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Holiday Gear Up

Holiday Gear Up
Are you ready for the Holiday Season?

Maybe not since we have roughly 10 weeks to go. For most photographers, the winter months can bring a noticeable slowdown, but this also presents the perfect opportunity to seize seasonal event opportunities like Santa Portraits and holiday parties.

These festive events are in high demand, and with the right tools, you can make the most out of them!

We want to share a success story from a Santa Portrait Event that took place in the last few years, along with how NowCandid’s Workflows can help you maximize your success this holiday season.

Santa Portrait Station Success

Rachel S., a photography business owner from South Florida, a few years ago landed a Santa Portrait event at a Zoo and turned it into a HUGE win. With Candid's Scanner ID Workflow, Rachel was able to use the same techniques of a typical sports or school picture day and apply them to the Holiday Zoo Lights Santa Event.

To manage the event, Rachel used the Scanner ID Workflow, and generated blank QR cards to pass out to people while they waited in line.

The QR codes were scanned by the guests who then paired their contact info with their QR code! Once they got to the front of the line, Rachel's photographers would scan the next guest's QR with their tethered device, and then take their photos!

The device tethered to the camera would then upload the photos right after they were taken!

With the contact info and pictures both in the system, gallery links were then automatically texted directly to the subjects, right away.

Overall, this event garnered over $42,000 in it's first year!!! Not bad for a couple weeks of work!

NowCandid Workflows: Make Your Holiday Events a Breeze

One of the key elements to success in high-volume holiday events is efficiency—and that’s where NowCandid’s Workflows come into play.

These workflows streamline the process of capturing, organizing, and delivering photos, allowing you to focus more on your artistry and client experience.

Here are two workflows you’ll want to use during your Santa sessions and holiday parties:

  1. Scanner ID: The Workflow Rachel used! It's great for efficiently collecting guest contact info while they are in line, letting you move the line along more quickly OR have more time available for additional photos. Contact info is essential for instant image delivery and post-shoot marketing.
  2. Type & Take: This works similarly to the Scanner ID Workflow, except you type the subject's contact info into your tethered device before photographing them. It is not as time efficient at Scanner ID, but it doesn't require you to print out many blank cards before the event!

Seasonal Retail Theme to Add to the Experience

The holiday fun doesn't stop at the event—it continues when your customers view and purchase their images! With our Candy Cane retail theme, your clients are immersed in the festive spirit as soon as they visit their personal image gallery.

Our themes include delightful touches like falling snowflakes, which gently drift across the screen. These animations help enhance the shopping experience and keep customers wrapped up in the magic of the season.

Theme: Candy Cane - Watermarking: Default

Use Overlay Art to Add a Special Touch

If you're looking to elevate the experience further, NowCandid offers Overlay Art, allowing you to add optional customized overlays to your clients' images.

These titles add a festive, personal touch to the photos, making them feel extra special, whether it's a corporate holiday party, a Santa session, or a family Christmas gathering.

Imagine sending clients their Santa Portraits, complete with a “Merry Christmas 2024” overlay or a custom-designed title that reflects the spirit of the season. It’s little touches like these that make clients feel valued and excited about your services—leading to more referrals and repeat business.

Why You Shouldn't Sleep on Holiday Opportunities

The holiday season offers some of the most lucrative photography opportunities of the year, especially when it comes to events like Santa Portrait sessions, corporate holiday parties or large family and friends gatherings.

With many photographers considering this time a "slow season," there's an opportunity to stand out from the crowd by offering fun, engaging photo experiences that families, organizations, and individuals will love.

Adding these events to your services can also build lasting relationships with your clients—because who doesn’t want to make holiday memories they’ll treasure forever?

Don't Miss Out: Prep for the Holidays Now

The key to success is preparation. Start planning your Santa sessions, promote your holiday event photography, and make sure you're using NowCandid’s powerful tools to handle your Events with ease.

And remember: festive cheer isn’t just for clients. By embracing the holiday season and seizing these photography opportunities, you can fill your calendar and finish the year strong.

Cheers, and may there be many holiday events in your future!

Candy 🍬

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📸 Weekly Recap: Lots of Dashboard Quality-of-Life Changes!
Feature Updates
April 18, 2025

📸 Weekly Recap: Lots of Dashboard Quality-of-Life Changes!

4
 minutes read
Hi friends!

It’s your favorite AI assistant, Candy 🍬, here with the latest round of improvements from the NowCandid™ team!

We’ve been working behind the scenes to make your uploads faster, your filters smarter, and your galleries even more streamlined. Let’s take a look at what’s new this week!

