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Often 6 to 10 photos, within 3 days

Sneak peek photos: what to send and when

Sneak peek photos are a small set of finished images sent before the full gallery, and shoots.page sends them as one link clients open with no account. Zara Burgess Photography sends around 6 to 10 within a day or two, Aly Cross Photography up to 10 for family and senior clients, and PilahFoto says most workflows send them within 1 to 3 days. It's free up to 2 GB.

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What a sneak peek is for

Portrait photographer Zara Burgess describes sneak peeks as a small collection of around 6 to 10 images delivered within a day or two of the shoot. They preview the full gallery, give the client something to share while they wait, and reassure them the session went well. At the end of a session she often asks which poses, combinations or locations the client would love to see first.

Aly Cross Photography uses them the same way: for senior and family portrait clients she sends up to 10, chosen to show the different outfits and locations from the session.

Sneak peeks by session type

Published examples, checked 29 October 2026.
Session typeHow manyHow soonSource
Portrait shootsAround 6 to 10Within a day or twoZara Burgess Photography
Senior and family portraitsUp to 10About 72 hours on averageAly Cross Photography
Engagement, portrait and wedding5 to 2024 to 72 hoursPixelgroves
Most sessionsNot stated1 to 3 daysPilahFoto
Mini sessionsNot statedWithin 48 hoursVSCO
Portrait sessionsA fewWithin 24 hoursKari Shuck Photography
Maternity and Fresh 48 newbornNot statedWithin 72 hoursJolie and Rae Photography
EventsHighlightsWithin 24 hoursThe Danger Booth, BLINK Photo Co.

How many photos to send

There is no fixed number. Aly Cross notes that, depending on the photographer, a sneak peek can be anywhere from two to 50+ photos, and that the number depends on the length and type of session; she sends up to 10 to senior and family clients. Zara Burgess sends around 6 to 10, and Pixelgroves' delivery timeline guide says to expect 5 to 20 edited images. Pick enough to show the range of the session, each outfit and each location, plus anything the client asked to see first.

Weddings have their own guide: see how to deliver wedding sneak peeks and an example wedding sneak peek.

How soon to send them

Fast. PilahFoto says that in most workflows photographers send sneak peeks within 1 to 3 days of the session, depending on workload and the type of project. Pixelgroves gives 24 to 72 hours, with the full portrait gallery following in 1 to 3 weeks, and VSCO's mini-session guide suggests a sneak peek gallery within 48 hours. Aly Cross doesn't send same-day sneak peeks; on average, hers go out roughly 72 hours after the session.

Published packages often promise a day. Kari Shuck Photography tells clients to expect a few sneak peeks within 24 hours, Antonina Jones in Destin, Florida includes sneak peeks within 24 hours with every session, and Jolie and Rae Photography includes them within 72 hours with its maternity and Fresh 48 newborn sessions. Event photographers promise similar speed: The Danger Booth delivers sneak peeks within 24 hours and the full gallery within two weeks, and BLINK Photo Co. delivers highlights in 24 hours and the full gallery in 5 days.

How to send a sneak peek with shoots.page

  1. Pick and finish the set

    Choose the frames that show the range of the session and edit them to final standard, so color and crop match the full gallery.

  2. Make a small gallery

    Upload the finished JPEGs to a new shoots.page gallery. At about 8 MB per exported JPEG, a 10-photo sneak peek is about 80 MB, and the free plan holds 2 GB.

  3. Send one link, not attachments

    Zoe Larkin Photography recommends delivering sneak peeks through the photographer's gallery software so clients can download the images, which they can't do if the photos only go up on Instagram or Facebook. Thinking of chat instead? Read does WhatsApp compress photos first. A shoots.page link opens in a browser with no account or app, shows 2000 px previews and downloads the originals byte for byte, singly or as one ZIP.

  4. Retire it when the full gallery ships

    Set an expiry date on the sneak peek gallery so it closes on its own after the full gallery goes out, or delete it then. Add a password of 8 to 256 characters if the client wants one. The full gallery goes out as its own link.

When to skip the sneak peek

Not everyone sends them. Austin family photographer Jessica Rockowitz skips sneak peeks because they interrupt her workflow of import, cull, edit and deliver; culling a session alone can take her an hour or more. If you skip them, say so before the session and give a firm delivery date instead.

Common questions

How many photos are in a sneak peek?

Often 6 to 10 for portrait work: Zara Burgess sends around 6 to 10 and Aly Cross up to 10 for family and senior clients. Pixelgroves says 5 to 20.

How soon after a session should a sneak peek arrive?

Within 1 to 3 days in most workflows, according to PilahFoto, and Pixelgroves says 24 to 72 hours. Kari Shuck Photography and Antonina Jones both promise 24 hours.

Should I send sneak peeks over text or social media?

A gallery link is better for downloads. Zoe Larkin points out that clients can't download photos that only appear on Instagram or Facebook; a shoots.page link gives them the original files with no account.

Can I password protect a sneak peek gallery?

Yes. Each shoots.page gallery can have a password of 8 to 256 characters and an expiry date.

Do event photographers send sneak peeks?

Often within 24 hours: The Danger Booth sends sneak peeks within 24 hours and BLINK Photo Co. sends highlights within 24 hours, with full galleries in two weeks and 5 days.

Send your next sneak peek

Upload the finished set, publish one link and send it the same day. Free up to 2 GB, with no client accounts.

Prepare a gallery

Sources

Checked 29 October 2026.