Collection 1 of 7
Ask for a small selection with its context
A useful photo request tells people what to send, where to send it, when it is due and who will see the gift. Start with one to three chosen photographs, not an entire camera roll. Ask for the original file if available and a short caption; a screenshot of a photograph or a social-media download may have lost detail.
Complete the fields in one of these three templates and test the collection route before sending. These are invitations, not a requirement to contribute. A written memory is a useful alternative when someone cannot share a picture.
Collection 2 of 7
Request 1: a birthday or anniversary gift
“I’m making [gift] for [name/people], to be shared with [named audience] through [delivery method]. Could you send up to three favourite photos to [tested upload link/contact] by [day, full date, time and time zone]? Please use the original files if you have them, and add who is shown, an approximate date and one sentence about the memory. A broad place is optional. Tell me which images and display name you are comfortable including for that audience. A written note instead is welcome, and joining is optional. Contact [organizer/contact] for corrections or removal before [final-cut date, time and zone].”
If it is a surprise, add that only when the recipient would welcome this kind of gift. Do not make secrecy a reason to use private photographs without permission. One chosen picture from a close friend may add more than a large set of similar images.
Collection 3 of 7
Request 2: an after-event photo collection
“We’re preparing a recap of [event and date] for [audience], delivered as [album/video/file collection]. Please choose up to [small number] photos and send the original files through [tested link/contact] by [day, full date, time and time zone]. Add the people’s preferred names, the scene and any date/place uncertainty. Include only material you can authorize for this audience, and leave out anyone who asked not to be included. Please contact [organizer] about a correction or removal before [final-cut deadline]. A short written memory is welcome if you have no pictures.”
Explain whether this is a selection for a finished gift or an archive of originals. AlbumMap’s organizer-reviewed contributions should not be described as a gallery that every guest can browse. If the group needs all originals, keep an independent file collection and verify the organizer’s download separately.
Collection 4 of 7
Request 3: an older family photograph
“I’m collecting a few family photographs for [recipient/project], to be seen by [audience] in [delivery format]. Could you send a readable copy of one picture through [tested link/contact] by [day, full date, time and time zone]? Keep the original safely with you. Tell me who you believe is shown, the approximate year and place if known, who owns or created the photo, and anything you are unsure about. Please say whether we may use the copy, caption and your name for this audience. You can decline or share a written memory instead. Contact [organizer] to correct a detail or withdraw it before [final-cut deadline].”
For physical prints, use the photo-scanning guide. Preserve the uncropped scan and any writing on the back. Record “unknown” or “approximately” rather than turning a family guess into a definite caption.
Collection 5 of 7
Use one optional reminder and a specific replacement request
Reminder: “A brief reminder that the optional photo request for [project] closes [full date, time and time zone]. One picture with a short caption is enough; a written memory also works. Here is [tested link/contact] again. If you prefer not to contribute, no explanation is needed.”
Replacement: “Thank you for the picture of [scene]. The copy we received is [too small to display clearly/not opening]. If you still have the original, could you send that file through [route] by [full date, time and time zone]? If not, we can use the approved caption without this image. Please keep your own original.”
Send a reminder before the cutoff only to people who have not declined. Do not routinely chase them after the deadline. Finish with the approved material received, and include late material only in a later version you have actually agreed to make.
Collection 6 of 7
Choose the audience and export permission before sending
Decide who can contribute, who can review the project and who will receive the finished gift. Confirm those choices with contributors before collecting their files.
Add the matching export sentence from the copyable consent invitation to your request. Do not promise private-only use while choosing an export that requires additional public-use permission. If the planned audience or use changes, ask again before including the material.
Collection 7 of 7
Keep a simple received-photo record
- Original filename and contributor contact, kept privately.
- Display name, approximate date and broad place when relevant.
- Caption in the contributor’s own words, with uncertainty preserved.
- Agreed audience, any exclusions and review status.
- Selected working copy and the location of the preserved original.
Review the files as they arrive. The photo-organization guide shows how to keep a file-to-place sheet, and the duplicate-selection guide helps reduce the working selection without deleting the archive. Open the final gift as the recipient before delivering it.
Before you send it
Make it sound like you
- Swap in one real detail only the two of you share.
- Read it aloud once; cut any line you would never say.
- Sign it with the name they actually call you.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
How many photos should I request?
Start with one to three favourites per person, or another small number that fits the project. Invite an extra image only when it adds a missing person or moment; do not require every medium.
How do I ask for better-quality pictures?
Ask for the original file if available, rather than a screenshot or social-media copy. Explain the specific problem and offer a caption-only alternative if the original cannot be found.
What should the deadline include?
Use the day, full date, time and time zone, with the contribution route in the same message. Leave an editing and final-test window after that cutoff.
Should I remind someone who declined?
No. Keep participation optional. A single reminder before the cutoff can help people who have not answered, but a decline does not need a follow-up request.
Do I need captions?
A short caption often provides the names, context and uncertainty the image cannot supply. Ask for one sentence and check spellings; do not guess a precise date or location.
