Opening galleries for media, operating teams and business owners

The event is over, the photographs are ready, and the first request arrives: "Please send us everything." It sounds simple. In practice, a single folder sent to everyone can reveal more than intended, delay a press release or expose guests who expected discretion.

This guide sits within our overview of commercial opening and milestone photography. It is about deciding who gets which images before delivery.

Name the recipient groups

Start with the people who will actually receive images. Common groups are:

• Media. Journalists, editors and bloggers who need images for publication.
• Operating teams. Managers and staff who run the site.
• Business owners and directors. The commissioners, who want the full record.
• Partners and tenants. Organisations that took part or are named.
• Guests. Invited attendees who may want to see themselves.

Each group has different needs, rights and risks. Write them down before the event, and tell us.

What each group needs

Group	Needs	Should usually not receive
Media	A short, captioned set cleared for press use	Candid guest images, operational areas
Operating teams	Layout, signage, workflows	Images with security or access details
Owners	The full approved record	Nothing withheld without reason
Partners	Images featuring them, in agreed form	Other parties' selections
Guests	Images in which they appear, if agreed	The full gallery

Our guide to different image packs for media, sponsors and internal teams describes how to design these sets. A guide on what makes an event photograph suitable for press use covers the media set.

Law, contract and policy

Three different things shape who can receive what:

• Law. The Personal Data Protection Department explains that the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 applies to personal data processed in commercial transactions. Photographs of identifiable people may be personal data, so how you share them matters. We do not provide legal advice, and your own adviser should confirm how the Act applies to your event.
• Contract. The booking terms say who may use the images and how. MyIPO states that copyright protection arises automatically when a work is created, so the written agreement about ownership and licence matters. See our guide to copyright ownership and permission to use event photographs.
• Business policy. Your own rules on who may receive images, and in what form, are internal choices. They are not legal requirements, but they decide what you release.

Protect guests and operations

Guests may agree to be photographed at an event without agreeing that their image goes to the press. Keep a list of those who prefer discretion and exclude them from external sets.

Operational images need the same care. A wide view of a back-of-house corridor may show access doors, equipment or processes the business prefers to keep private. Check each external set for these details before release. Our guide to private gallery access and onward sharing explains how access and sharing can be controlled.

Sequence and timing

Deliveries do not have to arrive together. A common order is:

1. A small press set, first, because media timing is short.
2. The owners' selection, soon after.
3. The operating team's practical set.
4. The wider gallery for partners and guests, once approvals are complete.

The post-event delivery and approval calendar helps you plan the sequence. The post-event image use planner lets you name each group and use.

A hypothetical example

For example, imagine a hospitality group opening a new venue. The owners, a hotel operator and two tenants all want images. The press set has twelve captioned images, cleared by the owners. The operator receives a set of layouts and signage, minus back-of-house corridors. Tenants receive their own spaces and group images.

Guests who asked for discretion are excluded from external sets. The owners keep the full approved gallery. The image-use and approval register records each release.

What to tell the photographer

• Recipient groups and their needs.
• Guests who prefer discretion.
• Areas that must not appear in external sets.
• Caption wording and approvers.
• The sequence and deadline for each group.

We confirm the date, venue, crew and deliverables in writing before the event.