This means you can:

  • ○ Assign images to someone's personal gallery manually—perfect for those shots where the subject wasn't facing the camera, and face recognition didn't pick them up.
  • ○ Create participants manually, either one at a time or by uploading a spreadsheet.
  • ○ Instantly trigger marketing campaigns to individuals when you assign images to them, ensuring they receive their photos promptly.

We believe this will greatly enhance your workflow and support needs. Let us know how it helps you during your next event!

2. Tweaks to the Retail Site for a Smoother Experience 🛍️

We've made several improvements to our retail site to enhance the shopping experience for your clients:

  • ○ "Tap image to get started" text now shimmers on the initial gallery screen to guide users who aren't sure what to do next.
  • ○ Package creation improvements make it more intuitive for customers to customize their packages and select photos.
  • ○ Product renders in the cart: The view cart screen now displays product images next to every item, including items within multi-item packages, for increased clarity.
  • ○ Updated header and footer: Clear guidance on when to contact our retail support or reach out to you, the photographer, for assistance.

These tweaks aim to make the purchasing process as seamless and enjoyable as possible for your clients!

Theme: Liquorice - Watermarking: Default

3. Default Price Levels Are Back! 💰

Great news! The Default Price Levels from our previous NowCandid system are back and better than ever.

While you can still create custom offers, these ready-made Price Levels are optimized to help you maximize sales in various situations.

  • ○ Optimized for success: Designed to boost your sales potential.
  • ○ Versatile options: Suitable for a wide range of events and client needs.
  • ○ Easy to access: Gives you good Offer options in a pinch or when entering a new market.

For a detailed breakdown, click here.

4. New Image Notifications for Previous Purchasers 🛎️

We've improved our marketing system to better serve your clients and help keep those sales up:

  • ○ If someone purchases on Day 1 and is photographed again on Day 2, they will now receive a notification about the new images added to their gallery.
  • ○ Enhances customer engagement: Keeps clients informed and encourages additional purchases.
  • ○ Prevents missed opportunities: Even early buyers stay in the loop for new content.

This ensures your clients never miss out on their special moments!

5. Google Pay Added to Express Checkout Options 💳

We're excited to introduce Google Pay as a new express checkout option!

Our available payment methods now include:

  • ○ Traditional credit/debit card checkout
  • ○ Apple Pay
  • ○ Google Pay
  • ○ PayPal (and PayPal Pay Later)
  • ○ Venmo

And guess what? We have one more express checkout option coming soon! Stay tuned. 📢

Theme: Liquorice - Watermarking: Default

6. Capture App Version 4.4 for iOS & Windows 📱💻

The latest Capture App Version 4.4 is now available for both iOS and Windows, featuring:

  • ○ Keyboard support for Windows: Windows laptop users can now input phone numbers using the keyboard when using the Tap-A-Face Workflow.
  • ○ Performance improvements: Smoother and faster app experience.
  • ○ sRGB color checking: The app now ensures images are in sRGB format, preventing issues caused by Adobe RGB images.
  • ○ Event Selfie Check-In QR code display: Access the QR code directly from your device when needed.

Upgrade now to enjoy these enhancements!

7. Enhanced Folders Report 📊

Our Folders Report (which you can find using the Graph button on an Event's Management Page) just got more powerful:

  • ○ Sortable columns: Organize by images, participants, sales, and more.
  • ○ Real-time insights: Works live during events, allowing you to identify your best-performing photographers, mid-event.
  • ○ Actionable data: Mid-event reporting helps you provide immediate feedback to your team to boost performance.
  • ○ Download button: This report is now downloadable via the green button in the screenshot below as well!

Optimize your event management like never before!

8. Bulk Visibility Control for Image Folders 📁

We've added a handy button in the Manage Images page, when you have a folder selected:

  • ○ Mark entire folders as visible or invisible with one click.
  • ○ Use cases: Quickly hide a batch of images that need reworking, such as a blurry set.
  • ○ Saves time: Streamlines the process of managing large numbers of images.

Sometimes, mistakes happen! Now you can use this button to quickly hide images in bulk as you work to correct issues.

9. Customize "All Event Images" Gallery Settings 🖼️

You now have more control over the All Event Images gallery:

  • ○ Override default settings at the Offer level.
  • ○ Options:
    • Turn off the All Event Images gallery for Face Matching Events.
    • Turn on the All Event Images gallery for Positive ID Events.
  • ○ Recommendation: We suggest sticking with the defaults, but if you'd like to explore the pros and cons, click here to schedule a chat with us!

