Pikvaa FAQ: every question, answered plainly.

Pikvaa is a studio app for Indian photographers that runs the whole job in one place: leads, quotes, bookings, crew, upload, client gallery and photo selection, payment records and final delivery. It is built for solo and small studios of two to five staff, works in Tamil and English, and is designed for low-end Android phones and slow networks.

Pikvaa is made for small Indian photography studios, from solo photographers to teams of two to five staff, starting with Tamil Nadu. It suits wedding, engagement, pre-wedding, baby, birthday and event photographers who want client selection, payment tracking and delivery in one app instead of juggling Google Drive, WhatsApp and spreadsheets.

With Pikvaa you can capture leads, send quotes clients accept by OTP, confirm bookings, assign crew and freelancers, upload photos, share a PIN-protected gallery, collect the family's album selection, record client payments and release final photos only after payment. A Today screen shows only the tasks that need action, so nothing slips through.

Pikvaa is both. It covers the full studio workflow, from lead to quote, booking, shoot, upload, gallery, selection, payment, delivery and review. Studios that only need galleries can skip the CRM and use the direct path: create an event, buy a storage pack, share the gallery and deliver, with no quote or booking needed.

Pikvaa works in Tamil and English. You choose the language when you sign up, and templates such as the WhatsApp gallery message and landing page are available in both. The app is built first for Tamil Nadu studios, so clients and families can follow the gallery and selection steps in the language they are comfortable with.

Yes. Working on low-end Android phones and slow networks is one of Pikvaa's core design rules. Uploads resume automatically after a network drop, previews are compressed to web quality of about 0.4 MB, and the Today screen shows a cached view with an 'updated at' time when the connection is weak.

Indian studios usually deliver through Google Drive links, WhatsApp and paper notes, which makes family selection, part-payments and release control messy. Pikvaa is built around Indian realities: rupee pricing, UPI QR payments recorded by the studio, WhatsApp sharing, joint family selection, Tamil and English, phone OTP login and per-event storage packs instead of monthly dollar plans.

No. Weddings are the main use, but Pikvaa works for any event: engagement, pre-wedding, baby and kids, birthdays, fashion and corporate events. Each job is an event with its own storage pack, gallery and PIN. Landing page templates cover wedding, pre-wedding, baby/kids, fashion, events and minimal styles.

No. Pikvaa never sends automatic WhatsApp messages. After key actions, a 'Share on WhatsApp' button opens your own WhatsApp with an editable Tamil or English template, link and PIN filled in. You decide what goes to the client. SMS through Fast2SMS is used only for OTPs and an optional backup reminder.

No. Pikvaa never reads WhatsApp chats, call logs or your phone contacts. On Android you can share a WhatsApp message or call entry into the app to create a lead, and only what you choose to share is taken. Nothing is pulled from your phone in the background.

Enter your mobile number, type the 6-digit OTP sent by SMS, then give your studio name and pick Tamil or English. That's it: your studio is created, you become the Owner and a 30-day Pro trial starts with no card needed. You then add and verify a backup email for invoices and account recovery.

No. The 30-day Pro trial needs no card. Sign up with your phone number and OTP and the trial starts at once. One trial is allowed per phone number and per GST number. Storage packs for client events are always paid, even during the trial, and are bought through Razorpay on the web.

After signup, a setup checklist suggests your logo, UPI ID, GST number, address, packages and landing page. Nothing is forced. Pikvaa asks for details just in time: your UPI ID before the first client QR, your GST number before the first GST invoice, and a verified email before your first pack payment.

Create the event with the client's name, shoot date and event price, then pick a storage pack and choose Standard or Protected. Pay once through Razorpay on the web and the exact expiry is locked and shown at purchase. On the Free plan you can do this directly, with no quote or booking needed.

Open the event in the web app on Chrome or Edge, or in the desktop uploader, and pick all files, a subfolder or single files. Pikvaa reserves space in the pack, compresses previews locally and uploads them. Every file is verified, failures retry automatically, and uploads resume after a network drop. Your local files are never deleted.

Publish the gallery to get one link and one 6-digit Client PIN. Tap 'Share on WhatsApp' and Pikvaa opens your own WhatsApp with a ready Tamil or English message. The link and PIN go as separate messages for safety. You then mark it as shared so it shows on the event timeline.

Signup is designed to take under a minute: phone number, OTP, studio name and language. You can create an event and buy a pack straight away. Optional details such as logo, UPI ID and GST number can be added later from the setup checklist, only when a step actually needs them.

Yes. Every studio, including those on the Free plan, can always create an event directly with the client, shoot date and price, record payments against that price and deliver photos. Quotes and bookings are optional CRM tools. You never need a quote to sell a pack or deliver a gallery.

Yes. Alongside the web app and the Android and iOS apps, Pikvaa has a small Windows and Mac desktop uploader for moving full memory cards. It uses the same rules as the web uploader: space reserved first, each file verified, automatic retries and resume after network loss, and nothing deleted from your computer.

Sign up with your phone number and OTP, add your studio name, then create your next upcoming event directly with the client name, shoot date and price. Buy a pack, upload previews and share the gallery on WhatsApp. You can add past leads and set up quotes, branding and staff later.

Pikvaa has a Free plan, an optional yearly Pro plan and per-event storage packs. Packs start at ₹99 for Lite 3 GB for 6 months, the 40 GB wedding pack is ₹999 for 6 months, and the 120 GB pack is ₹2,999 for 6 months. All prices are before 18% GST, paid once per event.

No. All Pikvaa prices are listed before 18% GST, and GST is added on the invoice. Checkout shows both the price before GST and the GST-inclusive price, so you see exactly what you pay. For example, the 40 GB wedding pack is ₹999 before GST, about ₹1,179 including GST.

Yes. Every payment you make to Pikvaa is stored with its Razorpay payment ID and an invoice, sent to your verified backup email. Our invoices add 18% GST on top of the listed prices. A verified email is required before your first pack payment, so every invoice reaches you.

Pikvaa Pro is priced at ₹4,999 per year plus GST, about ₹417 a month, and the price is still being confirmed with photography studios. Pro adds the full CRM, studio branding, five staff accounts and all landing page templates. Extra staff seats are priced at ₹999 per year each. Storage packs are paid separately.

No. There is no monthly fee for storage. You pay once per event for a storage pack sized to that job, for 6 or 12 months. The optional Pro plan, which adds the full CRM, staff and branding, is billed yearly. The Free plan costs nothing and still lets you sell packs and deliver galleries.

The Lite pack is the cheapest option: 3 GB per event for ₹99 for 6 months or ₹149 for 12 months, before GST. It suits small shoots such as birthdays or portraits. Photo count depends on file size, so there is no fixed photo-count promise. You can upgrade later by paying the difference.

No. The Razorpay fee is already included in Pikvaa's pack prices, so you only pay the listed price plus 18% GST. Clients never pay through Razorpay at all; they pay your studio directly, usually by UPI, and you record the payment in the app.

Pikvaa's launch prices are shaped with five to ten photography studios on real paid events, so they may be adjusted before or after launch. Whatever happens, the exact price and expiry of a pack are locked and shown at purchase, so a pack you have already bought never changes price.

Pro is yearly and part-used years are not refunded if you stop renewing; your account simply moves to Free and nothing is deleted. Packs are paid per event and their exact expiry is shown before you pay. For special cases, platform admins can issue goodwill credit or a pack refund, decided individually.

Unlimited storage is not sustainable, so Pikvaa never offers it. Each pack is priced from real storage costs, and you pay only for the space and months an event needs. A small birthday shoot costs ₹99 while a full wedding with video uses a bigger pack, which keeps prices fair for small studios.

