SimpleumSafe for photographers
Protect assignment files.From brief to delivery.
Keep assignment documents, image files, publication evidence and client correspondence encrypted on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
An assignment involves more than the finished photographs
Briefs, quotations, contracts, contact details, model releases and image files often originate on several devices. Some contain personal data; others show unpublished subjects or reveal internal details of an assignment.
SimpleumSafe provides a separate encrypted space for selected files on Mac, iPhone and iPad. Organise documents by assignment and separate sensitive selections or delivery files from general storage.
Everyday tasks
Keep assignments separate
Keep briefs, contracts, selected images and correspondence together by assignment. File names stored in the Safe remain encrypted too.
Match approvals to images
Store model releases, licence agreements and publication records alongside the relevant subjects and versions.
Prepare selection and delivery
Keep selected files available on your own Mac or iPad, and check the destination, scope, metadata and transfer method when exporting.
A protected space alongside editing and assignment management
SimpleumSafe supplements your existing photography workflow with an encrypted space for selected assignment documents, image files and evidence. No cloud is required for local use; encrypted synchronisation between your own configured devices is optional.
SimpleumSafe is not a digital asset management system, image editor or client portal. Selection, colour correction, version control, approval, publication and rights management remain in the tools and processes intended for them. You also still need independent backups of your originals and Safes.
Assess publication and consent separately
Encrypted storage protects files against unauthorised access. It does not create permission to take, use or publish an image. The legal basis or consent required, and the evidence you should retain, depend on the assignment, subject, intended use and applicable law.57
Data protection and security in detail
How does SimpleumSafe protect selected photography and assignment files, and what still needs attention in your workflow? Open the topic you would like to explore. The legal references concern the EU GDPR and German law.
Encrypt files and file names
SimpleumSafe protects file contents and associated information, such as file names, using AES-256. With a closed Safe, the file list does not reveal which clients, subjects or assignments it contains. Multiple Safes can help separate professional and private material or particularly sensitive assignments.1
Protect access to assignment files
You open your Safe with its password or, where supported and configured, biometric authentication. A strong unique password, up-to-date devices and clearly managed access all belong together.
Readable content may be accessible on an unlocked or compromised device. Encrypted storage therefore does not replace device protection or sensible access arrangements in the studio.1
Check stored files for errors
The integrity checker examines the Safe's internal structure and its references to stored file data. Additional options can test whether files can be read and decrypted.
The result relates to the areas checked. It does not confirm an image's visual quality, completeness, colour accuracy, authorship or approval status, and it does not replace a backup.2
Back up originals and Safes independently
Back up your Safes regularly and separately from the working device, and test that you can restore them. Originals, catalogues and other files outside the Safe need their own backup within your photography workflow.
Create a recovery password in good time and keep it securely away from the device. It can reset a forgotten Safe password, but it is not a backup and cannot restore deleted images.1
Assess loss or theft in context
If a device or Safe copy is stolen, effective encryption can prevent unauthorised people from reading its contents. The assessment must also consider whether credentials, key material, exported files or an unlocked device were affected.
Whether notification or communication is required depends on the specific risk and the conditions in GDPR Articles 33 and 34. Article 34(3)(a) can provide an exception from communication where effective measures render data unintelligible, but the incident must still be assessed and documented separately.5
Synchronise your own devices securely
SimpleumSafe can be used locally without a cloud. You can optionally synchronise encrypted changes between configured Apple devices through iCloud or directly between devices; a shared folder is also possible between Macs. Each configured device has its own local Safe.
Normal synchronisation data does not include the separate Safe key file. The protection needs a different assessment if setup information, key material or a configured device is also compromised. Synchronisation propagates deletions too and does not replace a backup.
When cloud services are used, contractual arrangements and data protection requirements still require separate assessment. Encryption does not automatically remove the need for a data processing agreement where one is required.36
Match consent and publication records to images
Store model releases, approvals, licence agreements and correspondence in encrypted form alongside the relevant assignment files. Record the purpose, subject, version and scope clearly enough to match the evidence to the correct image and intended use later.
Storage does not decide whether taking or publishing an image is lawful. The data protection basis for the specific processing must be assessed separately. In Germany, section 22 of the Art Copyright Act governs consent for disseminating or publicly displaying portraits, while section 23 lists exceptions. These provisions are not a blanket rule for every photograph or use.57
Keep selection, editing and export in view
Importing brings a file into the Safe. Depending on the method and settings, the original may remain on a memory card, working volume, in the photo library or Downloads folder. Importing does not retroactively protect those copies.
A file must temporarily be readable for review and editing. On Mac, SimpleumSafe can provide a working copy in a protected temporary area; editing and catalogue software may create previews, catalogues or cloud copies of its own. Exporting or sharing creates a decrypted copy outside the Safe. Check the destination, export scope, metadata and transfer method before delivery.4
Sources and product documentation
- SimpleumSafe: Security and Encryption method – access, file information, backups and recovery passwords.
- SimpleumSafe: Integrity checker – scope and additional options.
- SimpleumSafe: Extreme secure synchronisation – device synchronisation, key material and limitations.
- How SimpleumSafe works – import, editing and export.
- GDPR, particularly Articles 5, 6 and 32–34.
- EDPB Guidelines 07/2020, “Hosting services” example, p. 16 – storing encrypted data on behalf of a controller.
- Sections 22 and 23 of the German Art Copyright Act – consent and statutory exceptions for disseminating and publicly displaying portraits (German).
Selected photography and assignment files on your Apple devices
Would you like to keep confidential assignment documents, image files and evidence encrypted yourself? Explore SimpleumSafe’s features and find the right purchase option for Mac, iPhone or iPad.
What you can do with SimpleumSafe
Learn more about the features and protection for your files on Mac, iPhone and iPad.