you asked for it...how to save your digital photographs

​ A few weeks back someone reached out to me for their family session images that were photographed waaaay back. Then someone else reached out for a wedding from 2014. Another from 2015. Then someone else who realized during the LA wildfires that their images were not properly saved. Fortunately, I save every photo I have ever taken, but I am certain that this is not the practice of all photographers. Many do not save over 6 months. Each person who reached out was able to have their backlogged images very quickly. To get to that specific photo session takes me about one minute, because I have a system. Today, I’m giving you that system :) 
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I do not claim to be a professional media keeper, but I have created a system that hasn’t failed me yet and I’m hoping that you guys can take this and use it as a way to preserve your personal memories as well as the photo sessions we do together. While yes, I do save every photo I’ve ever taken, things can fail, businesses can change, I cannot keep galleries online forever, and I want to make sure you have everything safe and stored away! 

So here we go: 

​1.) Delete Photos. Go through your phone, your camera and delete any photos you do not need to save for all time. Duplicates, eyes closed. We all take a million, consolidate them! Be choosy and pick the best ones. 

2.) Take the photos from your phone and camera and load them onto your computer. For some, they may already be there via iCloud. 

3.) On your computer desk start making new folders. Label the folder with the year the photos were taken in parenthesis and then the event. So if I were saving photos that are currently on my phone, my folders would be labeled like this : 

     (24) Christmas 2024 
     (25) Erika’s 40th birthday
     (25) Erika goes to Philly 
     (25) Winter trip to Italy 
     (25) Daddy’s Birthday 
     (25) Orchid show at Botanic Gardens
     (25) St. Patrick’s Day 
     (25) New office before and after 
     (25) April in Italy 

This way, when you arrange your folders they are in chronological order. When you want a certain photo you will just think about what year(ish) it was, and you go to that year.
Now organize all your photos into those folders.

4.) Go on Amazon, or to a store similar to Staples and buy an external hard drive. I personally buy the one in the photo below right off Amazon. You can buy them in many different sizes. I choose 2 terabytes as it is big enough to hold a large amount of data, but not too big. I buy two of them. 

I buy two drives because if one fails and goes bad, I have the other as a backup. I put the same exact photos on two drives.  I don’t buy the largest media size because not all my photos are then in one place. If I’m going to lose photos, I would prefer to lose 6 months of a year vs three years of photos. 

Similarly, when I photograph a wedding, I will use many smaller media cards vs. one big one. That way I don't lose an entire wedding if a card was to fail. 

These drives plug right into your computer. When you receive them you will format them for your specific computer; the directions are in the pamphlet included. You can then simply drag and drop your folders of photos into the drives as they happen! You can make an effort to do it one Sunday every month or make it a habit right after special days and events. You can also buy drives that are wireless and can send right from your devices and then organize within the device itself. 

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Put a label on the drive explaining what years the drive cover. Once a drive is full, start all over for a new year. 

​whaaalaa! 

Again, this is my way and many asked me to share, so here I am :) I have also been asked if I would ever consider providing a service organizing people's photos both tangible prints AND digital. I AM considering it and in the process of creating a package to do so :) 

... always know that you can also add onto your photography session and purchase a custom USB from that session. It now comes in a dual USB/USBC format. If you want to purchase one from a past session feel free to send me an email with your favorite photo # and what you want it titled. I will send you an invoice and ship it out to you with your session images on it. They are $75. 

Otherwise, life over here is a bit slower and I'm trying to keep it that way. Spring season is booked but not overly crazy so there are openings if you want in! Summer is booking and Fall is getting a bit full. I plan to be gone a lot of September so if you're looking for fall, email me sooner rather than later. My trips to Italy continue, and I continue to be very confused yet very grateful for my journey! 

hope this helps you keep all your memories safe and sound! 
luv, ed