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Collections

Collections are the main organizational unit in the Pixieset Gallery API, containing multiple galleries and serving as the primary way to organize and manage photo/video content. Collections provide centralized management for client access, download permissions, and sharing settings.

Overview​

Collections serve as containers for galleries and provide:

  • Centralized client access management
  • Bulk download and sharing controls
  • Unified settings for watermarks and permissions
  • Analytics and tracking across all contained galleries
  • E-commerce functionality for selling photos

Get Collection Details​

Retrieve detailed information about a specific collection.

GET /collections/{collection_id}

Query Parameters​

  • expand (optional): Include additional data
    • video_cover: Include video cover information

Response​

Returns collection object with:

  • id: Unique collection identifier
  • name: Collection name
  • description: Collection description
  • gallery_count: Number of galleries
  • client_count: Number of clients with access
  • expiry_date: Collection expiration date
  • password_protected: Boolean
  • downloadable: Download permission status

Edit Collection​

Get editable collection data for modification.

GET /collections/{collection_id}/edit

Response​

Returns editable collection data including:

  • Collection settings
  • Distinct tags
  • Expiry reminders
  • Message languages
  • Watermark settings

Update Collection​

Update collection properties and settings.

PUT /collections/{collection_id}

Updates collection configuration including name, description, privacy settings, and client access permissions.

Get Collection Galleries​

Retrieve all galleries within a collection.

GET /collections/{collection_id}/galleries

Response​

Returns array of gallery objects with:

  • id: Gallery ID
  • collection_id: Parent collection ID
  • name: Gallery name
  • description: Gallery description
  • photo_count: Number of photos
  • video_count: Number of videos
  • private: Privacy status
  • download: Download permissions
  • cover_photo: Cover image information

Collection Before Hooks​

Pre-action validation and settings endpoints that run before certain operations.

Before Show​

GET /collections/{collection_id}/before_show

Validates collection access permissions before displaying collection content.

Before Download Settings​

GET /collections/{collection_id}/before_download_settings

Validates download permissions and settings before allowing downloads.

Get Collection Clients​

Retrieve clients with access to the collection.

GET /collections/{collection_id}/clients

Response​

Returns array of client objects with:

  • id: Client identifier
  • email: Client email
  • name: Client name
  • access_level: Permission level
  • last_accessed: Last access timestamp
  • favorites_count: Number of favorited items

Get Visitor Emails​

Get email addresses of collection visitors.

GET /collections/{collection_id}/visitor_emails

Response​

Returns list of email addresses that have accessed the collection, useful for tracking engagement and follow-up communications.

Common Usage Patterns​

Expanding Collection Data​

Use the expand parameter to include related data in a single request:

GET /collections/123?expand=video_cover

Collection Management Workflow​

  1. Get Collection Details - Retrieve current collection state
  2. Edit Collection - Get editable data structure
  3. Update Collection - Apply changes
  4. Validate with Before Hooks - Ensure changes are valid

Client Access Management​

Collections provide centralized client access control:

  1. Use GET /collections/{id}/clients to see current access
  2. Track visitor engagement with GET /collections/{id}/visitor_emails
  3. Monitor activity through download and sharing endpoints

Collections integrate with several other API areas:

  • Downloads: Track photo and video downloads at collection level
  • Favorites: Manage client favorites across all galleries in collection
  • Store: E-commerce features for selling photos from collection
  • Analytics: Comprehensive tracking of collection activity

Best Practices​

  • Use collections to group related galleries by event, client, or project
  • Leverage the expand parameter to reduce API calls when you need related data
  • Always validate permissions using before hooks when appropriate
  • Monitor client engagement through visitor emails and access tracking