Yet Another Blog Post: Event Duration Increase!π
ByΒ
Candy
Β onΒ
June 14, 2023
Β Β Β |Β Β Β Β
5
Β minute read
Hello there! π
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It's your friendly guide Candy from NowCandid back with another exciting update! We heard your feedback and we're acting on it. Drum roll, please... π₯
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Bigger, Better, Longer Events π
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Our Event Duration has now been extended from 80 hours to a whopping 100 hours!
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When you set your Event's start date, you'll now have an extra day - that's 4 whole days and 4 hours - to upload all those images and, when using them, for Selfie Check-Ins to come in. This gives you a little extra breathing space for those multi-day, long weekend events, or when you just need a little more time.
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The Finer Details π§
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But remember, the clock stops ticking when the Event ends! Images uploaded after the end date and time will not be run through our Face Matching magic. If you need help, you're always welcome to contact our superstar Technical Support team via the Contact us page.
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Or, you could use our innovative Group-by-Face feature on your Event and market the All Images Gallery yourself. Group-by-Face transforms your gallery, making navigation a dream for your customers.
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Early Bird Gets the Worm π¦
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Just because you have more time, doesn't mean you should take it! Posting your images right away is a winning strategy. Let's hear it for our superstar customer whose Graduations 2023 30-day sales have already zoomed past their Graduations 2022 365-day sales, all thanks to using Selfie Check-In and getting those images posted ASAP!
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Those impulse purchases right after an event are powerful. Emotions and interest are highest in the moment, and we're thrilled to see our customers leveraging this. The takeaway? Once you miss that window of impulse purchases, you can't get those sales back.
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Let's Make the Most of It! β³
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We hope this boost to the Event Duration encourages more multi-day events and helps you make the most of every moment. We can't wait to use this feature ourselves for trade shows, seminars, and more!
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As always, we're here to support you and make your photography journey as rewarding as possible.
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Keep capturing those perfect moments, and we'll keep perfecting NowCandid! πΈπ
Candy here with another round of updates! This weekβs highlights include a fresh redesign for Titled Luxe Prints, a brand-new 4Γ6 size, continued Background Removal improvements, and some helpful Dashboard upgrades for PhotoRosters, Event Tags, and Positive ID workflows.
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β¨ Titled Luxe Prints Get a Refresh
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Titled Luxe Prints have been reworked to feel more like the classic PartyPics style while still keeping the premium embellishments that make them special.
Weβre continuing to tune Background Removal so cutouts look cleaner across more shooting conditions. Stay tuned for even more improvements!
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π± Capture App 5.9.1 β Android
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π· Full-quality internal camera capture
Android devices now use the full available quality of their internal cameras when shooting through the Capture App.
Previously, it was using a down-sized version!
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π₯οΈ Dashboard Improvements
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πͺͺ Faster Positive ID Scanner Card generation
The Scanner IDΒ Workflow's Scan Card PDFΒ Generator is now performs better, stalls less, and produces significantly smaller download files.
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β οΈ Background artwork warningβ
When uploading an Event background, NowCandid can now detect text or logos and show an extra warning.
This reinforces the existing recommendation to avoid placing important text or branding on backgrounds where product cropping could cut it off. Use our Overlay features instead!
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β¨ Clearer Auto Editor folder naming
Manage Images now shows a sparkles icon for Folders containing AI edits, with clearer formatting for Folders created by the Auto Editor.
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π₯ Import PhotoRosters directly from Participant List
Face Matching Events now have an Import from PhotoRoster button at the top of the Participant List page, letting you select and import a PhotoRoster without navigating away.
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π¨ Candy Image Studio & Auto Editor
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πΌοΈ Background Generator improvements
Outputs are now sized more appropriately for uploading back into an Event
Generated background sets match each other more consistently
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π° Every node now displays its price
Previously, only discounted nodes showed pricing. Now every node clearly displays what it costs!
Expect more nodes with their own unique prices in the future! We will continue to build on and improve our Auto Edit &Β Image Studio tools.
Nodes can no longer be drag-and-dropped into different edit "orders".
Their hierarchy is now set automatically so edits run in the best possible sequence without you needing to think about it!
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π οΈ Auto Editor UI refreshed
Several interface changes make setup and options clearer and easier to understand.
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π PhotoRoster Improvements
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π₯ Multiple PhotoRosters per Event
Fixed an issue that could prevent you from importing more than one PhotoRoster into the same Event.
