Use a public gallery when you want people beyond the guest list to find and share an approved set of photographs. Use an unlisted, code-protected, or invitation-only gallery when the full collection is meant for attendees and families.
A common setup uses both: a short public recap and a fuller gallery for guests.
What changes when a gallery is public?
A public gallery can be linked, reshared, indexed, and viewed outside the original audience. That suits festivals, public races, press coverage, and sponsor recaps. Once copies start circulating, however, changing or removing the source image may not reach them.
An access-controlled gallery asks guests to take an extra step, such as entering a code. It narrows the intended audience, but it does not stop someone from forwarding the link. Choose the level of access that matches the event.
A practical comparison
| Question | Public gallery | Access-controlled gallery |
|---|---|---|
| Who can open it | Anyone who finds the page | People with the link, code, or invitation |
| Guest effort | Open the page | Complete the chosen access step |
| Search engines | May index the page | Keep the page out of the index |
| Sponsor or press use | Works for an approved highlight set | Export a separate selection when needed |
| Later corrections | Existing copies may still circulate | The source gallery is easier to update |
Use a split-gallery approach when needed
Publish a short set of stage, venue, sponsor, and atmosphere photographs for communications. Deliver the larger participant or family collection through the guest gallery.
Inside the guest gallery, Event Face Finder can help each person search that event for likely matches instead of scanning the full collection.
Decision checklist
Answer these questions before choosing the access model:
- Do press or sponsors need photographs they can share publicly?
- Is the full gallery intended only for attendees and families?
- Should search engines be able to find the page?
- Will a simple link work, or does the event need a code or invitation?
- When should guest access close?
- Would a small public selection cover the communications need?
If the event needs broad visibility, publish a small approved selection and deliver the fuller collection through the guest gallery.
Set up the gallery before you share it
Create the event, choose access and download rules, then test the guest route from a phone.
Create an event
