What happens to uploaded preview photos

Free preview assets should be treated differently from final paid downloads. Preview references and generated contact sheets are temporary working files, so they should expire quickly and avoid long-term storage costs.

Deduplication protects storage when the same user uploads the same image more than once. Instead of saving another copy, the system can reuse the existing object URL when the file hash matches.

Generated preview images are also short-lived. The dashboard should make the expiry window clear so users understand why a free contact sheet may disappear while final paid orders remain available separately.

This separation keeps the product practical: free exploration stays low-cost, while paid order assets can receive stronger retention, download, and support behavior.