The 50 GB Photos plus Clips plus Final pack costs ₹1,249 for 6 months or ₹2,199 for 12 months before 18% GST, about ₹1,474 including GST for 6 months. Protected versions cost ₹1,718 and ₹3,068. It suits weddings where you deliver short clips along with photos.

After expiry, files are archived for 30 days. If more archive time is needed, an extra archive month costs ₹9 for Lite, ₹79 for 40 GB, ₹99 for 50 GB and ₹249 for 120 GB, before GST. Restoring a gallery from the archive costs ₹99 plus an extension.

Pikvaa has four packs per event: Lite 3 GB (₹99 for 6 months, ₹149 for 12), Wedding Photos plus Final 40 GB (₹999 / ₹1,799), Photos plus Clips plus Final 50 GB (₹1,249 / ₹2,199) and Full 120 GB (₹2,999 / ₹5,249). Prices are Standard, before 18% GST. Protected versions cost more.

It depends on file size, so Pikvaa makes no fixed photo-count promise. The Lite pack gives 3 GB per event. Only what you choose to store counts: web previews of about 0.4 MB each, optional originals and the final package. Storing previews only fits far more photos than storing full originals too.

Most wedding studios start with the 40 GB Wedding pack at ₹999 for 6 months before GST, which covers previews plus the final package. If you also deliver clips, the 50 GB pack fits better, and full event video needs the 120 GB pack. Exact needs depend on your file sizes and what you store.

The 120 GB Full pack is for big events that include full event video along with photos and finals. It costs ₹2,999 for 6 months or ₹5,249 for 12 months before GST, and ₹4,148 / ₹7,348 with protection. Videos up to 30 GB per file can be uploaded within the pack cap.

Only what you choose to store counts: web previews, originals if you store them, clips and video, and the final edited package. Temporary ZIP download files and platform backups never count against your pack. Space is reserved before each upload starts, so parallel uploads can never push you over the cap.

A pack starts on the shoot date, or the first shoot day for multi-day events, not the purchase date. Its exact expiry is locked and shown when you buy. Each pack includes up to 30 days of storage before the shoot for early uploads, and warnings arrive 30, 7 and 1 days before gallery access ends.

Pikvaa proposes a new expiry based on the new date, but nothing changes until you accept it. A pack can be rescheduled at most twice, to a date up to 6 months out. The pack still starts on the shoot date, and up to 30 days of pre-shoot storage is included.

No. Every file belongs to exactly one pack and one event, so one pack cannot be shared across events. If a booking is cancelled, its pack can be reused for another client only after the first client's access is revoked and their photos and records are purged or archived.

Each photo can be up to 50 MB, each clip up to 500 MB and each full video up to 30 GB. Files over the limit are rejected before upload starts, so you never waste time. All uploads must also fit within your pack's storage cap.

Storing originals is optional. By default Pikvaa stores web-quality previews and the final package. If you choose to store originals, they count against the pack and are kept as one primary copy. Pikvaa does not back up originals, so always keep your own second copy.

Yes. Free studios can buy all storage packs, from Lite 3 GB to Full 120 GB, with no Free-tier pack limits. Packs are always paid on every plan, including Pro and the trial. The Free plan simply limits CRM, staff and branding, not storage or delivery.

Yes. Every pack comes in a 6-month default or a 12-month option. For example, Lite costs ₹149 and the 40 GB Wedding pack ₹1,799 for 12 months, before GST. You can also extend any pack later at ₹5 per GB per month, with a ₹49 minimum.

Yes. Each pack includes up to 30 days of storage before the shoot, useful for pre-wedding shoots or test uploads. Uploading early does not start the pack; it still starts on the shoot date. Storage beyond 30 days before the shoot is charged at the extension rate of ₹5 per GB per month.

Before an upload starts, Pikvaa shows the exact overflow and offers an upgrade to the next pack or a top-up of extra GB. Nothing is half-uploaded. Lite packs can only upgrade. Top-ups and upgrades keep the same expiry, and the app always shows the final price and reason before you pay.

A top-up is ₹5 per GB per month left on the pack for Standard packs and ₹6.50 on Protected packs, with a ₹49 minimum, before GST. If the GB's share of the upgrade price is higher, that floor applies instead. The app shows the exact price and why, for example '₹270 (₹5 × 9 GB × 6 months)'.

No. Top-ups are not available on Lite. Instead, you upgrade Lite to the 40 GB pack by paying the full price difference for the same period, so Lite plus the upgrade always equals buying 40 GB directly: ₹99 plus ₹900 equals ₹999 for 6 months. The expiry date stays the same.

To move to the next pack size, you pay the full difference between the two pack prices for the same period, and your expiry stays unchanged. For example, 40 GB to 50 GB costs ₹250 for 6 months before GST. Any unused part of earlier top-ups is credited against the upgrade by actual days remaining.

No. Pikvaa's pricing makes sure a top-up is never cheaper per GB than upgrading. Top-ups are also capped below the next pack size: 40 GB can add up to 9 GB, 50 GB up to 69 GB and 120 GB up to 30 GB. When upgrading costs the same or less, the app shows 'Upgrade instead' as the main button.

No. When you upgrade, the unused part of any top-up is credited against the upgrade price by actual days remaining. Example: a ₹150 top-up bought with 180 days left, upgraded with 90 days left, gives ₹75 credit, so a ₹250 upgrade costs ₹175. Credit is not paid out as cash.

You can extend any pack before or after expiry at ₹5 per GB of the pack per month before GST, with a ₹49 minimum. An extension moves gallery access, storage expiry and the deletion dates forward together. It does not reopen or move the client's selection deadline; only the studio's reopen can do that.

The largest pack is 120 GB, and it can be topped up by at most 30 GB. Beyond that, buy a second pack for the event. This keeps prices fair and storage limits clear, since Pikvaa never offers unlimited storage.

Yes, during the 30-day archive after expiry you can restore an event for ₹99 plus an extension at ₹5 per GB per month. After day 30 files move to a 7-day recovery bin, and on day 37 the live files are permanently deleted. Warnings are sent 30, 7 and 1 days before access ends.

Yes. On a Protected pack, top-ups follow the pack's protection and get a verified second copy, priced at ₹6.50 per GB per month with the same upgrade-price floor and ₹49 minimum. On a Standard pack the top-up is not protected, and the screen says so before you pay.

Upgrading from 40 GB to 50 GB costs the pack price difference for the same period: ₹250 for 6 months or ₹400 for 12 months on Standard, and ₹340 for 6 months on Protected, before GST. Your expiry stays the same, and any unused top-up credit is subtracted.

Yes. Before payment, Pikvaa shows the exact final price and the reason, such as '₹270 (₹5 × 9 GB × 6 months)', '₹125 (upgrade price floor applies)' or '₹49 (minimum charge)'. It also shows the new cap, the unchanged expiry and whether the top-up is protected.

Standard keeps one primary copy of your final photos plus a 7-day recovery bin. Protected adds a verified second copy of final photos and clips on a separate provider for the paid period and archive month, with restore within 24 hours. Both prices are shown side by side at checkout and nothing is pre-selected.

Protected packs cost: Lite ₹129 for 6 months and ₹209 for 12; 40 GB ₹1,378 / ₹2,498; 50 GB ₹1,718 / ₹3,068; 120 GB ₹4,148 / ₹7,348. All prices are before 18% GST. Protection is optional and never pre-selected; you choose Standard or Protected yourself at checkout.

It depends on the file type. Final photos and clips get a verified second copy only on Protected packs. Previews have a 7-day recovery bin, with no second copy. Originals are kept as one primary copy and are not backed up, so keep your own copy. Pikvaa states this plainly instead of promising everything.

Yes. Keep your cards until you have your own independent second copy, such as on your own drive. Pikvaa shows a keep-your-cards warning until you confirm that copy, because originals are stored as one copy and not backed up. Studios storing previews only see 'Keep your cards. Originals are not stored here.'

