There are two ways to upload your photos to Photohawk, and each has its own advantages depending on your workflow. Below is a breakdown of how they work, along with updated guidance to help you upload efficiently and maintain high quality.
Web Uploader
The web uploader is the simplest way to upload smaller galleries directly through your browser.
How the Web Uploader Works
"Drag 'n' drop your photos here, or click to select photos from your device"
Photohawk’s default setting uploads 3 photos at a time.
Any additional files selected will show as “queued” until one of the uploading files is "successful". The uploader will continue working through all selected photos until every file is finished.
Above the waiting files list, you will see a progress bar showing the percentage of photos uploaded successfully. If any of your photo files have failed to upload, our uploaded will attempt to upload the photos another 2 times before they are deemed as "failed"
Important:
If your internet connection drops, any files that have not yet uploaded will be cancelled. You will need to reselect and start those uploads again.
Best for:
Small to medium events
Quick uploads under 3,000 photos
Pay As You Go and Lite users
Pros
Easy and straightforward
No setup required
Works directly inside your Photohawk account
You can access your account whilst the uploads are working in the background.
Considerations
Less stable for very large galleries
Slower or more prone to interruption if your internet speed is low
Browser must remain open throughout the upload
Don't refresh your web browser whilst uploading as connection will be lost
Adjusting the Upload Queue Size
Depending on your connection speed and file sizes, you can adjust the number of simultaneous uploads:
Poor connection: reduce to 1 upload at a time
Average/normal connection: keep default at 3
Good/fibre connection: increase to 6–10 simultaneous uploads
This allows you to optimise upload stability and speed based on your environment.
How File Size & Internet Speed Affect Upload Performance
Assumptions:
Average photo size: 3MB
Upload speeds vary by connection quality
Recommendations based on stability and success rate
Simultaneous Uploads | Good Connection (20–50 Mbps) | Average Connection (5–20 Mbps) | Poor Connection (<5 Mbps) |
1 file at a time | Very stable, slower | Stable, reliable | Most stable – recommended |
3 files at a time (default) | Fast and stable | Best balance of speed & reliability | May stall or fail |
6 files at a time | Very fast – ideal for strong/fibre | Faster but less reliable | Not recommended |
10 files at a time | Fastest option for excellent connections | Likely to stall or fail | Not recommended
|
FTP Upload
FTP is our recommended method for photographers handling large events or high volumes.
Best for:
Pro and Enterprise users
Events over 3,000 photos
Overnight or bulk uploads
Pros
Fast, stable, and ideal for large galleries
Automatically resumes if your internet drops
Allows you to continue working while uploads run in the background
Perfect for tight turnarounds
Considerations
Requires a quick setup
FTP credentials are available in your account settings
Top Tips for Ensuring Quality
Upload high-resolution images: We recommend that photos are at least 3000 pixels on the longest edge for sharp, clear customer downloads.
Edit before uploading: Perform colour corrections and adjustments in Lightroom (or similar), as Photohawk does not apply additional processing.
Ensure all files have unique file names: Duplicate file names may cause system conflicts and lead to missing or overwritten images.