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Photo URLs

PhotoBerry Studio allows you to configure how URLs for photos are generated and served on the frontend for galleries and sessions. You have control over whether images are served by the local hosting server or through a CDN (Content Delivery Network), if available.

Why Photo URLs Matter​

The configuration of photo URLs affects how images are delivered to clients, potentially impacting both performance and security. Serving images through a CDN can improve load times, but depending on your use case, serving them through your local hosting server may offer better control over access.

CDN URLs offer a certain level of security by containing a significant number of randommized characters so that they cannot be easily guessed. However, there is the potential for unauthorized access to be obtained if these URLs are shared by someone who has legitimate access to the gallery or session, or if they are extracted from a browser's cache after the gallery or session has been viewed in that browser, etc.

CDN URLs are only available for images whose storage method supports them, such as PhotoBerry Cloud.

Available Photo URL Options​

In the Settings tab for galleries and sessions, you can choose one of the following options for photo URLs:

1. Automatically Choose Mode Based on Session Access Type​

  • In this mode, PhotoBerry Studio will automatically decide whether to serve images through the CDN or your local server.
  • If the session is public, the images will be served via the CDN (if available).
  • For sessions with restricted access (such as password-protected or client login required), local URLs will be used to ensure that access controls are properly applied.

2. Always Use CDN URLs (If Available)​

  • Select this option to always use CDN URLs for serving images, regardless of session or gallery access type.
  • CDN URLs generally offer better performance as they bypass your web hosting server, delivering images more quickly, especially for high-traffic galleries or sessions.
  • This option is best suited for public galleries where performance is critical and security controls are less of a concern.

3. Always Use Local URLs​

  • This option forces the use of local URLs, meaning all images are served by your WordPress hosting server.
  • This is the most secure option, as it allows PhotoBerry Studio to enforce access controls (such as requiring clients to log in) before images are served.

Configuring Photo URLs​

  1. Navigate to Settings

    • In your WordPress dashboard, go to PhotoBerry Studio settings.
    • Choose either Galleries or Sessions depending on where you want to configure the photo URL settings.

  2. Select Photo URL Option

    • Choose one of the three available URL options:
      • Automatically Choose (default)
      • Always Use CDN
      • Always Use Local URLs

  3. Save Changes

    • Once you've selected your preferred photo URL configuration, click Save to apply the changes.

Considerations for Photo URL Configuration​

  • Performance: CDN URLs may offer faster load times for images and reduce the load on your hosting server.
  • Security: Using local URLs provides better security and ensures that access controls are applied before images are delivered to clients.
  • Automatic Mode: The automatic mode is recommended for most users as it balances performance and security based on the session or gallery’s access settings.

By configuring photo URLs appropriately, you can ensure that images are delivered efficiently while maintaining the necessary security and access controls.