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π¬ Clearer disabled export messaging
If Export is unavailable, clicking it now explains why.
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π« Empty PhotoRosters canβt be exported
A PhotoRoster must have at least one member with an image before it can be exported to an Event.
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π Password-Protected Public Event Lists
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Event Tags now have an optional extra layer of privacy:
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π Password-protect your Public Event List Pages:
β Set a password while creating a new Event Tag
βοΈ OR add or remove the password using the Event Tag editor
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This works similarly to the password protection for your Private Image Download Galleries.
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ποΈ Retail Fixes & Protection
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πΌοΈ Fixed package editing edge cases where the Overlay step could be missing while choosing a new image
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π‘οΈ Additional GalleryGuard improvements
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Thatβs the week!
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The refreshed Titled Luxe Prints are the star of this update, with better Background Removal, easier PhotoRoster importing, and more control over Event Tags rounding things out.
Candy here with this weekβs updates! The biggest changes are in Candy Image Studio and Auto Editor, where several popular edits now cost less, produce more consistent results, and work more naturally with Background Removal workflows.
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Weβve also added undo and redo to Virtual Group Builder, improved green screen cutouts, and cleaned up a few retail download issues.
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Letβs take a look!
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π¨ Candy Image Studio: Better Results & New Lower-Cost Edits
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Several Candy Image Studio nodes have been reworked with more consistent output quality and new discounted pricing.
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β« Improved Black & White edits β now 4Β’β
Both existing Black & White nodes have been rebuilt to produce more reliable, consistent results.
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β¨ Improved Retouch β now 6Β’β
The Retouch node now produces much more consistent results and is available at a lower price.
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ποΈ New 35mm Film node β 4Β’β
The previous Film Style node has been replaced with a new and improved 35mm Film treatment.
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πΈ New Clarendon node β 4Β’β
Apply a look inspired by the familiar Clarendon-style social media filter.
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π³ More flexible edit pricing
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Some nodes now display their own lower price. Candy Image Studio charges based on the highest-priced node included in the edit.
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For example:
An edit using only a 4Β’ node costs 4Β’
If that same edit also includes a standard node, normal 2K or 4K pricing applies
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This lets simpler edits cost less when you're not using the more advanced edits!
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βοΈ New Background Removal Options for AI Edits
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Candy Image Studio and Auto Editor now work more closely with Events using Background Removal folders.
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πΌοΈ Candy Image Studio can send an edit into Background Removalβ
When editing an Event image, a new option appears beneath Mark Original Invisible if the Event has Background Removal folders enabled.
Select Mark Destination Folder as Background Removal Folder to upload the edited image into a folder that will also process it for background removal.
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βοΈ Auto Editor adds a Background Removal size optionβ
If Background Removal folders are enabled, you can choose Background Removal. Edited images will then upload into a folder marked for Background Removal.
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π οΈ Auto Editor folder fixβ
Auto Edits now run properly on original images inside folders marked for Background Removal. Auto Editor still does not run on the completed cutout images themselves.
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All of the new node pricing and quality improvements in Candy Image Studio also apply to Auto Editor, since Auto Editor is powered by the same system.
Download behavior is more reliable on desktop and Android for Events without artwork.
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πΌοΈ Free Gallery Download resolution fixedβ
Free Gallery Downloads on QuicEvents now correctly deliver full-resolution images instead of medium resolution.
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π§² Photo Magnet artwork fixβ
Photo Magnets will no longer be ordered with Event artwork when Use Artwork by Default is enabled, since artwork is not supported on that product.
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π± Mobile Dashboard 4.1 for Android
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π° New βCha Chingβ notification soundβ
Weekly order notifications on Android now include the same Cha Ching sound effect already available on iOS.
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π Swipe to open the Sidebarβ
Swipe inward from the left edge of the screen to open the Sidebar, matching the iOS experience.
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π€ Google Play compatibility updatesβ
The app also includes required changes for the latest Google Play requirements.
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Thatβs the week!
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Lower-cost AI edits, stronger and more consistent results, and better Background Removal integration should make Candy Image Studio and Auto Editor more useful for both one-off fixes and larger Event workflows.
Last week, we were busy hosting our annual Summer Seminar in Denver, Coloradoβand we had a great time with everyone who joined us!