'Protected' appears only after the second copy of your final photos and clips is verified by checksum. Until then the event shows 'Protection in progress'. If a copy fails, Pikvaa retries automatically and alerts you if it keeps failing. Protection follows pack extensions, and restores happen within 24 hours.

Deleted files go to a 7-day recovery bin first, so you can restore them within 7 days. After that they are purged. On Protected packs, final photos and clips also have a verified second copy that can be restored within 24 hours. Previews lost after 7 days can be re-uploaded from your cards.

Your studio data sits in a managed database with 7-day point-in-time restore, daily backups kept for 30 days and an encrypted daily off-site copy at a different provider. A monthly automated test restores a full event, including photos, selections and permissions, to prove backups actually work.

Protection covers final photos and clips, plus their top-ups. It does not cover previews or originals, which have only the 7-day recovery bin. This is shown on the Protected card at checkout, so you know exactly what you are paying for before choosing.

Photos are stored on Cloudflare R2 object storage, with archive months on R2 Infrequent Access. On Protected packs, a second copy of final photos and clips is kept on Backblaze B2, a separate provider. Pikvaa plans to move primary storage to Backblaze B2 as volume grows.

Pikvaa monitoring alerts the team within 5 minutes, a public status page and in-app banner keep you informed, and client galleries are kept working where possible. Client time periods such as selection deadlines and pack warnings are extended by the length of the outage, and affected studios get an incident note.

The client opens the gallery link, enters the Client PIN and tags photos as Love, Favourite or Add to album. 'Add to album' is the selection and counts toward the album limit you set. Album photos can get priority 1, 2 or 3. The client submits with an OTP, and the selection locks for editing.

Yes. Everyone with the Client PIN works on one shared live selection that syncs instantly. If someone removes a photo, others see 'removed by' with their name and an Undo button, so nothing disappears silently. Only the main client can submit the final selection, confirmed by OTP on their phone.

The selection deadline is 60 days from when the gallery goes live, with reminders at 30, 7 and 1 days. Each studio reopen adds at most 14 days, with a hard cap of 120 days. After the deadline, selection closes, but the gallery stays viewable until the pack ends.

Not directly. After submit, the selection is locked. To change it, the client asks the studio, and only the studio can reopen it. Studios set how many free reopens they give and may charge for corrections after that. Every resubmission becomes a new version, with older versions and a diff kept.

Pikvaa sets a clear 60-day selection deadline with automatic reminders at 30, 7 and 1 days, lets the whole family select together on one live list, and uses simple tags plus album priority 1, 2 and 3. An album limit counter shows how many photos remain, which helps families decide sooner.

Many Indian studios share a Google Drive folder and collect choices over WhatsApp, which gets messy. With Pikvaa, the studio publishes a PIN-protected gallery of watermarked web previews, shares the link and PIN on WhatsApp, and the family tags and submits their album selection in one place, confirmed by OTP.

In Pikvaa, everyone with the Client PIN works on one shared live selection, and each removal shows who made it with Undo, so both families see one list. For separate viewing, the client can create up to 10 share galleries with view-only PINs, where relatives give hearts that never change the selection.

Hearts let relatives and friends show which photos they love without changing the album. Share-gallery viewers enter their name once and can give one heart per photo. The studio and client can sort by most loved; viewers cannot see counts. Hearts are a guide only and never change the selection.

A share gallery is a curated, view-only gallery the client creates from their own gallery to show chosen photos to relatives and friends. Pikvaa generates a separate view-only PIN for it. The client can create up to 10 per event and rename, edit, disable or delete them at any time.

Yes. The studio sets an album limit, and every photo tagged 'Add to album' counts toward it. When the limit is reached, Pikvaa blocks further additions and shows the count, so families know exactly how many photos they can still pick. The editor then sees the selection sorted by album priority.

When the client submits, the selection appears in the studio's 'Ready for you' card. The editor sees the submitted photos sorted by album priority 1, 2 and 3, along with Love and Favourite tags. If the selection is reopened and resubmitted, each version is kept with a diff showing what changed.

No. Clients use a web link only, with no app install. They open the link the studio sends on WhatsApp, enter the 6-digit Client PIN, and can view, tag, select and submit photos from any phone browser. Studio owners and staff use the web, Android or iOS apps.

If fewer than 60 days remain on the pack when the gallery goes live, the studio must either extend the pack or accept a shorter selection deadline on screen before publishing. The client always sees the real deadline, so nobody is surprised by a gallery closing early.

No. Closing the selection never shortens paid gallery access. After the selection deadline, the client can still view the gallery until the pack ends. Pikvaa tracks four separate dates per event: selection deadline, gallery access end, storage expiry and permanent deletion, all shown on the event page.

Yes. Watermarks are on by default, and the studio can turn them off per event. The watermark is added on Pikvaa's server, and changing it reprocesses the previews. When the event watermark is on, previews in share galleries are always watermarked too.

Before payment, Client PIN holders can download a limited number of social-size copies, around 2048 px with a small studio logo, called the share quota. The default is 10 per event, and the studio can add more or sell extras. Full-quality files are released only after payment and studio approval.

Yes. The gallery can show your studio's own UPI QR with the balance prefilled. The client pays you directly, then you check your bank and mark the payment received in Pikvaa. Pikvaa never handles client money and never claims money arrived; only the studio confirms it.

Yes, optionally. If the gallery is still unopened after 3 days, Pikvaa can send a backup SMS. Otherwise, all client messages go through your own WhatsApp using the 'Share on WhatsApp' button, so the studio stays in control of every message sent.

A Client PIN is the 6-digit PIN the studio shares with the main client. It gives full rights: view, select, submit, download the share quota, create share galleries and request deletion. The studio shares the gallery link and PIN as separate WhatsApp messages, and can change the PIN at any time.

After 5 wrong PIN attempts, the gallery locks for 15 minutes. This applies to the Client PIN and to share-gallery PINs, which makes guessing impractical. If a PIN leaks, the studio can change the Client PIN, and the old one stops working at once.

The studio can change the Client PIN, and every session using the old PIN ends immediately. If a share-gallery PIN leaks, the client can disable that share gallery, or the studio can disable all share galleries for the event in one tap. Active downloads on revoked access are also cut.

No. Galleries show only web-quality watermarked previews, and full-quality files are never reachable through any gallery or share link. Full quality is released only after the studio confirms payment and approves the exact final files. Right-click and long-press are blocked, though no app can honestly promise screenshots are blocked.

No, and Pikvaa never promises that. Pikvaa blocks right-click and long-press, shows only watermarked web-quality previews, and never exposes full-quality files before release. A screenshot captures only a low-resolution watermarked image, so your finished work stays protected until payment. Clean files arrive only after release.

The OTP goes to the main client's phone so that only they can lock the final selection. A relative cannot submit without the client knowing. The OTP record, with time and version, also gives the studio proof of what was chosen if there is ever a dispute.

Login uses phone OTP. Each person can have at most 3 active devices, and the Owner is alerted on any new device login. Sensitive actions such as payments, release and deletion ask for a fresh OTP if the last check was over 12 hours ago. Idle sessions log out after 60 days.

Remove the device from Settings, Devices and its session ends at once. A stolen phone used offline is rejected the next time it reaches the server. If you lose your number, a recovery request checks ID proof, waits 72 hours with notices to the old number and email, and is reviewed by the platform.

Only if their role allows it. Photographers see their assigned events and schedule but no amounts or client phone numbers. Editors upload finals and see selections but cannot publish or release. Freelancers never see payments, the CRM or client phone numbers. Billing and deletion are Owner-only.

No. Each studio's data is isolated, and cross-studio isolation is tested for every gallery, download, API and background job. An Owner sees and controls only their own studio's sessions, even when a freelancer works for several studios. Platform admins cannot see photos or client data without the Owner's support access.

