Pic-Time is a popular platform for photographers to deliver and sell their photos through customizable, professional online galleries. Clients can easily access these galleries via a web browser, without the need for an app. Photographers retain control over how images are displayed and the sizes available for download.
While services like Dropbox or Google Drive provide basic file-sharing, they lack the visual appeal and control over download sizes that Pic-Time offers, which are specifically tailored to photographers’ needs for a polished client experience.
That said, we believe there is a better Pic-Time alternative, particularly for events, weddings, and high-volume headshot sessions.
There are a couple of limitations to how we deliver photos today:
- It’s too slow. People are the most excited to receive their photos while the event or wedding is happening, not days or weeks after it’s over. By delivering your photos slowly, you miss the most important time window.
- It’s too much work for guests to find their own photos, because they have to scroll through the whole gallery to pick them out. It’s also too much work for photographers or clients to send only the right photos to each guest.
As photographers ourselves, we felt strongly that there has to be a better alternative to deliver photos. Hence, we built Honcho to address these two limitations.
- Honcho helps you deliver the photos instantly, during the shoot. This is done by uploading photos from camera to cloud (by tethering the camera to your phone), while you shoot.
- Honcho helps you share the right photos with the right people, with AI-powered face recognition. Your guests can easily find their own photos by uploading a selfie. Honcho then matches the right photos with the selfie and delivers them in a personal gallery for each guest.
In this article, we show you how to use Honcho as a Pic-Time alternative to elevate your photography services. You can also create a free account and start right away.
Upload Photos Instantly, From Camera to Cloud
Honcho enables real-time photo uploads as you shoot, instantly creating an online gallery that can be shared with clients and guests.
This is done by tethering your camera to your smartphone via the Honcho app, which automatically detects the camera. As you capture photos, they’re transferred to the app and uploaded to the cloud.
Once uploaded, the images can be accessed from any device, whether on a smartphone or laptop, via the mobile or web app.
Honcho uses wired tethering for fast, reliable performance, compatible with any standard data cable. High-resolution photos are typically transferred and uploaded in about five seconds.
You can also choose the upload resolution, from full-quality images to compressed versions at 640px on the long edge. Smaller files, like the 640px versions, are uploaded almost instantly.
What sets Honcho apart is that it requires no additional hardware. Unlike other tethering solutions, such as CamRanger, which often need extra equipment to extend the connection range, Honcho only requires your camera and phone, and offers virtually unlimited range. This allows you to move freely around a venue without worrying about losing the connection.
As a photographer, you’ve probably faced the frustration of your photos not reaching the guests.
We understand that our primary responsibility is to the client—whether that’s an event planner or a wedding couple—and it’s ultimately up to them to decide how and when the photos are shared.
However, it’s common for clients to delay or not share the photos at all, leaving guests to contact you directly for their images after the event.
We believe the photos we capture have value not only for the client but for everyone who attended the event. These moments are meaningful to the guests as well, and they deserve access to those memories.
This isn’t about blaming the clients—they often have many priorities, and distributing photos may not be at the top of their list.
The real challenge has been the lack of an easy, efficient way to share event photos. That’s where Honcho comes in.
With Honcho, guests can instantly view and download event photos through an online gallery. Since the images are uploaded in real-time as you shoot, guests can access them while the event is still fresh in their minds.
While guests appreciate seeing all the event photos, they also want a quick way to find their own. Previously, this meant scrolling through the entire gallery, which could be time-consuming.
Honcho provides a smart solution: guests can upload a selfie, and the app uses face recognition to find their images and present them in a personalized gallery. Each guest receives a gallery featuring only the photos they appear in, making the experience seamless and personalized.
One of the main reasons clients hesitate to share photos with guests is privacy concerns. For instance, wedding couples may wish to keep intimate moments private, and event planners often prefer not to publicly share images of guests to respect their privacy.
As a result, photos often go undistributed, losing their impact and value over time.
Honcho addresses this issue by providing advanced privacy controls.
The first option allows you to password-protect the online gallery, granting access only to selected individuals. This feature, similar to platforms like Pic-Time, works well for sharing photos with a small, chosen group.
However, password protection limits distribution when the goal is to share photos with all guests.
Honcho offers a more innovative, guest-friendly solution: blurring all the photos in the online gallery. Only images identified through facial recognition are unblurred, so each guest can see only their own photos.
This approach allows you to share the entire gallery with everyone, while ensuring that each guest can only access their own images. It’s a unique solution from Honcho that enables both widespread photo sharing and privacy protection at the same time.
Play Live Slideshows to Engage the Audience
We believe photography should be more than just documenting a wedding or event—it should be an immersive experience. Every feature we’ve talked about is designed to elevate your photography services into something beyond just capturing moments.
One of the best ways to create that experience? Live slideshows. There’s something magical about seeing your photos up on a big screen. It energizes the room, gets people talking, and takes the atmosphere to another level.
Plus, it’s an incredible way to showcase your work to a live audience. And guess who they’ll think of when they need a photographer in the future?
Honcho makes setting up a live slideshow super simple. Open the gallery, hit “More,” and select “Slideshow.” That’s it—no extra software needed.
You can also moderate the slideshow through the mobile app or any device. For example, an assistant can moderate the slideshow from a laptop, viewing your photos in real-time without manual file transfers. Depending on your workflow, you can choose whether new photos are automatically published or kept unpublished until you’re ready.
Print On-Site Without Manually Transferring Files
The features we’ve discussed not only enhance your photography services but also create opportunities for upselling, allowing you to charge higher rates and increase your earnings per booking. Offering on-site instant prints is another popular option that can significantly boost revenue.
There’s something uniquely special about holding a physical print, and many clients love the idea of providing personalized keepsakes for their guests. These prints can be meaningful, customized alternatives to traditional party or wedding favors.
Typically, on-site printing involves the hassle of manually transferring files from your camera to a laptop, which can be a challenge during a busy event. Honcho simplifies this by enabling wireless printing from any device, eliminating the need for manual file transfers.
It also gives you flexibility in managing prints. You can print directly from the mobile app, or have an assistant handle it from a laptop. Since your photos are uploaded to the cloud in real-time, your assistant can access and print them instantly, streamlining the entire process.
Conclusion
There are many untapped opportunities in how we currently deliver photos. While platforms like Pic-Time work well for post-event delivery, sharing photos instantly during the event can create a much stronger impact.
Honcho offers a compelling Pic-Time alternative, allowing you to do just that—and more. With features like face recognition, you can ensure guests receive their photos privately. You can also run live slideshows and wirelessly print on-site, elevating the overall event experience.
As photographers, we need to think beyond simply documenting an event. Events are about creating unforgettable experiences. If we focus solely on capturing moments, we risk becoming irrelevant—especially in a world where everyone has a high-quality camera on their phone.
It’s time to rethink how photography can enhance the event or wedding experience. By providing added value to your clients, you’ll not only grow your business but also set yourself apart from the competition.
Sign up for a free Honcho account today and discover how it can transform your photography business.
