THE JOURNAL

Learn more about sneak peek photography and why it’s a fun way to preview your photos before the big reveal!

Your session just wrapped, and HOLY COW! You know you made some magic with your photographer, so you can’t wait to see your photos! 

However, your photographer still has to upload, organize, look through, and edit all of your photos before you can preview them. Even if it feels like the post-session anticipation is killing you, it’ll be well worth the wait. 

Instead of making clients wait until their full gallery is ready, I always deliver a set of sneak peeks. That way, you can get excited about seeing some of your sneak peek photography while being patient as I finalize the rest. Think of it as the best of both worlds!

What are sneak peeks? 

Sneak peeks give an overview of the session or wedding day through photography. Depending on the photographer, there can be anywhere from two to 50+ photos delivered to help tide you over until your full gallery is ready. 

For senior and family portrait clients, I deliver up to 10 sneak peeks to show the various outfits and locations we captured throughout the session. Some of the sneak peeks may become your very favorites of the session!  

Because a wedding day has many more candid moments and memorable scenes, my couples can anticipate 50+ sneak peek wedding photos. This curated collection of photos helps you relive the magic of your amazing day.  

What is your philosophy behind sneak peek photography?

I believe every session and wedding is about storytelling. My goal is for your final gallery to walk you through whatever story we were trying to tell—whether that’s sharing a fun walk in the park with your family or getting married to the love of your life. 

When I deliver sneak peek wedding photos, I want my couples to have a high-level story of the day so they can remember the joy instantly! As I edit through your sneak peek wedding photos, I will carefully curate moments from each part of the day so as you’re waiting for your final gallery, you’ll have photos of your family, friends, ceremony, and reception (I mean, dance party) to look back on and share. 

What are some of the sneak peeks I can expect from my wedding day?

If you look over your timeline, the events called out throughout the day are what I typically deliver in my sneak peeks. These can include getting ready photos, your first look, full bridal party portraits, family photos on each side, a handful of couple portraits, ceremony, speeches, first dances, you name it. ACP sneak peek wedding photos take you through the entire timeline of your day!

Do you deliver sneak peeks for every session? 

Heck yes! While the quantity of your sneak peek photos will vary depending on the length and type of your session, I love creating and delivering a baseline of images so you can share in the joy of the post-production process. 

No client is more important than the other—regardless of the session type—which is why I balance my workload and calendar to allow space to deliver high-quality sneak peeks for each client I’m blessed to have in front of my camera. 

Do you send sneak peek photography on the same day? 

The short answer is no, I don’t send same-day sneak peeks.The long answer is on average, I send sneak peek photos roughly 72 hours after your session. 

This is in response to my goal of ensuring your sneak peeks tell a bigger story.  I don’t just send one photo and call it a day, I like to go through the entire session and find some highlights that really showcase the time we had together! Because of that, I need more than an hour or two to fully review our collection of imagery.

Are sneak peeks the best photos?

I might be biased, but I think all your photos are the best photos! The sneak peeks can become  a mix of the absolute best photos of your session or wedding day, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be blown away when you receive your full gallery. Trust me, there will be plenty of photos to treasure throughout the delivery process! 

How are sneak peeks delivered?

Every photographer is different in their approach. While some display sneak peeks on Instagram, others may text their clients or upload them to the same gallery delivery service they use for final galleries. 

ACP delivers our sneak peek photography through Pic-Time using the same gallery software we use to deliver all your photos. That way, your images can all be found in one convenient place.

If you’re a visual learner like I am, here’s an example of sneak peek wedding photos: