Email is a poor place to collect photo selects. Picks arrive as screenshots, second thoughts arrive two days later, and nobody can tell which list is final. A proofing link keeps the conversation on the images themselves.
Why email threads fall apart
A typical review produces three replies: a first list, a partner’s different list, and a follow-up that changes two frames. Filenames get mistyped. Notes such as “softer on the skin” detach from the picture they describe. You then spend time reconstructing a brief that should have been submitted once.
Send one review link
Save the contact sheet, set an optional pick limit if the package includes a fixed number of images, and copy the private link. Clients open it in a browser without creating an account. They mark images, leave notes on individual frames, and submit. You receive an email notification and see the full response in the dashboard, including filenames you can copy into the edit.
Client proofing is available on Ultimate. Start the sheet itself in the free editor and add sharing when the job needs a structured reply.
Write the brief on the same day you send the link
The link does not replace instructions. State how many images to choose, whether comments are required, and the deadline. Ask one person to submit the combined list if a couple or a marketing team is reviewing together. See how to write selection instructions for wording that reduces follow-up.
Protect the previews
Proofing links are for review, not final delivery. Apply a watermark before you share, and send finished files only after the submission is in. The watermarking guide covers opacity and placement that still allow comparison.
When a PDF is enough
If one person will send a short filename list, a downloaded contact sheet is simpler. Use proofing when you need pick limits, per-image notes, or a single official response. The format comparison helps you decide before you send anything.