The Output tab decides how guests receive their photos and videos, and who else can see them. How to open it 1. Go to Events. 2. Find your event and click Edit & Launch. 3. Click the Output tab. Each channel is a row you expand, with its own ON / OFF switch. Seven channels, each with its own switch and plan badge. Seven channels, each with its own switch and plan badge. The seven channels | Channel | What it does | Plan | | -------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | --------- | | Dropbox | Backs up captured media to your Dropbox | Pro | | Printing | Prints on site through the Print Partner app | All plans | | Virtual Booth | Guests run the booth on their own phone | Premium | | Public Gallery | A web gallery guests browse and download from | All plans | | Slideshow | A live photo wall on a screen at the venue | Pro | | Sharing Station | A kiosk where guests find and send their own photo | Pro | | Pre-Registration (QR Code Scanner) | Guests answer ahead of time and arrive with a QR code | Premium | Important - Public Gallery is already on. A new event publishes a gallery whether or not you open this tab. Important - Switching on a Pro or Premium channel raises the event's plan tier. Pictor names the feature responsible before the save goes through. Email and SMS Guests receive their own photo by email or text. Switch them on under Sharing methods inside Sharing Station. NoteThe same delivery fields also appear on Flow → Share Output, as Email delivery and SMS delivery. They edit the same settings — it is one set of values, shown in two places. The Flow stage additionally holds Default sharing option, Limit country codes and Customize email suggestions, which are not on this tab. Email settings | Field | What it does | | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | From name | The sender name the guest sees | | From email | Optional. Left empty, delivery falls back to Pictor's own sender address — or yours, if you have connected SendGrid | | Reply to | Where replies go | | Subject | The email's subject line. New events prefill it with the event name; it is required | | Use HTML | Use a designed template instead of plain text | | Attach output | Attach the photo as well as linking it | | Email content | The message body | | Template | Pick a designed template | SMS settings Message content holds the text. ImportantThe message must contain {{contentURL}} — that placeholder becomes the link to the guest's photo. Without it the guest gets a text with no link, and Pictor will not let you save: "Message must include {{contentURL}}." Copy it exactly, with no # in front. The message must contain {{contentURL}}. The message must contain {{contentURL}}. Dropbox Dropbox is a connection rather than a switch. Link the account once under Integrations, then set the Dropbox folder name on the event. Until it is connected the section reads "Connect your Dropbox account in Integrations to enable backup." Open Dropbox gallery opens the folder. Export folder downloads everything as a zip. Dropbox backs every capture up to a folder named after the event. Dropbox backs every capture up to a folder named after the event. Pre-Registration ImportantSwitching this on is not enough on its own. Add a QR Code Scanner stage to the workflow on the Flow tab, then choose which stages guests fill in beforehand. Without the stage the Launchpad marks the channel Needs setup. Choosing your combination A typical live event: - Sharing Station for instant guest delivery - Public Gallery so the client can share everything afterwards - Printing for physical keepsakes - Dropbox for the client's copy - Slideshow for the room A virtual or hybrid event: - Virtual Booth for remote guests - Sharing Station for delivery - Public Gallery and Dropbox for afterwards Tip - Enable at least two ways for a guest to receive their photo. If SMS is slow on the venue's network, email still lands. Tip - Connect Dropbox and check the folder name well before the event, not while you are setting up. Where the detail lives | For | See | | --------------------- | -------------------------------------- | | Slideshow settings | Slideshow | | Sharing station setup | How to Set Up a Sharing Station | | Printing | Printing | | Virtual booth | How to Set Up a Virtual Booth | | Pre-registration | Pre-Registration & QR Code Scanner | See also - Email and text message sharing — the two channels in detail - Set up a Sharing Station — the guest-facing delivery screen - Troubleshooting: Email & Text Delivery — when it does not arrive

