Private photo sharing for events and weddings
Private can mean many things, so this guide says exactly who can see what on a papershot roll, and when. It covers the roll before and after it develops, what anyone with the link can see, how moderation works, and how long a roll is kept.
Who sees what, and when
A papershot moment is a private shared roll for one occasion. Inside it, what each person sees depends on who they are, and on whether the roll has developed.
- 01
The host
Sees everything, as it arrives: every photo, video, and memo from every guest.
- 02
Each guest, before the roll develops
Always sees their own shots. For everyone else's, they see a blurred tile for each shot, with who added it and when.
- 03
Everyone in the moment, once it develops
The roll becomes visible to everyone in it. The host decides when: as it happens, when the roll closes, or after a delay the host sets.
If the host picks “as it happens”, there is no blurred stage: shots are visible to everyone in the moment as they arrive. When to reveal wedding photos goes through the choice.
As a guest, the name you type is the name others see beside your shots, on the blurred tiles and on the developed roll. A first name is enough.
What people outside the moment can see
The roll is not published anywhere. There is no public gallery, no search, and no feed, so nobody comes across a papershot roll by browsing.
The invite page is the one part that works without joining: anyone who has the link sees the moment's name, its date, and the code. The link and the code are also how people join, so anyone who has them can join the moment, up to the size you picked. Once someone joins, they are a guest like any other.
Some limits apply to any private roll. Anyone can photograph a screen, and a photo someone has saved stays on their phone. papershot keeps the roll itself private; what people do with what they can see is a matter of trust, as at any party.
Moderation and safety
Every moment has the same tools, whatever its size.
- Anyone in a moment can report a photo, video, or memo, and we look within 24 hours.
- Anyone can block someone.
- The host can stop a guest posting and delete anything.
- Every upload's thumbnail is screened by an automated service.
So private here means private from the public, not unseen: an automated service screens a small version of every upload, and we look at anything reported. The support page explains how to report something.
Settings that keep a roll private
- 01
Share the link with the people you want there
Send it in a group chat, an email, or an invitation, rather than posting it in public. Anyone with the link or the code can join while there is room.
- 02
Hold the reveal until you have looked
Set the roll to develop after the end, or the morning after. You see everything as it arrives, so you can delete anything that does not belong before the roll develops for everyone.
- 03
Name the moment with the invite page in mind
The name shows to anyone with the link. Something like “Sofie's thirtieth” is plenty; leave out surnames, addresses, and anything you would not want a stranger to read.
- 04
Delete it when you are done
Once everyone has saved what they want, the host can delete the moment rather than wait for the roll to go. Every photo, video, and memo on it goes too, for everyone.
How long a roll is kept, and downloads
A free moment's roll is kept 48 hours after it closes, and a paid moment's for 30 days. Then the roll and everything on it goes, for everyone. A host who wants something gone sooner can delete it before then.
Until then, anyone in the moment can download what has developed for them, at full resolution: one at a time, or the whole moment as one .zip. Photos and videos save to the phone's library, and memos save as files. A download is a copy on that person's phone, so what happens to it next is up to them, as with any photo.
At a wedding, at work, and at a brand event
For private wedding photo sharing, a common worry is the first dance appearing everywhere before the couple has seen it. Holding the reveal until the morning after keeps everyone else's photos out of sight until you choose, though each guest always has their own. The wedding page covers the rest of the day.
At work, an office party or a brand event often needs moderation more than secrecy. The host sees everything as it arrives, can stop a guest posting, and can delete anything before the roll develops for the room.
