How to use PhotoMagic
Last updated September 6, 2026
PhotoMagic helps you review a public Google Drive folder or uploaded working copies. Mark Pick, Maybe, or Skip, then export a clean filename list. This guide has two parts: one for clients picking their own photos, and one for photographers who want to share it with clients. Skip to whichever fits you, then read the gotchas at the bottom.
Pick your photos in one sitting
Your photographer sent you a selection link and asked you to choose your favourites. Open that link and follow these steps.
Open your selection link
Open the PhotoMagic link from your photographer. If asked, sign in with the invited Google account. To create your own solo selection, paste a public Drive folder link or upload JPG or PNG working copies. Private Drive folder import is not currently available.
Pick, maybe, or skip — one key each
Tap P to pick, M for maybe, or X to skip. Use the arrow keys to move between photos. On a phone, use the Pick, Maybe, and Skip buttons. Review at your own pace and revisit the Maybe group later.
Compare the near-duplicates
When grouping results are available, compare similar frames together before choosing. You can also use Compare to inspect selected photos side by side.
Tidy up the maybes
Filter to just your maybe pile and make the final call on each. If a whole batch is sideways, select a range and rotate them all at once before deciding.
Send your final list back
Open Share pick list and choose Filenames or CSV to include every selected file. Numbers works only when filenames contain unique numbers; the dialog warns if that format omits photos. Copy or download the list, or open an email draft. PDF books, web lookbooks, and Drive export tools require a paid plan.
Hand clients a selection flow that doesn’t bounce back
Instead of a flat Drive folder and a confusing “reply with the numbers” email, give clients a guided pick. You get a clean list back and far fewer follow-ups.
Prepare a gallery
Use a public Google Drive folder, or upload JPG or PNG working copies from your computer. Keep the original filenames so the returned list matches your catalogue. Keep a separate backup of your originals.
Choose access for your client
Free is for solo review, with no collaborators. Event Pass allows two collaborators in addition to you; Studio allows five. Choose a plan before inviting a client, or ask for help with a guided pilot.
Send the PhotoMagic link & a short brief
Use Sharing and collaborators to send the selection link. Tell your client how many photos you need, such as 40 for an album, and whether to include Maybes in the final list.
Pick together, live, if they want help
Invited collaborators can review from separate devices. Check the group's picks and disagreements before you prepare the final list.
Get the list back in the format you use
Ask the client to export filenames, numbers, or CSV. Drop that straight into Lightroom (filter by filename) or your editing queue. No more deciphering screenshots or half-remembered descriptions.
/how-to) with clients, or paste the “For clients” steps above into your delivery email. The whole point is that they shouldn’t need a phone call to get started.Keyboard shortcuts
| P | Pick the current photo |
| M | Mark as maybe |
| X | Skip (R still works) |
| 0 | Clear the current photo's state |
| ← / → | Move between photos |
| Space | Open the full-screen preview |
| [ / ] | Rotate left / right |
| Shift + click | Select a range for bulk actions |
| H | Open history to undo or restore |
| ? | Show all keyboard shortcuts |
On-screen buttons do everything the keys do — the shortcuts just make it faster.
Drive, privacy & sharing gotchas
Drive import currently needs a public folder
The folder must be shared as Anyone with the link - Viewer. The private-folder Picker is not currently available. Do not make a sensitive folder public just to use PhotoMagic; upload working copies instead.
Originals stay put; working copies and metadata are stored
Selecting does not alter your originals. Direct uploads store browser-prepared working copies for 180 days. If you enable analysis, the private worker processes previews and stores derived metadata. Only authorize analysis when you have the required permission for everyone shown. See the privacy policy for exactly what’s stored.
Sharing access is not the same as exporting a list
Session members can see review activity according to their role. Do not treat Skip as a private note inside a shared session. An exported pick list contains only the selections and fields you choose to include.
A published lookbook link is public
If you click Share as web page, anyone with that unguessable link can view the assembled lookbook. They can’t see your other sessions or your pick state, but treat the link itself as semi-public — don’t post it somewhere you wouldn’t want the photos seen.
“Send to Photos” and “Selects folder” create new things
Pushing picks out makes a new Google Photos album or a new Drive folder. It never deletes or overwrites the originals, and the photos you skipped stay untouched in the source folder.
Rotation is part of your selection view
The rotation controls save orientation metadata for the session. They do not rewrite the original Drive file. Pick, Maybe, and Skip are separate actions.
You can revoke access any time
Go to myaccount.google.com/permissions, find PhotoMagic, and remove access. To also delete your stored metadata, email hello@photomagic.live from your account address.
FAQ
Do I need to download Drive originals first?
No. Use a public Drive folder link. For direct uploads, select local JPG or PNG copies; PhotoMagic prepares browser-sized renditions before uploading them. Google Photos is an optional export destination, not an import source.
Will the photographer see what I skipped?
A shared session includes review activity for its members. A filename export includes only the states you select in the Include menu.
Can two of us pick at the same time?
Yes, with Event Pass, Studio, or an active Studio pilot. Invite collaborators within the plan's limit. Free is solo-only.
What if I close the tab halfway through?
Everything is saved as you go. Reopen the session later and continue exactly where you stopped.
Does this work on my phone?
Yes. The one-key flow is fastest on a laptop, but you can tap the pick, maybe and skip buttons on a phone or tablet too.
Still stuck?
Send us a message and we’ll help you get unblocked — or email hello@photomagic.live. Photographers: ask us for a ready-to-send client handout.