SmugMug Review
By Dog Photographer Rebecca Goutorbe
Disclaimer – This review & website contains affiliate links to the products and services SmugMug offer, you won’t pay any more for the products or services they offer but I may get a commission Thank you
SmugMug Review UK
This SmugMug review was updated October 2023. As a Dog Photographer and event photographer I have used SmugMug websites for over 8 years here in the UK. SmugMug offer 3 different plans. I am currently using the SmugMug Pro account for event photography and client shoots. I also use a SmugMug Power plan for my dog breeder website.
SmugMug review 2023
Here is my SmugMug review, I have used SmugMug for a number of years now as a dog photographer. Originally I set up my SmugMug website for event photography which I was about to do for the UK Kennel Club in 2016.
Dog photography
After attending a two day dog photography course. At the time a stipulation for me to be able to go and photograph the Gundog Events was proof I had attended a dog photography course. The best dog photography tip I was given from the course was to set up a SmugMug website ready for the event photography I was about to do.
Portfolio v Pro account SmugMug
I took the advice and got the Portfolio account with SmugMug. The portfolio account allows you to easily sell your photography through client galleries (a SmugMug gallery). Also the portfolio account is the cheapest SmugMug plan for selling your photography online. The other account for selling photography online through SmugMug is the Pro account, which I now use today for client shoots and events.
SmugMug galleries
I had never photographed events before and didn’t quite realise what I had let myself in for. Although it was great to see the other breeds of Gundogs work and be really up close for photographing the dogs. After 5 days of Gundog event photography and all the editing which came with over shooting the event. I uploaded the photos to
- SmugMug galleries
- Switched the shopping cart on, within the gallery settings
- Then shared the galleries online through Facebook
Selling on SmugMug
To my amazement, as this was all new to me, I easily sold my event photography through SmugMug. Email after email from SmugMug ‘Cha-ching! Who loves ya baby!’ That’s what the email used to say. It’s ‘Cha-ching! You just made a sale’ now. They are still great emails to receive when you have sold your photos.
SmugMug website
Having the SmugMug website already and set up before the events gave me a massive head start for selling the photos. Mainly because once you photograph an event everyone knows you’re the photographer and they are waiting and looking for the images to view. Luckily I wasn’t in panic mode. All I had to do was edit the photos and upload them to SmugMug.
Photography portfolio website template
My photography portfolio was already on the website too, which is mega easy to do with a SmugMug template. The hardest part of building your photography portfolio online is choosing which images to use.
Tip
My biggest tip for building a photography portfolio online is less is more, about 9 photos is all you need. One great photo is all you need to get started with a Smugmug template.
Client galleries for photographers
SmugMug galleries
Using a SmugMug photography website always makes being an event and Fieldsports photographer so much easier. A quick and easy way to get all the images from an event online for everyone to view and purchase.
Pro Account
I use the Pro account from SmugMug so I can add photography packages to the gallery of images which I send out to dog photography clients. This helps to increase sales with the added bonus of being able to offer discounts and money off coupons.
My dogs website
I actually used and still use a SmugMug website with a SmugMug template for my own dogs website and did use one for my dog grooming business which I set up over 5 years ago.
#1 google search results
The dog grooming website I made with SmugMug ended up at the top of the google search results for dog grooming in my local area. My dog grooming business took off. Using a SmugMug website for a dog’s website and dog grooming probably doesn’t make sense. Both websites were just full of dog photos though, a SmugMug website is a photo website. It worked for me.
SmugMug Power plan
The cheapest plan from SmugMug is the power plan which is basically a plan for
- Displaying your photography portfolio online
- Storing your photos and videos (unlimited photo and video storage)
- Sharing your photos online
Pro account SmugMug
I use the Pro account now because I can easily add
- print packages
- digital packages to the client galleries
- add special offers, like a percentage off for a certain amount of time to increase sales.
The new digital image client download feature is really handy too for the way I work. You can now for example sell a photo shoot including however many digital downloads. Send out the gallery and also send another link so the client can download say 3 digitals from their galley which I have included in the photoshoot price. Which works really well. All you need to do is
- click on the gallery you want to do this for
- View the gallery on SITE
- Then in the top right click for client download.
Free apps
There are lots of other features SmugMug offers but what I find really handy is the free mobile phone app, which backs up all my mobile phone photos and videos automatically.
iCloud storage
Using the iPhone 14 which takes Raw photos too, the SmugMug mobile app saves my iCloud storage getting full. You can store Raw files and PSD’s too with SmugMug source which is an addon but again dead handly for your mobile phone as well.
If you’re ready to protect your photos and make money like I do, click here to try SmugMug free, and if you decide to purchase after the trial, you’ll save 15% because you came through my partner link
FAQ
To share a SmugMug gallery link to Facebook.
Go to organise at the top of your screen.
Find the gallery you would like to share to Facebook.
Click Settings to the gallery read more >
click here >>>
SmugMug Pro is the top account from SmugMug with access to all the SmugMug features.
Yes SmugMug have introduced SmugMug source an add on to your existing SmugMug account. Cloud storage for raw files and PSD’s. Find out more here >>>
In the UK SmugMug use the print lab Loxley Colour from Scotland for prints and photo products. There are three print types available from the UK print lab which are Lustre, Glossy and Metallic available in every size you could possibly need.
In the US ezprints, bayphoto & whcc
You can try SmugMug free for 14 days and you don’t need to enter credit card details either to try it free. But no there is not a free version of SmugMug.
SmugMug is a photo sharing platform in the USA who also own Flickr. We can use SmugMug here in the UK and other countries can too.
You get paid your profits once a month from SmugMug. If you are in the UK you are paid via Paypal.
To change your cover photo in SmugMug, go to the top right corner of your SmugMug website.
Click on the square or profile photo.
Next you need
– Edit my profile
– About me
Here is where you can change your cover photo, profile photo and the email address for the contact form.
You don’t need to create a contact form for your SmugMug website, there is one already made for you. To change the photo on the form or the email address go to Edit My Profile and the settings can be changed there. For more information and a step by step guide click here >>>
A SmugMug gallery is the same as a client gallery. But with SmugMug you can either store, share or sell your photography from a SmugMug gallery.
You keep 85% of the markup price for the prints, digital downloads, wall art and keep sakes. The price you charge for each item is your choice.
How to set up SmugMug for beginners
A step by step guide for beginners to set up a SmugMug photo website
