Author Topic: Storing Photos - Backup (Read 9979 times)

tab62 · « **on:** September 21, 2012, 12:23 »

Hi MSG Folks,

I want to know how much of you store your files? Do you only keep the finished pics or everything to include the raw files? Do you back up monthly? I am in the process of backing up all my photos via usb2 external drives on a 2TB to 4TB ide drive which I take to work to make sure it isn't in the house or studio.

Thanks

T

leaf · « **Reply #1 on:** September 21, 2012, 12:26 »

Here's what I do.

I keep everything. The raw files, edited TIF files and converted jpg files.

I have 3 current copies of all the files

Copy 1
On several hard drives inside my computer

Copy 2
On a home server network that is backed up nightly with windows backup

Copy 3
is actually 2 copes. It is 2 sets of disks that I swap between my house and my inlaws. I'll update all the drives and swap them with the older set when I visit. Then I'll update the old disks to the current files and swap them on the next visit. These get backed up every month or so.

tab62 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 21, 2012, 12:32 »

Now that is a serious backup procedure! I wish my IT folks at work did this with our data files! I will reconfigure my process starting today. Thanks

T

EmberMike · « **Reply #3 on:** September 21, 2012, 12:37 »

I'm lazy. I have everything on my main HD in my Mac Pro, and I have a 2nd drive in there that runs Time Machine for automatic backups.

It's not ideal, for sure. Not only is it all under one roof, but it's also contained within one box. Most sensible folks will tell you that you should be backing up off-site as well.

For a pretty interesting look at a fairly extreme backup system, check out this video from Chase Jarvis:


Chase Jarvis TECH: Complete Workflow for Photo and Video

lisafx · « **Reply #4 on:** September 21, 2012, 12:37 »

I always make a point to have every image in at least two places. I have been at this awhile, so I have several external hard drives. When I transfer images from a CF card to my computer, I also make a second copy on one of the external drives. Then anytime I do any sorting, editing, etc., I also transfer those new images to the corresponding file on the backup drive. Daily automatic backups are probably the way to go, but I've had drives fail and lost work, so I am a bit paranoid and backup after every batch I edit.

I also have my portfolio backed up "offsite" on my own website. I only update that every month or so.

leaf · « **Reply #5 on:** September 21, 2012, 12:39 »

I think having something off site is pretty critical, even if it's only updated once in a while. Theft is as big of an issue as anything and if they come to steal stuff they'll probably grab the computer and whatever else is around it

ppdd · « **Reply #6 on:** September 21, 2012, 12:40 »

I only use external mirrored RAID drives on my computer, so they back themselves up. I have a single drive at my office that I bring home every couple months an d backup the RAID - off site seems necessary.

Also, this looks like a cheap new online option - I signed up: http://aws.amazon.com/glacier/

tab62 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 21, 2012, 13:09 »

why back up reasons-

1. A Hard Drive (IED or SSD) will crash (i.e. virus, mech failure)
2. Home Robberies (We have had several homes robbed in the middle of they day- and they take all computer stuff, cameras, coins, jewelry)
3. Home Fire (Total Loss)

The off site data storage is the only insurance of making sure our photos are protected.

velocicarpo · « **Reply #8 on:** September 21, 2012, 13:19 »

Since I live in different locations part of the year I have HD copies in 3 different locations. Beyond that I keep a copy in the Amazon S3 cloud (only the final output) and maybe soon more data offsite in Amazons Glacier.
If you have a fast internet connection you should definitly have a look into the Amazon clouds (Glacier is very cheap for a pure dead data backup.)

JPSDK · « **Reply #9 on:** September 21, 2012, 13:22 »

I store them online where they work and sell.
Then I have some working disks where I cant find anything, and it doesnt matter, because if I need a picture, I just take it.
I also have 100.000 files on disks that I dont look at and dont know if the disks are connected.
I dont even bother to delete files, I just throw out the disks or even the computers.

Files are not important, storage neihter. The point is to get rid of the waste and not spend money on dead useless things.
And old files are dead.

Ask yourself if you ever looked back at the 500 pictures you took of the bench in october 2010?
Or a better proof. Do you have an "important" disk, that had to be disconnected, and that you have not looked at for a year.

sgoodwin4813 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 21, 2012, 13:43 »

I save everything - you never know when you might need the raw again. I use Time Machine to back up to two external hard drives - one is connected to the computer and the other is at my office for my real job. I switch them out every 2-3 months, so the one at the office doesn't have everything but isn't too out of date in case of theft or fire. I would backup only every night but Time Machine automatically does it every hour or so and I haven't figured out how to change it (not sure you can). If anybody knows how to tell Time Machine to only back up once a day please let me know.

lisafx · « **Reply #11 on:** September 21, 2012, 14:23 »

Quote from: JPSDK on September 21, 2012, 13:22

Files are not important, storage neihter. The point is to get rid of the waste and not spend money on dead useless things.
And old files are dead.

Ask yourself if you ever looked back at the 500 pictures you took of the bench in october 2010?
Or a better proof. Do you have an "important" disk, that had to be disconnected, and that you have not looked at for a year.

This is a first. I never heard anyone who makes money off their photography say that storage is not important. It is extremely important to me.

For one thing, I do go back through my older shoots often for a variety of reasons. Sometimes I look to see if I can improve on a concept. Other times, someone else wants a copy of a picture.

