Marketing consents in photography – now you can create them yourself!

Are you tired of explaining to clients exactly what consent to publish photos means? Where these photos will appear, in what context, and why? It is not surprising — every client has a different story, different emotions, and different needs. 

You know well that talking to a bride and groom is different from talking to a newborn's mother, and even more different from a business client or a person who came for an intimate women's session.

That is exactly why universal, rigid formulas simply do not work. You need consents that can be adapted — to the type of session, your work style, and the way you communicate with clients.

And exactly this possibility we introduced in Mafelo. From now on, you can independently create your own, 100% personalized consents for photo publication. Consents that are clear, consistent with your brand, and easy to understand for every client. Without guessing, without explaining yourself — but with full control and peace of mind. Check out how this feature works and how it can make your life easier.

Why ready-made photo sharing consents are often not enough?

If you work with clients as a photographer, sooner or later you have to face the topic of marketing consents – specifically, granting consent to publish photos showing your clients' images. 

This is not just a matter of good manners, but also a legal obligation related to personal data protection (GDPR) and image rights. Regardless of whether you publish photos on a website, in social media, or in promotional materials, you must have consent for it.

The problem is that ready-made consent templates rarely fit the reality in which you work. They are rigid, inflexible, and often require extra explanation – the client does not know exactly what they mean, what "for promotional purposes" means, or where their photos might appear. And you have to explain, add context, and clarify every single time.

Meanwhile, there are many types of sessions, and each comes with different expectations and client sensitivity. Discussing photo publication with a bride and groom after a wedding is different from talking to a newborn's parent, a person posing for a sensual women's session, or a business client. Consents to publish photos in commercial photography differ from those in family or lifestyle photography – both in terms of content and tone of communication.

That is why personalizing communication and having full control over the content of consents is so important. It allows you to speak your brand's language clearly and precisely. Thanks to this, the client feels safe and understands what they are agreeing to – and you do not have to explain "what you meant" every time. This saves a lot of time and is a step towards a more professional, trusted relationship.

New feature in Mafelo: create your own marketing consents

In response to the needs of photographers who want to communicate with clients in a consistent, professional manner that perfectly matches their work style, a new feature has appeared in the Mafelo app: the ability to create your own marketing consents for photo publication. 

This is a solution that gives you full control over how you collect consents to use a client's image in photography, regardless of the type of session.

What exactly can you do with the new feature?

• Add your own consents – from scratch, with full freedom, matching them to the type of session (e.g., family, newborn, wedding, business, product).

• Edit the consent text – you can formulate messages in your style, in your brand's language, making them easy to understand and friendly for clients.

• Name consents your way – e.g., "Consent for portfolio publication", "Consent for Instagram only", "Consent for group photos publication", "No consent for social media", "Publication in printed materials".

• Arrange consents in any order – you can place the most important ones at the top and less important ones lower down. This makes it much easier for clients to understand and choose.

• Turn off unused consents – if you do not use a particular consent, you can hide it so it does not clutter the list and cause unnecessary confusion.

This feature makes managing consents in Mafelo flexible, convenient, and 100% suited to real situations you face as a photographer. It is a huge step towards simplifying communication, building trust, and increasing transparency with your clients.

What does this personalization give you?

Personalized marketing consents primarily allow you to communicate with the client clearly, precisely, and in your style. You no longer have to use general, rigid formulas that explain nothing – now the client sees exactly what they are agreeing to and in what context their image might be used.

• You gain greater transparency in communication with the client – no more questions like "but what does this actually mean?", "will my photos be published somewhere?", "are you sure they won't end up in an ad?". Everything is black and white – without misunderstandings.

• You avoid misunderstandings and stressful situations – clear consents mean less uncertainty on both sides, which means more peace of mind and better cooperation.

• You build a professional image – as a photographer who pays attention to details, respects privacy, and can clearly communicate the rules of cooperation. Clients notice and appreciate this.

• You increase trust – you show that you care not only about photos, but also about the comfort and safety of the person on the other side of the lens.

• You protect yourself legally – compliance with GDPR in photography is not an option, but a necessity. Personalized consents allow you to act in accordance with the law while matching their content to the specifics of a given session.

• You save time – consents prepared once are saved in the system and ready to use in every subsequent session. You do not have to write them from scratch or explain the same thing every time.

How to set up your own consents in Mafelo?

Personalizing consents in Mafelo is fast and intuitive – you do not need a lawyer or an IT specialist for it. You will do everything yourself in a few simple steps, without leaving the app. 

Step 01: Log in to your Mafelo account and go to the "Settings" tab → "Consent types".

Step 02: Click "Add" – an editor will open where you can type your own consent text.

Step 03: Give the consent a name – e.g., "Consent for Instagram", "Consent for portfolio" – visible to you and the client.

Step 04: Adjust the content to the session type and your communication style. You can create more formal consents or write them more loosely – just as you talk to your clients.

Step 05: Arrange consents in any order – place the most important ones at the top.

Step 06: Turn off consents you do not use – thanks to this, your list of consents will remain clear and transparent.

You will find detailed instructions in our Knowledge Base:
How to configure your own photo publication consents?

How to write clear and readable consents? Copywriter's tips

Creating your own photo sharing consents is not just a technical issue, but also a communication one. A well-written consent makes the client feel safe and have clarity on what they are agreeing to. 

Here are a few proven rules that will help you create consents that are effective, understandable, and consistent with your brand.

• Write short and specific sentences

Avoid long, legal formulas. Write clearly and simply – your clients do not need to know GDPR to know what they are signing. Consents should be understandable for a layman. Formulate sentences as if you were speaking to the client during a conversation. Instead of "I grant consent to process my image for marketing purposes", write:

 "I agree to show my photos on Instagram @yourprofile". 

Or even simpler:

 "Yes, you can show my photos on Instagram @yourprofile". 

• Create messages consistent with your brand's language

Photo sharing consents can be more formal or casual – it is important that they match the tone in which you communicate with clients every day.

Are you a warm soul doing family sessions? You can write:

"I agree to let our shared frames appear in your Facebook album".

Do you take sensual portraits? Go for subtlety:
"I consent to showing selected photos (without a face) in your portfolio".

• Remember to clearly state the goal of the consent

Do not leave room for guessing. Specify where and for what purpose the photos will be used. The more specific, the better. 

Consent for photo publication in social media (Pinterest, Facebook).

I agree to show photos from our session in your portfolio on the website www.yourname.com (without tagging my name)".

• Add some character!

Do not be afraid to use emojis, bold text, or light humor – if it fits your brand. Thanks to this, the consent will not look like a form from a dentist's office, but rather like a part of your relationship.

Summary

Personalized consents in Mafelo are not just a convenient feature – they provide real support in your daily work as a photographer. With it, you gain full control over how you communicate with clients, greater legal safety and GDPR compliance, and a professional image that builds trust.

You know best what your work looks like and what your clients need. Now you can take care of every detail – also regarding photo publication consents.

There is no need to wait! Try the new feature in Mafelo and see how it can make your life easier. Want to ask a question or share your feedback? Reach out to us in the Mafelo chat – we are here for you!