HomeNavigation arrowBlogNavigation arrow
Current page
Feature Updates

Teaser: NowCandid's Game-Changing Updates for Photographers!

Teaser: NowCandid's Game-Changing Updates for Photographers!
At NowCandid, we understand that the success of our platform hinges on the success of our photographers.

Over the past year, we have invested significant time, energy and resources into revamping our system, tailoring our software and interfaces to meet the specific wants and needs of photographers. Our commitment is to create solutions that are built around the photographer, for the photographer. Here’s a look at the powerful new features and functionalities coming to NowCandid:

New Updates to Boost Your Business

1. Custom Offers

Until now, NowCandid users could only use our premade Offers, which have been very successful - but the limited options have sometimes been restrictive in certain situations.

Now, we are excited to introduce the ability for photographers to create their own custom Offers.

This means you can now set your own prices, choose your own product lineup, set your shipping costs, and create your own packages.

You can even choose from a variety of color schemes, including animated holiday themes, that will change the color palette of the new retail site, Selfie Check-In site, and Scan Card Check-In site.

Speaking of, the Selfie Check-In site has been overhauled as well! And now will only allow the subject to take a selfie if there is only one face visible in their camera view.

If you're not sure where to start when building your first offer, instead of building from scratch you can use our recommended premade Offers as templates to get started.

Also, we have revamped our text & email marketing system for Custom Offer Events! Text marketing is now a bit trendier, and includes emojis to improve click rates, and gallery links for QuicPics will now be delivered from the same phone number as their QuicPics image files. Plus, if a new image is added to a subject's gallery after they make a purchase, they will now receive a text or email notification that new images have been added since their last visit.

These new features aim to break down significant obstacles NowCandid photographers have faced, and allow for greater flexibility and customization.

2. Simplified Retail Site with new Features

When you create a new Event using one of your Custom Offers, it will utilize an all-new, simplified, retail site! The new site has a very clean and simple look, and comes with a variety of cool features:

  • Cart-Wide Retouching: End customers can order retouching for all items in their cart for one flat price. This incentivizes larger orders, and allows photographers to focus on speedy delivery by skipping pre-upload retouching.
  • Third-Party Sign-In: Customers can sign in using Google, Apple, Facebook, or X/Twitter accounts. This provides access to an Event History of all personal galleries they’ve accessed, and an Order History complete with order statuses.
  • Product Page Rendering: When viewing the product page, most products will render with the customer's selected image, right there in the product gallery!
  • More Product Customization: Customers can choose from multiple product styles, and change an art style's primary & accent colors before adding the product to their cart.
  • AI Background Generation Tools: For images with backgrounds removed, customers can use text prompts to generate unique AI backgrounds tailored to their specifications, or choose from a variety of popular defaults.
  • Live Face Match Groups: Similar to our popular Group-by-Face feature, this allows faces in a Face Matching Event's gallery to be clicked to view other images in the Event with a matching face. However, this runs live during an Event (not just by triggering it afterwards) on all Tapped or Checked-In faces within the Event.
  • Retail Header Tweaks: Now includes the Event Name first and foremost, followed by your Business Name! Retail Support contact info will be featured frequently throughout the remainder of the sales process.
  • More Private Galleries: Personal Gallery links now require both an Event Name and a corresponding randomized sequence unique to that participant. Making each gallery more private than ever before.

3. App Version 4.0

Our upcoming app version 4.0 for iOS and Windows is a complete overhaul of version 3.22, including:

  • Improved UI: A refreshed user interface for a smoother experience.
  • Dark Mode: A new Dark Theme for the app's UI that also optimizes battery saving on OLED iOS devices.
  • Pre-Highlighted Faces: Enhanced Face Matching with pre-highlighted faces ensures subjects never miss their face when tapping.
  • Significant Performance Improvements: Reduced bugs, lag, and improved battery life.

4. Event Management Improvements

When managing your new Custom Offer Events (different from traditional NowCandid Events) you'll have access to new Event Management tools and information.

  • Manage Participants: A new Manage Participants interface so you can access your subjects' personal gallery URL.
  • Marketing Tracking: Number of marketing pieces sent out (counting both texts & emails sent).
  • Recent Orders: A new "recent orders" window.
  • Sales Chart: A new sales chart tracking sales over the first 30 days from your Event's start date.
  • Image Uploader: An all-new image-upload tool with a variety of improvements.

Why NowCandid?

NowCandid is designed to be incredibly simple to use, with no subscription fees, startup fees, or license fees. We only make money when you do.

Our platform is built to help you scale your business and brand by being completely white-label, handling customer support for your retail customers, and replacing orders damaged in shipping—all for free.

This means there's more time for you to focus on booking and shooting, while we handle the rest.

Ready to take your photography business to the next level? Embrace NowCandid’s new features and watch your business thrive!

