You scanned the code, you can see a handful of photos, and the page is asking for your email. That's the host's choice, not a paywall: they've asked that everyone who sees the full album and adds to it confirms who they are, once, with an email.
What you'll see
The album shows its newest 9 photos as a preview and a button to see the rest. Tap it (or Continue on the welcome screen) and the page asks for your email with a short explanation: the host keeps this album for guests only, so you confirm an email once, with no password.
- 01
Enter your email and tap Email me a code
The page shows exactly which address the code went to.
- 02
Type the 6-digit code from the email
Or tap the link in the same email; either one works. If it doesn't arrive within a minute, see the email code didn't arrive.
- 03
You're in
The full album opens, with Add photos. The first time you add one, Partyreel asks for the name that will appear on your photos (Add your name); if you signed in with Google, the name is prefilled. Only the host of this event ever sees your email; other guests see this name.
That code made you an account
There's no separate sign-up. Confirming your email creates a free Partyreel account, which is what lets you come back to this album later, save it to a dashboard, and keep your uploads under your name across events. Next time, the same email (or Continue with Google with the same address) opens the same account; the ways in are in sign in: password, email code, or Google. See save an event, and find your uploads later.
Guests never pay
Nothing a guest does costs anything, ever: joining, adding photos, downloading, watching the reel. The host pays for storage if they need more of it. The Start for free button in the corner is for people who want to host their own event.
Rather not?
Just browsing keeps the preview open without an account. To add photos, though, this event needs the email. If the host wanted anonymous uploads, the page wouldn't have asked; it's their setting. What they see about you is in what guests can and can't see.
A password instead?
Some events ask for a password from the invitation rather than, or before, an email. That's a different gate: see messages guests might see.