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Weekly Recap: Faster Payouts, New PhotoTag Details & Redesigned Marketing Emails 💸✨

Weekly Recap: Faster Payouts, New PhotoTag Details & Redesigned Marketing Emails 💸✨
Hey photo friends! 👋

Candy here with another weekly recap! This week brings faster, more frequent payouts, a much more informative home for PhotoTags, redesigned marketing emails, and another round of Background Removal quality improvements.

Let’s jump in!

🏷️ NEW: PhotoTag Details Pages

PhotoTags now have their own dedicated details pages.

Click any PhotoTag from the PhotoTag List page to open a much more complete view of everything connected to it.

From there, you can:

  • ✏️ Edit the PhotoTag
  • 👤 View tagged Participants and Contacts
  • 👥 View tagged Group Photos
  • 🖼️ View tagged Standard Photos

This is a pretty big improvement for anyone learning or managing PhotoTags!

PhotoTags can affect several different parts of an Event, and these pages make those relationships much easier to see in one place. They should also be especially helpful when training employees or helping someone understand exactly how a PhotoTag is being used.

💸 Faster, More Frequent Remittance Payments

We’ve sped up our remittance schedule and are adding a second payment cycle each week, helping completed-order funds reach your bank account sooner.

Previously, we sent your remittance statement on Wednesday, with the corresponding payment typically arriving in your bank account on Friday morning.

Going forward:

💰 Orders completed Friday through Tuesday will be included on your Wednesday remittance statement, with payment typically arriving Thursday

💰 Orders completed Wednesday and Thursday will be included on a new Friday remittance statement, with payment typically arriving Monday

That means the existing Wednesday payment cycle should now reach you about one day faster, while the new Friday cycle reduces the wait for orders completed later in the week.

✉️ Marketing Emails Get a New Look

Marketing emails have been redesigned with a cleaner, more modern layout.

There’s also a bigger change to the way images are protected:

  • 🌫️ Email image previews are now blurred
  • 🛡️ This replaces the previous scrolling copyright treatment

Blurring provides more consistent protection in situations where an email client might not properly render the scrolling copyright, or where the preview image is displayed outside an environment where GalleryGuard can protect it.

Real email, but with business & event name replaced for privacy!

Also: Minor Marketing Fix!

We also fixed an edge case that could prevent a marketing campaign from starting when two different Participants shared only part of their contact information.

For example, if two Participants had the same email address but different phone numbers, one Participant starting marketing should no longer incorrectly prevent the other from starting theirs.

✂️ Better Background Removal

Background Removal got another quality pass this week:

  • 💇 Improved hair cutouts
  • Better handling of certain sports portrait props, particularly soccer balls sitting on the ground

These changes continue our work to improve cutout quality across the kinds of images photographers are actually shooting.

🆕 "Quic" Is Now "Free"

The Quic programs have been rebranded to Free.

Nothing about the pricing or functionality has changed — just the names:

  • QuicPics → FreePics
  • QuicPortraits → FreePortraits
  • QuicPics GO! → FreePics GO!

Same programs, same functionality, same pricing. Just a (hopefully) clearer name moving forward.

🛍️ Retail Improvements

“Diamond Gloss” is now “Glossy Finish”

  • We’ve renamed "Diamond Gloss" to Glossy Finish on the retail site to make the option clearer and easier for customers to understand.

📱 More reliable iOS sharing

  • The native iOS share sheet used by the press-and-hold download feature should now open more reliably.

👥 Group Digital Downloads now behave like regular Digital Downloads

  • When no overlay is selected — or the Event doesn’t have one — Group Digital Downloads can now provide the full-resolution, uncropped original.
  • That means the image can be available immediately from the email receipt and avoids problematic cropping steps on Group Photos that aren’t a standard 2:3 aspect ratio.

📦 More accurate package previews

  • Fixed cases where Group and non-Group images could appear as previews for the wrong type of package product.

🖥️ Dashboard Improvements

📴 New offline screen

  • If your device is completely offline, the Dashboard now tells you instead of leaving you wondering whether the site is simply loading slowly.

📅 Event Calendar color coding fixed

  • Events once again display the correct colors based on their Event Program.

🖼️ Better Virtual Group Foreground management

  • The Foreground Picker now shows the names of your saved foregrounds. Click one to preview it, and you can also rename foregrounds for easier reuse later.

