How do you archive & back-up? - DPChallenge Forums

06/05/2006 07:51:25 AM · #1

While I was making a back-up, I was wondering how you do it?

Archive:

Every photo has a new folder, with the title of the photo, which includes:
- the original file
- the edited version, psd, tif and jpg
- several web-versions (different sizes)

Back-up:

- External hard-drive
- planning to buy another external hard drive to store it in the volt at my parents house
- planning to burn archive on DVD

SHOOT!

Message edited by author 2006-06-05 07:56:35.

BigK

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

06/05/2006 07:55:26 AM · #2

I do it by months on my hard disk.

For example, i'll create a folder called June

Under June I'll have folders for whatever I was shooting.

Something like: "Sigma 70-300mm play" or whatever.

A lot of them are Dpchallenge (DpBeatles) with two folders in them, one being Prima (which has my original and resized submissions) and then RAW which contains the originals.

Anyhow, so as soon as the months reach more or less 4.7gb I copy them to DVD, and just list all the directories and whats in them in an excel document for reference.

So when i'm looking for something I just consult the excel doc and voila!

Works like a bomb.

Edit Sp!

Message edited by author 2006-06-05 07:56:35.

06/05/2006 07:59:05 AM · #3

Originally posted by Guyver:

So when i'm looking for something I just consult the excel doc and voila!

How does the excel doc look like? should've done this from the beginning on.

I just search in the finder with spotlight, enter the title of the photo et voila ;)

BigK

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

06/05/2006 08:07:05 AM · #4

Its very basic,

It has the month as the header and then the subfolders.

I.e. 50mm play.

Then I add notes (the things that show when you hover your mouse over it?)

It'll say stuff like: "Dog chasing butterflies, flowers in back garden, water in park" etc.

06/05/2006 08:08:21 AM · #5

that's a hell of a job...

but it seems like it's very efficient!

BigK

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

06/05/2006 08:13:46 AM · #6

Helluva job?!

No ways... I must be the laziest member on this site! LOL!

Trust me, its simple and wont take more than 15 min of your time. If even that much.

amber

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

06/05/2006 08:19:19 AM · #7

We were burgled on Wednesday night/Thursday morning, whilst we slept upstairs. They got my husband's laptop (no back up files) with all his work files on it. They tried to take this PC, but we either spooked them or it was to0 complicated to undo all the cables. Had they got it - I would have lost all my images. OK, those looking at my portfolio might say - no big deal:)) But it would have been a big deal to me. Take it from me - back up your files!!!

rex

Canon PowerShot SD780

06/05/2006 08:29:43 AM · #8

I pay the $100/year for smugmug basically just to have an offsite backup

Telehubbie

06/05/2006 09:28:22 AM · #9

External hard drive, just copy everything over there with folders named as the date. I installed the Lacie automatic back-up software that came with the drive, but have it turned off to save resources.

Has anybody used their website hosting for online storage? I have 20 gigs of webspace of which only about 1/4 gig is used, and I was thinking of storing photos on there as well but I was wondering how hard it would be to setup security so nobody can access the files. I would think that a "hidden" directory wouldn't be that secure. I'm not sure what a hacker would do with my photos, but would rather not give them the option.

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

06/05/2006 09:46:12 AM · #10

Originally posted by Telehubbie:

Has anybody used their website hosting for online storage? I have 20 gigs of webspace of which only about 1/4 gig is used, and I was thinking of storing photos on there as well but I was wondering how hard it would be to setup security so nobody can access the files. I would think that a "hidden" directory wouldn't be that secure. I'm not sure what a hacker would do with my photos, but would rather not give them the option.

I once tried to store everything on a G-mail-account, but it took way too much time to upload them :)

Rebecca

Nikon D80

06/05/2006 09:58:30 AM · #11

If you ask me about any particular picture, my memory is generally good enough going back three years to remember roughly when it was taken. So I don't keep spreadsheets with dates or anything. On my harddrive, everything is parceled out by date folders:

2006 -> June -> 6-4-06 - brief description of subject

In that last folder I'll have one folder named "Originals" where everything is downloaded and a second folder called "Photo Essay", which will eventually end up holding the post-processed copies that make it onto my website under "Latest Essay".

To work from, I copy/paste the contents of "Originals" into the parent folder, save anything worth selling in an unrelated folder on my desktop called "Add to Catalog".

When my HD starts getting full, I burn copies to CD. In theory, two copies, actually, one to work from when needed and one for the safe deposit box, but the second copies haven't happened yet in the real world.

Message edited by author 2006-06-05 10:02:14.

Nokia N900

Tamron AF 18-270mm F/3,5-6,3 Di II VC LD Aspherical [IF] macro for Canon

06/05/2006 10:41:54 AM · #12

Originally posted by biteme:

Originally posted by Telehubbie:
Has anybody used their website hosting for online storage? I have 20 gigs of webspace of which only about 1/4 gig is used, and I was thinking of storing photos on there as well but I was wondering how hard it would be to setup security so nobody can access the files. I would think that a "hidden" directory wouldn't be that secure. I'm not sure what a hacker would do with my photos, but would rather not give them the option.

It wouldn't be and chances are it wouldn't be hidden forever (information has a way of leaking). You could see if your hosting provider has a means for authenticated access (even just basic authentication, such as when your web browser pops up a dialog asking for a username and password will probably do).

Originally posted by biteme:

I once tried to store everything on a G-mail-account, but it took way too much time to upload them :)

Depending on the ability of your operating system, there are ways of treating google's mail service as a standard networked filesystem (search for gmailfs and your operating system). Frankly, I wouldn't use Google, but if you were originally just mailing messages to yourself, it's a more efficient option.

As for what I actually use, I store everything on a server that's in desperate need of a new hard drive again, which is mirrored by a machine off-site.

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

06/05/2006 01:00:09 PM · #13

tiny bump ;-)

oOWonderBreadOo

Canon EOS-5D

06/05/2006 01:12:16 PM · #14

I am copying all my images to DVD's twice- originals right off the bat then make a folder I label edits. When I think I'm done I'll burn the whole thing again. That way I always have my originals twice just in case. I've been thinking of giving my DVD's a sequence # and keeping a word doc with details. That way I can search for something I need & get it easily.

Right now it's unmanagable!!! :0)

robs

Canon EOS R6 Mk II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/05/2006 01:50:28 PM · #15

If you are serious, get a network accessible storage (here is a completely crazy version if you have some spare cash - there are cheaper - less cool - options). Set it up with the flavour of RAID you like and your done for on-site. For off-site, there are services out there for online secure storage but they ain't cheap.

Personally, I am keeping the first backup just on a external hard drive and then making DVD's for both local and off-site. It's a pain and is not much of a long term solution. The advantage is that everything is still on-line in the external drive so getting stuff back is fairly painless. At some point, you cannot have everything online. There are software products that can keep track and catalogue offline disks with an online searchable database to find the things.

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III