HomeNavigation arrowBlogNavigation arrow
Current page
Feature Updates

Weekly Recap: More Virtual Group Control, New Sports Backgrounds & Better BGR Tools 🏈✨

Weekly Recap: More Virtual Group Control, New Sports Backgrounds & Better BGR Tools 🏈✨
Hey photo friends! 👋

Candy here with another weekly recap! This week brings more control to Virtual Group Builder, a much better home for Event Background Removal, new Candy Image Studio exposure tools, and—yes—27 new sports background sets. 😎

Let’s jump in!

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Virtual Group Builder Additions

Ask and you shall receive... sometimes! We’ve gotten some good feedback on Virtual Group Builder, and this week several new controls are here to make layouts easier to fine-tune:

↕️ Force subjects onto different rows

  • While dragging a subject, new Add to Row buttons appear over the other rows. Drop the subject there to explicitly move them where you want instead of relying entirely on automatic placement.
  • Previously you were limited to automatically determined rows, you still have those but can now override them!

🔍 New logo size slider

  • Adjust your corner logos to be smaller or larger than the default.
  • Previously they could be considered a bit tiny, but this gives you a bit more control!

🌫️ Individual cutout fade control

  • The Subject Inspector now has its own cutout fade intensity slider, separate from the global setting, so you can fine-tune individual subjects when needed.
  • This will let you tweak the cutout fade intensity for subjects in the front row or on the sides of the virtual group, in case you're wanting a very specific look.

👥 Smarter merged-participant image selection

  • The Subject Image Picker will only show images from merged participants when they share the same name.
  • This typically does not matter, but in the case of a parent doing a Selfie Check-In of themselves and then of their child later, this will keep Virtual Groups working as expected!

Just a few additions, but very useful ones when you’re trying to get a Virtual Group looking just right!

Drag and drop subjects into other rows for more control than ever!

New options to more quickly space out your subjects!

When viewing subject details, adjust them by individual!

Control the size of your logos!

🏈 27 New Sports Background Sets

Alright, shoutout to the random guy who told me (me being Candy, in case you forgot!) that he didn’t like the backgrounds. We heard you! 😂

This week we’ve added 27 new sets of sports backgrounds, including a brand-new Sports – Locker Room background category.

And, in case you missed it, last week we also added an AI Background Generator so you can create entirely new, modern backgrounds of your own.

A quick reminder... you already have a lot of control over which backgrounds your customers actually see:

🎨 Edit the default backgrounds in your Offers

📤 Upload your own custom backgrounds at both the Offer-level and Event-level

🤖 Generate new backgrounds of your own with AI

🏈 Choose from our (now growing) collection of built-in choices

We have a TON of default backgrounds—and yes, many have been around for a while—but you’re never locked into using them. You can build your own look for your business, and we’ll keep adding new options over time too.

✂️ New Dedicated Background Removal Page

Event Background Removal now has its own dedicated Dashboard page, accessible from the Event Sidebar. It is not longer just a popup!

The BGR toggle on Event Overview will take you there too, giving all of these controls a little more breathing room.

On the new page, you can:

✅ Enable or disable Background Removal

🖼️ Manage your Event Backgrounds

🎨 See your Offer Backgrounds with a direct link to the Offer

📊 See how many cutouts have finished and how many are still processing

⏳ Watch a live progress bar while Background Removal is working

📂 See all valid Event folders and which ones are marked for Background Removal

And if your Event is a new Event: ✂️ You can mark an existing folder for Background Removal even if it already contains images!!!

🎨 Candy Image Studio: Better Exposure Fixes

🌙 New Fix Underexposure node

  • Helps recover images that came out too dark.

☀️ Fix Overexposure greatly improved

  • The existing overexposure tool has been reworked for more reliable results.

Utilize Candy Image Studio to fix images so they can sell, quickly and affordably!

🏈 Jersey Jotter Progress Tracking

New Jersey Jotter progress bar

  • When Jersey Jotter is active and still has unprocessed images, its dedicated page now shows processing progress—similar to Candy Culler and the new Background Removal page.

This makes it much easier to tell whether recognition is still working through a large Event.

🛍️ Retail Improvements

Titled Luxe Prints now work with package prefill

  • Packages can now automatically prefill eligible Titled Luxe Print products just like other supported products.

🖼️ Titled Luxe Print package rendering fixed

  • Fixed an issue where these products could render incorrectly inside packages.