✂️ Overwritten BGR images can reprocess

  • If you overwrite an image inside a folder marked for Background Removal, it can now be reprocessed as long as the replacement has the exact same dimensions as the original.
  • If the dimensions differ at all, the existing PNG will not be replaced.

📋 Roster upload error fix

  • Fixed an edge case where a malformed email containing a # instead of an @ could stop the roster upload process and leave only the rows before that error imported.

👤 Participant names on QR downloads

  • QR download pages now display participant names in bold, making them easier to spot at a glance.

📊 Clearer Sales & Shipping chart details

  • Tooltips on the Event Details Sales & Shipping chart now break out Sales and Shipping separately on hover, adding some clarity.

Capture App 5.10.1 (OTA)📱

📱Selfie Check-In Station Mode fix

  • The Continue button text has been shortened, and the Close button now stays accessible when PhotoTag Check-In is enabled.
  • Previously, the extra PhotoTag selection row could push the Close button off the bottom of the screen.

That’s the week!

The FreePics name change is the most visible update, but the new PhotoTag Details pages may be one of the most useful additions for teams working with PhotoTags regularly.

Keep creating magic,

Candy 🍬

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FaceMatch Import Workflow: Improved & Released!🚀
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October 10, 2023

FaceMatch Import Workflow: Improved & Released!🚀

4
 minutes read
Hello photographers! Candy here, with some more news from NowCandid's tech-desk.

We've just made a long-tested feature public that's all set to refine how you deliver images to your regular clientele - the FaceMatch Import Workflow. Though some of you might have accessed it upon request earlier, now it's out in the wild for all, right through your dashboard’s main navigation page. Exciting, right?

Creating a FaceGroup: Your Step to Simplified Photography 📸

Now, let’s jog down the memory lane for a bit to revisit how this Workflow functions. To kick things off, you’ll be creating what we call a 'FaceGroup'. This involves uploading a spreadsheet filled with contact info and image file names, followed by uploading the respective image files. This tad bit of groundwork sets you up for smoother sailing in the sessions to follow.

Exporting to Any Face Matching NowCandid Event: A Click Away! ⚡

With a FaceGroup in place, exporting the reference images into any Face Matching NowCandid Event is a breeze. Hence the name, FaceMatch Import Workflow. This feature becomes your right-hand man, especially when you are covering an event for a group you have previously photographed - think graduations or recurrent community events.

Upcoming Features:

Your Feedback in Action! 🛠️We're not stopping here! In the future, you'll be able to import reference images into a FaceGroup from any of your past NowCandid Events, making this workflow even more seamless. Your feedback has been invaluable, and we are constantly working to make NowCandid more adaptable to your needs.

Legality and Consent: Better Safe than Sorry! 🔒

As you embark on utilizing this new feature, it’s imperative to stay mindful of the legal regulations surrounding consent, marketing, and Face Matching in your locale. Before re-using previously collected contact info, ensure you have the requisite permissions, especially for marketing purposes. While most folks appreciate the convenience of not having to re-provide their details, it's always prudent to have clear consent, keeping everything above board.

Closing Thoughts:

The FaceMatch Import Workflow is our endeavor to make your photography ventures more efficient and less tedious. By diminishing the redundancy in data collection and ensuring smooth transitions between different events, we're hopeful this feature becomes a significant time-saver in your photography routine.

So give it a try!

Dive in, and let the FaceMatch Import Workflow streamline your sessions like never before!

Until next time,

  • Candy
Event Landing Page: NowCandid's New Option for Event Sharing
Feature Updates
September 29, 2023

Event Landing Page: NowCandid's New Option for Event Sharing

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 minutes read
Hello there, photo enthusiasts! It's your gal Candy, always here with the latest scoops from the world of NowCandid.

Guess what we just finished cooking up? A brand-new feature that can be helpful to how you share your events. It’s a cool new Event Landing Page feature unique to your NowCandid account. Buckle up as I overview this new addition. 🚀

A Personal Hub for Your Events 🎡

Ever dreamt of having a central hub where all your Face Matching Events are displayed neatly? Your wish has just been granted! The Event Landing Page acts as a display window for all your Face Matching Events, providing people with the event name and date for each. However, do note that this page doesn't include Positive ID Events, as they are more inherently geared towards privacy and do not have an All Images Gallery to link to in the first place.

To access it, head to your Account Settings on the web Dashboard. Choose "Event Landing Configuration" to be able to change your password & copy the link to your landing page! That's it!

