How to store all those pics?

Okay, I purchased my first DSLR back in Jan. of this year (a 50D). Now, I've ran into a major disk space issue. In short, I have filled my new 250gb laptop hard disk in about 2 months. I know that while I take a lot of photos that I can't be taking anywhere near the amount of photos that a professional does. Therefore my question...how in the world do you store all those images?

I know that I need to upgrade my PC in a major way, but even with a couple of 1tb disks, I'm only talking a couple of years until they are full as well. So what's the solution?

Also, is it better to save a backup disk to another drive in the case, an external server or what?

I'd suggest you buy a couple of external drives - one for keeping active files and the other for backup. Of course, if you want to be even more secure you back up to a remote site as well (in case of catastrophe).

glbtrekker wrote in post #8195873
So what's the solution?

Multiple external HDDs.

René Damkot wrote in post #8196125
Multiple external HDDs.

Ditto.

+ I don't keep every single picture. I find it funny how people store thousands of mediocre photos that they never go back to look at, print or appreciate. I usually take from 200-500 photos a week for contracts (realty and news papers) and work and of those I probably keep 20-30 max and of those only 5-10 get printed or published.

Learn to delete the crap. I take about 50,000 wedding photos per year, but after culling that drops to about 12,000 kept. I only delete after the customer CD/album has been delivered.

I don't like having multiple drives, keeping track of what's on which is a pita. For a laptop user i'd suggest you get a 1.5TB drive as your working drive, and another 1.5TB drive as your offsite backup. Mirror it every week or two. If you're stuck with USB it'll be a bit slow to use as a working drive, so work on the laptop drive then when you're finished with it move it to the external drive.

But the best answer to your question is seriously to delete the crap.

I use a laptop for everyday use, but an iMac for real photo work. I import from CF to computer via my laptop to my laptop HD (internal), but I immediately copy to an external portable/pocket USB drive that I consider my 'working' drive. I keep my Lightroom catalog on that drive as well as all my photos for the past 12 or so months.

I also archive all photos on two other external drives (desktop style, requires AC power), one at home and one at work. So in theory, I have two archives of photos, one 'working' archive, and whatever is on my internal laptop drive.

I only keep about 30 days worth of photos on the internal laptop drive.

Thanks for all the suggestions and yes...I definitely need to delete the "crap." Of course, being the pack rat that I am it makes it difficult. In addition, my computer is super slooooooooow dealing with the raw files making it extremely difficult to sort and delete right now.

Anyway, thanks for all the information. What's the best way to store images (digital) long term? I would like to be able to preserve photos taken of the family for many years yet to come.

There are dozens of threads on backups.