Optimizing Photos for Online Galleries: Quality, File Size, and Client Experience

40 minutes to upload 30 wedding photos… Sound familiar?

You've just finished your edits, you're happy with the results, and now… you wait. Your connection lags, the transfer stalls, you have to start over.

And in the end, your clients download files so heavy that they fill up their phone or take 10 minutes to email.

When discussing photo optimization before uploading to an online photo gallery, the conversation quickly drifts to technical considerations: maximum quality, file weight, "true HD"…

In real life, this isn't a technical issue.
It's a usage issue.

1. What Image Quality Does a Photo Gallery Actually Display?

Let's clarify a fundamental point:

👉 A gallery never displays the raw HD file from the photographer.
And thankfully so.

Even if the photographer uploads:

• very heavy JPEGs
• files of 50, 80, or 120 MB
• "maximum quality" exports

👉 what the client sees on screen is always an optimized version, designed for:

• speed
• fluidity
• mobile devices

2. Heavy Files vs. Optimized Files: What Really Changes?

Many photographers still deliver huge files because:

• "the client wants the best quality"
• "it's more professional"
• "I prefer not to limit"

In practice, these files mainly bring:

• long download times
• storage problems
• files difficult to share
• no visible gain for most client use cases

A 120 MB file is not perceived as:

• higher quality
• more reassuring
• more professional

It's often perceived as:

• constraining
• unnecessarily heavy
• complicated to manage

3. What Your Clients Really Expect from a Downloadable Photo

A client doesn't judge:

• JPEG compression
• color depth
• exact pixel dimensions

They want:

• a quick download
• a file they can open anywhere
• something simple to keep and share
• a clean and sharp screen rendering

In real life, a file that is:

• well exported
• consistent
• light but clean

brings more real value than a huge file with unclear usage.

4. Online Gallery, Download, and Delivery: Three Different Use Cases

A gallery can be used to:

• discover photos
• make selections
• purchase
• download

5. What File Format Should You Offer for Download in a Gallery?

Rather than opposing "web" and "HD", a much healthier approach is to clearly separate use cases.

Web version / everyday use

• lightweight
• quick to download
• ideal for screens, sharing, social media, personal archiving
• comfortable for the majority of clients

HD version / archive / printing

• heavier
• reserved for specific needs
• used occasionally
• relevant when the client knows why they're downloading it

With Fotostudio, the photographer can offer both versions for download, without impacting gallery fluidity or navigation.

The client chooses:

• simplicity
• or the HD file, if they truly need it

6. Upload Time: How Long to Send Your Photos to a Gallery?

Optimizing your files isn't just about thinking of the client.
It's also about thinking of your own workflow.

Uploading:

• 40 images of 4–5 MB
• or 40 images of 100+ MB

is not at all the same experience.

In real life, very heavy files mean:

• long upload times
• saturated connections
• interrupted uploads
• time spent waiting or restarting

This time:

• isn't billed
• doesn't improve perceived quality
• doesn't add any extra value

7. Digital Sobriety: Avoiding Unnecessary Waste

Every image sent, stored, and downloaded:

• is copied
• transferred
• stored on multiple servers
• sometimes repeatedly

Unnecessarily heavy files:

• increase data volumes
• multiply transfers
• mobilize more resources than necessary

Optimizing your images won't "change the world."
But avoiding oversized files when they bring no real added value is simply digital common sense.

It's an approach that is:

• sober
• pragmatic
• without loss for the client
• without compromise on perceived quality

8. The Real Professional Reflex to Adopt

Before exporting or enabling a download, ask yourself one question:

Not:

• "is it as heavy as possible"

But:

• "is it best suited for this specific use"

This change in logic makes the difference between:

• a technically correct delivery
• and a truly professional client experience.

9. How Fotostudio Handles Photo Gallery Optimization

The tool doesn't decide for you.
But it can either:

• impose a single type of file
• or allow you to differentiate use cases

Fotostudio allows:

• fast and fluid photo galleries for your clients
• multiple file versions for download (web + HD)
• automatic display optimization
• without sacrificing perceived quality

But, as always, the decision remains human.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Photo Optimization for Galleries

What's the ideal weight for a photo in an online gallery?

For a "web/everyday use" version, a file between 3 and 8 MB is generally optimal:

• light enough for quick download
• quality enough for all screens (even 4K)
• easy to share and store

For an HD/printing version, between 15 and 40 MB depending on the desired final resolution.

Will my clients see a quality difference?

No, in 95% of cases.

A well-optimized file (JPEG quality 85-90%, appropriate dimensions) is visually identical to an uncompressed file on:

• a computer screen
• a smartphone
• a tablet
• even on a 4K TV

The difference only becomes noticeable for large format prints (> 50 cm) or 200% zooms.

How long to upload 50 optimized photos?

With a standard connection (fiber or decent ADSL):

• 50 photos of 5 MB (optimized) = approximately 3 to 5 minutes
• 50 photos of 100 MB (not optimized) = approximately 45 minutes to 1h30

Optimization saves you considerable time, especially if you regularly send photo galleries to your clients.

How to optimize my photos without losing quality?

Three simple methods:

1. On export from Lightroom/Capture One: JPEG quality 85-90%, dimensions 4000-6000 px on the long side
2. With dedicated tools: TinyPNG, ImageOptim, Squoosh
3. Automatically via your gallery platform: some solutions like Fotostudio automatically optimize for display, while allowing HD versions to be downloaded

Should I always offer an HD version to my clients?

It depends on your positioning and your clients.

Offering both versions is often the best compromise:

• web version by default (fast, practical)
• HD version available for those who need it (large format printing, professional archiving)

Most clients use the web version and only download the HD for a few specific photos.

Summary

A file that's easy to download, store, and use almost always brings more value than a heavy file you don't know what to do with.