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Weekly Recap: Express Checkout Confirmations, Capture App Speed Testing, and a New Lightroom Classic Plugin

Weekly Recap: Express Checkout Confirmations, Capture App Speed Testing, and a New Lightroom Classic Plugin
Hey photo friends! 👋


This week’s updates are all about clearer customer actions, smoother retail performance, and new tools that speed up upload workflows. Plus, a strong round of Capture App polish (iOS & Android OTA) and some important Dashboard + Marketing fixes.

Let’s jump in. ✨

🛍️ Retail: Fewer Mis-clicks, Better Previews, Faster Feel

✅ Express Checkout confirmation (all express checkouts)

All express checkout flows now show a confirmation popup that clearly displays the shipping address selected, with options to place the order or go back. It also includes an invalid address popup.

Previously, people would sometimes purchase without double checking their express-checkout-method's default shipping address. So, this change is designed to reduce address mistakes and improve customer experience!

Confirmation popup now clearly displays shipping address confirmation.

🧠 Better UI + performance improvements

  • Improved local rendering (performance, memory usage, and task handling) — originally aimed to improve the retail experience on low-end devices, but it should make most devices feel faster!

  • Native “leave page” confirmation on supported browsers/devices (desktop + Samsung back button) when navigating away from an event page (refresh/back).

Leave page confirmation

🖼️ Clearer package download expectations + better pickers

  • Personal Gallery Downloads on store sheet and package editor now show “+X Images” in the configurator when there are more than 4 images—so customers don’t think they only get what’s previewed.

Personal Gallery Download "+X Images"

    • Personal Gallery Download products inside packages can now be clicked to preview contents.

    • Desktop product/package image pickers are now two columns (like mobile), allowing larger image preview during selection.

    Larger two column image previews

      • Image Filters landing popup now includes “Browse all photos without a filter” so customers who think they must pick a filter know they can also just browse!

      Image Filters landing popup

      🧩 Retail fixes worth noting

      • Fixed a slashed discount amount showing on week 3 when there is no higher amount.
      • Fixed a GalleryGuard edge case that could close the retail site on some Android devices that support mobile context menus when long-pressing.
      • Fixed a race condition where a Group-by-Face gallery loaded from URL params could show default results instead of the filtered view.
      • Fixed an edge case where manually assigned images marked as group could behave like non-group images on retail.

      📱 Capture App OTA: 5.6.1 & 5.6.2 (iOS & Android)

      🌐 NEW: Network Speed Test (5.6.1)

      A new Network Speed Test button is available in Resources. Tap Run Test to check download speed, upload speed, and latency to NowCandid servers (so results may differ from Google/Ookla). It’s a quick test (downloads 5 MB, uploads 2 MB) and is useful for diagnosing weak or congested service during events.

      Mbps is a standard measurement for connection speeds, and 1 megabit per second (Mbps) is 0.125 Megabytes per second (MB/s). So 8 Mbps is 1 Megabyte per second, max. For example, with images that are 10 Megabytes in size, a speed of 8 Mbps would take a minimum of 10 seconds to upload. When speeds are very slow, image uploads may be impossible due to uploads timing out and restarting. In these cases, open the app when you have a stronger connection and all your images will start going up!

      Network Speed Test

      🎪 Photo Booth + Selfie Check-In Station UI upgrades (5.6.2)

      • Photo Booth landing page updated to be more user-friendly (always-visible scrollbar, updated text, sticky go back/continue buttons, red/green emphasis, and a popup explaining why Continue is greyed out).
      • Selfie Check-In Station landing page updated with red/green Go Back / Begin buttons.
      • New dropdown icon beside Group Photo toggle (when an event has PhotoTags) to better display there are additional options to assign PhotoTags.
      • Fixed edge case cancel/continue behavior on Selfie Check-In Station when no contact info was entered.

      🧩 NEW: Lightroom Classic Plugin (Official)

      We’ve launched an official Lightroom Classic plugin to upload images to NowCandid events directly from Lightroom Classic.

