how to store & keep your images safe:


Whether you're a professional photographer or simply someone who cherishes their visual memories, in today's digital age, having your images saved on reliable and multiple sources in incredibly important. To ensure your images remain safe and accessible for years to come, here are some essential tips:



Multiple Backups:

The golden rule. Always maintain multiple copies of your images. In the event that one copy is lost or corrupted, having a backup ensures that your precious memories are safe.


Offline vs online storage:

Adding to the previous point, it's important and recommended to have these back ups stored on different mediums.

Personally I recommend you always have at least one copy of your images both online and offline.


Online Storage:

Online or Cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox are great options as it means your images remain safe even in the event of a house fire or theft.

These providers typically operate redundant data centers (Multiple Backups), which significantly enhance data reliability.


OFFLINE STORAGE:

Although Dropbox and Google Drive have extensive measures in place to prevent and help guard against cyber attacks, maintaining at least one additional copy offline is always important. One of my recommendations are the LaCie Rugged HDD's (Hard Disc Drive's) . I've had many hard drives fail over my time as a photographer none however have been the LaCie drives (so far). If your budget allows (although these have been getting cheaper yay!), you can take it a bit further however and look into getting a SSD (Solid State Hard Drive). These drives are usually more reliable, smaller, and faster than your standard disk drives as they don't have the disk/moving parts. I personally use a Samsung T7's for my SSD's.


Please note there is a reason I didn't recommend usb drives or stick drives to save your images. These are designed for file transfer only and are prone to corruption. Meaning you have a high chance of losing your images if you try and save them on these!


Organize and catalog your images:

Organising your image collection is essential. Use a well-structured file system and making use of metadata to help you easily locate specific images. This not only aids in keeping track of your collection but also prevents accidental loss.


Regular Backups/Check ins:

Create a backup schedule, whether daily, weekly, or monthly, to ensure that new images are continuously added to your backup storage. Consistency is key to a reliable backup strategy. HDD's and SSD's also have limited lifespans so I would also recommend adding a reminder to your calendar to check in on your drives every so often and replacing as needed.


HHD lifespan: 4-7 years

SSD lifespan: 5-10 years

This is just a general rule of thumb though - do make sure to check your warranties.



Remember, your images are not just data; they are your memories and moments frozen in time. Protect them with the care they deserve.