Tailor the gallery experience to suit any event's needs!

10. Simplified Selfie Check-In 📲

We've made the Selfie Check-In process even more user-friendly:

  • ○ Only requires a cell number OR email address.
  • ○ Encourages participation: Even though neither field says "optional," most people still provide both.
  • ○ Addresses Fringe Issues: Every now and then, someone doesn't have (or refuses to provide) a cell or email address. This change will account for those individuals!

Enhances guest engagement and reduces fringe support issues, with no changes on your part!

Theme: Liquorice

11. New Unsubscribe Keyword: "NOPE"! 🚫

We've introduced a new, fun way for clients to manage their marketing preferences:

  • "NOPE": Clients can reply with this word to opt out of marketing for a specific event.
  • Future communications: They will still receive messages for future events unless they opt out again.
  • Accidental "STOP" replies: If someone replies "STOP" though, they'll need to send "START" to our marketing number to resume receiving texts.

This gives your clients more control while still keeping communication lines open for future events.

12. Seasonal Retail Themes: Apple Crumble & Candy Corn 🍂🎃

Get into the festive spirit with our new retail site themes:

  • Apple Crumble:
    • Autumn colors: Warm and inviting hues.
    • Falling leaves: Adorable "leaves falling" animation upon gallery arrival, check-in completion, and after checkout.
  • Candy Corn:
    • Halloween vibes: Shades of black and bright orange.
    • Candy corn confetti: Fun "candy corn toss" animation to celebrate the spooky season upon gallery arrival, check-in completion, and after checkout.
    • Haunted Retail Site: A few ghosts frequently fly across your customer's screens as they shop!

Delight your clients with these charming themes!

Note: the Leaves & Candy Corn only fall across the screen upon gallery arrival, check-in completion, and after checkout - these GIFs are simply showing it in a loop :)

Theme: Apple Crumble - Watermarking: Off

Theme: Candy Corn - Watermarking: Off

We hope these updates make your experience with NowCandid even more enjoyable and efficient.

Your success is our top priority, and we're always here to support you. 💖

As always, if you have any questions or feedback, don't hesitate to reach out. We're all ears! 👂

Until next week, keep capturing those amazing moments!

Cheers and sparkles,

Candy 🍬

Related articles

Candy’s Weekly Recap: Photo Release Features, Merged Participant Clarity & More!
Feature Updates
January 10, 2025

Candy’s Weekly Recap: Photo Release Features, Merged Participant Clarity & More!

5
 minutes read
Hello, my fabulous photographer friends!

Candy here, ready to sprinkle some sparkle on your day with our latest Weekly Recap! We’ve been hard at work enhancing your NowCandid™ experience, and I’ve got all the juicy details right here.

Let’s dive in!

1. Photo Releases & The New Image Release Gallery

Collecting Releases

Before using the pictures you take of your subjects in things like portfolios, websites, flyers, samples, and more - the best practice is to get a record of consent from your subjects before using photos of them for such things!

So... we've made some additions to NowCandid that will expedite this process for everyone involved!

  • Enabled via Retail Site Settings: Head to your Account Profile, open the “Retail Site Settings,” and toggle whether to ask participants for a photo release when they complete Selfie Check-In™.
  • Future Expansion: We plan to someday add this consent request to other locations in our Workflows, such as Scanner ID™ Check-Ins or after retail site checkout, so stay tuned!

Found under "Retail Site Settings" in your account profile

The post-Selfie Check-In messaging

Image Release Gallery

Once you’ve enabled Photo Releases, we’ve made viewing those fully released images a snap with the new Image Release Gallery!

  • Fully Released Photos Only: This gallery shows images where every primary face in the picture has opted in for marketing use.
  • Opt-Out Procedures: If someone changes their mind, NowCandid™ support can remove their release, and those images will disappear from the gallery.
  • Easier Marketing & Inspiration: Enjoy a reliable stash of images for portfolios, websites, flyers, or sample products, all with peace of mind!

This major addition simplifies the entire release process and keeps your marketing efforts on the right side of consent!

Starting next week, this feature will be enabled by default for all NowCandid accounts! If you wish to disable it, that's up to you!

An example of some images with only released faces in the new Image Release Gallery

2. Improved Merged Participants Clarity

We have also improved the photographer's experience and clarity when it comes to Merged Participants!

