How Do You Store Your Digital Photos

[astral]

Nordlys

And per frame cost of memory cards is still very expensive compared to film in my opinion, so it really comes down to how many pictures you take. And it costs more to make digital print than printing out of negatives (or even positives).

This comment left me wondering how people do store their digital photos.

To me the memory card is reuseable, as many times as I want.

At the end of a session I always download my photos to the computer

and wipe the card.

I also try to catalog the photos to help me find the ones I want at a later date,

but I must admit I am a little behind on that at the moment.

How about you?

[rio666uk]

same as you - download them direct to Harddisk - format the card and start again... sometimes keep back ups on CD / DVD too.

Not that Im paranoid you understand.

[Tywais]

Pretty much the same as you. Transfer it to my computer then clear the card. Periodically backup important images to external disk drive. I use Picasa (freeware) to manage my picture folders (can create contact prints, webpages also with it).

[hughden]

1. Download to hard drive (using a card reader rather than plugging the camera)

2. Format memory card

3. Review images using Rawshooter (I only shoot RAW files)

4. Delete 97 out of every 100 shots 'cos they are crap.

5. Weep

6. Go out and try again!

[Kan Win]

Storage

I have a couple cards always at hand as I take photos at SHQ 3.5 mb approx. each photo. Then I move the photos to my LapTop or Main Computer and download them. Then, before I delete the photos from my cards, I look at them, once satisfied that they have downloaded properly I delete them.

Then I choose the best ones which I keep and back them up on two more external hard drives, for future reference of re-sizing and posting on the Web.

Hard Drives – Just got myself for Christmas a 60 gig one, just a little bigger than a pack of cigs and just a little bit thicker than a throw-away plastic lighter. Fits nicely into ones pocket and easy to use with Windows XP.

Happy Shooting

Yours truly,

Kan Win

P.S. I do travel BTW. Each and every week.

[Jon Lucida]

I burnt them into CDs when reaching 700mb in different categories and print a description cover for easy finding. Or even thumbnails for the cover like those done in image bank or stock library.

[tavarich]

I burnt them into CDs when reaching 700mb in different categories and print a description cover for easy finding. Or even thumbnails for the cover like those done in image bank or stock library.

It seems like I read somewhere that CD's burnt on your computer have a limited life span. The ones from the factory have a different or deeper burn method. Anyone know about that ??????

[Chang_paarp]

It seems like I read somewhere that CD's burnt on your computer have a limited life span. The ones from the factory have a different or deeper burn method. Anyone know about that ??????

The CD's you burn on your computer rely on the laser changing a layer of dye in the CD. As this is a a dye and works by changing the dye it has a limited life span.

The prerecorded manufacured CD's are buned onto an aluminium substrate to create the 1's and 0's, this is supposed to have a longer life expectancy.

There is much debate as to what sort of a lifespan, the manufacturers claim up to 100 years, but only have acclerated testing in "ideal" conditions to back this up, no discs that are this old. Dyes change with time, this is why photos fade. This whole subject is the cause of great consternation, as it is not just the disc but the type and condition of the equipment used to burn it, how the disc is stored and was the disc subject to chemical attack ie by writing on it with the wrong pen. I have photographer friends who have lost digial work because they left it on CD and did not check the CD untill too late.

BTW the company that supplies our digital lab recomends CD over DVD because they believe the dyes are more stable, and will last longer. I think it is worth checking the discs every so often for peace of mind, untill the next format comes along that is supposed to last even longer, take up less room, and will send yoou an email if it is not feeling very well.

Edited January 9, 2006 by Chang_paarp

[markuk]

I always download to PC and wipe memory card.

I use Picassa for management of my photo's find it an excellent (free) program.

[barryofthailand]

What program does everyone use? I have G mail so I use the Picasa photo program About the best i've seen. Lets you categorize your photos by name location and date, and also lets you E mail them to freinds using G mail. really convenient.

Barry