# Backing up your photos



## photowilly (Jul 8, 2017)

Hi Guys,

Landscape photographer here, and I am curious as to how everyone backs up their photos? Currently I have been keeping my full memory cards, then I have all my raw and processed files on a external hard drive, but I am also considering using a cloud based back up? Maybe dropbox?

Just curious what everyone does?

Thanks


----------



## Derrel (Jul 8, 2017)

External hard disks, multiples, always 2 backups, plus one on the computer. I've also been backing uop to CD discs, then DVD discs, for some years now...the discs do not fail the way that disks can fail, and there are far, far fewer eggs in one basket on a disc compared to a disk.

(For those wondering, a disc is a thin, flat piece of something! A disk is something else!)

Cloud-based storage has become easier to sue, with places like iCloud. I have Dropbox too, but do not use it for back-ups, but it could be used that way, sure.

Pay-to-store web-based services like pBase are alright too. Flickr, etc..

Printed-out photos are another avenue for some images: weddings, births, special birthdays, milestones, etc..

Flash drives are very small and easy to store safely.


----------



## Peeb (Jul 8, 2017)

I was profoundly frustrated trying to use Dropbox as cloud backup storage. Initial backup was in progress for over 2 weeks with no sign of finishing. Customer support unable to pinpoint the issue after MULTIPLE attempts and my system drug like a snail the whole time.  

External drive(s) now.


----------



## photowilly (Jul 9, 2017)

I think I am just going to back up with 3 external hard drives, keep one with me, one at a family member and one in my safety deposit box at the bank.


----------



## benhasajeep (Jul 9, 2017)

Computer HD, external HD, cd's then DVD's, now bluray (for triple backup).  I have enough cards I don't clear them until needed again.  And I rotate them.  So, if there's a recent failure the CF or SDs will have copies too.  I don't do any storage in the cloud.  As of yet anyway.

A full time photog in the next town over has in his contract that he only keeps what the clients chose for their printed pictures.  And will keep the files for just 5 years.  He's been a full timer for decades.  That would reduce the needed space for backups in a big way.


----------



## JustBen (Jul 25, 2017)

I have 3 backups:

Original files that i work with on one HDD. 1st backup on a network storage device. 2nd backup on an external hard drive. 3rd backup online using encrypted cloud storage.

Everything is setup to backup automatically. I think this is important, that way you don't forget to do it regularly!


----------



## Flash Harry (Aug 4, 2017)

Hard drives are cheap these days as are DVD and USB media, even though I've not been too active with photography lately this computer has all my images since 2004 stored on it plus backups to DVD other HD's and on some USB media too. I'd not be storing in the 'cloud' or elsewhere online, too much wasted upload time and no security afaic, I'll leave that to the 'starlets' who get their porn snaps posted in the MSM.


----------



## jaomul (Aug 4, 2017)

I import all raws to my laptop and edit etc using lightroom, doing that build that allows them to be edited offline.

Every few months I transfer them to a hard drive. I then use dng converter to make 15mp compressed lossy dng files,in doing so sending them to a second hard drive which give most benefits of raw in a slightly bigger than JPEG file. I then copy the dngs to a hard drive attached to my desktop, so end up with 3 hard drives, one containing raws, the other 2 dngs.

Any processed jpegs remain on my laptop


----------