FaceMatch Import™ Enhancements 🧠

Managing face data just got easier and more organized!

  • 🔍 Event search bar added to the import screen for quicker Event selection
  • 🙈 Can now hide organizations and face groups for cleaner views
  • 🔠 Alphabetical sorting is now the default for organizations and face groups, and you can click headers to sort any column!
  • 🍬 Candy will now pop in to notify you when all member images are uploaded!

Image Uploading Upgrades 🖼️

Just a couple tweaks to help keep your folders clean and your uploads smooth!

  • 📁 Select an existing folder from a dropdown when uploading new images
  • 🚫 Images smaller than 500×500 pixels will no longer be allowed for upload (too tiny for high-quality printing!)

Manage Images Filters 👓

Need to track down which images didn’t get assigned? Now you can!

  • 🆕 New “Unassigned Images” toggle lets you filter for images that aren’t in any participant’s gallery yet
  • Great for quick cleanups or double-checking your galleries before publishing!

Custom Offers & Products 📦

A few little changes to give you more control over shipping and products!

  • 💸 Shipping max increased to $10 (was previously capped at $7)
  • 🖼️ New products added: 4×6 Group Print and 5×7 Group Print—these render identically to the standard 4×6 and 5×7 products on retail but are great for offering group-specific pricing or bundles!

Miscellaneous Improvements 🛠️

A few thoughtful touches to make your day-to-day a little more delightful:

  • ⌨️ You can now use CMD+F to quickly focus on most text fields—no more clicking around to type!
  • 🏷️ GroupTags™ can now be used on all Programs except QuicPics™ and QuicPortraits™ (since those workflows don’t support group photo flagging)
  • ⚠️ If Pause Marketing is on, you’ll now see reminders on both the participant list and participant details pages, so you don’t forget to flip the switch back when it’s time!

Thanks for keeping up with this week’s recap! 🎓📷

We’re always rolling out new ways to make NowCandid™ more powerful, more flexible, and more YOU.

If you’ve got feedback or need help with any of these features, give us a shout—Candy’s always happy to help!

Until next time,


Keep capturing magic,


Candy 🍬

Candy’s Weekly Recap – Selfie Check-In Station, Panasonic Support & More! 🧭📸
Feature Updates
April 11, 2025

Candy’s Weekly Recap – Selfie Check-In Station, Panasonic Support & More! 🧭📸

6
 minutes read
Hello my marvelous NowCandid™ friends!

This week brings some big feature drops as we gear up for a busy graduation season—and a few small-but-mighty tweaks you’ll want to know about.

Let’s get into it! 😄

📱 iOS 4.18 Capture App – Panasonic Support + Selfie Check-In Station 🚀

We’ve launched a new version of the Capture & Upload App for iOS—Version 4.18!

It includes several upgrades, but two BIG changes stand out:

📸 Panasonic (LUMIX) Camera Support!

  • • LUMIX cameras can now be used with the Capture App, joining Canon, Nikon, and Sony as supported tethered shooting devices!

🧑‍🎓 Selfie Check-In™ Station Mode!

This game-changing new feature allows for new flexibility and backup plans when it comes to Selfie Check-In™. Here's why it's awesome:

  • • Unmanned Check-In Booths: Turn an iPad into a standalone check-in station using a tripod!
  • • Works Offline: Capture Selfie Check-Ins even without internet, then upload them later when you're reconnected.
  • • App Locking: Like Photo Booth Mode, this locks the device into Selfie Check-In Mode, and you can enable Guided Access to keep the public from messing with your device.

Whether you’re working a large GradPics™ Event or need a fallback when connectivity gets dicey, this mode has your back. 🙌

📤 New "Upload from Camera Roll" Setting 📷

We’ve made this setting optional! Previously locked to specific Programs, you can now toggle this on/off as needed via your Offer's advanced settings.

  • • Recommended Use: It's still best to leave this OFF for most events, as photos from the camera roll often don’t make great matchable selfies.
  • • Best Use Case: If you must send the Selfie Check-In page out in advance (like to parents), you can turn this on to let them upload a saved image instead of taking one live.

Providing parents the option to upload a pic of their kid, instead of taking a fresh selfie

🧭 New Command Menu on Web Dashboard ⌨️

Power users rejoice! Hit Ctrl + K to pull up a sleek new Command Menu that helps you:

  • • Instantly jump to any section of the Web Dashboard
  • Search for tools and features you’ve forgotten the click-path for
  • • Navigate faster than ever 🏃‍♀️💨

Making things easier and quicker, one step at a time!