Getting Started

Choose Experience: Simple or Advanced

The Choose Experience stage decides what guests get from the booth. It runs in one of two modes. Which should I use? | | Simple | Advanced | | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------- | | Best for | Getting a booth working quickly; overlay-only branding | Fully designed, branded outputs | | You provide | An overlay image per aspect ratio | Templates you design yourself | | Setup time | Minutes | Longer, with far more control | | Guest sees | A straightforward booth | Whatever you design | Note - Only one mode is active at a time, and switching does not delete the other's setup. Only the saved mode runs at your event. Simple Mode 1. Open your event and click the Flow tab. 2. Open the Choose Experience stage. 3. Switch the mode to Simple. Output Types "Select one or more output types." Choose any combination — stills, GIFs, boomerangs, video, AI images, AI video. Note - If you enable only one output type, guests skip the selection screen entirely and go straight through. Aspect Ratios "Select one or more aspect ratios." Overlays "Upload one overlay per selected aspect ratio." Important - Overlays go with aspect ratios, not output types. Pick one ratio and you need one overlay, however many output types you enable. Pick three ratios and you need three. Tip - Export your overlay at the exact pixel dimensions of the ratio. Overlays are sized to the output, so a mismatched file will look soft. AI Configuration If you enabled AI Image or AI Video, choose your prompts under Select AI Prompts, then set AI Image Quality or AI Video Quality. Important - Quality affects token cost. Pictor shows the token count against each option — check it before a large event. Output types, aspect ratios, overlays, and AI settings in one panel. Output types, aspect ratios, overlays, and AI settings in one panel. What must be set Pictor will not let you save until: - At least one output type is selected - At least one aspect ratio is selected - At least one prompt is selected, if you chose an AI output type Advanced Advanced lets you design templates in the Template Editor and control how guests pick between them. | Setting | What it does | | ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Display name | Shown to guests instead of the template's own name | | Preview mode | Crop to aspect ratio, Full screen, or Display template | | Export mode | Template, or Template + images | | Allow search | Lets guests search when you have many templates | | Show templates as cards / Show template names | How the picker looks | Groups organise templates. Use Create group, drag templates into it, and Show groups as cards / Show group names to control how they appear. Tip - Use Display name for anything guest-facing. Internal names like "ACME-final-v3" are useful to you and confusing to a guest. Tip - Apply preview mode to all templates saves setting it one by one. Templates, groups, and how guests choose between them. Note - Each template shows its tokens per session, so you can see what a choice costs before the event. Pre-registration Pre-registration follows whichever mode is active. You do not configure it twice. See also | For | See | | ----------------------- | ---------------------- | | Designing templates | Template Editor | | Building the flow | Flow | | What each plan includes | Plans and features |

Getting Started

Creating an AI video

AI Video turns a guest's photo into a short cinematic clip. You set the look once in a template, and every guest gets their own version. AI Video events need a Premium licence to run. You can build and test one on any plan — the licence is checked when the event goes live. Build the template 1. Go to Events and click Create New Event. 2. Name your event and finish creating it. 3. Open the Flow tab, open Choose Experience, and click Add template. 4. Pick your canvas size. 1x1, 16x9 and 9x16 are the usual choices for video. AI outputs support ten aspect ratios: 1:1, 16:9, 9:16, 21:9, 3:2, 2:3, 5:4, 4:5, 4:3, 3:4. The editor tells you if a size is not supported. Add the effect 1. Add a Capture element and set its Output Type to Image. 2. With the capture selected, open its Settings, then Effect → Add effect. 3. Choose AI Video and pick your prompt. 4. Set Quality — Low, Standard or High. Quality changes the token cost, and that cost multiplies by every guest. Token prices are set for your account, so check your own Billing page before a large event rather than relying on a figure from an article. If your prompt uses a reference image added with @, keep that reference in the image prompt only, not the video prompt. If your prompt does not describe camera movement, Pictor applies a slow cinematic motion by default. Override it in the prompt if you want something else. AI Video, added to the capture element. AI Video, added to the capture element. Position it Place the AI output where you want it on the canvas and use Layers to control what sits in front of what. Make the timeline at least as long as the video. Test it 1. Open the Launchpad and click Simulation test. 2. Take a photo and answer any prompt questions. 3. Wait for the render. | Output | Typical render time | | ---------- | ----------------------- | | AI stills | around 37 seconds | | AI videos | 1–2 minutes each | Check the result under Sessions → View Output. Budget that render time into your event plan. At 1–2 minutes a clip a queue builds quickly — see On Screen Delivery for how to keep guests occupied while they wait. Multi-scene videos You can stitch several AI clips into one video. 1. Create a new template. 2. Add Capture 1 with an AI Video Output, then Capture 2 with its own AI Video Output. 3. Set the timeline long enough for both. 4. Hide the captures so only the AI results are visible. 5. Arrange the clips side by side on the timeline. The results stitch into one continuous video. Overlays and blend modes Video overlays add transitions and texture — white flashes, strobes, light leaks. 1. Add a Video Asset to the template. 2. Resize it to match the canvas. 3. Add a Blend Mode and choose Screen. In Screen mode dark areas become invisible and bright areas stay, so a white-flash clip reads as a transition rather than a black box. Adding a video element to a template is itself a Premium feature. On an AI Video event that changes nothing, but bear it in mind if you reuse the technique on a simpler template. Rendering happens in parallel Multiple scenes render at the same time, not one after another. Two one-minute videos take roughly one minute plus stitching, not two. Reviewing the result Go to Sessions and click View Output. You will see each scene, the overlays, and the combined video. See also - Custom AI Prompts — writing the prompt behind it - Plans and features — AI video needs Premium - Pricing plans — what tokens cost