  • Multiple Names, One Contact: When two or more participants share a phone number, they now visibly merge under one participant in the Participant Manager, with all names separated by commas.
  • Reduced Confusion: Parents with multiple kids at an event won’t be an enigma anymore. You’ll see each kid’s name instead of a single ambiguous participant.
  • Same Smooth Experience for Families: Consumers won’t notice much change, but you’ll breathe easier knowing your records more clearly show who’s who.

No more wondering why two kids keep “replacing” each other in the backend—our improved merging UI has your back!

Example of multiple merged participants wrapped into one participant

3. Group Photo Filter in Manage Images

  • Just Group Photos: We’ve added a toggle to the Manage Images page that shows only images flagged as “Group Photos.”
  • Sports & GroupTags™: Perfect for organizing big team shots or verifying no single-person images slipped in by accident.
  • Future Tweaks Coming: We’re cooking up more ways to polish Group Photo and GroupTags™ functionalities, so watch this space!

If you handle big groups (like sports teams or large gatherings), this quick filter simplifies your event workflow.

New toggle button to switch between showing All Images and just Group Photos

4. All Images Gallery Pagination

  • Page-by-Page Browsing: We replaced the endless scroll in the NowCandid™ retail site’s All Images Gallery with a paginated view—complete with arrows to move between pages.
  • Jump to Page: Customers can type or select a page number if they already know where to look.
  • Less Scrolling, More Finding: Makes returning to a specific photo (especially one not in a personal gallery) a breeze.

This update ensures customers spend less time hunting and more time admiring—or purchasing—the images they love.

New retail site page navigation tools

5. New Events List Filter

One last small addition to mention... we added a way to filter down your Events list!

This should make it easier than ever to browse through your upcoming Events as you plan and prepare for them.

New Events list filter options

That’s it for this week’s recap!

We hope these changes help you manage your events more smoothly, give you extra confidence in your marketing, and offer your customers a cleaner, faster photo-browsing experience.

As always, we love your feedback, so feel free to reach out with any questions or suggestions.

Thank you for being an essential part of the NowCandid™ community. Keep capturing those unforgettable moments and creating smiles! 📸✨

Cheers and sparkles,

Candy 🍬

Candy’s Weekly Recap: Overlay Artwork in the Product Gallery 🎨✨
Feature Updates
January 3, 2025

Candy’s Weekly Recap: Overlay Artwork in the Product Gallery 🎨✨

2
 minutes read
Hello again, my wonderful photographers!

Candy here, and welcome to another Weekly Recap. This time, we’ve got one exciting improvement to share—overlay artwork now appears by default on product previews in the product gallery!

Let’s take a closer look. 🌟

Overlays Rendered by Default in Product Gallery 🎉

We’ve introduced a fun change for anyone using Banner Overlays or Full Frame Overlays in their NowCandid Events:

  • Visible Overlay Art

    Items in the retail site’s product gallery will now display your Event’s overlay artwork right away. Customers can see exactly how their images look on each product, with that extra creative touch of your Event's Overlay Art.

Theme: Marshmallow - Watermarking: Heavy

Theme: Liquourice - Watermarking: None

  • Use Overlay by Default

    When customers go to customize or add a product to their cart, the “Use Overlay” option will already be selected. This makes it simpler to highlight your unique event designs or branding. But they can still view & order the product without the overlay art.
  • Easy Toggle in Settings

    If you prefer to keep products overlay-free by default, no worries! Head to the “Retail Site Settings” in your Profile and uncheck “Use Artwork By Default.” That way, product images will display without your Event overlay art unless customers choose otherwise.

Find this option in your Profile settings

Enabling Use Artwork By Default will feature your Event's Overlay Art on the renders in the product gallery page. Guests can choose to view and order products without the art, but "with overlay art" will be the default selection.

That’s all for this week’s short-and-sweet recap!

We hope this feature adds a little extra flair to your retail experience.

As always, let us know what you think or if you have any feedback.

Candy 🍬

Big News: Introducing Photo Booth Mode in iOS Capture & Upload App 4.13! 🎉
Feature Updates
December 30, 2024

Big News: Introducing Photo Booth Mode in iOS Capture & Upload App 4.13! 🎉

6
 minutes read
Hello, my wonderful photographers!

Candy here with exciting news for you on this festive Monday. We’re launching Capture & Upload App Version 4.13, and it comes with a massive new feature: Photo Booth Mode.

Let’s dive into what it is, how it works, and why we think you’ll love adding it to your events!

