How to store pictures

[ghosh]

Hello all,
I just got a new digital camera (400D) and already exposed times 500 in 3 days. Its fun but now I'm wondering how do I keep so many pictures. I mean surely if I go on this way then I will have more than 20,000 pics at the end of the year.

How can not have all the pics in my computer alone. I need a back up as well. So how do you do?

Please help me with the following questions.

1. In which format do you keep your files in a CD or DVD? (PSD or jpg)
2. How do you keep a track about which CD contains which image? do you dedicate each CD for each client?
3. How many back up of the same CD you keep?
4. Having made the back up how do I keep my CDs safe?

Thanks for reading this sily post :D, if you can please do post a reply.

Thanks
G

[R Hardman]

1. In which format do you keep your files in a CD or DVD? (PSD or jpg)

Keep them on DVD's and External HD's. I keep all RAW files and those that I process which are TIFF. All Client files are kept also to inlcude slide shows, JPEG's, etc...

2. How do you keep a track about which CD contains which image? do you dedicate each CD for each client?

Labled the same as the directory structure as the external HDs. The directory structure contains sub-directories for each client. As to keeping one DVD for each client for back-up, No, since I burn DVD's and external HD's as I reach enough disk space used to burn a DVD. If I need to re-create I just burn the entire client directory.

3. How many back up of the same CD you keep?

Back-ups are two DVDs and external HD.

4. Having made the back up how do I keep my CDs safe?

One on site and one off site in a cool, low humidity, dark area.

Thanks for reading this sily post

Not a problem and thats what this forums for. ;)

[ghosh]

Thanks very much R Hardman

[Cyth0n]

I wouldn't be too worried about having hundreds of thousands of photos. When I got my 30D half a year ago, I started off shooting hundreds of frames a day. I shoot much less than that now, not because I've lost interest but because I've become more picky about what I shoot. I'll only press the shutter if I think there's a reasonable chance that the photo will be a keeper. I'm not a pro or anything though and I only keep the best photo out of a set of duplicates.

As for storage, I store only my RAW files in a directory structure that catagorizes by date. However, as my collection grew, I found it increasingly hard to locate specific photos, so I invested in Adobe Lightroom. It lets you sort photos by keywoard, catagory, exif, rating etc. It also lets you post process and export images (not to the same extent as PS, natch, but the controls are more photography-oriented). The best thing is that it saves changed to a database, rather than the actual source image.

I also back up my photos on various hard drives across different PCs.

I know this hasn't got a lot to do with CD storage, but I hope people find it helpful.

[Doug Pardee]

Most people who are serious about saving their photos seem to like external hard drives. They don't trust CDs and DVDs to last.

Me, I don't see the point in saving tens of thousands of photos. Ansel Adams is quoted as having said (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/anseladams141288.html), "Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop." History suggests that he probably actually averaged about two dozen significant photos a year. But I don't figure that I'm as good as Ansel. Why so many people think that they are shooting thousands of priceless treasures every year, I don't know.

Well, that doesn't really answer your question. You'll need to decide for yourself what you think is the best solution for you. Me, I don't fret about it. I make the occasional DVD backup, but if all of my digital photos were lost I'd utter a loud oath and then get on with my life.

You might want to read Peter Krogh's The DAM Book: Digital Asset Management for Photographers. Krogh discusses all of the various organizational and storage options, and what the advantages and disadvantages are.

[In2Photos]

Most people who are serious about saving their photos seem to like external hard drives. They don't trust CDs and DVDs to last.

Wrong. Most people who are serious keep them on multiple formats. Typically this involves internal HDD, external HDD, and DVDs (typically stored off site).

Me, I don't see the point in saving tens of thousands of photos. Ansel Adams is quoted as having said (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/anseladams141288.html), "Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop." History suggests that he probably actually averaged about two dozen significant photos a year. But I don't figure that I'm as good as Ansel. Why so many people think that they are shooting thousands of priceless treasures every year, I don't know.
My photos may not be significant to you but they are significant to me. While I may not be Ansel Adams I certainly think my photos are worth keeping.

Well, that doesn't really answer your question. You'll need to decide for yourself what you think is the best solution for you. Me, I don't fret about it. I make the occasional DVD backup, but if all of my digital photos were lost I'd utter a loud oath and then get on with my life.

Sounds like you could care less about photography to me. Do you just shoot to say you shoot? Why wouldn't you want to keep your photos? Not putting any effort into them?

You might want to read Peter Krogh's The DAM Book: Digital Asset Management for Photographers. Krogh discusses all of the various organizational and storage options, and what the advantages and disadvantages are.
The first thing I agree with. His first Chapter is available on his website for free.

[nwa2]

Hello all,

Please help me with the following questions.

1. In which format do you keep your files in a CD or DVD? (PSD or jpg)


I keep mine in the format they came out the camera, or the format they were processed in.

Hello all,
2. How do you keep a track about which CD contains which image? do you dedicate each CD for each client?


I keep all my images on my HDD, and index them with light room (there are other image tracking packages, ranging in price from a few £ to hundreds of £)

I hate having to dredge through CDs' looking for images. Incidently, the more you use a CD / DVD (handle it etc..) the more likely it is to fail. They are good as an archieve media as long as they are kept out of the sun ands safe from physical damage.

Hello all,
4. Having made the back up how do I keep my CDs safe?


I use an external HDD, with a backup programme running to keep the backup up to date every day - runs automatically so I do not have to do anything. I find this the most convenient way, external HDD have dropped in price and a very reliable. My backup is always up to date (along with all the other files on my PC), and I do not have to think about it.

I also periodically take a copy of the backup files onto DVD (once a month, or more often depending upon how active my photographt is).

[MrWills]

I put them on 2 DVD's and External HD then I take one DVD of all pictures into studio and put on that External HD. The studio pictures are the working ones, when the are all completed and done new DVD's are burned 2 copies and then also kept on External HD at home. So to make that simple I have 3 copies 2 DVD's 1 in studio and 1 at home and on External HD. :D

[braduardo]

I put an extra hard drive in my computer ($70 or so for 250GB), and also back them up on an external drive, which I leave turned off unless I am actively using it. Every so often I will also burn my new images to DVDs, and just mark them with the date range the pictures were taken in. I leave all my images in RAW, but if I edit them, I will put the edited version in the same folder. That way, I can either use the edited version, or re-edit the shot to suit my needs at that moment.

[ghosh]

Thank you for helping me out

[Wilt]

I consider burning images on DVD are merely for 'data recovery' for short term purposes...to save your bacon when you do something stupid like delete a folder full of photos by accident.

I consider burning images on external USB HD is for long term 'archive', since magnetics are the only technology with proven 50 year data read.

Keeping images on an on-line external USB HD at my usual location is for convenient 'data redundancy', so that if the DVD cannot be read and I did something stupid like delete a folder full of photos, I have a backup on line.

Keeping images on an external USB HD at some other location, miles from the usual location, is for 'data redundancy' in the event that the usual location burns down or something catastrophic like that!

Even if you have 9MB RAW files from an 8Mpixel camera, you could get over 10k photos on a single $100 100GB USB harddrive!

[Galaxy99]

I have a 500 gb external HD. All Raw and Jep are there. Also I will periodically burn DVDs of some important event pictures just in case.

[ghosh]

I think I should get a external hard drive and store all the pictures in it.