Bring on the content! 6 popular solutions for collecting photos and videos

This article is aimed at companies and organizations that regularly need to collect photo or video material from internal or external stakeholders. In this endeavor, user-generated content (UGC) is naturally high on the list.

Typical user groups would be:

• • Employees, project participants, team members, employed photographers, etc. (internal)
  • Athletes, fans, freelancers, speakers, influencers, artists, etc. (external)

The photo material to be collected is usually created at larger events such as:

• • Sports events
  • Company events
  • Conferences and trade fairs
  • Concerts and music festivals
  • Exhibitions (art and culture)

You are probably also looking for a satisfactory solution for collecting photos or videos. The good news first: collecting digital content can nowadays be done in a way that is easy and convenient for everyone involved. However, depending on the type of company, there may be very different preconditions and requirements. Which leads us to the crucial question: Which solution is the right one for which application?

In this article, we try to find out exactly that. To do this, we look at various use cases and workflows, present solutions from well-known providers and then assess them.

Spoilt for choice

If you were to ask five IT-savvy users what the best way is to collect content from large groups of users, you would probably get five different answers – and names like Dropbox, Google Photos, WeTransfer or OneDrive would probably come up.

Don’t worry, we will assess these popular solutions, but first we should outline what the main aspects are and for whom they might be important.

Tip: If you’re looking for professional enterprise software, click here to go to the only enterprise solution on this list designed specifically for photo and video content.

Determine individual requirements

If you want to find a solution that suits your company, you first need to develop a clear idea of what is important to you and your organization. How much emphasis should be placed on user-friendliness, for example? How important should data protection and data security be?

The extent to which content is to be collected must also be determined.

• • Approximately how many users will be involved?
  • What is the average size of the files to be collected?
  • What is the approximate total storage capacity required? Etc.

A solution that is geared towards collecting high-resolution videos naturally requires completely different capacities than one that was designed exclusively for photos.

Another point concerns compatibility issues:

• • Which file types are supported?
  • Is the solution flexible enough to be integrated into existing workflows?
  • Can the solution be used on all devices and in all browsers or are there restrictions?

You also need to clarify whether a website is sufficient as a solution or whether you also need a mobile app for instant uploads.

A very important issue concerns the handling of copyright and personal rights:

• • Do you want to transfer usage rights to your organization, e.g. for photo competitions or other participatory activities for users?
  • Should the collection of declarations of consent or model releases be automated?
  • Do you need image license management? Etc.

These are not all, but particularly important questions to keep in mind when evaluating the solutions presented in the following sections (in alphabetical order).

Dropbox

Types of use: private or business

Best for: users who want to share files professionally but do not need advanced features for media management.

Dropbox is one of the best-known cloud storage services and is aimed at both companies and private users, its popularity is correspondingly high.

Collect media: Dropbox can of course be used to collect photos and videos. Users can be invited to collaborate on a folder with just a few clicks, e.g. via a share link or email.

Further advantages

• • Folder structures that are easy to understand.
  • Dropbox does not compress files. Photos and videos retain their full quality.
  • Business and Enterprise editions are offered with professional user management.
  • Connection to DAM systems from other providers possible.
  • Cross-device synchronization.

Disadvantages

• • Not specialized in the management of media files. It is therefore not always possible to display or play media assets.
  • Only 2 GB of storage in the free basic version.
  • Existing metadata can at most be viewed, but not edited.
  • No functions for managing image rights (licenses) or declarations of consent.
  • Globally distributed data centers (own and rented capacities from Amazon Web Services, AWS). It cannot be guaranteed that the data will not leave a particular country. However, exclusive use of servers in the EU is possible for an additional charge.
  • Target for cyber attacks.* In the past (2012), sensitive data (including email addresses and password hashes) of 68 million users was stolen from Dropbox Inc.

* All internet-based services are exposed to the risk of cyber attacks. We will therefore not repeat this point for every provider.

Google Photos

Type of use: private only

Best for: private users who prefer the Google ecosystem.

Google Photos is Google’s central consumer solution for managing photos. The mobile app is pre-installed on all Pixel devices and is also widely used on other Android devices. The photo app unfolds its full potential in combination with Google Drive.

Collect media: For this purpose, one can simply create a shared album to which several users can upload content.

Further advantages

• • Intuitive user interface.
  • Automatic categorization of media types: selfie, screenshot, 360-degree photo, etc.
  • 15 GB of free storage space for every Google account.
  • Seamless integration with Google Drive and other Google products.
  • Cross-device synchronization.

Disadvantages

• • Low level of acceptance among Apple users.
  • Compression of images: Photos can be saved in high quality, but in some cases not in their original quality.
  • The feature for facial recognition is not activated in Germany (as of March 2024).
  • As Google Photos is primarily aimed at the consumer market, there are no functions for managing image rights (licenses) or declarations of consent.
  • Globally distributed data centers. It cannot be guaranteed that the data will not leave a particular country.

Photos (Apple)

Type of use: private only

Best for: private users who prefer the Apple ecosystem.

The Photos app is the standard photo application for iOS and macOS devices. Correspondingly, it is widespread among Apple users. The app unfolds its full potential in combination with the iCloud.

Collect media: within the Apple ecosystem, Photos is a well-integrated solution for managing and sharing media. Photos and videos can be shared with selected people via shared albums. They can then add their own files and comments.

