How you download photos from ShootProof depends on how your photographer set up the gallery. If free downloads are on, hover over a photo and click the download icon, or use Download All at the top right. If you bought digital files, check your email for the download link. A watermark on your file usually comes down to which of those paths you used. Here's the short version:
- Free downloads: your photographer chooses whether the watermark stays on.
- Files bought through ShootProof: a watermark applied in ShootProof is removed before delivery.
- Files your studio delivers itself: ShootProof doesn't send them, so ask your photographer.
Below: how each path works, a table for common problems, and a message you can send your photographer.
Which download path are you on?
ShootProof galleries can deliver photos in three different ways. Finding yours tells you where to look and who can help.
| Free download in the gallery | Bought from ShootProof's store | Delivered by your studio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you get files | Download icon on a photo, or Download All | Email with a link to ZIP files | However your studio chooses |
| Watermark added in ShootProof | Your photographer chooses whether it stays | Removed before delivery | Depends on the file your studio sends |
| Link lasts | Emailed link expires after 7 days | Emailed link expires after 7 days | Ask your studio |
| Who to ask | Your photographer | Your photographer | Your photographer |
Not sure which you have? If you placed an order and paid at checkout, look for the order email first. If you didn't place an order, your gallery may use free downloads.
How to download from a ShootProof gallery
One photo
If free downloads are on, hover over the photo and click the download icon at the bottom of the image. The file downloads to your computer or phone right away, with no order or checkout.
The whole gallery
- Click the Download All button at the top right. It only appears if your photographer has turned it on.
- Enter a PIN if you're asked for one.
- Choose My Device or Save to Google Photos.
- If you chose your device, a new window loads the ZIP files. A large gallery may have several ZIP links, so click each one.
You'll also get an email with the ZIP link. If the files aren't ready after several seconds, ShootProof says they'll be delivered by email instead.
Photos you bought
For files ShootProof delivers, you'll automatically get an email with a link to ZIP files once your order is complete and paid. Photos are bundled together, while videos and slideshows get separate links.
Why your download isn't working
| What you see | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No download icon | Free downloads may not be on for this gallery or for you | Ask your photographer what your package includes |
| No Download All button | Your photographer hasn't turned that permission on | Ask whether it can be added, or download photos individually if allowed |
| Asked for a PIN | Your photographer protected those downloads | Ask your photographer for the PIN |
| A countdown of remaining downloads | Your photographer set a download limit | Choose your favorites first; downloading the same photo twice only counts once |
| Only you can't download, or only one person can | Free downloads may be limited to the gallery's linked contact | Ask which email address is linked, or ask to be added |
| Only some photos can be downloaded | Free downloads may be limited to one album | Ask whether other photos can be released |
| Downloaded file has a watermark | Your photographer may have kept it on free downloads, or the mark may have been in the photo before upload | Ask for a file without the mark |
| No email after buying | The order may be waiting for payment or for the rest of the order | See the note below, and check your spam folder |
| Download link is more than 7 days old | The link has expired | Click it anyway; if the gallery is active, you'll get a new email with a new link |
| Old link goes to the photographer's website | The gallery may be archived or inactive | Ask your photographer to restore it, then click the original link again |
| Old link doesn't work at all | The gallery may have been deleted | Ask your photographer to upload the photos again and send a new link |
Why your order email hasn't arrived
ShootProof explains a few reasons that your files may be delayed:
- You chose to pay later, or the studio takes payment outside checkout. The email isn't sent until your photographer marks the order as paid.
- Your order includes prints. For studios using ShootProof Pay, the files aren't sent until payment is processed. If the order includes lab-printed items, that happens when the order is submitted to the lab.
- Your studio delivers its own files. ShootProof won't send anything, so your photographer has to deliver them.
Why your file may still have a watermark
ShootProof says watermarks applied in a gallery are always removed from prints and from digital downloads fulfilled by ShootProof. Free downloads are the exception, because your photographer chooses whether the watermark stays on.
There's one more possibility. A logo added in editing software before upload is part of the image itself, so ShootProof's watermark settings wouldn't remove it. Your photographer would need to send a clean export.
What to send your photographer
Photographers can change download permissions, watermark settings, and gallery status, so a specific message helps. Here's one you can copy:
Hi [photographer's name], I'm [your name] from the [session or event] gallery. I'm trying to download my photos, but [what you're seeing, such as "my download has a watermark" or "I don't see a Download All button"]. Could you check the gallery's free download settings, or let me know how my files will be delivered? My order number is [number, if you have one]. Thanks!
If you already have the rights to a watermarked copy
A clean file from your photographer is always the best version. If that isn't possible, perhaps because the studio has closed, you may be left with a watermarked copy of a photo you own or have permission to edit. Our ShootProof watermark remover can help with that, and our photo proof watermark remover works with other galleries.
Results can vary. ShootProof offers tiled watermarks and an AI protection option designed to make marks harder for AI tools to remove, so some files may not clean up well. You can see how your photo looks before you pay. Our tools don't connect to ShootProof and can't unlock a gallery or download.
Not sure what your purchase covers? See does buying a photo include editing rights. If your photographer has gone quiet, here's what to do when your photographer has disappeared. For how other platforms compare, see how to download photos from Zenfolio.
FAQ
Can I download all my photos from ShootProof at once?
Yes, if your photographer has turned on Download All. The button appears at the top right of the gallery. You'll get one or more ZIP files, and you can save to Google Photos instead.
Do ShootProof downloads have a watermark?
It depends on how you got the file. Watermarks applied in ShootProof are always removed from digital downloads fulfilled by ShootProof. For free downloads, your photographer decides whether the watermark stays.
How long does a ShootProof download link last?
The emailed link expires 7 days after it's created. If you click it later and the gallery is still active, ShootProof emails you a new link. If the gallery is archived or inactive, your photographer has to restore it first.
Why does ShootProof say I have limited downloads?
Your photographer set a limit on free downloads. You'll see a countdown of what's left, and downloading the same photo again only counts once. For more, you may be able to buy extra files, so check the gallery's store or ask your photographer.
Can I save ShootProof photos to my phone?
Yes. ShootProof says free downloads and ZIP files can go directly to a computer or mobile device, and full-gallery downloads can also be saved to Google Photos.
Sources
- ShootProof Support, How do my clients receive their free digital files?, checked November 4, 2026
- ShootProof Support, How do my clients receive their paid digital files?, checked November 4, 2026
- ShootProof Support, How do I add, change, or remove watermarks in my galleries?, checked November 4, 2026
- ShootProof Support, ShootProof FAQs, checked November 4, 2026