Photography Archive Management Software
Vitrine is collection management software for photography archives, press photo collections, and photographers' estates. Catalog prints, negatives, transparencies, and digital files. Record technical details, rights information, and provenance. Publish a public collection. Professional plans from £79/month.
Why photography archives choose Vitrine
Prints, negatives, and digital files need to be linked
A photograph often exists in multiple formats — the original negative, a vintage print, a modern print, and a digital scan. Vitrine keeps all of these linked under a single catalogue entry.
Rights and reproduction status is critical and often unclear
Who holds copyright, whether images are licensed for reproduction, and under what terms are questions that arise constantly for photography archives. Vitrine's notes and compliance fields let you record this information properly.
Technical metadata needs to travel with the image
Camera, lens, film stock, exposure, and development notes are essential for a research archive and valuable for an estate catalogue. Vitrine keeps this permanently attached to each record.
Features for photography archives
Multi-format cataloguing
Catalog prints, negatives (glass plate, film), transparencies, contact sheets, and digital files in one collection.
Technical metadata
Record camera, lens, film stock, format, exposure details, and development process. Essential for research and conservation.
Rights and reproduction records
Record copyright holder, licence terms, publication history, and any reproduction restrictions.
Condition tracking
Log fading, silver mirroring, mould, physical damage, and any conservation treatment. Record condition at acquisition and at review.
Image storage
Attach scanned reference images to each catalogue record. Keeps digital surrogates permanently linked to the catalogue entry.
Public collection page
Publish a public online collection for research enquiries. Control which images are visible based on rights status.
How to catalog your photographs with Vitrine
- 1
Create your archive account
Sign up at vitrinecms.com. Choose Professional for a single-person archive or Institution for a team with multiple staff.
- 2
Import or enter your catalogue
Import an existing spreadsheet via CSV on Professional plans, or enter records one by one. All standard photographic archive fields are available.
- 3
Record rights and restrictions
Note copyright holder, licence terms, and any reproduction restrictions for each image or series. Mark restricted items as private.
- 4
Publish your online archive
Make publicly shareable images visible on your collection page. Researchers can browse and enquire without needing to visit in person.
Vitrine vs other photographs tools
| Tool | Limitation |
|---|---|
| Vitrine | Web-based, free to start, full cataloguing with public collection page |
| Photoshelter | A commercial photography portfolio and licensing platform. Designed for working photographers, not archival cataloguing of historical collections. |
| Lightroom / Capture One | Digital asset management tools for active photographers. Not built for cataloguing physical prints, negatives, or mixed-format archives. |
| Excel spreadsheet | Common in photography archives by necessity. No image preview, no rights management workflow, and fragile to staff and volunteer turnover. |
Pricing for photography archives
Community — Free. Up to 100 items, public collection page, core cataloguing.
Hobbyist — £5/month. Up to 1,000 items, collection analytics, CSV import, wanted list, and 100 MB document storage.
Professional — £79/month. Up to 5,000 items, full dashboard, visitor analytics, event ticketing, compliance tools, staff accounts, and 1 GB document storage.
Frequently asked questions
Can I catalog physical prints and negatives alongside digital files?
Yes. Vitrine handles mixed-format photography collections. Use the category and notes fields to distinguish print types, negative formats, and digital files within the same collection.
How do I record rights and copyright information?
Use the notes field to record the copyright holder, date of any rights assignment, licence terms, and any restrictions on reproduction. Mark restricted items as private on the public collection page.
Can I attach scanned reference images to catalogue records?
Yes. Attach scanned reference images or low-resolution JPEGs to each record. On Professional plans, you can also attach full-resolution files as document attachments.
Is Vitrine suitable for a photographer's estate?
Yes. Estate archives are a common use case — cataloguing prints, negatives, contact sheets, and documents left by a photographer. Vitrine's Professional plan gives you the tools to build a proper record without the cost of enterprise archival software.
Can researchers search the collection online?
Yes. Items you mark as publicly visible appear on your collection page. Researchers can search and browse before making an enquiry, reducing speculative contact requests.
Start cataloguing your photographs
Free to start. No credit card required. Your collection stays private until you choose to share it.
Create your free account →