Related articles

GradPics™ Best Practices Guide 🎓
Feature Updates
April 2, 2025

GradPics™ Best Practices Guide 🎓

5
 minutes read
🎓 GradPics™ Best Practices Guide 🎓

Hey there, photographers!

Candy here, and Graduation season is right around the corner, and we're here to help you nail it with GradPics™!

Follow this handy guide filled with proven tips, tricks, and best practices to maximize your success and make your ceremony shoots smooth and profitable!

📸 Why GradPics™?

Before diving in, if you're curious about why GradPics™ is your best bet, check out this informative post. Here's the quick rundown:

  • Fast and easy Selfie Check-In™ collects accurate contact info.
  • Real-time photo uploads (or post-ceremony)—your choice!
  • Instant personalized gallery marketing and effective consent for Face Matching™.
  • FREE background removal for portrait stations.
  • No subscription fees or hefty e-commerce charges.

Simply put: It's easy, effective, and boosts your sales!

🤳 Mastering Selfie Check-In™

Selfie Check-In™ is essential to marketing your photos effectively. Follow these critical tips:

  • • Avoid sending pre-event Selfie Check-In links. It can cause day-of confusion and reduces day-of participation, making it harder to get 90%+ participation.
  • • Collect check-ins on the ceremony day at the venue’s holding area. Grads should show you the "confetti screen" to confirm completion.
  • • Print your QR code clearly on a reusable sign. Need signs? We've got you covered here!
  • • Always test your QR codes to confirm they're linked to the correct event.

Why it matters:
  • Collects accurate, updated contact info (personal and family).
  • Far superior to school-provided rosters featuring old contact info, no cell numbers, and edus.
  • Enables personalized gallery marketing, dramatically improving sales.

📢 Effective Communication with Schools

Collaborate proactively with school staff—graduation speakers, event coordinators, and volunteers—to ensure successful Selfie Check-In™ participation:

  • • Clearly explain the benefits—they want smooth photo distribution almost as much as you do!
  • • Offer schools the collected alumni data to assist their future marketing and fundraising efforts.
  • • Ask schools to remind grads and parents about Selfie Check-In™ ahead of the ceremony.

🚀 Be Proactive, Not Passive

Relying on signs alone isn't enough! Take these additional steps:

  • • Hire staff or allocate your photography team to encourage grads to check in.
  • • Consider asking schools or parent associations for volunteer help.
  • • Send engaging videos, graphics, or flyers ahead of time (without the actual Selfie Check-In™ link) to prepare grads and parents about what to expect.
  • • Prepare your customers for day-of Selfie Check-In™ to achieve 90%+ participation.

🌟 Photography Essentials

Great photography drives sales! Here’s how you maximize photo opportunities with GradPics™:

  • • Capture a variety of shots: buddy shots, processionals, pre-stage portraits, handshake moments, post-stage portraits, friends & family shots.
  • • Coordinate with the handshake presenter: request grads and handshakers turn towards your camera for the perfect shot.
  • • Tap-a-Face feature: Use NowCandid’s™ capture app to market family group shots directly.

📡 Always Have a Backup Plan

Internet issues happen. Here's how you keep rolling smoothly:

  • • Provide physical Selfie Check-In™ cards.
  • • Inform grads they can complete Selfie Check-In™ after the ceremony online.
  • • Leverage offline-compatible devices (Capture App and upcoming Selfie Check-In Station™ can both collect info offline).
  • • Work with schools to post Selfie Check-In™ links post-event if needed (available 30+ days).
  • • Enable Group-by-Face™ to simplify navigation within "All Images" galleries.

💲 Pricing Right for Maximum Revenue

Pricing too high can limit your sales. Remember:
  • • Avoid the temptation of setting premium prices for all of your graduations.
  • • Appropriate premium pricing is suitable only for certain graduations (law or medical schools).
  • • Lower prices can significantly boost your overall sales volume.

Real Example:

Now to be fair, this event was not a graduation - but he point still stands!

A recent customer lowered digital download prices from $26 to $20, resulting in:

  • • More orders overall
  • • 20% increase in total revenue
  • • Happier clients and long-term marketing benefits & residual sales

🗓️ Need Extra Help?

We’re here to support your success. Schedule a chat about graduation season and GradPics™ at Calendly.

Happy shooting! 📷✨

Cheers and sparkles,

Candy

Weekly Recap: Collage Printing, Digital Collages & More! ✨
Feature Updates
March 28, 2025

Weekly Recap: Collage Printing, Digital Collages & More! ✨

5
 minutes read
Hello, my fabulous photographers!

Candy here, and welcome to this week’s Weekly Recap.

We’ve got some fantastic updates in the latest version of the NowCandid™ iOS Capture App and more—so grab your coffee and let’s dive in!

Also, click here to check out GalleryGuard™, our newest image protection technology.

1. iOS Capture App Version 4.17 Updates 🍏

Collage Printing


We’re excited to announce a new way to showcase your photos—collage printing is now live!

