File request links: how to collect files from photographers, agencies and suppliers

The short answer: to collect files from a photographer, agency or supplier, don’t ask them to WeTransfer you and don’t give them access to your whole folder. Send a file request link: a simple page where they drop files that land straight in the folder you picked. They don’t need an account and can’t see what else is in the folder. Dropbox, OneDrive (work and school accounts) and Nivlo all offer this; Google Forms can collect files too, but requires a Google sign-in.

Below are the differences between services, checked on 3 November 2026, and a workflow you can reuse on every project.

Why not WeTransfer in reverse

The usual routine: you tell the photographer “just WeTransfer it”, get an email with a link, download the archive, unzip it and move the photos into the project folder. The problems pile up fast:

• The link expires. Miss the window and you ask again.
• Files land on one laptop. Colleagues don’t see them until someone uploads them again.
• Every supplier picks a different service. One uses WeTransfer, another Google Drive, a third sends email attachments in chunks.
• You can’t tell what arrived and what’s missing. Without one shared place, you check by hand.

A file request link flips the flow: you choose the destination, the supplier only uploads. If you’re the one sending large files, see how to send large files.

What each service offers

Service	Feature name	Uploader needs an account	Limits and conditions
Dropbox	File requests	no	up to 2 GB per file on Basic, Plus, Family; up to 250 GB on Professional, Essentials and team plans; deadlines only on paid professional and team plans
OneDrive / SharePoint	Request files	no	work or school accounts only, enabled by the admin; uploaders can’t see folder contents
Google Forms	”File upload” question	yes, a Google Account	files go to a new Drive folder; unavailable if the form lives in a shared drive
Nivlo	Upload link	no	files land in the chosen folder with tags set on the link; in-app uploads go up to 10 GB per session on Starter, 50 GB on Professional

Limits change. Before relying on a service for an important project, check its official page.

A simple workflow for every project

1. Create the project folder before you ask for anything. For example 2026-11_Lumen-One_launch/02_received/event-photos. For structure ideas, see file naming conventions.
2. One link per supplier or per type of material. The photographer gets the link to event-photos, the video crew to raw-footage. You always know where each file came from.
3. Say what you expect in the message. Format (full-resolution JPG, RAW, MP4), roughly how many files, the deadline and how files should be named.
4. Follow the folder. You find out when material arrives without checking manually.
5. Close the link after delivery. An upload link left open for months is an open door. Delete it once you have everything.

What to write to the supplier

A short message heads off half the questions:

Hi Sam, please upload the launch photos here: [link]. We need full-resolution JPGs, the final selection (roughly 80–120 images), by Thursday 6 pm. No account needed. Thanks!

How to do it in Nivlo

Open the project folder and choose Share → Create upload link. You can set tags on the link (for example backstage, day-2), and every uploaded file gets them automatically. Copy the link or email it straight from the same dialog.

The supplier sees a “Drop your files here” page, drags files in and watches the progress. No account, and no view of your other files or folders. Nivlo notifies you if you clicked Follow on the folder.

Every link you create is listed on the Links page, under the upload links tab. From there you copy, edit or delete them; a deleted link stops working immediately.

If you work with many photographers and suppliers, see how event organisers and marketing agencies use Nivlo.

Common mistakes

• One link for everyone. Files from five suppliers end up mixed in one folder. Make one link each.
• Edit access instead of an upload link. The supplier can see and change the whole folder. An upload link only lets them add files.
• No guidance on format. You get screenshots instead of originals, or videos compressed through a messaging app.
• The link stays open after the project. Someone can upload unwanted files months later.
• Nobody checks files on arrival. Open a few right away: if something’s missing, the supplier still has the material at hand.