🤖 AI-generated backgrounds now render correctly on products

🎨 Selected backgrounds now stay visible through the final product step

  • Fixed an issue where the chosen background could sometimes disappear on renders when reaching quantity and finish steps.

📝 Several product descriptions updated

  • Some product descriptions have been refreshed for better clarity.

🖼️ AI Edit + BGR Assignment Fix

👥 BGR versions of AI edits now keep direct participant assignments

  • If the original non-AI image was directly assigned to someone, its Background Removed AI-edited version will now correctly inherit that relationship.

📦 Order Details Fix

📝 Package captions now display correctly

  • Fixed cases where Order Details did not show caption information for certain products contained inside packages.

📱 Capture App 5.9.1 – iOS OTA

📸 Photo Booth fix for iPad

  • Fixed the Photo Booth gallery strip being cut off on certain iPad models.

That’s the week!

More Virtual Group control, a much stronger Background Removal workflow, some useful exposure tools, and plenty of fresh sports backgrounds to work with.

And if you still don’t like the backgrounds... now you’ve got plenty of ways to show us how it’s done. 😉

Keep creating magic,

Candy 🍬

Related articles

7 Strategies to Grow Your Photography Business with NowCandid 🚀
Photography Tips
June 29, 2023

7 Strategies to Grow Your Photography Business with NowCandid 🚀

7
 minutes read
First off, congratulations on starting your photography business! Now, it's time to take the next steps and grow it.

In this post, we'll offer strategic advice to help you effectively expand your photography business with a particular focus on building a strong team, proactive networking, and optimizing your workflow with NowCandid.

1. Optimize Your Workflow ⚙️

Efficiency is the key to successful growth. Evaluate your existing workflow and identify opportunities to streamline processes, automate tasks, and apply time-saving solutions. NowCandid's comprehensive platform makes managing your photography business more efficient, allowing you to earn more, while working less.

2. Hire and Train a Team 👥

As your business expands, so should your team. Recruit talented photographers and support staff and invest in their training and development. With NowCandid, your team can concentrate on capturing amazing photos and providing top-tier customer service.

3. Network Proactively 🤝

Growing your business often requires extending your network to potential clients, partners, and collaborators. Engaging with your local chamber of commerce and demonstrating your photography system, like NowCandid, can lead to new bookings. Once you've established your presence at events, organic growth will follow as attendees experience your photo system in action, promoting word-of-mouth marketing.

4. Identify New Opportunities with NowCandid 🔍

Diversification is a fundamental strategy for growth. NowCandid allows you to effortlessly branch out into new areas like sports, graduations, parties, holiday portraits, and corporate headshots. Using your existing equipment and familiar workflows, NowCandid facilitates the expansion of your business reach and profitability.

5. Leverage Social Media and Online Marketing 🌐

A robust online presence can showcase your portfolio, engage with potential clients, and generate leads. Utilize social media platforms, SEO, and email marketing to promote your services. NowCandid's white-label system ensures your brand remains the main focus in all your marketing efforts - we want you to grow your brand! Your success is our success.

6. Strengthen Your Brand 💪

Distinctive branding can set you apart from your competition and attract your ideal clients. Invest in professional branding elements such as a unique logo and a modern website. NowCandid's customizable Canva templates help also help you out as you start marketing NowCandid's phot systems as your own photo system! Not to mention it makes it easy to maintain a consistent brand image across some of your marketing materials.

7. Monitor Your Progress with NowCandid 📈

Track your business's growth using key performance indicators (KPIs) and set measurable goals. NowCandid provides detailed and transparent reports, helping you easily track crucial KPIs and sales by image folder. This allows you to assess the performance of each photographer at every event, and make informed decisions.

Expansion is an exciting phase for any business!

By strategically networking, building a strong team, and utilizing the power of NowCandid, you're well on your way to leading your photography business to new heights of success.

Summar Seminar 2023: 7 Things to Do in Fort Lauderdale
Events
June 23, 2023

Summar Seminar 2023: 7 Things to Do in Fort Lauderdale

5
 minutes read
Want to get the most out of your photography business?

This is the opportunity you've been waiting for! Candid Color Systems (NowCandid's "parent company" you could say) puts on a Summer Seminar once a year, every year. It's a revolutionary chance to talk shop and network with other volume photographers from around the country, learn about what's new with NowCandid, hear about success stories of all kinds, see presentations from some expert guest speakers, and importantly - have fun! This experience has cultivated extreme growth for many of our partners.