Only with your permission. You grant support access for 1 hour, 24 hours or 3 days. Support sees settings, events and errors, with photos blurred unless you allow them. Support can never delete, release, mark payments or message clients, every action is logged, and you can end access in one tap.

Yes. Every payment entry, cancellation, approval, release, undo, deletion, role change, PIN change, device logout and support access is recorded with who, when and what. Audit entries cannot be edited. Audit logs are kept 1 year and payment and invoice logs 8 years, and logs never contain photos.

Yes. The studio can disable all share galleries for an event in one tap, for example if a share PIN spreads too widely. The client controls individual share galleries and can rename, edit, disable or delete each one. Share-gallery viewers can only view and heart photos.

Their access to your studio ends instantly on every device, and they are removed from future shoots, with the Owner alerted. If their app is open offline, the session is rejected the next time it contacts the server, so no new downloads are possible. Their past audit entries remain.

After the studio confirms full payment and approves the final files, it taps Release. The client then downloads full-quality photos from the gallery through Pikvaa's controlled download gateway. By default each event allows 5 completed full downloads, and failed or resumed downloads do not count toward that limit.

The default is 5 completed full downloads per event. Only completed downloads count, so a download that fails or is resumed after a network drop is free. This protects the studio from links being passed around while giving the family enough downloads for different devices.

Full-quality photos are released only when the studio has received full payment and approved the exact final file set. If you see 'Paid, waiting for final approval', the studio is still checking or uploading the edited files. Ask your studio for the expected date; before release you can still download social-size copies.

Yes. The Owner can undo a release within 24 hours, cancelling unused links, and the action is logged. Files already downloaded cannot be recalled. After a refund or payment dispute, the studio can also re-lock downloads with one tap, and the gateway cuts any active downloads immediately.

Pikvaa downloads go through a controlled gateway that checks access on every request, so a forwarded link alone does not give access. Any short-lived signed link behind the gateway lasts at most 15 minutes, and completed downloads are limited per event. Changing the PIN ends all sessions immediately.

No. Only gallery previews are compressed to web quality, about 0.4 MB, for fast viewing. The final edited package is delivered at the quality the studio uploads, released after payment. Social-size share-quota copies are around 2048 px with a small studio logo.

You can download until the studio's pack ends, which is the gallery access end date shown on the event. You get warnings 30, 7 and 1 days before it closes. After expiry, files move to a 30-day archive, then a 7-day bin, and are deleted on day 37, so save your photos early.

Download your photos as soon as they are released and keep at least two copies, for example on a computer or external drive and in your own cloud storage. Pikvaa galleries are time-limited by the studio's pack, so a personal backup ensures your memories stay safe for years.

Common methods include Google Drive or Dropbox links, WeTransfer, pen drives and online gallery apps. Gallery apps like Pikvaa add client selection, watermarked previews, PIN protection and payment-linked release, so the family gets full-quality files only after paying, through a secure download with a set number of completed downloads.

The best way is a private online gallery that clients can open on any phone without an app, with full-quality downloads after payment. Pikvaa does this with a PIN-protected link shared on WhatsApp, family selection, watermarked previews and a secure download gateway, priced per event from ₹99 before GST.

On expiry day the gallery goes offline and files move to a 30-day archive. You can restore during the archive for ₹99 plus an extension. On day 30 files go to a 7-day recovery bin, on day 37 live files are permanently deleted, and by day 67 they are gone from all backups.

Yes. Pikvaa warns 30, 7 and 1 days before gallery access ends, and packs expiring within 7 days appear as red cards on the studio's Today screen. The studio and client are also notified when files move to the archive, so nobody loses photos without notice.

Yes. The main client taps 'Request deletion' in the gallery and confirms with an OTP on their phone. The studio handles it within a 30-day service-rule period, with a reminder at 15 days. Once approved, photos go to a 7-day recovery bin and are then purged, and a deletion record is kept.

If a verified deletion request is not handled within the 30-day period, the platform is alerted and a limited, audited privacy-officer role handles it. Support staff still cannot delete anything. Requests are paused only during a phone-number recovery or a legal hold.

After deletion, photos are purged within 7 days and age out of backups within 30 days. Pikvaa keeps a deletion record, invoices and payment records for 8 years and security and audit logs, without photos, for 1 year. Anything under a legal hold is kept until the hold is lifted.

Paid clients keep access until their pack ends and get a WhatsApp notice to download their photos. The studio cannot delete paid work during shutdown, except through a verified client deletion request, which follows its own reviewed process. Download your photos promptly once you get the notice.

No. Pikvaa never deletes files from your computer, phone or memory cards. The uploader only copies files to the cloud and verifies them. Keep your cards and your own second copy, because Pikvaa stores originals as a single copy and does not back them up.

Every event shows four dates: the selection deadline (60 days from go-live), gallery access end (pack end), storage expiry, and permanent deletion (37 days after storage expiry). Backup expiry, 67 days after storage expiry, is shown separately. All dates count in IST and also show in the client's local time.

Yes, the Owner can delete; permanent deletion is Owner-only. Deleted files move to a 7-day recovery bin, so mistakes can be restored within 7 days, and then they are purged along with ZIPs and share galleries. Paid work cannot be deleted during a studio shutdown except through a verified client request.

A legal hold pauses the whole deletion timeline for an event, including archive, recovery bin and backup expiry, until it is lifted. It also blocks the pack from being reused. The hold is recorded in the audit log, and data under hold is kept until the hold ends.

Studios pay Pikvaa through Razorpay on the web, for storage packs and the optional Pro plan. Payments are confirmed from Razorpay's server notification, not just the browser, so a missed confirmation never loses your pack. If a payment fails, nothing is activated and you can retry.

No. Clients pay the studio directly, usually by UPI, cash, bank transfer or cheque. The studio records each payment in Pikvaa and checks its own bank before marking it received. Razorpay is used only for studios paying the platform, never for client payments.

Add a payment entry with amount, date, method such as UPI, cash, bank or cheque, and optionally a UPI reference or screenshot. Pikvaa shows total, paid and balance, creates a receipt you can share on WhatsApp, and allocates each payment to an event. Entries are never edited, only cancelled with a reason.

The studio can release once confirmed payments for the event equal or exceed the approved price and the Owner or Manager has approved the exact final files. At release, Pikvaa re-checks price, payments, files and holds. If anything changed since approval, it stops and asks again.

Pikvaa never treats a screenshot as proof of money. The studio must check its own bank or UPI app and mark the payment received only once the money has actually arrived. Until confirmed payments cover the approved price, full-quality photos stay locked.

Pikvaa shows the excess over the approved price, and the studio records it as a refund or a credit. The release screen shows a 'refund or keep as credit' note so the overpayment is handled clearly and logged. The payment entry itself is never edited, only recorded.

Yes. For zero-price jobs, such as a family favour or portfolio shoot, the Owner releases the final photos with one tap. You still buy a storage pack for the event, and the same approval and download rules apply. Nothing else is needed before release.

No. Pro and packs are bought on the web only. The Android and iOS apps are free companion apps with no purchase, renewal, top-up or upgrade screens; where a plan action would appear they show only 'Manage your plan on the web'. Log in to the web app to pay through Razorpay.

You can record UPI, cash, bank transfer and cheque payments, with an optional UPI reference and screenshot. Discounts and add-ons change the total and are logged. Each entry generates a receipt that you can share on WhatsApp. Each payment is allocated to an event so balances stay accurate.

Most Indian wedding photographers take an advance to confirm the date, then part-payments before or after the event, with the balance due before final photos and album delivery. Payment is usually by UPI, bank transfer or cash. Pikvaa records each part-payment and releases full-quality photos only when the balance is cleared.

