Choose an event photo sharing app

Choose the collection model first

A Sealed capsule is simple for a group because guests do not need accounts, only a six-character code or link and a first name. It also means every member shoots blind from their own phone and nobody, not even the host, can review a photo before the opening. A live album lets people browse during the event, but requires invitations, permissions and a reliable way to identify the correct event.

Write down the expected number of people, devices and locations. Decide whether existing camera-roll photos should be allowed or whether every moment must be captured inside the experience. This choice changes authenticity, moderation, network requirements and the amount of setup a guest faces.

Make consent visible during the event

Tell guests who is taking photos, when they will become visible and where the current copy lives. Provide a clear way to decline a photo or leave the activity. A consent notice at setup is not enough if new people join later, so the organiser should repeat the rule and keep an easy opt-out throughout the event.

Delayed visibility changes the review process. If nobody can preview a shot, the group cannot correct or delete it immediately inside that flow. The reveal therefore needs a respectful setting and an understood removal or deletion path. Do not describe surprise as privacy; those are different product properties.

Inspect accounts, links and guest friction

Ask every option what a guest must do: install an app, create an account, scan a code, open a browser, grant photo access or use the organiser’s phone. Test the flow on the actual venue network. A feature-rich service is not useful when guests abandon the first step or the invitation link is hard to find.

For a Sealed capsule, check battery, camera permissions, connectivity and that each guest knows the code and the opening time. For a one-phone local capsule, add storage and who keeps physical control. For QR galleries and albums, test link expiry, duplicate uploads, contributor names and moderation. The lowest-friction choice depends on the group, not on the longest feature list.

Plan the reveal, export and deletion

Decide whether the event needs a live reveal, a private gallery later or a permanent shared album. Confirm who can open the result, save copies and send them elsewhere. Once a person exports or shares an image, the original app may no longer control every copy. Make that boundary clear before people contribute.

Check retention and deletion in the current privacy information. For a shared Sealed capsule, photos sit on the Sealed server, are never shown before the opening and are deleted 30 days after it, so save what matters in time. For a one-phone local capsule, understand what happens if that phone is lost, reset or uninstalled. For a cloud album, inspect account ownership, access revocation and any automatic expiry. Keep a deliberate final step for selecting what the group wants to preserve.

Run a small event rehearsal

Create a short test with three people before the real event. Capture ordinary and unwanted test images, pause the activity, trigger the reveal, save selected photos and delete the test capsule or album. Record confusing steps, missing controls and any permission that surprised a participant.

Choose the workflow that the least technical guest can understand without hidden assumptions. Sealed, POV, a QR upload gallery or a standard shared album solve different problems. The right choice is the one whose capture, visibility, consent and after-event rules match the moment you are organising.

Decision criteria

Use the same questions for every option before choosing.