Digital Asset Management Software for Photographers

Do you remember when you found your passion for photography? When your amazing photographs started filling every memory card and moving into hard drives and cloud drives? You may have developed your own system for cataloging your images that seemed to work at the time. However, you likely found the process of organizing and keeping track of photos has become more challenging as your passion and business has grown. Cataloging files, keeping track of which shoots go with which client, and ensuring that you’re sending the right files to the right people can become more complex and time-consuming as the number of digital assets in your collection increases.

If you are a photographer that juggles multiple clients, Digital Asset Management (DAM) software is a powerful tool you can use to organize, store, track, retrieve, and protect photos and videos. Let’s investigate how this software can benefit your photography business or photography role by keeping photos organized so you can spend more time taking them.

Protect Copyrighted Assets

From social media to blogs, the digital landscape makes it easier than ever for copyrighted images to be used without permission. Freelance photographers, advertising agencies, and marketing teams all need to protect their lawful rights to their work. This includes setting permissions around viewing and/or sharing content.

Photographers can use photography DAM software to easily and securely share files with clients, in-house stakeholders, print shops, and other users. Ensuring each image is accompanied with information about the photographer, shoot date, usage rights and other technical data can help ensure your hard work is protected.

Customize Your Storage and Retrieval System

With the right digital photography management software, you can set up collections, metadata, and tags to fit your body of work. Using these features, creating personalized processes for uploading images and customizing details is simple. For example, you can easily add in metadata to link photos to a particular shoot, project, or individual so you can find these assets quickly when you’re ready to share them. This not only speeds up search and retrieval functions but also provides information that describes and annotates your work in ways that make sense to both you and your clients.

Photographers and creative teams can work more efficiently once every file is clearly labeled. From the moment you import image and video files into your DAM software, you’ll enjoy optimal organization to ensure you and your team can easily find the latest batch of files from a portrait session, event, or marketing shoot.

This increased level of efficiency can help improve customer relations, as well. No more searching endlessly for that corporate headshot from three years ago. Time-consuming editing and retouching tasks won’t have to be repeated. When anxious newlyweds call, their wedding photos and videos can easily be retrieved from your well-organized archives.

Seamlessly Share Files

Thanks to your photography DAM software, passing images via email attachment is a thing of the past. With a secure, modern storage and retrieval system, you can simply share one link for all the images your clients need to access. Not only is this easier, but it also increases security and control over your work. You can also set link expirations, keeping your work and projects visible for only a set period of time.

Additionally, finding the files you need at a glance and transferring them quickly reduces the volume of communication between you and your clients, leaving more room in your schedule to complete everything on your task list.

Safeguard Your Work in the Cloud

Cloud-based photography DAM software not only holds your files but also protects them from unforeseen events. Cloud-based storage guards against everyday mishaps and natural disasters from destroying your work, while built-in security features defend against hackers and file corruption. From watermarking to two-step authentication, these protections provide more than just peace of mind — they can help ensure your hard work remains intact and protected against unauthorized use.

Grow Your Photography Business

Another important aspect to consider when choosing a digital photography management software platform is scalability. Will the software and storage capability grow with your business? Does it interface easily with the other digital systems and other software programs you frequently use?

As your business grows, you’ll need a centralized, efficient software that can keep up. When you connect digitally with clients, methods for secure file sharing, ensuring licensing and compliance, and setting customized access are necessary. Digital photography management software that helps you adapt and grow will contribute to an expanding, successful photography business.

Evaluate Your Efforts

Measuring the effectiveness of your work can help you grow as a professional photographer or marketing creative. Photography DAM software can help you determine what assets may work for particular customers with its built-in reporting and analytics. For example, if you specialize in food photography for restaurants and notice your customers access certain shots more than others, you can get an idea what shots to include in your future projects. From these insights you can better master your craft and deliver photos that will fit your clients needs the most.

Learn More about Photography DAM Software

There’s no better time to invest in digital asset management software — MarcomGather makes file management simple for photographers and marketing teams. Find out how our innovative platform can improve image storage, retrieval, and more through our free trial. For additional information, reach out to the team at MarcomCentral today.