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That means this weekβs recap includes two weeks of updates. Nothing too wild, but plenty of useful improvements across Retail, the Dashboard, Auto Editor, Capture App, and more while we continue working on some bigger changes behind the scenes.
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Letβs catch up!
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β‘ Faster Background Removal
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βοΈ Background Removal processing is fasterβ
We made multiple speed improvements over the past two weeks to help cutouts finish sooner, especially during higher-volume periods.
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π₯ Smarter Digital Download Delivery
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Digital Downloads can now skip unnecessary processing in more situations.
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β‘ Some downloads are now available immediatelyβ
If a customer selects No Overlay, the Event has no artwork, and/the image is not a BGR image, the customer will skip the cropping step on the retail site and receive the full-resolution image without waiting for an 8Γ12 rendered version.
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πΌοΈ Full aspect ratio is preservedβ
These downloads bypass the cropping step and work more like Personal Gallery Download products.
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π Also applies to Medium Res and Free Downloadsβ
This includes cases where those downloads are automatically upgraded to full resolution.
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π§ Clearer receipt messaging for custom rendersβ
When a download does require processing, the receipt now explains that the custom image takes a little longer and will be emailed from YourPhotos@orderssupport.picsemail.com.
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π§Ύ Order Details now identifies each download typeβ
Digital Downloads can now show a Rendered Download or a Full Aspect Ratio Download badge, making it clearer which version was delivered to your customers.
π Auto Edit originals wonβt be texted too earlyβ
QuicPics and QuicPortraits will no longer send the original image by MMS when it belongs to an active Auto Edit with Hide Originals enabled. The system will wait for the edited version instead.
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πΊ New Retro Pop nodeβ
Give images a colorful, retro-inspired treatment.
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π‘ New Ace Card nodeβ
Turn subjects into a bold playing-card-style design.
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π¬ QuicPics & Marketing Improvements
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π₯ QuicPics can now send to multiple contacts on merged participantsβ
If merged participant records contain different phone numbers or email addresses, regular QuicPics can now send to each unique contact.
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βοΈ Marketing startup fix for BGR cutoutsβ
Fixed an edge case where marketing would not begin if the only visible images were cutouts from the newer Background Removal system.
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π Hot Links now better respect Hide Originalsβ
Fixed an issue where the preview could temporarily show the original image before an Auto Edit finished generating.
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π± Capture App Updates
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Capture App 5.8.1
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iOS and Android OTA updates
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π¨ Updated Event artwork is refreshed at loginβ
If artwork changed, the latest file is pulled when logging into the Event normally.
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π οΈ Small follow-up fixβ
An additional 5.8.1 update was released to address a minor issue.
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Capture App 5.9
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iOS and Android App Store update
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π² iOS OTA updates are easier to installβ
You no longer need to completely restart the app or return to the Home Screen to install an available Over-the-Air update.
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π€ Android compatibility updatesβ
Required updates were made to stay current with new Google Play requirements.
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ποΈ Retail Download Fixes
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π± Safari share sheet reliability improvedβ
Press-and-hold downloads should now open the native share sheet more consistently on Safari.
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πΌοΈ Virtual Group download cleanupβ
Virtual Groups in QuicPics no longer offer a Download with Art option.
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π¨ Background selection fixesβ
Fixed cases where:
A PNG could be downloaded without selecting a background and receive an incorrect blue background
Faux renders showed no selected background in the download popup
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π Facebook login works again
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π₯οΈ Dashboard Improvements
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π Image Timeline cleanupβ
Fixed chart display issues, removed folders that were not useful in the timeline, and prevented multiple summaries from appearing when switching folders quickly.
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πΎ Candy Culler controls are clearerβ
Filter visibility and report controls now use more descriptive buttons, similar to Manage Images.
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π BGR Folder Stats fixedβ
Cutouts from the newer Background Removal system no longer incorrectly inflate Unassigned totals.
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π± Mobile Dashboard
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π More reliable deep linkingβ
Dashboard links should open the correct page more consistently when the app has been open for a while or after signing in and out.
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Thatβs the two-week update!
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Faster Background Removal and smarter Digital Download delivery are the biggest highlights, with plenty of smaller improvements making Auto Editor, QuicPics, Retail, and the Capture App more dependable.
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Thanks again to everyone who joined us in Denver for Summer Seminarβwe loved seeing you!
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