If you’ve ever lost an entire catalog of images to hard drive failure, you probably know how important it is to properly and securely back up your data. If you haven’t run into such a speed bump just yet, congratulations, but just because it hasn’t been an issue in the past, doesn’t mean you’re not prone to a hard drive failure in the future. Losing your images can be devastating, especially if you shoot a lot of paid work. Thankfully, a little forethought and planning can help prevent such a catastrophe.
In the video below, Matt Granger talks about a few options photographers have when it comes to photo storage and backing up image files. Very important stuff! Here’s a quick list of 4 ways Granger backs up his data, then be sure to watch the video as he explains the process he uses both at home and when shooting on location.
- Hard Drive Storage – Granger recommends storing photos on a RAID array such as this Drobo Bay which accepts a standard 3.5″ SATA HHDs.
- Flash Storage – Such as SD, Compact Flash, or SSDs, flash storage is more reliable than traditional hard drives thanks to the fact flash storage doesn’t have any moving parts to fail; however, they aren’t as big as most hard drives.
- DVD’s – Perhaps an unexpected addition to the list, but Granger says when DVD’s are used in conjunction with the previous two options are a great way to back up data. Just be sure to store the DVD’s properly.
- Cloud Storage – Storing your photos on someone else’s RAID arrangement is never a bad idea. Cloud hosting is getting much more afforadble, almost making it a no brainer. Though, Granger notes slow upload times often prevent him from backing up his entire collection of images. Rather, he weeds out the most important ones.
Photo Storage & Backup – DO IT RIGHT!
What methods are you using to backup your photos and keep them safe from digital corruption? Let us know in the comments below!
[ via Matt Granger ]
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