GallerinaSync is a Lightroom Classic plugin that syncs your client's proofing selections from Gallerina straight into your Lightroom catalog. When your client picks their favourite photos in a Gallerina gallery, the plugin brings those selections back as colour labels, star ratings, comments, and collections. No CSV files, no filename matching.
Requirements
- Adobe Lightroom Classic (version 6 or later)
- A Gallerina account with at least one proofing project
- macOS or Windows
Installation
- Download the GallerinaSync plugin from your Gallerina dashboard (Settings → GallerinaSync Plugin)
- Unzip the downloaded file. You will get a folder called
GallerinaSync.lrplugin - Move the folder to a permanent location on your computer. A good place is your Documents folder or a dedicated Lightroom Plugins folder. Do not leave it in your Downloads folder as it may get accidentally deleted
- Open Lightroom Classic
- Go to File → Plug-in Manager
- Click "Add" in the bottom left corner
- Navigate to the
GallerinaSync.lrpluginfolder and select it - The plugin will appear in your plugin list with a green dot indicating it is running
Signing In
You only need to do this once.
- Open File → Plug-in Manager in Lightroom Classic
- Select GallerinaSync from the plugin list
- Click "Sign In with Gallerina"
- Your default browser will open with a Gallerina sign-in page
- Sign in with your Gallerina account
- Once signed in, return to Lightroom. The plugin will automatically detect the authentication and show "Welcome, [your name]"
If your browser does not open automatically, you can copy the authentication URL shown in the dialog and paste it into your browser manually.
How to Sync Client Selections
Step 1: Make sure your photos are in Lightroom
Import your RAW files into Lightroom Classic as you normally would. The plugin matches photos by filename, so the RAW files in your Lightroom catalog need to have the same base filename as the JPGs you uploaded to Gallerina.
For example, if you uploaded DSC_1234.jpg to Gallerina for proofing, the plugin will match it to DSC_1234.NEF (or .CR2, .ARW, .DNG, or any other RAW format) in your Lightroom catalog.
Step 2: Open the folder containing your photos
In the Lightroom Library module, navigate to the folder or collection that contains the photos from the shoot you want to sync. The plugin scans whatever folder or collection you currently have open.
Step 3: Start the sync
- Go to File → Plug-in Extras → Start Syncing
- The plugin will scan your current folder and automatically detect which Gallerina project matches your photos
- Select the correct project from the dropdown if multiple projects are found
- Click to proceed with the sync
Step 4: Review the results
After syncing, the plugin shows a summary of what was applied:
- Number of photos updated
- Number of collections created (if your gallery had groups)
What Gets Synced
When your client selects photos in Gallerina, the plugin applies the following metadata to the matching photos in your Lightroom catalog:
Colour Labels
Selected photos receive a colour label so you can quickly filter and identify them in your catalog.
Star Ratings
If your client rated photos (1-5 stars), those ratings are applied to the corresponding photos in Lightroom.
Comments
Any comments your client left on individual photos are added to the photo's caption field in Lightroom. You can read them directly in the Metadata panel without switching back to Gallerina.
Keywords
To make searching and filtering effortless, the plugin automatically adds structured keywords to your selected photos without overwriting any of your existing tags.
- Project Tags: Every selected photo receives a keyword with the project's name (e.g., Gallerina - Smith Wedding). This ensures you can always search your entire catalog for a specific shoot's deliverables, even if you move the RAW files to a different hard drive later.
- Selection Tags: Photos are tagged with their selection status (e.g., Client Pick). This allows you to use Lightroom's Library Filter bar to instantly hide unselected photos, or use the keyword to build automated Smart Collections for your export workflow.
Collections (from Groups)
If you organised your Gallerina gallery into groups (for example: Ceremony, Reception, Portraits), the plugin creates Lightroom collections that mirror those groups. Each collection contains only the selected photos from that group.
Collections are created inside a collection set named "Gallerina - [Project Name]" to keep them organised and separate from your other collections.
How Filename Matching Works
The plugin matches photos by their base filename, ignoring the file extension and case.
This means:
DSC_1234.jpguploaded to Gallerina matchesDSC_1234.NEFin LightroomIMG_5678.JPGmatchesIMG_5678.CR2- The match is case-insensitive, so
dsc_1234matchesDSC_1234
The plugin supports all major RAW formats including NEF, CR2, CR3, ARW, RAF, DNG, ORF, RW2, PEF, and more.
If your RAW files have different base filenames from the JPGs you uploaded (for example, if you renamed files during export), the plugin will not be able to match them. Make sure the base filenames are consistent between your RAW files and the JPGs you upload to Gallerina.
Re-syncing After Client Changes
If your client changes their selections after you have already synced, simply run the sync again. The plugin will update the metadata to reflect the latest selections. Colour labels, ratings, comments, and collections will all be refreshed.
Go to File → Plug-in Extras → Start Syncing and follow the same steps.
Signing Out
If you need to sign out or switch accounts:
- Open File → Plug-in Manager
- Select GallerinaSync
- Click "Sign Out"
- You can sign in again at any time
Troubleshooting
Plugin not appearing in Plug-in Manager
Make sure you selected the .lrplugin folder, not a file inside it. The entire folder is the plugin.
"Not connected" after signing in
Click "Test Connection" in the Plug-in Manager to verify your connection. If the test fails, try signing out and signing in again.
No projects found when syncing
Make sure you have at least one proofing project in Gallerina with client selections submitted. The plugin only shows projects that have completed selections.
Photos not matching
Check that your RAW files have the same base filenames as the JPGs uploaded to Gallerina. Open a photo in Lightroom, check its filename in the Metadata panel, and compare it to the filename shown in your Gallerina gallery.
Sync is slow
The sync itself takes only a few seconds. If it appears slow, the plugin may be downloading selection data from Gallerina. Check your internet connection.
Collections not being created
Collections are only created when your Gallerina gallery uses groups. If all photos are in the gallery without groups, the plugin applies metadata but does not create collections.
Need Help?
Reply to the welcome email from Yasiru or message us on WhatsApp at +94 76 365 0005. We are happy to help you get set up or troubleshoot any issues.