SpotMyPhotos (Facial Recognition) Job Workflow

SpotMyPhotos uses reference photos to identify (or "spot") all the photos you've taken of an individual subject. The photos (along with all relevant subject data) then get uploaded to your GotPhoto platform and are ready to sell. This process is simple, quick, and involves very little admin work, freeing up your limited time for the important task of taking photos.

But how well does it really work? SpotMyPhotos' engine is successful at spotting photos 99.9% of the time. The engine is able to detect faces of all types and under all sorts of lighting configurations.

What about privacy? SpotMyPhotos protects user privacy under GDPR (Europe's General Data Protection Regulation laws). You can also review the GotPhoto Privacy Policy . As with any business decision, it is still your responsibility as a photographer to decide whether or not to use SpotMyPhotos for each of your Photo Jobs. Please note, at this time, we do not recommend that photographers in Texas, Illinois, or Washington use the spotting app due to the local biometric legislation passed in those states. 

What about group photos? SpotMyPhotos is intended for individual and sibling/buddy shots, not group photos. Please upload your group photos after completing the SpotMyPhotos workflow as outlined in this article.

Feel free to watch the following webinar for further information on how SpotMyPhotos works with GotPhoto:

1. Start out by creating a SpotMyPhotos account using this link.
2. Within your SpotMyPhotos account (on Desktop), click on your name in the upper right corner, and then select Account Settings from the dropdown menu.
   
   
3. On the following page, click into the Integrations tab, and then click Link Account in the GotPhoto section.
   
   
4. Enter your GotPhoto login credentials.
   
   
5. You will then see that your accounts are linked.
   
   
6. Download the SpotMyPhotos app on your device of choice and sign in with your SpotMyPhotos credentials.

1. Create your Photo Job within GotPhoto. Set your access type to Access code for each person and your tagging method to QR-tagging - with list of names.
   
   
   You do not need to upload a names list, but we do recommend uploading one if it's available for data hygiene purposes.
2. On the main page of your SpotMyPhotos dashboard (on Desktop), click the Import Job button.
   
   
3. Find your Photo Job in the list that appears and click Import.
   
   
4. Your Photo Job will now appear in your list of Active Events on the main page of your SpotMyPhotos dashboard.

Your reference photos will be uploaded to your SpotMyPhotos account as you take them, with no action needed from you.
No Internet? No problem! Simply tap the button in your SpotMyPhotos app and Enable Offline Mode. Your reference photos will queue up for upload until you disable Offline Mode when Internet access is available. 

1. In your SpotMyPhotos app, select your Photo Job from your events list (You can refresh the list by scrolling down).
2. On the next screen, select In-App Camera. and then GotPhoto Mode.

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3. Time to start taking reference photos! Snap a photo of your subject with the SpotMyPhoto app.
   
   
   Some tips for getting perfect spotting every time:

   • Make sure your subject is the only face in the photo so that no one else is spotted by mistake.
   • The best spotting photos are shot like a driver's license photo — tight head and shoulders frame and facing forward.
   • Optimal spotting happens in decent ambient light.

   If you are handing off your device to a dedicated "spotter," make sure they're aware of these guidelines.

   These photos will not be uploaded to your GotPhoto albums, so they do not need to be perfect at all. Simply make sure that your subject's face is visible, and SpotMyPhotos will do the rest.
4. The next step depends on whether or not you uploaded a names list into your Photo Job.
   
   
   Names List No Names List

   If you did upload a names list, you will see a list of all subjects entered in this Photo Job. Find and tap on the subject's name. You can also use the search bar, or use the filter option on the upper right to filter by group, teacher, or unspotted subjects ("Not Registered"). You can then make adjustments to the entry if needed, or simply tap the Spot button to confirm. On the bottom right, you'll see the function to add a new subject to the names list.
   

   Subjects that have already been spotted will have a blue checkmark next to their names. This will remain even if you end and restart the session, so you can always keep track of who's been spotted.

   If you need to add an additional student, take their reference photo and then tap Subject Data.

   
   

   Add the subject's information, then tap the Spot button to confirm. This will add the subject to your names list in both SpotMyPhotos and GotPhoto.

   If you didn't upload a names list, add the subject's information:

   

   Tap the Spot button to confirm. This will add the subject to your names list in both SpotMyPhotos and GotPhoto. At the bottom of the names list, a tracker will display the number of subjects that have been tracked out of the total.

   
   Need to re-spot a subject? Simply take another photo and select the appropriate name from your list of names. SpotMyPhotos will always use the last reference photo taken for spotting. Make sure you select the subject's name from the list and do not create a new subject, as this can interfere with your tagging.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 with all of your subjects.
6. When you have spotted all of your subjects, exit the camera mode and tap End Session. You can always re-open the session if needed.
   