Pikvaa has a Free plan with no time limit. Free studios can create events, buy storage packs, share galleries, collect selections, record payments and deliver photos. Storage packs are always paid, from ₹99 per event before GST. Pro adds the full CRM, staff accounts and studio branding.

The Free plan includes the Owner login, freelancers at no extra cost, direct event creation, all storage packs, client galleries with PIN and selection, payment records and final delivery. It also gives a landing page with 2 templates, Pikvaa branding, up to 20 photos and a subdomain. After the trial, the CRM becomes read-only.

Free gives the Owner login, freelancers, packs and full delivery, with a read-only CRM after the trial and Pikvaa branding. Pro adds the full CRM for leads, quotes and bookings, 5 staff accounts, studio branding, all 6 landing templates, a custom domain and up to 100 landing photos. Packs are paid on both.

If you do not buy Pro, the studio moves to Free. The CRM becomes read-only, extra staff cannot log in and branding changes to Pikvaa's, but nothing is deleted. Running events finish normally, and you can still create events, sell packs and deliver galleries.

You get reminders 15, 7 and 1 days before renewal, then a 7-day grace period with a banner. After that the studio moves to Free: only the CRM becomes read-only, never deleted, and extra staff cannot log in. Client galleries keep working, and renewing restores everything instantly.

Yes. Freelancers are free on every plan and do not count toward the staff limit. Add them by phone to a specific shoot; they log in by OTP and see only that assignment's date, time, venue and role. Their uploads are off by default and can be turned on per event.

Auto-renewal is optional. You can renew Pro with one tap through Razorpay on the web, or turn on auto-renew. Reminders arrive 15, 7 and 1 days before renewal by in-app message, email and SMS. Part-used years are not refunded if you stop.

No. One trial is allowed per phone number and per GST number, and creating a new studio with the same details does not start another trial. Platform admins can extend a trial in special cases. The trial needs no card and lasts 30 days.

Yes, with the CRM on Pro or during the trial. Add leads by quick add, by sharing a WhatsApp message or call into the Android app, from an enquiry form link or your landing page. Leads move through New, Talking, Quoted, and Booked or Lost, with one optional follow-up reminder.

Pick a package template, edit items and prices, and set validity, advance amount and due date. Pikvaa creates a PDF and an online link you share on WhatsApp. The client accepts by OTP, which records who, when and which version. Accepted quotes are locked; changes need a new version.

A booking created from an accepted quote starts as Tentative. When you mark the advance received, it becomes Confirmed and the crew and shoot hours are reserved on the calendar. You can confirm without an advance as a logged override. Tentative holds expire after the number of days you set.

Yes, if your crew and hours do not overlap. Pikvaa checks clashes by crew availability and shoot hours, not whole dates, so multi-crew studios can take two events on one date. Solo studios still get a full-day block. Overlapping confirmed crew hours are blocked; tentative overlaps show a warning.

Studios can use their own policy or the default: one free date change if requested 30 or more days before; cancelling 60+ days before refunds the advance minus 25%; 30 to 60 days refunds the advance minus 50%; within 30 days, no refund. Exactly 30 or 60 days counts in the client's favour.

Open the booking or event, add shoots with date, time and venue map link, then assign staff and freelancers. Freelancers accept or decline in the app; the Owner is alerted after 24 hours without reply. Each crew member sees a call sheet with time, venue, crew and notes, but no amounts.

No. Freelancers see only the shoots they are assigned to, never payments, the CRM or client phone numbers, including on call sheets. The server checks assignment on every request. If uploads are enabled for them, access covers that event only and ends 7 days after the shoot.

Pikvaa has Owner, Manager, Photographer and Editor roles, plus custom roles built from a permission list. Managers handle the CRM, events, galleries and payments; Photographers see their shoots; Editors upload finals and see selections. Billing, deleting the studio, transferring ownership and permanent deletion stay Owner-only.

Pro includes 5 staff accounts, with extra seats priced at ₹999 per year each. Freelancers invited to individual events never count toward the limit. On the Free plan, only the Owner logs in, plus any freelancers. The Pro price and seat price are still being confirmed with photography studios.

The Today screen shows only what needs action: red Act now cards for overdue payments, upload failures, packs expiring within 7 days and unconfirmed freelancers; today and tomorrow's shoots; submitted selections ready for you; leads and expiring quotes to follow up; and quick numbers like money collected. Done cards disappear.

Yes. Pikvaa includes a mobile-fast landing page with a built-in lead form. Free studios get 2 templates, Pikvaa branding, up to 20 photos and a subdomain. Pro gets all 6 templates (wedding, pre-wedding, baby/kids, fashion, events, minimal), no branding, a custom domain and up to 100 photos.

Yes. Three days after the client's first final download, the studio can share a review request, with at most one reminder. Every client sees a Google review button, with no gating. Low ratings also go privately to the studio, and testimonials appear on your landing page only with client consent.

A verified freelancer and studio network, with date handoffs between studios, is designed for Phase 2, after 50 active studios use Pikvaa. Profiles and portfolios will come only from real in-app events. It is available here and not part of the launch version.

Yes. The Owner picks another member, and both confirm by OTP. The old Owner then becomes a Manager or leaves. You can also name a backup owner in case you are unreachable; without one, a manager or family member can apply with proof after a 14-day notice.

Only if you allow it. Freelancer uploads are off by default. When turned on, uploads are limited to the assigned event, access ends 7 days after the shoot, and the files count against your pack. Freelancers can upload sneak peeks from their phone.

Yes. Pikvaa has free Android and iOS companion apps for studio owners, staff and freelancers, alongside the web app and a Windows and Mac desktop uploader. Clients don't need an app; they use a web link. Plans and packs are bought on the web only.

In the mobile app you can check your schedule, accept assignments, open call sheets with venue maps, upload sneak peeks from your phone, follow the Today screen and manage events. Purchases, renewals, top-ups and upgrades are not available in the app; it shows 'Manage your plan on the web'.

Use the web app on Chrome or Edge or the desktop uploader for full memory cards. They show local thumbnails, compress previews, reserve space and resume after network drops. The mobile app is best for quick sneak-peek uploads from the venue.

Yes. Each person can have up to 3 active devices, such as a phone, laptop and tablet. A fourth login asks you to remove one. New-device logins need an OTP and alert the Owner, and you can log out any device remotely.

No. Clients and their families open the gallery on any phone or computer browser using the link and Client PIN the studio sends. They can view, tag, select, submit, create share galleries and download, all without installing anything. It works well even on slow mobile data.

Yes. The 'Share on WhatsApp' button opens your own WhatsApp on your phone, WhatsApp Web or the desktop app, with an editable Tamil or English template and the link filled in. If WhatsApp isn't installed, Pikvaa opens WhatsApp Web. Phone numbers without +91 are fixed automatically.

Pixieset is a polished all-in-one client gallery and online store platform built mainly for Western photographers, with monthly or yearly plans. Pikvaa is built for Indian studios: per-event packs in rupees from ₹99 before GST, Tamil and English, WhatsApp sharing, joint family selection with OTP submit, UPI payment records and payment-linked release.

It depends on your need. Kwikpic focuses on AI face-search event photo sharing, where guests find their own photos. Pikvaa focuses on the studio workflow: album selection by the family, watermarked previews, payment records and release only after payment, plus CRM, crew and bookings. Pikvaa does not offer face search.

Google Drive is general file storage, so studios still manage selection over WhatsApp, can't easily lock full quality until payment and often share open links. Pikvaa adds PIN-protected watermarked previews, family selection with tags and album limits, OTP-locked submission, payment tracking and controlled downloads, with clear expiry dates per event.

Google Drive is reliable storage, but a shared link can be forwarded and anyone with access can download full-quality files, with no payment control or album selection. For client work, a gallery app like Pikvaa keeps previews watermarked behind a PIN and releases full quality only after payment and approval.

