Turn a customer's list of image codes into a checked group of source files without searching a large shoot one image at a time.
Ask for exact codes
A customer may send a message containing IMG_2045, IMG_2061 and other codes after a wedding or event. Ask them to copy the complete filename or the exact code shown on the proof, rather than describing a pose or a person. Similar names and repeated camera counters can cause confusion. Keep the original message so you can compare the imported list with the final selection. If there are duplicate file names in different folders, note which shoot or date is intended.
Point to the right source folders
Photo selection works best when the source structure is clear. Place the shoot's original files in a known folder and decide whether subfolders should be included. Avoid mixing previews, edited exports and camera originals under the same apparent filename. If the same code occurs twice, inspect both candidates before accepting either one. The purpose of the tool is to reduce repetitive searching, not to guess which person or scene the customer meant.
Read the match report
After entering the codes, review how many requested items were found, missing or duplicated. A missing code may contain a typo, refer to another shoot or use a different filename extension. Do not silently replace it with a similar image. Ask the customer to clarify when necessary. The report is also useful when a selection was sent in several messages: combine the final approved codes and rerun the check rather than trusting a partial list.
Prepare the next production step
The selected group can move to album design, print preparation or customer delivery. Before copying or exporting, decide whether the customer expects originals or edited photographs. Preserve source resolution and avoid overwriting the camera files. Check the selected count against the customer's approval and open a few images to confirm that filenames and visible content match. This final sampling prevents an efficient extraction step from becoming an efficient way to deliver the wrong photographs.
A practical studio check before delivery
Begin with the customer’s requested product and the original camera file. In this photo selection workflow, confirm the source orientation, the intended physical or digital size, and the treatment that was actually requested. Work on a copy so the first capture remains available. Make one controlled adjustment, then compare it with the previous state. A change that looks impressive at maximum zoom can still feel wrong in the complete portrait or page. If several photos belong to one job, inspect more than one image before applying the same settings throughout the set. Keep a consistent naming scheme so the approved export can be found later.
Preview and delivered file are different checks
The application preview helps you decide where to crop or edit, but it may use fewer pixels than the source file. After saving, open the exported JPEG or page separately and confirm its dimensions, crop and visual quality. Inspect faces and important borders at normal size, then zoom into problem areas. If a detail appears soft, repeated or oddly colored, return to the working image and refine it before sending anything to the customer. A clear export check also catches an incorrect folder, a missing file or a mismatched output preset. Do not rely only on a success message.
Explain the finished result to the customer
Customers rarely ask which algorithm or brush was used. They want to know whether the result fits their purpose, still resembles them, and can be opened or printed without surprises. Tell them which output is the final version and what each file is intended for. If the task involves an official document, the receiving authority makes the final acceptance decision; check current requirements before promising compliance. Keep the original capture and the approved output separate, so a later request for a different size or a small revision does not require repeating the entire job.
Related guides
Continue with album page design, print preparation, school photo delivery. These guides cover the neighboring decisions that often affect the same customer delivery.