Switching to Lumi HQ from Pixieset, Pic-Time or Studio Ninja
Moving platforms sounds like a weekend of pain. The importers bring your galleries, clients, jobs and invoices across while your old account stays untouched. Here's how.
The number one reason photographers stay on a tool they've outgrown is the fear of moving. Years of galleries, all that structure, the thought of re-uploading everything by hand — it's enough to make you renew for another year instead. So let's take that fear off the table, because migrating to Lumi HQ doesn't mean re-uploading anything.
Why photographers make the move
The pattern is almost always the same. You started with a gallery tool, then added a CRM, then an invoicing app, maybe a separate contract tool — and now you're paying for three or four subscriptions, mostly in US dollars, none of which talk to each other. Lumi HQ puts galleries, the print store, bookings, invoicing and contracts behind one login, priced in AUD, with GST tax invoices built in.
If you're still comparing, we've written honest round-ups of Pixieset alternatives and Studio Ninja alternatives for Australian photographers.
What comes across
| From | What comes across | How |
|---|---|---|
| Pixieset, Pic-Time, SmugMug | Galleries, folders and photos; from Pixieset also the cover, password, expiry and download settings | Sign in to the platform and pick the galleries |
| Studio Ninja | Clients, leads, jobs, booked shoots and invoice history | Upload the files Studio Ninja exports |
| Your mailbox | Past emails with your clients, filed under each client | Connect your mailbox; it only reads |
What the gallery importer actually does
You connect your Pixieset, Pic-Time or SmugMug account under Settings → Import, pick the galleries you want, and the import runs in the background:
- Your collections, albums and photos come across with their structure intact
- Photos are re-processed on our side, with thumbnails and previews generated, so galleries are fast from day one
- Your originals are never modified on the source platform; import only reads, it never deletes
- Imported galleries arrive unpublished, so nothing goes live to a client until you've checked it
It runs on our servers, so you can close the tab and get back to shooting. A few thousand photos can take an hour or more, and if it's interrupted it picks up where it left off. The help article has the details.
Moving from Studio Ninja
Studio Ninja has no way to connect two systems, so the importer works from its export files: clients, leads and jobs, and payments. Drop them in and you'll see how many clients, jobs and invoices would come across before anything is written. Booked shoots land on your calendar, old jobs are archived, and no client is emailed. Running it twice is safe. Here's each export, step by step.
A stress-free way to switch
- Import a single gallery first. Pick one recent job and bring it across to see the result on your own photos before you commit.
- Keep your current tool running. There's no cut-over deadline. Your existing galleries stay live wherever they are while you move at your own pace.
- Rebrand as you go. Set your colours and logo once, and your imported galleries take on your Lumi HQ branding.
- Point new work here. The easiest switch is gradual — deliver your next shoot through Lumi HQ, migrate older galleries when you have a quiet afternoon.
Because re-import always creates new galleries rather than overwriting, there are no silent data losses — if something doesn't look right, you just delete and try again.
The safety net
Migrating platforms is a good moment for a reminder that no delivery tool is your archive. Keep your own backups of your original files — Lumi HQ is where you deliver, sell and run the business, not your only copy of the photos.
Want a hand with your first import? Start a free trial, then get in touch and we'll run it with you.
One studio platform, built in Australia.
Galleries, print sales, invoicing and the whole studio behind one login. Free to start, no credit card.
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