Troubleshooting & FAQ

Troubleshooting: Sharing Station Issues

If your Sharing Station isn't displaying images or videos correctly, this guide will help you troubleshoot the most common issues. Images Appear as "Ghost" or Placeholder Thumbnails If images on the Sharing Station look faded, blank, or show as ghost-like placeholders that never fully load: 1. Check your internet connection. The Sharing Station requires a stable internet connection to pull images from the cloud. Test connectivity on the Sharing Station device by opening a web browser. 2. Wait for cloud processing to complete. If your event uses AI effects or cloud-based rendering, a temporary placeholder image is displayed while the final output is being generated. This is normal — the final image should replace the placeholder automatically within a few moments. 3. Refresh the Sharing Station. Go back to the Event Settings page and click the Sharing Station button in the Control Panel at the bottom of the page to relaunch it. This forces the gallery to reload and pull the latest content. 4. Check that the event is still running. The Sharing Station pulls sessions from the active event. Make sure the main booth event has not been stopped or paused — you can confirm this on the dashboard where live events show a green dot. 5. Restart the Sharing Station device. If the issue persists, restart the iPad or tablet running the station, then relaunch the Sharing Station from the Pictor dashboard. Videos Not Showing on the Sharing Station If photos appear on the Sharing Station but videos are missing: 1. Confirm video rendering is complete. Videos take longer to process than photos, especially with AI effects applied. You can check the Generated Media count in the Control Panel on the Event Settings page — if it's still incrementing, processing is ongoing. 2. Check your event type. Ensure you are running an Advanced event (shown as a blue "ADVANCED" badge on your event card). Simple events may have limited video support. 3. Verify your license level. Video features and the Sharing Station both require a Pro-level license or higher. The Sharing Station toggle in Output Delivery shows a "Pro" badge — if your license doesn't cover Pro features, it won't work. 4. Refresh the Sharing Station. Relaunch the Sharing Station from the Control Panel on the Event Settings page. No Sessions Appearing on the Sharing Station If the Sharing Station gallery is completely empty: 1. Confirm the main booth is actively capturing. Sessions only appear on the Sharing Station after guests complete a session. Check the Virtual Session and Physical Session counts in the Control Panel on the Event Settings page. 2. Verify the Sharing Station is enabled. Click Output in the left sidebar of your event → scroll down to find SHARING STATION (marked with a "Pro" badge) → confirm the toggle is set to On. 3. Make sure both devices are on the same event. The Sharing Station must be launched from the same event that the main booth is running. Each event has a unique Event Code shown on the Event Settings page. 4. Check your internet connection on both the main booth device and the Sharing Station device. Sharing Methods Not Working If guests can see their images but sharing (email, text, AirDrop, etc.) isn't working: 1. Verify sharing methods are enabled. Click Output in the left sidebar of your event settings. Check that the sharing methods you want (email, SMS, download, etc.) are toggled on. 2. Check your email/SMS configuration. If email or text sharing isn't working, ensure your messaging settings are properly configured with valid sender information. See our Email and Text Message Sharing guide. 3. Test with a different sharing method. If one method fails, try another to isolate whether it's a method-specific issue or a broader connectivity problem. Still Having Issues? If none of the above steps resolve your problem, contact our support team through the chat widget on this page or email support@pictor.pro. Please include: - Your Event Code (found on the Event Settings page, e.g., "VC5MVG") - The device(s) you're using for the Sharing Station - A screenshot or description of the issue - Your session counts from the Control Panel (Virtual Sessions, Physical Sessions, Generated Media)

