Upload Links

You've just wrapped a three-day shoot. Five freelance photographers have cards full of images. Now what? You could ask each one to upload to Dropbox, email you a WeTransfer link, or hand you a hard drive. Then you download everything, re-upload to wherever you actually manage photos, rename files, and try to remember who shot what.

Or you could send each photographer an upload link and have their photos land directly in your project, scanned for viruses, tagged with their name.

Why collecting files is harder than it should be

The real friction in collecting photos from external contributors isn't the file transfer itself. It's everything around it. WeTransfer links expire after 7 days. Dropbox shared folders require accounts. Google Drive permissions get confusing. And none of these tools put the files where you actually need them.

Every intermediate step between "photographer has files" and "files are in your photo library" is a chance for something to go wrong. Files end up in the wrong folder. Naming conventions get ignored. Someone uploads a corrupted file and you don't notice until you're pulling selects.

Upload links cut out the middleman entirely.

How upload links work

Creating a link

From any project, you create an upload link pointed at a specific folder. You decide:

• Whether a passcode is required
• When the link expires
• Which file types to accept
• A message to display on the upload page (like "Please upload all photos from the Thursday shoot")

The link generates a unique URL that you share however you want.

The uploader's experience

The person receiving the link doesn't need a ReelStorage account. They visit the URL, see a branded upload page with your organization name and any instructions you wrote, enter the passcode if there is one, and drag their files in.

A progress bar shows the upload status. When it's done, they get confirmation. That's it. No sign-up forms, no app installations, no "which folder do I put this in" back-and-forth.

What happens on your end

Files arrive in your designated project folder. Every file goes through automatic virus scanning before it's accessible. Clean files are ready immediately. Anything flagged gets quarantined.

Each upload is logged with the contributor's name, timestamp, and file details. So when you're looking at 2,000 photos from an event, you can filter by who uploaded them and when.

Virus scanning built in

This is one of those features you don't think about until you need it. External contributors upload from their own machines, and you have no control over what software they're running or what's on their drives.

Every file that comes through an upload link goes through virus scanning before it enters your project. If a file contains malware, it never touches your photo library. It gets quarantined, and you're notified. Your team never sees it.

For productions that work with dozens of freelancers and contributors, this is the baseline security layer that prevents one compromised machine from affecting your entire library.

Use cases in production

Multiple photographers, one project

On a film production, you might have a unit still photographer, a BTS photographer, and a special photographer for marketing. Each gets their own upload link pointed at a different folder in the project. Photos arrive organized by photographer without anyone having to sort them manually.

Event coverage with same-day delivery

After a premiere or press event, speed matters. Share upload links with photographers before the event starts. As they shoot and cull on-site, they upload their selects directly. You can start reviewing and distributing while the event is still happening.

No waiting for someone to get back to the office. No "I'll send you a Dropbox link tonight." Photos flow directly from camera to card to your platform.

Collecting assets from clients and partners

Sometimes you're on the receiving end. You need a client's logo files, a talent rep's approved headshots, or reference images from a location scout. Instead of explaining how to share files with you, just send an upload link. They drag and drop. You get the files exactly where they belong.

Freelancer submissions

Agencies that work with a rotating roster of freelance photographers can create upload links per assignment. The freelancer uploads, you review in the platform, and there's a clear record of what was delivered and when.

Passcode protection

Not every upload link should be open to anyone with the URL. Passcode protection adds a gate: the uploader needs to enter a code before they can submit files. You share the passcode separately (text, phone call, whatever you trust).

This is useful when:

• The link is for a specific person and you don't want it forwarded
• You're collecting sensitive content (pre-release photos, NDA-covered material)
• You want an extra layer of accountability

Branded upload pages

Upload pages display your organization name and branding. This matters when you're sending links to clients, talent reps, or media contacts. It looks professional. It's clearly your portal, not some generic file-sharing tool.

You can customize the instructions shown on the page, so uploaders know exactly what you're expecting and in what format.

Tracking and accountability

Every upload through a link is recorded:

• Who uploaded (name entered by contributor)
• When they uploaded
• What files were included
• Whether files passed virus scanning

This data feeds into your project's activity log, giving you a full timeline of how content entered your library. For productions that need to document chain of custody, this is the starting point.

Technical details

• Upload links are project-scoped with configurable folder destinations
• Passcode-protected links are validated securely
• Automatic virus scanning on every uploaded file
• Configurable file type restrictions (JPEG, PNG, TIFF, RAW, etc.)
• Expiration dates with automatic link deactivation
• Real-time upload progress for contributors
• All uploads logged in the project activity trail