Photo storage

[Richard]

Now that everyone uses digital camera technology how do you store your photo's?
I have several different lots of images stuffed into various folders on my computer but is it better to store them on CD or 'Cloud' or some other means?
I tried 'Cloud' but gave up as it takes ages for each image upload.

I suppose USB sticks would also be a possibility.

[Derek Jempson]

The important thing is not to rely solely upon the card in the camera for storage. I know several people who have lost thousands of photos because they had no back-up copies. Make back-ups on external hard disks, USB sticks, CDs, DVDs, and cloud storage if you have a fast broadband connection. Invest in good back-up/archive software, such as https://www.bvckup2.com/ and make frequent back-ups. I'm fanatical about making back-up copies of everything, even to the extent of carrying a USB stick containing a full back-up of everything with me everywhere, and I mean everywhere!

You also need some kind of file naming system for image files. I keep images in year folders with month subfolders (2014 for the year folder name and then 01, 02, 03 and so on for the month subfolders). Individual files are named with the date first in this format - YYYY.MM.DD_1234.jpg, so that a photo taken today might have the file name, 2014.12.03_0173.jpg (where 0173 is the file's sequential number within the folder). You can add a short description of the file after the date and file number - 2014.12.03_0173 (Yappy the dog eating a bone).jpg. The good point about this system is that files will always be in the correct date order within their folders.

It is also a good idea to "tag" image files with "metadata" (IPTC or XMP). This allows information about the files' contents to be embedded within the file, so that the information always travels with the file. There are many programs that will help you to do this - Irfan View, Picasa, Windows Live Photo Gallery and others.

[Richard]

Many thanks Derek,

I really must 'google' for some cheap usb sticks and cd's then.
Not really heard about using 'metadata' before so will look into that.

Then comes the situation of needing to print out actual photo's and if it is better to buy a contraption that can do so or to send them online to get prints.
Perhaps better perhaps to print a whole batch 'on the cheap' and then simply discard unwanted pictures when you have 'hard copy' infornt of you?

Richard

[Derek Jempson]

As for printing, it's a contest between the cost, time and wastage involved in printing at home (photo quality paper and inkjet cartridges ain't cheap) and the convenience of having them printed professionally by an online service. Unless you intend to do a lot of printing, it would probably be best to take the online printing option.

[Derek Jempson]

As a P.S. to my last post, I think that printed photos (except for framing and hanging purposes) will soon be a thing of the past. It's far easier and cheaper to view photos on a PC or tablet, or an electronic photo frame, and its easy to share them with others through social sites.