    

1. Within your SpotMyPhotos account (on Desktop), click on the name of your Photo Job.
2. Drag or click to upload the images from your shoot. DO NOT upload group photos at this point. Group photos should be uploaded directly into the GotPhoto system after you have finished the processes outlined in this article.
   
3. When all your images have finished uploading, your upload stats will show "Uploaded: [number of images], Queued: 0, Error: 0". You will also see thumbnails of your images below, and clicking into the Subjects tab (below the job details) will show all photos, spotted and sorted. The Stats overview displays key data points. Click the expand button with four outward-facing arrows in the upper right to enlarge the panel.
4. Click the Export Job button at the top of the page.
   
   Select Export All Photos,unless you're adding additional photos to a GotPhoto job.
   This will start the facial recognition process and transfer of your images from SpotMyPhotos into your GotPhoto account.
   Need for speed? Transferring your images from SpotMyPhotos to your GotPhoto account takes mere moments. Our tests show that 1,200 images can be transferred in under 10 minutes! So go ahead and brew yourself a cup of coffee during that short wait. You will receive a confirmation email sent to your linked SpotMyPhotos account once the export is complete (subject line: "GotPhoto export complete"; sender email: alerts[at]spotmyphotos[dot]com).
5. Optional: SpotMyPhotos allows you to export the following data: 
   • Photo Files (ZIP file)
   • Subject Data (CSV) Helps you to identify any subject that was not spotted in case of a mishap. Sample File
   • Metadata (CSV) Includes the subject data with their respective photo file name(s). Sample Metadata File
6. In your GotPhoto account, open your Photo Job and click into the Photo Management tab. You will find a single album entitled Uploads.
   
   
7. Within the album, you will find all of your images, automatically linked with their subject data.
   
   
8. Optional: You can sort your images into albums by selecting Resort photos to albums from the Manage individuals dropdown menu.
   
   
   Choose your sorting scheme and click on Resort photos.
   
   
   Once sorting is completed, you can delete the now-empty Uploads album.
   
   

Does the Spotting App and workflow work with the Next Gen workflow?
Yes, images will be loaded in the correct sequence in GotPhoto for a seamless process with Next Gen.

Will the app be able to correctly spot identical twins?
While the technology is powerful with a high recognition rate, identical twins might be spotted incorrectly for obvious reasons. This will lead to all images being placed under a single access code. In these ~0.5% cases, this can be easily corrected within your GotPhoto album by moving the images to the correct access code.

What if the subject’s face is heavily obscured?
If the reference photo is poorly lit, the image is out of focus, the subject is wearing a helmet, or more than half of their face is obstructed, their images may not be spotted properly. These images will be placed in an album called "Unspotted" within your Photo Job. This will allow you to easily match those images with their correct access code.

I already have a SpotMyPhotos subscription for event photography. Can I just use that?
Yes, but you will need to reach out to SpotMyPhotos. Email support@spotmyphotos.com and ask them to enable the GotPhoto integration.

I am based in a state where biometric laws are more stringent, can I use SpotMyPhotos?
The current workflow may not be a good fit for you. SpotMyPhotos is looking at future improvements to enhance how photographers manage and obtain consent seamlessly within their workflow. 

What if I'm working with a team and multiple stations, and the names list was updated during the session?
A reload option was added on the upper left of the Names List, you can use this feature anytime during the photo session. 

How do I give my team members access to SpotMyPhotos?
Within your SpotMyPhotos account (on Desktop), click on your name in the upper right corner, and then select Manage Team Members from the dropdown menu. Here you can add your team members and photographers who need to use the Spotting App.

What happens if an image is not spotted?
If for some unlikely reason you have unspotted images, these images will be placed in an album called "Unspotted" within your Photo Job. This will allow you to easily match those images with their correct access code.

How do I cancel my SpotMyPhotos subscription? 
Please email SpotMyPhotos (support@spotmyphotos.com). 

If I photograph a subject that was spotted in a previous job, can I use the reference photo of that other job or do I need to create a new reference photo?
At this point, each job is self-contained, meaning you cannot share reference photos across jobs. 

I have a subject that shows multiple access codes on the names list in GotPhoto, what may have caused that?

Manually entering the same subject multiple times results in the creation of duplicate access codes. When matching data is detected, GotPhoto automatically associates it with the existing subject and generates a new access code. As a result, duplicate entries can occur. To prevent this, please check for existing subjects before manually entering new ones.

My names aren't loading in the SpotMyPhotos app.

If you're working a large job, it can take a few minutes for your names to sync over from GotPhoto to SpotMyPhotos. Close the SpotMyPhotos app, and then re-open it. This should fix the issue.