  • • AirPrint Integration:
    Connect Photo Booth Mode to AirPrint printers to print 4x6 collages directly.
  • • Real-Time Customization:
    Subjects can view the collage as they customize each individual image.
  • • Flexible Copy Options:
    Print anywhere from 0 to 4 copies at the end of each session.
  • • Custom Collage Art:
    Photographers can upload their own Photo Booth Collage Art from the Event Management page (look for the button near LiveLoop™).

Smaller Capture App Tweaks

  • • Auto-Delete on Reshoot:
    Unused Photo Booth Mode images are automatically deleted when you hit “Reshoot.”
  • • Enhanced Print Option:
    A new print option now appears in the capture app's image gallery as well!
  • • UI Refinements:
    • ◦ The screen no longer dims when starting or closing the session.
    • ◦ Camera and orientation settings are now combined on the Photo Booth Mode landing page for easier use.

2. Digital Collages 💻

Digital Collages bring more creative flexibility, even without a physical printer!

  • • Integrated Delivery:
    In QuicPics™, digital collages are delivered just like all other images.
  • • Product Options:
    Available only as downloads and 4x6 prints on the retail site.
  • • Simplified Design:
    Crop and overlay art options are disabled to avoid customer mistakes.
  • • LiveLoop™ Compatibility:
    Digital Collages integrate seamlessly with LiveLoop™, showing no overlay art, since they already have art!

Vertical Image Orienttion Collage Example

3. Miscellaneous Improvements 🔧

A few extra tweaks to make your experience even better:

  • • Enhanced NSFW Filters:
    Our AI background generator on the retail site now features smarter, stronger NSFW filters.
  • • Stricter (Youth) Face Matching:
    Face Matching™ for younger subjects when using the "Strict (Youth)" option is now more precise.
  • • Spreadsheet Upgrade:
    The participant download spreadsheet now includes a column for each participant's personal gallery image count.

That’s this week’s roundup of updates, folks!

We hope these enhancements—from collage printing to digital collages and improved reporting—make your NowCandid™ workflow smoother and more fun.

As always, we’d love to hear your feedback!

Cheers and sparkles,


Candy 🍬

Big News: Introducing GalleryGuard™ – The Ultimate Image Protection! 🔒✨
Feature Updates
March 28, 2025

Big News: Introducing GalleryGuard™ – The Ultimate Image Protection! 🔒✨

5
 minutes read
Hello, my fabulous photographers!

Candy here, and I'm thrilled to share some BIG news that’ll give you peace of mind when it comes to protecting your digital art.

For as long as ViewFirst™ photo systems have existed, safeguarding your images has been a constant challenge.

While offering a digital preview is a fantastic business model, there's always that worry about unauthorized screenshots and image theft.

The Image Protection Challenge 🛡️

  • • The Dilemma:
    Digital images are easy to view and share, but that also makes them vulnerable to being stolen—whether through clever workarounds or even just customers posting watermark-covered screenshots on socials.
  • • Industry Solutions:
    Some platforms hide faces behind logos or use messy, multi-colored watermarks to confuse AI, but these methods can compromise the aesthetic and customer experience.
  • • NowCandid™ Approach:
    Until now, we've relied on Scrolling Copyrighting—a good balance between visual appeal, customer satisfaction, and protection. However, with AI watermark removal making headlines, we wanted to step up our game.

Introducing GalleryGuard™ 👨‍🍳

Our digital chefs have been busy in the NowCandid™ kitchen, and their latest creation is nothing short of a Michelin Star-worthy innovation:

  • • iOS Protection:
    On iOS device browsers, GalleryGuard™ ensures that any attempted screenshots of our Image Galleries or Previews will result in a completely black screen. Let's see AI pull an image out of that!
  • • Desktop Defense:
    On desktop browsers, GalleryGuard™ applies an intense blur effect to the retail site when a screenshot is attempted, keeping your images safe without compromising overall aesthetics.
  • • Seamless Integration:
    The technology is live on most NowCandid™ retail pages and will continue to evolve, offering you superior digital image protection.

Sample gallery on Chrome on an iPhone 16 Plus

Sample gallery on Chrome on a Windows PC

What Does This Mean for You? 🎉

  • • Less Image Theft:
    Your valuable digital art stays secure from unauthorized screenshots and AI watermark removal.
  • • More Peace of Mind:
    Enjoy the confidence that your creative work is protected by industry-leading technology.
  • • Quick Note:
    While GalleryGuard™ currently supports only iOS & desktop experiences, we may expand its capabilities in the future!

That’s the scoop on GalleryGuard™—a breakthrough step in defending your digital art.

Thanks for being an essential part of the NowCandid™ community.!

As always, if you have any questions or feedback, drop us a line.

Cheers and sparkles,


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.

  • List One
  • List Two
  • List Three
  • List Four
  • List Five

This is a link

This is bold text