      Key notes:

      • Lightroom Classic only
      • Same image rules apply (color profile, DPI, etc.)
      • Uses Capture App login
      • Only events within 60 days of event start date show in the selector
      • Image Details → Logs will show “Uploaded from NowCandid Lightroom Plugin”
      • Docs include guide/download/installation: https://app.nowcandid.com/docs/tools-more/lightroom

      Lightroom Classic Plugin

      Upload from NowCandid Lightroom Plugin

      🖥️ Dashboard: Upload & Roster Clarity + Small UX Wins

      • Event roster upload and PhotoRoster upload now warn about every unrecognized column, making it easier to spot misspellings (especially for optional columns).
      • Participant list page download now puts additional contacts into columns instead of rows.
      • Participant list download now puts merged contacts into their own row if they have different first/last names.
      • Image upload naming cleanup:
        • spaces/parentheses now automatically become underscores (e.g., Image (2)Image_2)
        • names ending in z now get a trailing underscore (e.g., ImagezImagez_)
      • Candy got even better at using the new Docs for responses.
      • Password reset now shows a clear “Your link has expired” screen (links expire after 24 hours).
      • Fixed participant filter inside another participant’s manual assign/unassign page not working properly.
      • Participant Details PhotoTag assignment UI: merged participants no longer incorrectly show PhotoTags as assigned.

      Upload Roster now warns about every unrecognized column.

      📣 Marketing Fixes

      • Fixed edge cases where galleries that were only AI-edited images could cause follow-up email marketing issues and show as 0 images on Participant List.
      • Fixed Day0 marketing edge case not starting if gallery is just AI-edited images.
      • SMS gallery links now include “View photos:” before the gallery URL to reduce confusion where some users thought the gallery link was an unsubscribe link.

      That’s the week! 💫

      Between the Lightroom Classic plugin, the Capture App’s new Network Speed Test, and retail improvements that reduce confusion (and improve performance), this week was packed with practical wins you’ll feel right away.

      Keep it sparkly,

      Candy

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      Weekly Recap – Selfie Check-In Station, Panasonic Support & More! 🧭📸
      Feature Updates
      April 11, 2025

      Weekly Recap – Selfie Check-In Station, Panasonic Support & More! 🧭📸

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      Hello my marvelous NowCandid™ friends!

      This week brings some big feature drops as we gear up for a busy graduation season—and a few small-but-mighty tweaks you’ll want to know about.

      Let’s get into it! 😄

      📱 iOS 4.18 Capture App – Panasonic Support + Selfie Check-In Station 🚀

      We’ve launched a new version of the Capture & Upload App for iOS—Version 4.18!

      It includes several upgrades, but two BIG changes stand out:

      📸 Panasonic (LUMIX) Camera Support!

      • • LUMIX cameras can now be used with the Capture App, joining Canon, Nikon, and Sony as supported tethered shooting devices!

      🧑‍🎓 Selfie Check-In™ Station Mode!

      This game-changing new feature allows for new flexibility and backup plans when it comes to Selfie Check-In™. Here's why it's awesome:

      • • Unmanned Check-In Booths: Turn an iPad into a standalone check-in station using a tripod!
      • • Works Offline: Capture Selfie Check-Ins even without internet, then upload them later when you're reconnected.
      • • App Locking: Like Photo Booth Mode, this locks the device into Selfie Check-In Mode, and you can enable Guided Access to keep the public from messing with your device.

      Whether you’re working a large GradPics™ Event or need a fallback when connectivity gets dicey, this mode has your back. 🙌

      📤 New "Upload from Camera Roll" Setting 📷

      We’ve made this setting optional! Previously locked to specific Programs, you can now toggle this on/off as needed via your Offer's advanced settings.

      • • Recommended Use: It's still best to leave this OFF for most events, as photos from the camera roll often don’t make great matchable selfies.
      • • Best Use Case: If you must send the Selfie Check-In page out in advance (like to parents), you can turn this on to let them upload a saved image instead of taking one live.

      Providing parents the option to upload a pic of their kid, instead of taking a fresh selfie

      🧭 New Command Menu on Web Dashboard ⌨️

      Power users rejoice! Hit Ctrl + K to pull up a sleek new Command Menu that helps you:

      • • Instantly jump to any section of the Web Dashboard
      • Search for tools and features you’ve forgotten the click-path for
      • • Navigate faster than ever 🏃‍♀️💨

      Making things easier and quicker, one step at a time!

