When you’re hired to document a certain event or capture portraits of a very special time in someone’s life, it’s not smart to leave things to chance-even in your photography backup process. It’s very important that you dot all your i’s, cross all your t’s, double-check and then repeatedly repeat. One part of the photography process which allows for error is backing up the images. My images always reside in two places simultaneously from the very instant they are captured.
1. Immediate Backup
Many of today’s camera bodies now come with two card slots. There are many ways you can program your camera to utilize the dual slots. You can record a RAW file to one, and a JPEG to the other. You can set the second card to only capture the overflow when the first one is full. However, I think I use my dual card slots in the most beneficial way. I use my secondary card slot to immediately make a backup of every RAW image I capture. It’s not often that a card will become corrupt, but it does happen. Why chance it?
2. Backup on Import
When I import the images to my computer, I will also create a copy of the RAW images on a separate, external hard drive. The unculled, unfinished RAW images live there until I have finished culling and post processing.
3. Backup Finished Images
Once I have completed post processing the images, I delete every RAW file that was not selected for a final edit. I then export all the RAW files as a finished JPEG. These files will live on my local hard drive as well as on the external hard drive. Once I have completed copying the finished images, I delete the folder with the unculled, RAW images. I now have dual copies of each RAW file, each finalized jpeg, my Lightroom catalog and any Photoshop edits.
4. Permanent Backup
When the images become too old to continue to store on my local hard drive, they are transferred to two separate hard drives. One hard drive is kept locally, and I store the other off-site. In addition, my clients also have instant access to any images that were part of a digital collection or PASS gallery. This gallery is also backed up in the cloud for an additional ten years.
Until next time, be positive, happy, and healthy, and don’t forget to be photographed.
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I am a San Antonio-based wedding and senior photographer who started Ata-Girl Photography Co., LLC in 2010. As one of the up-and-coming San Antonio wedding photographers, I am also available to shoot in Austin, Houston and Dallas and the surrounding areas. I am also available for destination weddings worldwide. Ata-Girl Photography Co. offers an amazing wedding photography service that you won’t soon forget. As a professional photographer, my sole purpose is to provide you the absolute best photography experience.
I am a professional photographer who enjoys documenting the important milestones and captivating moments in people’s lives. I firmly believe that the unique set of circumstances I have faced in life has prepared me to take a personal and genuine interest in my photography clients. When I’m not photographing a wedding, family or high school senior, I love hiking, cycling, reading, listening to Elvis and most importantly, I enjoy seeing my daughters happy!
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