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Darwin's Quic Tips for Mastering Graduation Photography

Darwin's Quic Tips for Mastering Graduation Photography
Graduation season is a bustling time for photographers.

Capturing the essence of such a monumental event requires not just skill but also the right strategy. At NowCandid, we understand this well, which is why our GradPics Now program is designed to maximize both the quality and efficiency of your graduation photography services.

Here, Darwin, our long-time Photography Specialist with a wealth of experience in graduation events, shares his top tips to help you excel this graduation season.

1. Prioritize Speed Over Extensive Retouching

In the fast-paced environment of graduation ceremonies, the quick delivery of photos can significantly boost your sales. Darwin emphasizes that speed in making images available often trumps the detailed retouching of images in terms of sales impact.

Graduates and families appreciate quick access to their photos to share their special moments. Therefore, focus on capturing the best possible shots in-camera.

2. Stick to SRGB Color Profiles for Retouching

If retouching is necessary, Darwin advises saving images in an SRGB color profile. This ensures that your photos look consistent and vibrant across all viewing platforms, be it digital devices or prints, enhancing the overall appeal of your photos to clients.

3. Use Direct Flash to Enhance Image Quality

Proper lighting is crucial in photography, especially in the varied environments of graduation venues. Using direct flash can help mitigate common lighting issues such as facial shadows, ensuring your subjects are evenly lit and standout.

This simple technique can significantly improve the color and clarity of your photos, making them more appealing to your clients.

4. Be Prepared: Carry Extra Batteries and a Backup Camera

Always be prepared for the unexpected. Darwin recommends carrying extra batteries and a backup camera to all events. This ensures that you can continue shooting uninterrupted, even if your primary camera fails or batteries run out.

Being prepared is key to a smooth operation during busy events like graduations.

Darwin's Impressive Track Record

Darwin brings a vast amount of practical knowledge to the table, having managed the capture of over 35,152 graduation images in just the last two weeks of this season alone. His experience underscores the effectiveness of these tips in real-world settings.

Why Choose GradPics Now?

NowCandid's GradPics Now program is tailored to streamline the graduation photography process. By integrating Darwin's tips and our state-of-the-art technology, photographers can not only enhance their efficiency but also improve their sales potential.

The program supports instant uploading and sorting of images, enabling photographers to focus more on capturing great shots and less on post-event workflows.

Graduation season doesn't have to be overwhelming.

With the right tools and strategies, you can turn this busy time into a highly profitable and fulfilling part of your photography career. Embrace these tips, utilize GradPics Now, and capture the milestones with confidence and efficiency.

Ready to transform your graduation photography approach?

Join the many photographers who have already found success with NowCandid. Learn more about GradPics Now and schedule a session with Darwin to fine-tune your strategy. Let’s make this graduation season your best yet!

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Big News: Introducing Custom Backgrounds for Your Events! 🎨✨
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Big News: Introducing Custom Backgrounds for Your Events! 🎨✨

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Hey there, fabulous photographers!

Candy here with some exciting news in our "Big News" series. We’re thrilled to announce the latest addition to NowCandid: the Custom Background feature!

This new option allows you to upload up to 4 custom backgrounds for your customers to choose from when they’re selecting their photos on the retail site. Let’s take a quick look at how this can elevate your photography offerings! 📸

What are Custom Backgrounds? 🖼️

Custom Backgrounds give you the flexibility to provide your clients with personalized background options tailored to the specific Event.

Whether you’re photographing graduates and want school-specific backgrounds, or covering sports events with sport-specific designs, this feature has got you covered!

  • Up to 4 Custom Backgrounds: Upload up to 4 custom backgrounds for each Event, in addition to the default options.
  • Horizontal and Vertical Versions Required: Each background needs both a horizontal and vertical version to ensure your photos look perfect, no matter the orientation.

Check out the screenshots below for a glimpse of the new Custom Backgrounds interface:

How Does It Work? 🤔

Using Custom Backgrounds is easy! Simply upload your backgrounds at the Event level when setting up your Event.

If you decide not to use this feature, don’t worry—AI background generation and default backgrounds will still be available for your clients. This feature is entirely optional but provides a great way to add a personalized touch to your photos.

  • File Requirements:
    • JPG format
    • Around 300 DPI
    • SRGB color profile
    • 2x3 or 3x2 aspect ratio
    • Recommended dimensions: 2000x3000 or 3000x2000

Here’s an example of a photo with a fun custom background applied:

What’s Next? 🚀

Currently, Custom Backgrounds are added at the Event level. But stay tuned—we’re exploring the possibility of adding backgrounds at the Account level in the future. This would make it even easier to offer consistent, branded options across all your Events.

We’re so excited to see how you’ll use this new feature to enhance your photography and delight your clients.

As always, if you have any questions or need assistance, we’re here to help!

Cheers and sparkles,


Candy 🍬

Big News: Explore the New NowCandid Retail Site Features! 🌟
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Big News: Explore the New NowCandid Retail Site Features! 🌟

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Hey there, awesome photographers!

Candy here, and I’m so excited to share some incredible updates that are live on the NowCandid retail site.

