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Weekly Recap: Faster Background Removal, Smarter Digital Downloads & New AI Editing Tools 📸✨

Weekly Recap: Faster Background Removal, Smarter Digital Downloads & New AI Editing Tools 📸✨
Hey photo friends! 👋

Last week, we were busy hosting our annual Summer Seminar in Denver, Colorado—and we had a great time with everyone who joined us!

That means this week’s recap includes two weeks of updates. Nothing too wild, but plenty of useful improvements across Retail, the Dashboard, Auto Editor, Capture App, and more while we continue working on some bigger changes behind the scenes.

Let’s catch up!

⚡ Faster Background Removal

✂️ Background Removal processing is faster

  • We made multiple speed improvements over the past two weeks to help cutouts finish sooner, especially during higher-volume periods.

📥 Smarter Digital Download Delivery

Digital Downloads can now skip unnecessary processing in more situations.

Some downloads are now available immediately

  • If a customer selects No Overlay, the Event has no artwork, and/the image is not a BGR image, the customer will skip the cropping step on the retail site and receive the full-resolution image without waiting for an 8×12 rendered version.

🖼️ Full aspect ratio is preserved

  • These downloads bypass the cropping step and work more like Personal Gallery Download products.

🆓 Also applies to Medium Res and Free Downloads

  • This includes cases where those downloads are automatically upgraded to full resolution.

📧 Clearer receipt messaging for custom renders

🧾 Order Details now identifies each download type

  • Digital Downloads can now show a Rendered Download or a Full Aspect Ratio Download badge, making it clearer which version was delivered to your customers.

🎨 Auto Editor & Candy Image Studio Updates

🧩 Auto Editor now supports image-input nodes

  • You can now use nodes such as:
    • Custom Image
    • Copy Style
    • Diploma Fix

🙈 Auto Edit originals won’t be texted too early

  • QuicPics and QuicPortraits will no longer send the original image by MMS when it belongs to an active Auto Edit with Hide Originals enabled. The system will wait for the edited version instead.

🕺 New Retro Pop node

  • Give images a colorful, retro-inspired treatment.

🂡 New Ace Card node

  • Turn subjects into a bold playing-card-style design.

💬 QuicPics & Marketing Improvements

👥 QuicPics can now send to multiple contacts on merged participants

  • If merged participant records contain different phone numbers or email addresses, regular QuicPics can now send to each unique contact.

✉️ Marketing startup fix for BGR cutouts

  • Fixed an edge case where marketing would not begin if the only visible images were cutouts from the newer Background Removal system.

🔗 Hot Links now better respect Hide Originals

  • Fixed an issue where the preview could temporarily show the original image before an Auto Edit finished generating.

📱 Capture App Updates

Capture App 5.8.1

iOS and Android OTA updates

🎨 Updated Event artwork is refreshed at login

  • If artwork changed, the latest file is pulled when logging into the Event normally.

🛠️ Small follow-up fix

  • An additional 5.8.1 update was released to address a minor issue.

Capture App 5.9

iOS and Android App Store update

📲 iOS OTA updates are easier to install

  • You no longer need to completely restart the app or return to the Home Screen to install an available Over-the-Air update.

🤖 Android compatibility updates

  • Required updates were made to stay current with new Google Play requirements.

🛍️ Retail Download Fixes

📱 Safari share sheet reliability improved

  • Press-and-hold downloads should now open the native share sheet more consistently on Safari.

🖼️ Virtual Group download cleanup

  • Virtual Groups in QuicPics no longer offer a Download with Art option.

🎨 Background selection fixes

  • Fixed cases where:
    • A PNG could be downloaded without selecting a background and receive an incorrect blue background
    • Faux renders showed no selected background in the download popup

🔐 Facebook login works again

🖥️ Dashboard Improvements

📊 Image Timeline cleanup

  • Fixed chart display issues, removed folders that were not useful in the timeline, and prevented multiple summaries from appearing when switching folders quickly.

🌾 Candy Culler controls are clearer

  • Filter visibility and report controls now use more descriptive buttons, similar to Manage Images.

📈 BGR Folder Stats fixed

  • Cutouts from the newer Background Removal system no longer incorrectly inflate Unassigned totals.

📱 Mobile Dashboard

🔗 More reliable deep linking

  • Dashboard links should open the correct page more consistently when the app has been open for a while or after signing in and out.

That’s the two-week update!

Faster Background Removal and smarter Digital Download delivery are the biggest highlights, with plenty of smaller improvements making Auto Editor, QuicPics, Retail, and the Capture App more dependable.

Thanks again to everyone who joined us in Denver for Summer Seminar—we loved seeing you!

Keep creating magic,

Candy 🍬

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Hello, my holly-jolly photographers! 🎅

Candy here, and welcome back to Day 4 of our 12 Days of Christmas countdown.

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Here’s what made it stand out:

  • Face Boxes on iOS:

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The Capture & Upload App Version 4 played a crucial role in optimizing your Workflow, and helping you handle busy events with confidence. 🎉

Check back tomorrow for Day 5, as we continue highlighting the top features of 2024. And remember, something extra special awaits on December 25th!

Candy 🍬

📸 Candy’s 12 Days of Christmas: Day 3 – The Offer Creator 🎄🎁
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Hello again, my festive photographers! 🎅

Candy here, and welcome to Day 3 of our 12 Days of Christmas countdown. Over the past two days, we revisited the new Web Dashboard and Retail Site—both big hits in 2024. Today, let’s highlight the Offer Creator, a powerful tool that put you firmly in the driver’s seat of your photography business.

When we introduced the Offer Creator, our goal was to give you total flexibility and control, while maintaining simplicity and ease of use!

Note: We did keep the original NowCandid Default Price Levels around! So those are still an option to use, however you now have the option to create your own as well! Woo!

Here’s what made it shine:

  • Custom Product Lineups & Pricing:

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  • Upsells & Shipping Fees:

    Configure upsell products and shipping costs to match the value of your work and the nature of the event—no more one-size-fits-all.
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    Change your retail theme to align with your brand, the event’s vibe, or even the holiday spirit. Think of the Candy Cane theme for this festive season!
  • Easy Event Selection:

    Once you’ve created an Offer, simply select it whenever you’re setting up a new Event. Quick, organized, and ready to roll.

The Offer Creator allowed you to fine-tune your selling strategy, ensuring that every event’s storefront matched your vision and delighted your customers. 🎉

Check back tomorrow for Day 4, where we’ll continue highlighting the best of 2024. And remember, something extra special awaits on December 25th!

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📸 Candy’s 12 Days of Christmas: Day 2 – The New Retail Site 🎄✨
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📸 Candy’s 12 Days of Christmas: Day 2 – The New Retail Site 🎄✨

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Hello, my jolly photographers! 🎅

Candy here, welcoming you to Day 2 of our 12 Days of Christmas countdown. Yesterday, we revisited the new NowCandid Web Dashboard. Today, let’s talk about another game-changer from 2024: our New Retail Site!

When we introduced this updated retail experience, our goal was to give your clients a smoother, more delightful way to browse, customize, and purchase their images.

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The New Retail Site helped your customers feel more engaged, inspired, and confident when ordering.

It was one of the many ways we leveled up your business this year! 🎁

Check back tomorrow for Day 3, as we continue reviewing the best of 2024.

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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.

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