Recently I wrote about how Digital model or property release forms have made it easy for photographers to always have a release handy. Now the next step is where to store the forms. Here’s how to organize and store the forms to keep them safe and easily accessible.
Storing Digital Release Forms
Most digital release form applications have the ability to email both the photographer and model a PDF of the release. It’s tempting to keep this in your inbox or in the application. A better solution is to create a “Model Release” subfolder in the same folder as the images the release is for. This makes it easy to find and easier to match the release to the images.
Storing a Paper Release Form
If you prefer paper release forms, scan the original. File the original paper release like you normally do but add the scanned release to the subfolder “Model Release” in the same folder as the images the release is for. You still have the paper release, but now you also have a digital reference release. You can use a traditional scanner or a scanner app for your phone or tablet. Camscanner by INTSIG is a great Android, iPhone, iPad and Windows 8 application.
What happens if my hard drive crashes?
Following the 321 Backup theory—3 copies of your data, 2 stored locally and 1 stored off-site—will keep your release forms safe and secure. In the event of a hard drive failure, you have two other identical copies to restore from.