Further advantages

• • High quality and original formats: media files can be saved and post-processed losslessly using the raw data formats Apple ProRAW (for photos) and Apple ProRes (for videos).
  • AI-based functions for recognizing people or pets.
  • Automatic categorization by media type.
  • Cross-device synchronization (limited to Apple devices).

Disadvantages

• • Restricted to the Apple ecosystem.
  • Only 5 GB of storage space is free (applies to the iCloud as a whole).
  • No functions for managing image rights (licenses) or declarations of consent.
  • Globally distributed data centers. It cannot be guaranteed that the data will not leave a particular country.

Media Hub (teamnext)

Type of use: business only

Best for: organizations that cannot compromise on collecting photos and videos and need advanced media management features.

The teamnext | Media Hub is a cloud-based media management solution made in Germany that is characterized by innovative AI functions and meets the highest data protection requirements. The Media Hub is used by numerous professional sports organizations, medium-sized companies in the GSA region and large organizations within the EU.

Collect media: using the integrated media portal with media inbox, photos and videos can be conveniently and securely collected from individuals or precisely defined target groups. This is ensured by the associated user and access management with fine-grained authorization options. There are also tools available to automate the transfer of usage rights.

Further advantages

• • No installation necessary: the Media Hub works in every modern browser.
  • Intuitive user interface: also suitable for less IT-savvy users.
  • Specially designed for managing media files, therefore optimized display and playback options for photos and videos.
  • Original files: all photos and videos are saved as they are uploaded.
  • Extensive functions for managing image rights (licenses) or declarations of consent.
  • Self-developed AI services for automatically recognizing and tagging people and objects.
  • Hosting takes place in data centers within the EU or even exclusively in Germany for an additional charge. It is guaranteed that the data will not leave the defined region. An on-premises installation is also possible for particularly high data protection requirements.

Disadvantages

• • Not suitable for private individuals or one-man businesses: teamnext’s Media Hub is a professional SaaS solution with innovative AI services for business customers (professional sports organizations, SMEs, large companies). Therefore, there is no free basic version available.

Microsoft OneDrive

Types of use: private or business

Best for: users who prefer the Microsoft ecosystem and do not require advanced features for media management.

Microsoft OneDrive is pre-installed on all Windows devices and is therefore one of the most widely used cloud storage services. In combination with Outlook, OneDrive is particularly suitable for sharing media files.

Collect media: folders containing photos or videos can be given the “allow editing” permission. People who have received a share link can then add their own files. Sending share links to Outlook groups is particularly convenient.

Further advantages

• • Seamless integration with other Microsoft products.
  • No lossy storage. Photos and videos retain their full quality.
  • Access control: users can precisely control who has access to which files.
  • Intelligent search functions and many options for organizing files efficiently.
  • Cross-device synchronization.

Disadvantages

• • Low level of acceptance among Apple users.
  • Only 5 GB of cloud storage is free.
  • Platform dependency: The best user experience is only achieved in combination with other Microsoft products.
  • No functions for managing image rights (licenses) or declarations of consent.
  • Globally distributed data centers. When using the free version, it cannot be guaranteed that the data will not leave a specific country. In the case of paid versions, for example, you can specify that all data remain within the European Union.

WeTransfer

Types of use: private or business

Best for: users who want to share files professionally but do not need advanced features for media management.

WeTransfer is a cloud service for transferring large volumes of data. The basic version is free of charge (ad-financed). This makes WeTransfer particularly popular for private users. The service is frequently used for sending photos and videos.

Collect media: with the basic version, files can only be ‘sent’ (maximum 2 GB per shipment). The files are automatically deleted after 7 days. In the paid versions (Pro and Premium), shared workspaces can also be set up to which several users can upload files.

Further advantages

• • Easy to use: WeTransfer is known for its user-friendly interface.
  • Large files: with a Pro version, files up to 200 GB in size can be sent; there is no limit in the Premium version.
  • Easy access for recipients: download links are sent to one’s e-mail inbox via the Dropbox mail servers (standard) or shared via a desired medium after uploading.
  • In the basic version, files can be uploaded anonymously (without registration).

Disadvantages

• • Limited availability: transfers are only available for seven days in the free version. In the paid versions, the standard period is four weeks (with the option of extending the period manually).
  • Intrusive advertising in the free version.
  • No editing options for photos and videos.
  • No functions for managing image rights (licenses) or declarations of consent.
  • Data centers in the EU and the USA (capacities from AWS). It cannot be guaranteed that the data will not leave a particular country.

Conclusion

Google Photos and Apple Photos are pure consumer apps. They are therefore generally not an option for professionally managed companies. Although with Google Workspace and Apple Business Essentials there are also business solutions offered, but these are not specifically designed for managing photos or videos. The latter of course also applies to Dropbox, OneDrive and WeTransfer.

However, Dropbox and WeTransfer have the advantage of not being tied to a specific ‘ecosystem’, which makes these services attractive to users of very different devices and operating systems.

The best business application for collecting media files presented here is certainly the Media Hub from teamnext. With its integrated rights management module, advanced AI services and strict data protection measures, the Media Hub is ideally tailored to the needs of companies within the EU.

Of course, when deciding on a professional SaaS product such as the teamnext | Media Hub, the costs must also be taken into account. However, if a company regularly needs the innovative functions of the Media Hub, the investment will quickly pay for itself.

Test the teamnext | Media Hub

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