Features & How-To

Using Pictor with a DSLR

The DSLR feature allows operators to connect a professional DSLR or mirrorless camera directly to Pictor, delivering high-quality images with full manual control over exposure, focus, and color. Requires a Pro or higher license. How It Works The DSLR feature has two independent configuration layers: - Preview Settings — control how the camera behaves during live view. Changes are visible in real time and optimized for responsiveness. - Capture Settings — control how the final photo is taken. Applied only at the moment of capture and may differ from what you see in preview. The system automatically switches between the two. This is why the preview can look different from the final image — they are intentionally separate. 1. Accessing DSLR Settings 1. Open the desired Event in your Pictor dashboard. 2. Navigate to the Devices section. 3. When a DSLR is connected via USB, it appears in the device list (e.g. Canon EOS 400D — Detected). At this stage the camera is detected but not yet active. 4. Toggle the camera ON to enable it. Initialization After enabling, the system initializes the camera and loads its supported settings. This may take a few seconds — wait until the camera is fully ready before adjusting settings. Settings become available progressively during this phase. 2. DSLR Settings Overview ⚠ Important: Available settings vary by camera manufacturer and model. Pictor dynamically shows only options supported by the connected camera. Recommended starting point: Set Exposure Mode → M (Manual). Manual mode unlocks full control of ISO, Shutter, Aperture, and more. Preview Settings (Live View) Control how the camera behaves during live preview. Adjustable settings include: - Exposure Mode — controls whether you or the camera manages exposure - ISO — sensor sensitivity; higher ISO = brighter but more noise - Aperture (f-stop) — depth of field and light entry; lower f-stop = more blur + brighter image - Shutter Speed — how long light hits the sensor; faster = sharper images - Exposure — overall image brightness - Image Quality — resolution and format (varies by model) - White Balance — corrects lighting color automatically or manually - Color Temp (Kelvin) — fine-tune white balance for warmer or cooler tones Autofocus controls (in Preview Settings): - Size of one focus step - Pause between focus steps - Focus Time — set to the lowest value for faster, smoother capture experience - Autofocus during countdown — enables continuous autofocus until capture; recommended when guests move frequently - Autofocus during capture Click Start Live View to see the camera feed in real time. Changes to Preview Settings are reflected immediately. Capture Settings Define how the camera behaves when the photo is actually taken. These settings are applied only during capture and control the final image output. They may differ from Preview Settings — always take a test photo to confirm the result before going live. 3. Assigning DSLR to Templates Each template must be told which camera source to use. 1. Open your template in the Capture Configure section. 2. Locate Camera Source and select DSLR Camera (e.g. Canon EOS 400D). 3. Save the template, then save the event. 4. Launching the Event When you start the event: - The DSLR automatically initializes and switches into Live View - Preview Settings control how the image appears during the guest experience - Capture Settings are applied when the photo is taken 5. Adjusting Settings During the Event Camera settings can be changed while the event is running without stopping it. Triple tap on the right side of the screen to open DSLR settings. Both Preview and Capture Settings can be updated and changes apply immediately. 6. Troubleshooting Camera stops responding after changing settings Usually caused by a dropped USB connection or camera freezing during Live View. Fix: Turn the camera off → wait 2 seconds → turn back on to reset the camera state. Live View not showing Check the following: - DSLR is toggled ON in Devices - USB cable is firmly connected - Camera is not in video mode - Camera is not switch-locked Some settings are greyed out or disabled Cause: Camera is not in Manual (M) mode, or the setting isn't supported by your camera model. Fix: Set Exposure Mode → M to unlock full control. The system only shows settings supported by the connected camera. Preview is dark when using flash Preview does not reflect flash output — the camera preview shows available ambient light only. External flash is applied only during capture. The final image will appear brighter than the preview. Autofocus is inconsistent Focus behavior depends on autofocus settings, focus timing configuration, and camera capabilities. Autofocus may behave differently between preview, countdown, and capture. Adjust focus step size, pause, and focus time in Preview Settings. 7. Best Practices - Wait for initialization — always wait until the camera is fully ready before adjusting settings - Start in Manual mode — set Exposure Mode → M for full control and more predictable results - Validate the final output — preview does not always match the final image; always take a test photo before going live - Test at the actual venue — lighting conditions vary significantly; adjust ISO, exposure, and white balance on location - Recommended baseline settings: ISO 400–800 · Aperture f/4 · Shutter 1/125s — then fine-tune from sample captures - Set Focus Time to the lowest value — reduces lag and speeds up guest flow - Use runtime adjustments if needed — triple tap the right side of the screen to update settings mid-event without stopping it - Keep spares ready — spare USB cables and battery/AC adapters prevent interruptions

Getting Started

Create an Account

Registering with Pictor is quick and easy! Head over to https://pictor.pro/ and navigate to Register on the main menu (https://app.pictor.pro/register). Simply fill out the registration form and you'll be granted access into the Pictor dashboard to get started with your first event. Please reach out to support@pictor.pro with any questions or issues.