What Is Photo Booth Mode? 🤳

Photo Booth Mode is a brand-new option inside the Capture & Upload App (Version 4.13 on iPad). When you log in to your Event, you’ll see a shiny new “Photo Booth” button alongside the usual options.

Tap that button, and your iPad transforms into a fun, self-serve photo booth station, perfect for:

  • Weddings & Parties: Encourage guests to capture memorable group shots and instantly send them to their phones.
  • Sports & Corporate Events: Provide interactive experiences that keep people engaged and excited.
  • Holiday Gatherings: Add some festivity and help guests create themed keepsakes right on the spot.

Whether you tether a Nikon, Sony, or Canon camera or just use the iPad’s built-in camera, Photo Booth Mode gives you a convenient, autonomous way to let guests take pictures without any manual work from you (aside from set up and takedown of course).

How It Works ⚙️

  1. Tap to Begin Screen
    • Guests see a dimmed live view with “Tap to Begin.” Once tapped, the booth takes three pictures in quick succession, each with its own 3-second countdown.
  2. Real-Time Overlays
    • If your event has Bottom Banner Overlays or Full Frame Overlays, they appear in the live view. This lets guests see exactly where the art will sit, so no one’s face gets covered.
  3. On-Device Styling
    • Background Removal & Custom Backgrounds: If you’ve uploaded backgrounds for your event, they’ll be available for selection.
    • Filters: Guests can apply classic filters like Noir, Sepia, or Clarendon before sending off their images.
    • Reshoot: Not happy with a pose? Subjects can tap “Reshoot” and start over, easy-peasy.
  4. Instant Delivery
    • Both QuicPics or PartyPics Workflows deliver images in real time:
    • If it’s QuicPics, your subjects will get the image files directly via MMS, with Overlay Art applied, if your Event has any. They'll also receive a link to their personal gallery. Reminder, with QuicPics we charge a small fee per uploaded image.
    • It it's PartyPics or any of our other Programs, your subjects will only receive a link to their personal gallery. And there is no additional charge or fee.
    • When visiting their personal gallery, they can buy prints & downloads of these images with various product & customization options.
  5. Positive ID vs. Face Matching
    • Face Matching: Prompts appear to tap faces, then gather contact info for those individuals.
    • Positive ID: Participants just enter their info before sending images, no face-tapping required.

All images are uploaded to your NowCandid Event like normal, so no matter your usual Workflow, things will still function seamlessly!

Key Requirements & Limitations ⚠️

  • Camera Orientation
    • Nikon cameras support both horizontal and vertical orientation.
    • Sony and Canon are currently limited to horizontal orientation.
  • iPad-Only Launch
    • Photo Booth Mode works on iPad (and only in vertical orientation), not on iPhone or Windows at this time.
  • No Built-In Strip Printing
    • If you need to provide prints, set up a separate print station and use quic.pics/portal to download images with or without Event Overlay Art and print them on-the-spot!
  • Strong Internet Connection
    • Ensure your iPad has solid Wi-Fi or LTE, as the app needs to log into the event, download overlays/backgrounds, and upload images in real time.

Why You’ll Love Photo Booth Mode ❤️

  1. Interactive Fun

    Guests choose their own backgrounds, overlays, and filters, creating a memorable activity at any gathering.
  2. Seamless Feature Integration

    Images will show up in LiveLoop slideshows, appear alongside subject's other images in Personal Galleries, be managed using NowCandid's typical image and participant management tools, and more!
  3. Seamless Workflow Integration

    The images flow right into your existing event Workflows—Tap-A-Face, Selfie Check-In, Type & Take, and more—without any additional setup.
  4. Effortless Setup

    Whether you opt for a tethered DSLR or the iPad camera, it’s a simple tap away in Capture & Upload App 4.13.

Download Capture & Upload App 4.13 Today! 📱

With Version 4.13 now live for iPad (iOS only at the moment), you can start offering Photo Booth Mode at your next event.

We’ve tested it extensively, but with so many different devices and use cases out there, we encourage you to try it out ASAP.

If you spot any quirks, let us know, and we’ll work on improvements swiftly.

Thank you for joining us in this Big News blog post.

We can’t wait to hear your success stories with Photo Booth Mode!

Candy 🍬

Let’s get in touch

If you’re a photographer looking to add NowCandid services to your wheelhouse – set up a call by clicking the button below.

How to customize formatting for each rich text

How to customize formatting for each rich text

How to customize formatting for each rich text

How to customize formatting for each rich text

How to customize formatting for each rich text
How to customize formatting for each rich text

What’s a Rich Text element?

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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