Recently a beloved uncle died and my aunt wanted a copy of a portrait I took of him around 2006 to use for the obituary and memorial service. It showed him at his healthiest, before he got sick. I was able to provide the digital file because of my backups.

Not to mention all the photos of friends and family I have taken over the years. Those are the records of my family's life. I would be devastated to lose them.

sharpshot · « **Reply #12 on:** September 21, 2012, 15:27 »

I've been thinking of using Amazon Glacier, as a cheap online backup that I'll hopefully only need if all my hard drives fail. Anyone here tried it?

stockastic · « **Reply #13 on:** September 21, 2012, 15:43 »

I've been using Amazon S3 for years. Glacier is the new lower-cost option. If there were a way I could migrate to Glacier, I would, but so far Amazon isn't making that easy. I'd be moving to Skydrive except it lacks a couple of very basic features which are absolutely necessary for large scale backup.

Sadstock · « **Reply #14 on:** September 21, 2012, 16:06 »

I try to maintain 3 different backups - online, hard drive, and CD stored at work. It seems impossible that so many backups could fail, but it happens.

A year ago I lost track of a few hundred files, don't know if they were accidentally deleted from my photo drive or what, but could not find them. They were also not in the online backup. Backup hard drive failed (little puff of smoke when I plugged it in), so it was only the backup CD that saved me. These were very successful images that I wanted to reprocess before uploading to newer sites, so the loss of the original RAW files would not have been good.

Answering the OPs other question, storage is cheap, so it is generally not worth my time to look through my images and decide which RAW files to save or delete. I just save them all.

Colette · « **Reply #15 on:** September 23, 2012, 16:49 »

In the past I've read stories about people having their accounts blocked by an agency. So keeping your originals can be important some day to prove that your images are really yours.

For friends and relations my nickname is 'Backup': Allways warning people and in most cases they only listen when having a harddisk crash!
"Why didn't you make a backup as I said you to do?" "Well I, was thinking: that will not happen to me!"

Same with antivirus- and firewallsoftware!
People don't realize that their data is only safe when they are not (never!) connected to the internet and have a good backup.
And they don't want to realize either!

So for me I backup on two identical internal harddisks and I use two external harddisks and store them one at a time at the house of friends.

lisafx · « **Reply #16 on:** September 23, 2012, 16:55 »

Quote from: Sadstock on September 21, 2012, 16:06

Answering the OPs other question, storage is cheap, so it is generally not worth my time to look through my images and decide which RAW files to save or delete. I just save them all.

+1. Much easier to save all than to spend the time sorting through what to get rid of.

Congrats on managing to salvage your images, BTW. That's a real cautionary tale!

tab62 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 23, 2012, 17:21 »

How does this device look for backing up?

http://www.macmall.com/p/6240097?dpno=8213152&source=zwb12166

T

lisafx · « **Reply #18 on:** September 23, 2012, 17:24 »

Looks good to me! I have one sitting on my desk

tab62 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 23, 2012, 17:47 »

ordering my mind right now! Thanks! T

RacePhoto · « **Reply #20 on:** September 24, 2012, 11:00 »

Quote from: tab62 on September 23, 2012, 17:21

How does this device look for backing up?

http://www.macmall.com/p/6240097?dpno=8213152&source=zwb12166

T

Funny I have a few and also now a drive caddy that I just plug in a hard drive, save files and pull it out again. Drives go on the book shelf, and I don't have to buy the case and whatever else, over and over. Just a new blank drive.

I have the MyBook on the main desktop. When I'm bored I start the backup desktop and copy EVERYTHING (which answers that other question) to another MyBook. And sometime in January, I copy all that to an external drive, for backup, but keep the originals for editing.

I agree with Jens, hardly every had anyone ask for a shot from five years ago (or is it never?) but since space is cheap and I'd rather not waste time selecting and deciding, I just copy everything and shelf it. Heck even if I wanted some things, I could never find them. That's a bigger problem than making backups.

Here, this one. Nothing automatic, 100% manual, 100% drop in a drive and copy files (or connect an IDE drive with the cable) takes SATA laptop size or full size. No software, no added expense, reads just about any old drive you have! USB - plug and play.

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Drive-Docking-Station-2-5in/dp/B002UAR8JY

The MyBook will install software, will drag your system resources down. I have mine without the backup utility running. (I also have older computers so part of the problem is still running XP with 2GB of memory)

ShadySue · « **Reply #21 on:** September 24, 2012, 11:09 »

For me, one of the main points of backing up is so that I'll have the RAW files available in case of anyone claiming copyright of one of my images and seriously trying to proceed with that case. I'm assuming that the agencies stupidly strip out the camera info along with the copyight info. (anyone know?).

cardmaverick · « **Reply #22 on:** September 24, 2012, 22:06 »

I use onlinestoragesolution.com for my remote backup. If you don't have a remote backup, you're not really backed up.

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Author Topic: Storing Photos - Backup (Read 9979 times)

tab62

leaf

tab62

EmberMike

lisafx

leaf

ppdd

tab62

velocicarpo

JPSDK

sgoodwin4813

lisafx

sharpshot

stockastic

Sadstock

Colette

lisafx

tab62

lisafx

tab62

RacePhoto

ShadySue

cardmaverick

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