Photo Gallery with Your Own Domain: Why It Matters for Photographers
When a client opens their gallery link, the URL in their browser is the most visible branding signal on the page. lumeny.cloud/g/abc123 tells your client they're on a third-party platform. galleries.janeschmidt.com tells them they're on your professional platform. That difference is small in technical terms and significant in perception terms — especially for photographers who charge premium prices and want every touchpoint to reflect their brand.
How Custom Domains Work in Lumeny
Custom domain support is available on Lumeny's Pro plan (€19/month). The setup process is straightforward: you point a subdomain (typically galleries.yourname.com or photos.yourname.com) at Lumeny's servers via a DNS record, configure it in your Lumeny dashboard, and all your gallery links automatically resolve to your domain.
From that point on, every gallery you publish and every portfolio page you share carries your domain. The HTTPS certificate is handled automatically — clients see the secure padlock without any technical work on your side.
The Pro plan also includes 100 galleries (vs 25 on Solo) and everything from the Solo plan: sectioned galleries, shoot briefings, booking overview, and auto-portfolio.
The Branding Case for a Custom Gallery Domain
Consider the difference in client perception:
lumeny.cloud/g/k3f8x— the client knows you're using a third-party service, the link looks like a tracking URL, and there's nothing to tie it back to yougalleries.janeschmidt-photography.com— the link is clean, professional, and clearly from you
The second version builds trust. When you charge €1,500 for a wedding shoot and deliver photos on a URL that looks like a spam link, there's a misalignment between your price point and your delivery experience.
A custom domain is also the URL your clients forward to their friends and family. "Go look at our wedding photos — the link is in the email" is fine. But the experience of that link matters when it becomes a word-of-mouth referral channel.
Custom Domain vs Shared Domain: What Changes
| Experience | Shared Domain | Custom Domain (Pro) |
|---|---|---|
| Gallery URL | lumeny.cloud/g/... | galleries.yourname.com/... |
| Portfolio URL | lumeny.cloud/u/username | portfolio.yourname.com/... |
| Email deliverability perception | Third-party link | Your branded link |
| Client trust signals | Platform brand | Your brand |
| Setup required | None | DNS configuration (~5 min) |
| Monthly cost | €9 (Solo) | €19 (Pro) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to buy a domain separately? Yes. You bring your own domain (purchased from any registrar like Namecheap, GoDaddy, Cloudflare, etc.) and point a subdomain at Lumeny. Lumeny handles everything else.
Can I use my existing main domain?
Typically you'd use a subdomain (like galleries.yourdomain.com or photos.yourdomain.com) rather than your root domain, since you likely use the root domain for your main website.
Is custom domain available on the Solo plan? No. Custom domain is a Pro plan feature (€19/month). The Solo plan (€9/month) uses a Lumeny subdomain.
Does the custom domain affect my SEO? Your gallery pages on your own domain will be indexed under your domain, which can reinforce your domain authority. However, client galleries are typically PIN-protected and not public, so SEO impact is primarily through your public portfolio pages.
Put Your Name on Every Gallery Link
Lumeny Pro gives you a custom domain for all your galleries and portfolio — for €19/month. Start your 14-day free trial today.
Start Free TrialWritten by Christian Bauer, founder of Lumeny and photographer with 10+ years of experience.