Photography studios: ditch proofing chaos with a single client portal

You know the pattern: proof gallery link here, client email reply there, a second link after a re-export, and someone loses the “final” in a sea of versions. Threads stretch, approvals get fuzzy, and deadlines creep.

Clortal gives you one portal link per project where the client sees the plan, the right files, and a clear path to sign-off—no extra logins.

Why the usual mix breaks down

Email approvals get buried; you can’t tell which message was final.
Shared drives/folders sprawl; clients download the wrong version.
Proofing links expire, multiply, or require separate accounts.
Chat feedback is quick, but decisions vanish in the scrollback.

Result: duplicated feedback, miscommunication on selects, and delays to retouching and delivery.

What studios + clients actually need

A simple shot-list & deliverables view with statuses.
One place to see approved images and the latest selects.
Comments on specific images (Starter+) and a project thread for notes (Starter+).
Clear retouching status and final delivery steps.
A single secure portal link the client can share internally.

How Clortal maps to a photo workflow

Deliverables (your plan of record)

Shot list approval
Moodboard reference
Proofs — Round 1
Client selects confirmed
Retouching pass
Final delivery (hi-res + web crops)
Social crops (optional)

Each deliverable has a status, due date (optional), and attachments/links. Clients always know what’s next.

Approved files only

Upload galleries/thumbnails or link your existing proofing page.
Toggle Approved to expose the right version to the client; everything else stays internal.

Messages & file comments (Starter+)

Keep feedback on the project or on specific files, not scattered across email/DMs.

Activity log & notifications (Starter+)

Automatic trail of changes. Clients can get email nudges for key events (e.g., “Proofs Round 1 uploaded”).

Timeline/Calendar view

Show key dates (shoot day, selects due, final delivery) alongside the usual list.

One shareable portal link

Clients don’t need accounts. You can revoke or expire the link anytime.

10-minute setup for your next shoot

Create your organization and add your logo/brand colors (shows in the portal).
Add the client (name + email).
Create the project (e.g., Spring Campaign — Studio Alpha).
Add deliverables:
- Shot list approval (due: before shoot)
- Moodboard reference
- Proofs — Round 1 (due: shoot + 2 days)
- Client selects confirmed (due: +3 days)
- Retouching pass (range: +4 to +6 days)
- Final delivery (due: +7 days)
Upload/link files:
- PDF/Google Doc for shot list
- Proofs (thumbnails or link to your proofing tool)
- Final ZIPs or links to your delivery folder
Approve items ready for client eyes.
Share the portal link with the client.
Use Timeline/Calendar if you’ve added dates.

Pro tip: Post a weekly summary in Messages (“What shipped / What’s next / Client actions”) so decisions don’t hide in email.

Example: Brand shoot (one-day)

Before the shoot
- Shot list approval — Approved
- Moodboard — Approved
After the shoot
- Proofs — Round 1 — Uploaded, Awaiting feedback
- Client selects — Due Friday EOD
- Retouching pass — In progress
- Final delivery — Next Wednesday

The client opens one link and sees the plan, the files they’re meant to see, and what you need from them.

FAQs

Can clients choose/select images in Clortal?

You can capture decisions two ways: (1) mark files Approved as the client confirms them in your proofing tool, or (2) let clients comment which to keep (Starter+). Either way, the portal becomes the single source of truth.

What about large files?

Link to your preferred delivery (Drive/Dropbox/Transfer) and surface it as the Final delivery deliverable. The portal stores context and approvals; the payload can live where you like.

Can clients upload reference files?

On Starter+, they can attach in Messages or comment on a file. Otherwise, you upload on their behalf and keep the approvals in one place.

Does this replace my proofing/gallery tool?

No—you can keep it. Clortal sits above it as the clear client layer for status, approvals, and final delivery.

Keep your internal tools—add a clean client layer

Internal (for your studio)

Use it for: shoot schedules, culling, editing, storage
Typical tools: PhotoMechanic/Lightroom/Capture One, Drive/Dropbox, your proofing/gallery

Client-facing (Clortal)

Use it for: deliverables & statuses, approved proofs/finals, comments, sign-off
Tool: Clortal portal (one shareable link)

You’re not changing your craft—you’re eliminating the chaos around it.

Try it on your next shoot

Create a project, add your deliverables, upload/link proofs, and send the portal link. Watch approvals move faster—and the “latest link?” emails disappear.

Start free → clortal.com