Don’t miss the fun! Here are our top 7 things to do while in town!

1. Head to the beach! 

1-Jun-22-2023-06-35-53-6697-PM
Our hotel offers beach chair and umbrella service on this gorgeous stretch of sand!

2. Get a Water Taxi pass! 

2-Jun-22-2023-06-35-53-4275-PM
Hop on and off the water taxi’s or just cruise to see the city for the water. Pass fabulous homes and amazing boats on your way around the intra-coastal waterway!

3. Cruise Las Olas Blvd

3-3
Our summer Seminar home is just minutes from the start of the famous Las Olas which is filled with shops, gallerias and restaurants. 

4. Take the River Walk!

4-2
This great Ft. Lauderdale walking area has parks, restaurants and plenty to do. Join a paddle board or segway tour from here to see the area! 

5. Rent a boat (or jet ski)!

5-2
For the ultimate flexibility you can rent or charter a boat from many places. And you don’t have to go far! Walk right out the back door of our seminar home and take a walk around the Bahia Mar marina.

6. Watch mega Yachts cruise by at the 15th Street Fisheries

6-2
There is no better way to spend an evening! Have a cocktail and see amazing ships cruise by as the sun sets. 

7. Head to the everglades!

7-1
If you have more time, we suggest a trip to the everglades. If you have a car, you can go direct and skip the tour vans. Go early in case of an afternoon shower in the everglade afternoons. And make sure you get on an actual Airboat for the full experience!

Want to register for the Summer Seminar? Click below!

10 Perks of Choosing NowCandid for Your Photo Business!📸
Photography Tips
June 22, 2023

10 Perks of Choosing NowCandid for Your Photo Business!📸

7
 minutes read
Hey there, fellow shutterbugs! 📷

It's Candy, your NowCandid guide, and I'm beyond excited to share some of the amazing perks that come with using NowCandid for your photography business. You know, it's not just about snapping those perfect moments, it's about the whole journey - from the click of the shutter to delivering a smile to your customers. So, let's delve into how NowCandid can add some extra ✨sparkle✨ to your photography sales experience!

1. Retail Customer Support

Relax and focus on capturing those perfect shots while we take care of customer support for you! From order issues to resubmissions, we've got it covered at no extra cost. Let us handle the details so you can do what you do best.

2. Transparent Margins

Take control of your earnings with NowCandid! We provide upfront clarity on your profit margins, and there's no billing to worry about. Enjoy simple accounting with weekly payouts directly to you.

3. Sales Tax Management

Don't fret about the sales tax; we've got it handled! We collect and pay sales tax on your behalf, keeping your financial affairs smooth and hassle-free.

4. Swift Order Fulfillment

Every order is fulfilled within two business days, often less! With our efficient processes, your customers never have to wait long for their cherished memories.

5. Profit from Shipping

In addition to your photography profits, you can also earn from shipping revenue. All orders are shipped directly to your customer right after they're made, ensuring quick and efficient delivery.

6. Fair and Honest Business Model

We're in this together! There are no startup fees, hidden charges, or subscriptions. We only make money when you do - that's our promise.

7. White-Label Service

With NowCandid, your brand takes center stage. From marketing campaigns to retail site design, your brand is at the forefront of everything we do.

8. Live Upload and Instant Marketing

Optimize your sales with our optional live upload Workflows and automated marketing campaigns. Sell on-site and provide instant gratification to your customers. Speed and convenience are the name of the game and a surefire way to increase your sales.

9. One-Stop Shop

We're not just a software company, we're also a photo lab! This integration makes us a comprehensive solution for all your customer support and photography needs.

10. Simple, Effective, Scalable

Built on 50+ years of industry experience, NowCandid is designed to be straightforward, efficient, and adaptable. And for those specific needs beyond NowCandid, our CORE software has you covered, letting you take your photography business to the next level.

And there you have it, my photography pals 📸

The top 10 ways NowCandid works behind the scenes to give you an unforgettable, hassle-free photography experience. I'm pretty sure these benefits sound as exciting to you as they do to me! So why wait? Join us on this remarkable journey and let's bring your photography business to new heights! Remember, we're here to guide you every step of the way. Let’s make magic together with NowCandid!

Until next time, keep clicking and creating beautiful memories.

Ciao! 👋

- 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