Password Protected Paradise 🛡

Security is our middle name! Well, not literally, but you get the idea! Your Event Landing Page is nestled safely behind a password of your choosing. This ensures that only those you provide the password can access your page.

Search Made Simple 🔍

With the handy search bar nestled at the top, finding an event is as easy as pie. Just type in components of the Event Name and voila, the list trims down to match your search text as you type.

Your Brand, Loud and Clear 📢

At the helm of the page, your business name features prominently alongside the advertised contact information of your choice. Whether it's a phone number, email address, or website, it’s all about staying connected with your beloved clientele. Check your account settings to review your advertised business info if you haven't previously!

A Click into the Gallery 🖼

A simple click on the Event name whisks the visitor straight into the All Images Gallery for that Event, where watermarked images from the Event can be viewed and purchased.

Keep Privacy in Mind ❤

While this feature opens up a new avenue of image sharing, it’s crucial to tread with thoughtfully. Always gauge the comfort of your subjects with having their images accessible in this manner. The default password protection is a gentle push to ensure you are maintaining some degree of boundary. Additionally, always consider whether or not there are any privacy regulations you could be in violation of in your region with a feature such as this.

To Use or Not to Use, It’s Your Call 📞

While some may enjoy this cool extra feature, others may find NowCandid’s existing setup satisfying enough! It's all up to you, we just want to provide your more options and more possibilities.

Until next time!

Keep those shutters clicking and spirits high,

  • Candy
FreePics: Lowering Fees & Trying Something New
FreePics
September 21, 2023

FreePics: Lowering Fees & Trying Something New

7
 minutes read
Change is in the air at NowCandid!

It's all about creating more value for you the photographer and enhancing the customer experience! Here's a detailed look at the latest changes we're rolling out for FreePics and what they mean for you.

1. More Room to Click with Reduced Fees:

The upload fee for each image on FreePics is getting a significant trim, dropping from $0.31 to just $0.20. Our aim? To offer photographers greater flexibility, letting you focus on capturing plenty of shots without being overly conscious about the associated costs.

2. Unique Price Levels Tailored for FreePics:

FreePics is donning a fresh identity with its Price Levels. No longer a reflection of PartyPics Now, these new levels are designed to specifically enhance the FreePics experience. There's now an expansive range of specialty products, including blankets, canvas wraps, metal prints, and much more. We've created fun themed packages, set very reasonable prices on premium items, and provided enticing discounts on the full-resolution digital downloads & packages. And here's the cherry on top - to the end consumer, all products come with free shipping!

+ Click here to check out the new Price Levels. +

3. Lowered Margin:

With FreePics' new pricing strategy, photographers can anticipate margins ranging between 10% to 30%. While this is much lower than our other programs, our goal is to bolster the overall volume of sales through reasonable pricing on specialty items. FreePics sales have been almost non-existent thus far, given you're providing "free" social media size image files of all images to all participants. We think these changes will help bolster the sales of FreePics Events a bit. And remember, a smaller percentage of a bigger pie can often be more substantial than a larger slice of a smaller pie.

4. Continuing to Market with a Gentle Touch:

While we're working hard to boost sales, we're committed to keeping our marketing approach gentle and unobtrusive. With the new FreePics Price Levels, the removal of weekly price hikes reflects this ethos, ensuring there's zero undue pressure on the end consumer to make a purchase.

5. The Bigger Picture:

Our new strategy aims to strike a balance. By nurturing a growth in FreePics Event sales while ensuring a reasonable margin for NowCandid, we have been able to justify the reduced upload fee. Furthermore, if sales surpass our conservative estimates, we are planning even more substantial fee reductions in the future!

Some Parting Thoughts:

While the average sales from FreePics Events have traditionally been on the modest side, our revamped approach aims to change that narrative. Higher sales volumes, even with the revised margins, should translate to improved profits for our photographers. Reducing the fee per image upload will allow you to both save money and take more images, and more images could result in slightly higher sales as well. We'd like to lower the image per upload fee as low as possible, but need a way to cover costs in the meantime, all while trying to provide a good experience to the end consumer. We hope this new direction can result in a win-win-win for all parties involved. More pictures taken of end consumers and more fun product options, less fees for the photographer, same revenue for NowCandid.

We're excited!

We like these changes and truly believe they reflect a balanced mix of value, quality, and profit. Your feedback matters, so if you have thoughts, queries, or concerns, don't hesitate to get in touch.

Here's to a brighter, more lucrative future with FreePics!

Let’s get in touch

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

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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