WeTransfer sends files through expiring links, with no gallery, selection or payment control. Pikvaa gives each event a PIN-protected gallery for viewing and selecting, records part-payments, and releases full-quality downloads only after payment, with clear warnings before the gallery expires.

Pic-Time is a sales and print-focused gallery platform and ShootProof combines galleries with contracts and invoices; both are built for Western markets with monthly plans. Pikvaa is built for Indian studios, with per-event rupee packs, Tamil and English, WhatsApp sharing, family album selection and UPI payment records. Check their sites for current features.

Not really. SmugMug is a portfolio and photo-hosting platform with unlimited storage plans and no free plan. Pikvaa is a working tool for client jobs: per-event storage packs, PIN galleries, family album selection, payment records and controlled final delivery, built for Indian studios. Pikvaa never offers unlimited storage.

No. AI face search is not part of Pikvaa's launch features. Pikvaa focuses on album selection by the client's family, watermarked previews, payment-linked release, bookings and crew. If guests finding their own photos by selfie is your main need, a face-search app may suit that job better.

No, AI culling is not part of Pikvaa. You choose which photos to upload from your cards, and the client's family selects album photos with tags and priorities. Pikvaa focuses on selection, payment and delivery rather than editing or culling.

No. Pikvaa does not include a print store. It handles the studio workflow up to the album list: the family selects and prioritises photos for the album, and the studio designs and prints the album its usual way. Studios can sell extra social-size downloads beyond the share quota.

Prices vary and change often, so compare current plans directly. Pikvaa uses per-event packs instead of monthly fees: Lite 3 GB at ₹99 for 6 months and the 40 GB wedding pack at ₹999 for 6 months, before GST, with a Free plan for delivery. You pay only for events you actually shoot.

Costs vary by app, from free tiers to yearly plans. With Pikvaa, a wedding usually uses the 40 GB pack at ₹999 for 6 months before GST, about ₹1,179 with GST, or ₹1,378 with Protected backup. Small events can use Lite at ₹99. There is no monthly fee.

For clients, a gallery app handles viewing, selection and paid delivery, while Google Photos or Drive suits personal storage. Many families download their released photos from Pikvaa and then keep a copy in Google Photos or on a drive, which is a good long-term backup.

Look for a private gallery clients open without installing anything, family selection, watermarked previews, payment control and rupee pricing. Pikvaa offers all of these, plus WhatsApp sharing, Tamil and English, and per-event packs from ₹99 before GST. Compare a few options against how your studio actually works.

Reach Pikvaa support through the app; official contact channels and hours are available here. If support needs to look into your account, you grant access for 1 hour, 24 hours or 3 days, and photos stay blurred unless you allow them. During outages, a public status page and in-app banner explain what is happening.

Yes. Pikvaa runs a public status page and shows an in-app banner to studios during incidents. Monitoring alerts the team within 5 minutes of problems like the app being down, upload failures or payment sync issues. After an incident, affected studios get a short note and apology.

Wait a moment and tap resend; resends are allowed within a limit. Check that your number is correct, since +91 is added automatically. If the SMS provider has an outage, Pikvaa shows a retry message and a status banner. For selection submit, the OTP goes only to the main client's phone.

Change it from your account settings; Pikvaa confirms with an OTP on your old number and the new one, and logs the change. If you no longer have the old number, start a recovery request with ID proof. It waits 72 hours, sends notices to your old number and email, and is reviewed by the platform.

Failed files retry automatically, and uploads resume after a network drop or laptop sleep. The progress counter shows done, total and retrying files, and failures also appear as a red card on the Today screen. If a file is over the size limit or the pack is full, Pikvaa tells you before uploading.

Check the client is entering the right Client PIN; after 5 wrong tries the gallery locks for 15 minutes. Confirm the gallery is published and the pack hasn't expired, and that you haven't changed the PIN. If the link was never opened, Pikvaa can send an optional backup SMS after 3 days.

Pikvaa is running a product with five to ten studios on real paid events before launch, to test pricing, space used per event, downloads and support time. Public availability details are available here. Studios interested in early access should watch Pikvaa's website and social pages for announcements as launch details are confirmed.

Pikvaa is built around privacy: studio data is isolated, galleries are PIN-protected with lockouts, full-quality files leave only after release, sessions end immediately on PIN change or staff removal, and every sensitive action is logged. Support cannot see photos without the Owner's permission, and a data-breach response plan is in place.

Not guaranteed. Pikvaa stores photos on Cloudflare R2, and R2 does not guarantee that data stays in India. This is a known risk, and a fallback option is still being decided. Pikvaa states this openly rather than claiming Indian data residency.

Pikvaa's deletion, retention, legal-hold and breach-notification processes, and its Standard or Protected checkout, are reviewed by an Indian privacy lawyer and a CA before launch. The breach plan includes notifying affected studios, clients and the Data Protection Board as required by law, without delay.

Pikvaa follows a five-step plan: detect the issue, contain it by revoking sessions and links, rotating keys and locking galleries, assess what was affected, notify affected studios, clients and the Data Protection Board as required, then publish a report on cause, impact and fixes to affected studios.

No. A studio's Pikvaa landing page can use photos only from galleries where the client gave consent, and testimonials appear only with consent. If you withdraw consent, your photos are removed from the page. Free landing pages show up to 20 photos and Pro pages up to 100, all consent-based.

Pikvaa platform admins cannot see photos or client data without the studio Owner granting support access, and even then photos are blurred unless allowed. Platform staff never act for the studio. Pikvaa sees only account-level data such as plan, storage and payments made to the platform.

Invoices and payment records are kept for 8 years, audit and security logs for 1 year, and logs never contain photos. Deleted photos are purged from live storage within the stated timeline and age out of backups within 30 days. Anything under a legal hold is kept until the hold is lifted.

Tap the gallery link your studio sent on WhatsApp, then enter the 6-digit Client PIN they sent in a separate message. It opens in your phone or computer browser with no app to install. You can then view photos, tag favourites and pick photos for your album.

Open the gallery with your Client PIN and tap 'Add to album' on each photo you want printed. Give important ones priority 1, 2 or 3. The counter shows how many you can still add under the studio's album limit. When you're done, tap Submit and confirm with the OTP sent to your phone.

They are tags to organise your choices. Love and Favourite help you mark photos you like for your own reference. 'Add to album' is the actual selection that the studio uses to design your album, and it counts toward the album limit. Album photos can also get priority 1, 2 or 3.

Yes. Share the Client PIN with close family and everyone works on the same live selection together, with changes syncing instantly. If someone removes a photo, everyone sees who did it with an Undo button. Only the main client can submit, because the OTP goes to your phone.

Create a share gallery. From your gallery, pick the photos you want to show and Pikvaa makes a view-only gallery with its own PIN. Friends can view and heart photos but can't select, submit or download. You can create up to 10 share galleries and disable any of them anytime.

Previews carry the studio's watermark to protect their work before final delivery. They are web-quality copies for viewing and selecting. After you pay the balance and the studio releases the final edited photos, you download clean full-quality files. Studios can choose to turn watermarks off for an event.

Gallery photos are web-quality previews, compressed to load quickly even on slow mobile data. They are meant for viewing and selecting. Your final edited photos are delivered in full quality after the studio releases them, which happens once payment is complete and the files are approved.

It depends on your album size and the studio's package. Many studios set an album limit in their package, so check it first. In Pikvaa, the counter shows your limit and remaining picks. Mark must-have photos as priority 1 so the designer keeps them first.

Yes, ask your studio. After submit, the selection is locked, and only the studio can reopen it. Studios usually allow some free reopens and may charge for corrections after that. Each reopen adds up to 14 days, and every version is saved so nothing is lost.