We’ve been hard at work making your clients' shopping experience smoother, faster, and more enjoyable. Let’s dive into the fantastic new features that are sure to elevate client satisfaction and boost your sales! 📸✨

Seamless Third-Party Logins 🔐

We know how important it is for your customers to have quick and easy access to their galleries and order history. That’s why we’ve introduced third-party login options!

Now, your clients can save their galleries and order history by logging in with their preferred platform—X/Twitter, Google, Apple, or Facebook. It’s all about convenience and keeping their memories just a click away!

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Sleek and Modern UI 🎨

The NowCandid retail site has undergone a major facelift! Our new interface is clean, modern, and minimalist, with a step-by-step ordering process that makes purchasing photos easier than ever.

The site was built mobile-first to ensure the ideal mobile phone experience, recognizing that mobile traffic has become a huge chunk of retail web traffic in recent years, especially with the effectiveness of SMS marketing that NowCandid provides.

Whether your customers are browsing on a computer or mobile device, the improved look ensures a seamless and enjoyable experience.

(retail theme: liquorice - watermarks: off)

Instant Product Rendering 🖼️

Curious about how your clients' photos will look on different products? We’ve got you covered! As soon as they select a photo, it instantly renders on most products in our gallery. Plus, when adding certain products to their cart, customers can choose different colors and art styles, and input text fields—all of which will render as they make their choices.

This means your clients can see exactly how their image will appear on prints, canvases, and more as they peruse the product list and customize their orders. This visual preview is sure to enhance their shopping experience!

(retail theme: marshmallow - watermarks: off)

AI Background Generator for BGR Images 🤖🎨

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Whether they want a beach scene, a starry night, or something entirely imaginative, the AI will bring their vision to life. The possibilities are endless and sure to delight your clients!

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Retouch All Switch ✨

We know your clients want their photos to look their best, so we’ve added a “Retouch All” switch during checkout. With just a flip, they can apply light retouching to everything in their cart.

This retouching includes slight blemish reduction, smoothing of complexion, red-eye removal, teeth whitening, and eye brightening. It’s the perfect way to ensure their prints are picture-perfect! While also generating you additional revenue.

(retail theme: starburst - watermarks: off)

Diamond Gloss Upsell 💎

Looking to add a little extra shine to your clients' prints? Our new Diamond Gloss upsell option lets them do just that!

For a few extra dollars, they can add a glossy coating to their prints, giving them a luxurious, high-quality finish that they’ll love.

In the future, we will be adding more unique print upsells, stay tuned!

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Improved Express Checkout 🚀

Time is precious, and we want to make checking out as fast as possible for your photo subjects! With our improved express checkout UI, they can now breeze through their purchase with Apple Pay.

And we’re not stopping there—Google Pay and PayPal express checkout options are coming soon, with more to follow in the future!

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Other Exciting Features 🌟

We’ve packed in even more updates to enhance your clients' experience:

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These changes are designed to improve client satisfaction and increase your sales totals. We’re beyond excited about these enhancements, and we know your customers will love them!

As always, if you have any questions or need help navigating these new features, we’re here to assist you.

Thank you for being part of the NowCandid community!

Cheers and sparkles,


Candy 🍬

Big News: Introducing Full Frame Overlay! 🎨✨
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Big News: Introducing Full Frame Overlay! 🎨✨

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Hey there, amazing photographers!

Candy here, bringing you some exciting news in our "Big News" series. We’re thrilled to introduce a brand-new feature to NowCandid: the Full Frame Overlay!

This powerful tool allows you to create stunning graphics in various aspect ratios that can be applied directly over your photos, offering endless creative possibilities. Let’s dive into the details! 🌟

What is Full Frame Overlay? 🖼️

Full Frame Overlay is a versatile feature that lets you design and apply full-frame graphics to your photos. Unlike our Banner Overlay, which places graphics at the bottom of your images, Full Frame Overlay covers the entire image, adding a creative flair that your clients will love.

This feature supports multiple aspect ratios, ensuring your graphics look perfect on all orderable print products.

Here’s what you need to know:

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  • Optional Aspect Ratios: In addition to the 4x6, you can also create and upload graphics in 5x7, 8x10, and 11x14 aspect ratios. These are optional, so you can choose which sizes best fit your Event!
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Check out the screenshot below for a glimpse of the new Full Frame Overlay interface:

How Does It Look? 👀

Full Frame Overlay lets you get creative! Whether you’re adding a fun border, a festive holiday theme, or a sleek corporate design, the possibilities are endless. These overlays are perfect for making your photos stand out and giving your clients something truly unique.

Here’s an example of a photo with a Full Frame Overlay applied:

More Resources on the Way 📚

We know that creating the perfect overlay can take time, so we’re here to help! In addition to our existing Banner Overlay Canva Templates, in the future we’ll be adding Full Frame Overlay Canva Templates to our Resources page. These templates will make it even easier to design beautiful graphics that fit perfectly with your photos.

We can’t wait to see how you use the Full Frame Overlay to elevate your photography and create amazing products for your clients!

As always, if you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help.

More examples of Full Frame Overlays below!

Cheers and sparkles,

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.

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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.

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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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