The best shots from any event end up trapped on other people's phones. Then comes the chase: the group chat message that says "send me that one," and the photos that trickle in days later, if they arrive at all.
sync.camera replaces that chase with one shared album. Guests join without an account, everyone adds their photos to the same place, and when the event's reveal mode is set to During, the whole group sees every shot as it is taken. Prefer a surprise? Two other reveal modes keep the album locked on purpose.
How sharing live photos works
The host creates an event, names it and picks an end time. That is the whole setup.
Guests join from a QR code or an eight-character invite. No account is required, and any modern phone browser works via the invite link. Installing the iOS or Android app is optional; it adds better camera controls and push notifications for new photos. See QR code invites for more on joining.
With the reveal mode set to During, guests see photos live as they are taken. Nobody has to ask who has the good shot, because it is already in the shared event album.
That is the difference from the usual "send me that one" flow: the photos land in one album as they are taken, instead of being collected from individual phones afterwards.
Choose when the photos appear
Every event has a reveal mode, and you choose one of three per event. During is the live option: guests see photos live as they are taken. After the event unlocks the gallery when the event ends. Additional delay unlocks it a set number of hours after the event ends.
Sharing live photos means the During mode. The other two keep the album locked on purpose, which suits hosts who want the pictures to be a surprise. Pick the mode that fits the occasion, and see reveal timing for how the unlock works.
One album, split into moments
Moments split an event into stages such as ceremony, reception and after-party. Each moment has its own QR code and its own reveal timing, and guests move between moments without switching apps.
Once photos are in, hosts can filter the album by photographer to narrow it to one contributor's shots, and export their favorites to keep the best ones.
Who it is for
Wedding couples
Guests scan the QR code from a table card and the couple watches candid shots arrive through the reception. Guests have no account to create.
Birthday hosts
Friends share the late-night shots as they happen, so nobody has to send "that one photo" in the group chat the next day. See [birthday party](https://sync.camera/for/birthday-party) albums.
Corporate offsite organizers
Attendees join from one QR code and the team sees photos from each session in a shared album, split into moments like keynote and dinner. See [corporate events](https://sync.camera/for/corporate-event).
Travel groups
Everyone on the trip adds their photos to one album while it is happening, so no one waits for the trip to end to see the others' shots. Afterwards the host exports the favorites. See [group vacations](https://sync.camera/for/group-vacation).
Features
Live reveal (During)
Guests see photos live as they are taken, instead of waiting for someone to send them on afterwards.
Three reveal modes, chosen per event
During, After the event, or Additional delay of a set number of hours. The latter two keep the album locked on purpose if you prefer a surprise.
QR or eight-character invite
Guests join without an account, from any modern phone browser. The iOS or Android app is optional and adds better camera controls and push notifications for new photos.
Moments
Split an event into stages, each with its own QR code and reveal timing. Guests move between them without switching apps.
Filter by photographer
Narrow the album to one contributor's shots.
Export your favorites
Keep the best shots from the album.
Privacy by design
Photos are encrypted in transit and stored in event-scoped buckets with per-event row-level security. We don't sell your photos or your data. No ads. No cross-app tracking. See [privacy controls](https://sync.camera/features/privacy-controls).
Frequently asked questions
Do guests need a sync.camera account to share live photos?
No. Guests join from a QR code or an eight-character invite, and no account is required. Any modern phone browser works via the invite link, and installing the iOS or Android app is optional.
Can I hide photos until the event is over?
Yes. Pick After the event to unlock the gallery when the event ends, or Additional delay to unlock it a set number of hours later. During is the live option, where guests see photos as they are taken.
Is sharing live photos free?
It is free to start: the free tier supports up to 7 guest uploaders per event. SYNC PRO is a one-time purchase, not a subscription, that expands the guest and photo limits for a single event, so you upgrade again only when you create a larger event.
Who can see the photos?
Access is enforced per event with row-level security, and photos are encrypted in transit and stored in event-scoped buckets. We don't sell your photos or your data, and there are no ads and no cross-app tracking.
Can I split a big event into parts?
Yes, with Moments. Each stage, such as ceremony, reception or after-party, gets its own QR code and reveal timing, and guests move between them without switching apps.