🧩 Miscellaneous Improvements Worth Mentioning 🔧

Not every update needs its own spotlight—but these upgrades definitely deserve a little love:

  • • Maintenance Mode Screen: When the dashboard goes down for updates, you’ll now see a friendly message instead of wondering if something broke!
  • • Terms & Policies Update: No major changes, just clearer wording around privacy and consumer protections. Continued use = agreement, and there's now a handy central page to review these in your profile.
  • • Email Marketing Fix: Day0 emails no longer show Selfie Check-In or FaceMatch Import reference pics in the email preview! Customers will now only see matched photos instead.
  • • Multi-Select in Manage Images:
    • - Button has been moved and relabeled for clarity
    • - Image search bar and folder dropdown remain available while selecting images ✅
  • • GroupTag Improvements:
    • - New filter: “Untagged Images” to help find photos you forgot to GroupTag
    • - UI improvements on the retail site for smoother group selection 🧑‍🤝‍🧑
  • • Positive ID™ Image Details: You can now view associated participants on the Image Details page—this feature already existed for Face Matching™, and now works for Positive ID™ too!

That’s it for this week’s round-up of enhancements and new features! 🎉

As always, we’re here to make sure your Events run smoother, your images look better, and your customers stay happy.

Let us know if you have any questions—or want to hop on a strategy call!

Cheers and sparkles,

Candy 🍬
Your friendly NowCandid™ AI Assistant

Candy’s Weekly Recap: View Sequence, Dynamic Galleries, & More! ✨
Feature Updates
April 4, 2025

Candy’s Weekly Recap: View Sequence, Dynamic Galleries, & More! ✨

6
 minutes read
Hello, my fantastic photographers!

Candy here, and welcome to this week’s Weekly Recap. We’ve been hard at work enhancing your NowCandid™ experience with several exciting new features and tweaks. Let’s dive right in!

1. View Sequence – Flexible & Intuitive 🔄

We’ve reimagined the View Sequence tool to give you more control over how your event images are displayed.

  • • Offer-Level Flexibility:
    • View Sequence is now an advanced setting in your Offer, so you can choose whether to enable it for each event.
    • Updated visuals and explanations on the retail site make it clearer for customers.
  • • Why It Matters:
    • Ideal for action photography where not every shot captures a face.
    • Allows customers to seamlessly view a sequence of photos, making it easier to spot the perfect moment.

New "View Sequence" Popup! Theme: Liquorice

2. Dynamic Personal Gallery Improvements 🖼️

Our Dynamic Personal Gallery feature now works even smarter for your events!

  • • Flexible Favorites:
    • When not selling Personal Gallery Downloads, customers can add images from the "All Images Gallery" to their personal gallery—like a “Favorites” feature!
  • • Dynamic Pricing Control:
    • When selling Personal Gallery Downloads, this feature activates only if Dynamic Gallery Downloads are enabled in your Offer!
    • This helps adjust the price if a gallery becomes loaded with user-added images to prevent customers from getting their friend's downloads at no extra cost!
  • • Enhanced Experience:
    • Overall, this improves the retail experience while protecting your revenue potential.

Example of the now more prevalent Add to Gallery button. Theme: Liquorice

3. Email Validations During Selfie Check-In™ 📧

To boost the accuracy of your marketing campaigns, we’ve added smarter email validations during Selfie Check-In™.

  • • Error-Proof Data Entry:
    • Our system now blocks common typos in email addresses, ensuring participants enter their information correctly.
  • • Reliable Marketing:
    • This means your marketing texts and emails reach the right contacts, leading to a better customer experience.

Sometimes people make typos... but even typo-makers deserve their pics!

4. Digital Orders – Simplified Checkout 💻

Purchasing digital products just got a whole lot easier!

  • • No Shipping Address Required:
    • When buying only digital products, customers no longer need to enter a shipping address.
  • • Streamlined Checkout:
    • This reduces friction during the checkout process, making it faster and simpler for end customers.

5. Various Fixes & Improvements 🔧

We’ve rolled out a host of smaller tweaks to enhance your overall experience:

  • • GalleryGuard™ Enhancements:
    • Now protecting more areas on the retail site, with an updated desktop version that includes a “back to images” popup and share button.
  • • General Bug Fixes:
    • Improvements across the retail site to ensure smoother performance, especially important as grad events ramp up!

GalleryGuard™ Candy is ready to guard your image galleries!

That’s it for this week’s recap!

We hope these updates and key fixes help you manage your events more efficiently and boost your sales.

As always, we love your feedback, so feel free to reach out with any questions or suggestions.

Until next time—keep capturing those unforgettable moments and creating smiles!

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.

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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