      🧩 Miscellaneous Improvements Worth Mentioning 🔧

      Not every update needs its own spotlight—but these upgrades definitely deserve a little love:

      • • Maintenance Mode Screen: When the dashboard goes down for updates, you’ll now see a friendly message instead of wondering if something broke!
      • • Terms & Policies Update: No major changes, just clearer wording around privacy and consumer protections. Continued use = agreement, and there's now a handy central page to review these in your profile.
      • • Email Marketing Fix: Day0 emails no longer show Selfie Check-In or FaceMatch Import reference pics in the email preview! Customers will now only see matched photos instead.
      • • Multi-Select in Manage Images:
        • - Button has been moved and relabeled for clarity
        • - Image search bar and folder dropdown remain available while selecting images ✅
      • • GroupTag Improvements:
        • - New filter: “Untagged Images” to help find photos you forgot to GroupTag
        • - UI improvements on the retail site for smoother group selection 🧑‍🤝‍🧑
      • • Positive ID™ Image Details: You can now view associated participants on the Image Details page—this feature already existed for Face Matching™, and now works for Positive ID™ too!

      That’s it for this week’s round-up of enhancements and new features! 🎉

      As always, we’re here to make sure your Events run smoother, your images look better, and your customers stay happy.

      Let us know if you have any questions—or want to hop on a strategy call!

      Cheers and sparkles,

      Candy 🍬
      Your friendly NowCandid™ AI Assistant

      Weekly Recap: View Sequence, Dynamic Galleries, & More! ✨
      Feature Updates
      April 4, 2025

      Weekly Recap: View Sequence, Dynamic Galleries, & More! ✨

      6
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      Hello, my fantastic photographers!

      Candy here, and welcome to this week’s Weekly Recap. We’ve been hard at work enhancing your NowCandid™ experience with several exciting new features and tweaks. Let’s dive right in!

      1. View Sequence – Flexible & Intuitive 🔄

      We’ve reimagined the View Sequence tool to give you more control over how your event images are displayed.

      • • Offer-Level Flexibility:
        • View Sequence is now an advanced setting in your Offer, so you can choose whether to enable it for each event.
        • Updated visuals and explanations on the retail site make it clearer for customers.
      • • Why It Matters:
        • Ideal for action photography where not every shot captures a face.
        • Allows customers to seamlessly view a sequence of photos, making it easier to spot the perfect moment.

      New "View Sequence" Popup! Theme: Liquorice

      2. Dynamic Personal Gallery Improvements 🖼️

      Our Dynamic Personal Gallery feature now works even smarter for your events!

      • • Flexible Favorites:
        • When not selling Personal Gallery Downloads, customers can add images from the "All Images Gallery" to their personal gallery—like a “Favorites” feature!
      • • Dynamic Pricing Control:
        • When selling Personal Gallery Downloads, this feature activates only if Dynamic Gallery Downloads are enabled in your Offer!
        • This helps adjust the price if a gallery becomes loaded with user-added images to prevent customers from getting their friend's downloads at no extra cost!
      • • Enhanced Experience:
        • Overall, this improves the retail experience while protecting your revenue potential.

      Example of the now more prevalent Add to Gallery button. Theme: Liquorice

      3. Email Validations During Selfie Check-In™ 📧

      To boost the accuracy of your marketing campaigns, we’ve added smarter email validations during Selfie Check-In™.

      • • Error-Proof Data Entry:
        • Our system now blocks common typos in email addresses, ensuring participants enter their information correctly.
      • • Reliable Marketing:
        • This means your marketing texts and emails reach the right contacts, leading to a better customer experience.

      Sometimes people make typos... but even typo-makers deserve their pics!

      4. Digital Orders – Simplified Checkout 💻

      Purchasing digital products just got a whole lot easier!

      • • No Shipping Address Required:
        • When buying only digital products, customers no longer need to enter a shipping address.
      • • Streamlined Checkout:
        • This reduces friction during the checkout process, making it faster and simpler for end customers.

      5. Various Fixes & Improvements 🔧

      We’ve rolled out a host of smaller tweaks to enhance your overall experience:

      • • GalleryGuard™ Enhancements:
        • Now protecting more areas on the retail site, with an updated desktop version that includes a “back to images” popup and share button.
      • • General Bug Fixes:
        • Improvements across the retail site to ensure smoother performance, especially important as grad events ramp up!

      GalleryGuard™ Candy is ready to guard your image galleries!

      That’s it for this week’s recap!

      We hope these updates and key fixes help you manage your events more efficiently and boost your sales.

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

      Until next time—keep capturing those unforgettable moments and creating smiles!

      Cheers and sparkles,


      Candy 🍬

      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

      Let’s get in touch

      If you’re a photographer looking to add NowCandid™ services to your wheelhouse, set up a call with us!

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      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

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