The selection closes, but you can still view the gallery until the studio's pack ends. Contact your studio, which can reopen the selection for up to 14 more days, within a total cap of 120 days from when the gallery went live. Reminders are sent 30, 7 and 1 days before.

Yes. Client PIN holders can download a limited number of social-size copies, around 2048 px with a small studio logo, before payment. The default is 10 per event, re-downloads are free, and your studio can add more. Full-quality photos come after final release.

Pay your studio directly, usually by scanning the studio's UPI QR in the gallery with the balance prefilled, or by cash or bank transfer as agreed. The studio checks its account and marks the payment. You can get a receipt on WhatsApp. Final photos are released once the balance is cleared.

The studio must first confirm the money arrived in its account, then approve the final edited files and tap Release. If the gallery shows 'Paid, waiting for final approval', editing or checks are still in progress. Contact your studio with your payment reference to speed it up.

Yes. Your gallery needs the 6-digit Client PIN, and 5 wrong tries lock it for 15 minutes. Only watermarked previews are shown, full-quality files are never reachable by link before release, and your studio can change the PIN at any time if it is shared too widely.

No. Submitting requires an OTP sent only to the main client's phone, so the final selection cannot be locked without you. Relatives with the Client PIN can tag and select, and every removal shows their name with Undo. This protects your final album list.

Your photos stay online until the studio's storage pack ends, shown as the gallery access date. You'll get reminders 30, 7 and 1 days before. After that the gallery goes offline, and files are permanently deleted 37 days after expiry. Download and back up your photos early.

Yes. As the main client, tap 'Request deletion' in your gallery and confirm with the OTP on your phone. The studio handles it within 30 days under the platform's service rule. Photos then go to a 7-day recovery bin and are purged, while invoices and payment records are kept as required.

No. You don't need an account, password or app. Just open the link and enter the Client PIN. You'll receive an OTP on your phone only when submitting your selection or requesting deletion. Your studio sends the link and PIN on WhatsApp, usually as two separate messages for safety.

Tell your studio. They can update it, confirmed by OTP on your old number and the new one. If you no longer have the old number, the studio starts a recovery with ID proof and a 72-hour wait. Submitting the selection and deletion requests pause during recovery.

Your studio may share a review request three days after your first final download, with at most one reminder. You can leave a star rating and optional testimonial, and a Google review button is shown to everyone. Your testimonial appears on the studio's page only if you consent.

Yes. The default is 5 completed full downloads per event, so you can download on a phone, laptop and for family members. Failed or resumed downloads don't count. After downloading, copy the files to a drive or cloud for safekeeping.

All Pikvaa deadlines count in India Standard Time (IST) and are also shown in your local time, which helps NRI families abroad. The selection deadline, gallery access end and deletion dates all appear on the event page. Reminders arrive 30, 7 and 1 days before the selection deadline.

Yes. Any family member with the link and PIN can open the gallery from any country in a browser, with no app. For relatives who only need to view, create a share gallery with a view-only PIN. Deadlines show in both IST and their local time.

Yes. When relatives heart photos in a share gallery, the studio and you see heart counts and can sort by most loved. Relatives can't see the counts. Hearts are only a guide and never change your album selection. Each viewer can give one heart per photo.

Ask your studio to change the Client PIN right away. The old PIN stops working and every session using it ends immediately. If it was a share-gallery PIN, simply disable that share gallery from your own gallery. Active downloads using the old access are also cut.

Yes. Each time your selection is reopened and resubmitted, Pikvaa saves a new version and keeps the older ones with a list of differences. This helps you and the studio agree on exactly which photos go into the album. Only the studio can reopen a submitted selection.

That depends on how your studio sets up the event. A multi-day event can use one pack starting from the first shoot day, so photos from several functions can appear in one gallery where your family selects together. Ask your studio how they've organised your events.

Photographers share photos through online galleries, cloud links like Google Drive or Dropbox, file-transfer services, or pen drives. Online gallery apps are the most client-friendly because clients view on any phone, select favourites and download after payment. Pikvaa adds PIN protection, family selection and WhatsApp sharing for Indian studios.

Free options include Google Drive, free tiers of gallery apps and WeTransfer links, though they offer little control over selection, payment or forwarding. Pikvaa's Free plan has no monthly fee, but each event needs a storage pack, starting at ₹99 for 3 GB for 6 months before GST.

Most use client gallery software, cloud storage or file transfer tools. Gallery software is built for the job, with proofing, selection, watermarks and download control. In India, Pikvaa combines a client gallery with family selection, part-payment tracking, crew and bookings in one studio app.

Professionals follow a backup routine: keep memory cards until copies are verified, store originals on at least two separate drives, and keep one copy off-site or in the cloud. Client galleries such as Pikvaa handle delivery, but Pikvaa does not back up originals, so your own copies remain essential.

Use external hard drives or a NAS for your archive, plus cloud storage for an off-site copy. For client delivery, per-event gallery storage works well: Pikvaa packs range from 3 GB to 120 GB per event, with optional Protected storage that keeps a verified second copy of final photos and clips.

Proofing is when clients review preview images, usually watermarked and lower resolution, and choose which ones to edit, print or put in an album. In Pikvaa, proofing happens in a PIN-protected gallery where the family tags photos, sets album priority and submits a locked selection by OTP.

A proof photo is a preview version of an image, typically watermarked and lower resolution, shown to clients so they can choose favourites before final editing and delivery. Pikvaa galleries show web-quality proofs of about 0.4 MB, and full-quality finals are released only after payment.

Photo selection is when the couple and family choose which photos go into the edited album from the full set of shoot previews. A clear selection process avoids delays and disputes. Pikvaa supports joint family selection, album limits, priorities and an OTP-locked final list with version history.

A watermark is a logo or text placed over an image to show ownership and discourage unpaid use. Photographers add it to previews and remove it on final files. Pikvaa adds the watermark on its server to gallery previews by default, and the studio can turn it off per event.

Many free editors and apps let you add a text or logo watermark manually. If you deliver through Pikvaa, you don't need to watermark each photo: gallery previews are watermarked automatically on the server by default, and final released files are clean.

There's no fixed number; it depends on hours covered, number of events and the package. Agree the expected range in your quote. Delivering a well-chosen set and letting the family pick album photos online, as in Pikvaa, keeps quality high and selection quick.

A clear package lists events and hours covered, number of photographers and videographers, edited photo count or range, album size and pages, video deliverables, delivery timelines, advance and payment schedule, and cancellation policy. Pikvaa quotes let you build packages from templates and print the cancellation policy on every quote.

Include the dates, venues and hours, deliverables and timelines, total price, advance and payment schedule, cancellation and date-change policy, usage rights and consent for portfolio use. Pikvaa quotes record the client's OTP acceptance with time and version, and accepted quotes are locked, giving you proof of what was agreed.

Usually an advance is paid up front to confirm the date, with the balance paid in parts before or after the wedding, often before final delivery. In Pikvaa, a booking stays Tentative until the studio marks the advance received, and final photos release only when the full balance is confirmed.

Book as soon as your wedding date and venue are fixed, especially for peak wedding season, because popular photographers fill dates early. Confirm by paying the advance, and get a written quote with the cancellation policy. With Pikvaa, studios send quotes you accept by OTP.

Shortlist photographers by portfolio and reviews, check date availability, compare package details, and ask for a written quote with payment and cancellation terms. Pay the advance to confirm. Studios using Pikvaa send a quote link you accept by OTP, and the booking is confirmed once the advance is recorded.

It depends on the cancellation policy in your quote or contract. Under Pikvaa's default policy, cancelling 60 or more days before refunds the advance minus 25%, 30 to 60 days refunds it minus 50%, and within 30 days there's no refund. Studios may set their own policy.

Build a portfolio, decide your niche, set clear packages and pricing, and register your business and GST when required. Create a simple website or landing page, get reviews, and set up a system for leads, quotes, payments and delivery. Pikvaa covers that system in one app with a Free plan.

Learn your camera and lighting, assist or second-shoot for experienced studios, build a portfolio from real events, then offer clear packages. Organised delivery matters as much as shooting. Freelancers can join studios on Pikvaa for free and see only their assigned shoots and call sheets.

Photographers typically use editing software for raw processing and retouching, culling tools to pick the best frames, and client gallery or studio management software for delivery, bookings and payments. Pikvaa is studio management and delivery software for Indian studios; it does not edit or cull photos.

Common categories include editing apps, cloud storage, client gallery apps, CRM and booking tools, invoicing and messaging. Pikvaa brings CRM, quotes, bookings, crew scheduling, client galleries, payment records and delivery into one app built for Indian studios, with Android, iOS and web versions.

A photography CRM tracks enquiries from first contact to booking, with stages, follow-ups, quotes and client history, so no lead is missed. Pikvaa's CRM captures leads from quick add, WhatsApp share-in, forms and your landing page, with stages from New to Booked or Lost.

Image selection software lets clients review preview photos online and choose favourites or album picks, replacing paper lists and long WhatsApp chats. Pikvaa is selection software built for Indian families, with live joint selection, tags, album priorities, album limits and OTP-locked submission.

Upload previews to an online gallery, share a private link, set an album limit, and ask clients to submit a final list by a deadline. Pikvaa does all this: PIN-protected link on WhatsApp, Love, Favourite and Add to album tags, priority 1 to 3, a 60-day deadline and an OTP-confirmed submission.

It depends on the number of events, guests and rituals happening at once. Larger weddings often use a team for candid, traditional and video coverage. Pikvaa helps studios assign multiple crew and freelancers per shoot and checks clashes by crew and hours, so a studio can cover two events on one date.

Candid photography captures natural, unposed moments as they happen, rather than arranged poses. In Indian weddings, studios often pair a candid photographer with traditional coverage. Both sets can be uploaded to one Pikvaa gallery for the family to select from.

A pre-wedding shoot is a styled session of the couple before the wedding, often at an outdoor or themed location, used for invitations, save-the-dates and display at the reception. Pikvaa packs include up to 30 days of storage before the main shoot date, useful for sharing pre-wedding photos early.

Engagement photography covers the engagement ceremony or a couple session soon after it, capturing rituals, ring exchange, family and portraits. Studios often deliver it as a separate event with its own gallery. In Pikvaa, a small engagement can use the Lite pack, 3 GB for ₹99 for 6 months before GST.

Delivery time depends on the studio's workload, edits and how quickly the family selects album photos. Agree timelines in the quote. Fast selection speeds things up: Pikvaa gives families a clear 60-day deadline with reminders, and the editor receives the list sorted by priority.

Wedding coverage involves long hours across several events, multiple crew, expensive equipment, many hours of editing, album design and printing, and storage and delivery costs. Pricing also reflects experience and demand. Clear packages and transparent delivery help clients see the value.

Prices vary widely by city, experience, team size, events covered and deliverables like albums and video, so compare written quotes from a few studios. Ask what is included, how photos are delivered and selected, and the payment and cancellation terms before paying an advance.

Look for a consistent portfolio, good reviews, clear packages, reliable communication and a professional delivery process. Ask how they share photos, how album selection works and when final files arrive. Studios with a clear gallery, selection deadline and payment record reduce stress for families.

Only with your agreement, ideally written in the contract. On Pikvaa, a studio's landing page can use photos only from galleries where the client gave consent, and testimonials need consent too. If you withdraw consent, your photos are removed from the page.

A wedding album is a printed book of the best edited photos from your wedding, designed by the studio. The family usually selects album photos from online previews. In Pikvaa, the 'Add to album' tag builds that list within the studio's album limit.

A portfolio is a curated collection of your best work that shows clients your style and quality. Use real client work with consent and update it regularly. Pikvaa's landing page lets studios show up to 20 photos on Free and 100 on Pro, only from client-consented galleries.

Good photographer websites load fast on mobile, show a focused portfolio, list services clearly and make enquiries easy. Pikvaa's landing page has six mobile-fast templates in Tamil and English with a built-in lead form that creates leads in your CRM automatically.

Insurance for equipment and liability is a sensible safeguard for professional photographers, since gear is costly and events carry risk. Also protect your work with backups: keep memory cards until you have two copies, and consider Protected storage on Pikvaa for a verified second copy of final photos.

Use a private, branded online gallery instead of loose links, set clear selection and download deadlines, watermark previews, and release final files after payment. Pikvaa supports all of this, with WhatsApp sharing templates in Tamil and English and reminders before the gallery expires.

A typical studio needs camera bodies, a range of lenses, lighting such as strobes or continuous lights, backdrops, memory cards, a computer for editing and reliable backup drives. Add a system for bookings and delivery so the business side runs smoothly.

Photography is a service business, often run as a sole proprietorship or small firm, providing creative services such as weddings, portraits, events and commercial shoots. In India, studios may need GST registration depending on turnover; check with a CA. A clear studio system helps it grow.

Use galleries with PIN protection, attempt limits and the ability to change the PIN. Pikvaa locks galleries for 15 minutes after 5 wrong PIN tries, lets you change the Client PIN instantly, ends old sessions, and limits final downloads to 5 completed downloads per event by default.

Ask every delivered client soon after they receive final photos, with a direct Google review link. Pikvaa prompts a review request three days after the client's first final download and shows the Google button to every client, without filtering out unhappy ones.

Assign each freelancer to specific shoots, share call sheets with time, venue and crew, confirm acceptance and record their fee. Pikvaa does this free on every plan: freelancers see only their assignments, never payments or client phones, and unconfirmed assignments appear as red alerts.

Use a calendar that tracks crew and shoot hours, not just dates. Pikvaa checks clashes by person and hours, blocks overlapping confirmed bookings, warns on tentative ones, and shows freelancers' other bookings only as busy, so you can safely run parallel events.

No single copy is fully safe. Keep at least two copies of originals on separate drives plus one off-site. Pikvaa is for delivery, not archiving originals: it stores originals as one copy without backup, while Protected packs keep a verified second copy of final photos and clips.

Track every part-payment against the agreed price, send polite reminders before key milestones, and release final photos once the balance is paid. Pikvaa flags overdue payments on the Today screen and creates a WhatsApp message with the receipt or reminder for you to send.

Seemantham and Valaikappu are South Indian baby shower ceremonies for the expecting mother, with rituals, bangles and family blessings, and many families hire photographers for them. Studios can deliver these as a separate Pikvaa event, often with a Lite or 40 GB pack.

Haldi is a pre-wedding ritual where turmeric paste is applied to the bride and groom by family, producing colourful, joyful photos. Studios often cover it as part of the wedding events. On Pikvaa, all events of a wedding can sit in one gallery for the family to select together.

Start with your next event: create it in a gallery app, upload previews, and share the link and PIN instead of a Drive folder. With Pikvaa, the Free plan lets you create an event and buy a pack directly, from ₹99 before GST, with no quote or booking required.

Large files are usually delivered through cloud gallery downloads, Google Drive links or pen drives. Online galleries are the easiest for families. Pikvaa supports photos up to 50 MB, clips up to 500 MB and full videos up to 30 GB, released through a controlled download gateway.

Most client galleries offer a download-all option once photos are released. In Pikvaa, after the studio releases final photos, you download the full package through the gallery; temporary ZIP files are kept for 7 days. Each event allows 5 completed downloads by default.

Yes, many studios cover small functions like birthdays, naming ceremonies, Valaikappu and anniversaries, often with short packages. Ask for a written quote. Studios using Pikvaa can deliver small events with the Lite pack, 3 GB for ₹99 for 6 months before GST.