Has anyone had this happen to them?

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

01/28/2008 05:32:01 PM · #1

I just wanted to share this personal experience with everyone. This is no point or "punch line", it's just a quick story of panic that could happen to anyone. I'd hate to think it was just me :-) ...

So, I go to submit my "Six" original capture for ribbon validation and my heart almost stopped...it was not in my normal folder of challenge entries!

I travel extensively every week and I normally keep an active challenge's files with me, while the older entries are archived in both a NAS drive on my home network, as well as a portable 1/2Tb drive that I carry around with me.

Therefore, I fired up my laptop and go to my \Pictures\Challenge Submissions\Six folder and, yes, some files were there: *.psd, *.jpg, *.xmp (RAW sidecar edits file), and a text file (containing my post-processing notes)...but NO RAW file!

I broke out in a sweat before realizing that it most certainly must by on my portable drive. I attached the drive and looked. Lo and behold, no original RAW file! Damn! I "terminal server'ed" (remote connected) to my home network to access the NAS drive...same thing--no original file! Not only am I sweating, my heart is racing (as I put down my caffeine-laden coffee cup).

So, I pull out my 4-gb CF card from my camera and hook it up to my card reader. No such original file is found. I'm starting to get a headache. I could swear that it was on this card, but as normal procedure, I reformat it for each photo session (the card now contains "Architecture IV" candidates). :-(

I decided to run "PC File Inspector Recovery" to see if I can retrieve my original among those images of buildings. It's runs for about 20 minutes, finds a few dozen "lost" files and I copy those to my drive. When I go do open them, they are not real files, they are fragments. So, this was a no go.

Now I'm starting to envision an embarrassing DQ when I remember that I have another 4-gb card. Stupid me, I always swap cards on every session. I just wasn't thinking straight at this juncture. I know I shot a soccer game with this card (about 300 images), so I'm thinking my chances of recovering a deleted file were thin. I ran the recovery program again and it found zero deleted or "lost" files. Damn!

At this time, I'm about to give up and contact the SC with my unfortunate news (and to allow

DrAchoo to ribbon), when I just happened to browse that second CF card looking at all those soccer photos. While scrolling through these images, I see a sunset thumbnail...I scroll some more and more sunsets appear! I frantically look for my image number of the original photo. Can't find it. Damn!

I realize the my files are not sorted by name. I sort by name and quickly zeroed-in on the original photo!! Evidently, I forgot to reformat this card before the soccer match (very lucky for me--damn lucky!). I quickly make multiple copies of it--to my desktop, to my "Six" folder, to my portable drive, and finally, to my home network. That damn file wasn't going to elude me again!

Whew! That's the first time (that I know of) that I didn't copy the original to my submission folder. Maybe I should check. LOL!

As my heart rate slowed down, my sweat evaporated, and my hands stopped shaking, I picked up my cup of coffee and took a nice, long, well-deserved sip and calmly submitted my photo. :-)

I guess there is a moral to this story...always ensure that you have your original photo, and oh yeah, use more than one CF card!

Message edited by author 2008-01-28 17:40:55.

citymars

Nikon D700

01/28/2008 05:33:13 PM · #2

Hey, glad you found it. I'd panic, too!

levyj413

Nikon D7100

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

01/28/2008 05:44:23 PM · #3

I'm glad you found it! And I'm sure DrAchoo is, too - he wouldn't want to ribbon that way.

FWIW, if you're caught away from home, just tell the SC what's up. I was gone for a week one time and they were willing to wait (although it wasn't a high scorer, just a run-of-the-mill request during voting). And if you're going to be gone for quite a while, you can submit it even before it goes into voting. I've done that when I've pulled some visual or editing trick that I'm confident is legal but which might yield a validation request during voting.

soup

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

01/28/2008 05:55:45 PM · #4

i've had it happen - but thankfully it wasn't requested for validation. not going to mention which image though ;}

BeeCee

Nikon D40

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

01/28/2008 06:01:02 PM · #5

Man, I can certainly identify with the "sick to the pit of your stomach" feeling! Don't want it EVER again!

hanneke

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

01/28/2008 06:03:30 PM · #6

I've had it this week.. due to a crashing hard-drive, I was afraid I lost some photos.. (and lots more, but that wasn't saved :()

Anyway, I checked my CF-cards, and most of them were still on the cards! YAY!

roba

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

01/28/2008 06:12:58 PM · #7

Hey Les... yes - i've definitely had a similar "panic".
Ever since then (a long time ago), a normal part of my workflow is to send myself an email to my gmail account - containing the original RAW+jpg of the file i'm working on. That way I can get it from anywhere & from any machine (I travel a lot as well). With a 6GB limit, I've got a while before I run out of space ;O)

BeeCee

Nikon D40

01/28/2008 07:18:37 PM · #8

Until gmail crashes and loses everything ;)

roba

Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux M Aspherical MF - Black

01/28/2008 07:38:40 PM · #9

Originally posted by BeeCee:

Until gmail crashes and loses everything ;)

Ack! You just had to go and put that thought into my head... now didn't you. ;oP

jk - trust me - I'm the King of Backups. The gmail angle is more for remote access than anything else (while traveling), but would also have served to help with Les's "blood pressure incident" ;O)

scarbrd

Leica M10

01/28/2008 08:09:53 PM · #10

Originally posted by levyj413:

I'm glad you found it! And I'm sure DrAchoo is, too - he wouldn't want to ribbon that way.

Yes he would. ;-)

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

01/28/2008 08:14:31 PM · #11

That's why I always plan on coming in 4th...just waitin' to take advantage! ;)

Glad you found the file.

amandalore

Canon EOS-40D

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

01/28/2008 08:44:55 PM · #12

lol, sorry, I've never had a photo up for validation =)
(I guess I never enter though either...)

Greetmir

Nikon D60

Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS for Nikon

01/28/2008 08:53:53 PM · #13

Grats. I got all clammy just reading the story of your search.

fixedintime

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II for Canon

01/28/2008 08:54:19 PM · #14

Originally posted by DrAchoo:

That's why I always plan on coming in 4th...just waitin' to take advantage! ;)

Glad you found the file.

Better move that down to number 6. I believe the top 5 get validated.

roba

01/28/2008 09:01:41 PM · #15

Originally posted by fixedintime:

Originally posted by DrAchoo:
That's why I always plan on coming in 4th...just waitin' to take advantage! ;)

Glad you found the file.

Better move that down to number 6. I believe the top 5 get validated.

He meant 4th would move up to a ribbon if someone was DQ'd

01/28/2008 09:08:29 PM · #16

Thanks everyone.

Yeah, it was definitely a weird sensation to not have an original file. I've been asked for validation four times in the past--two ribbons, a third that passed, and a fourth that failed (which was actually my first-ever validation submission). :-(

The gmail or LiveMail is good option...I think I'll use LiveMail to temporarily store originals until the challenge is well over. I have 5 Gb on that site. :-)

01/28/2008 09:12:58 PM · #17

Originally posted by AperturePriority:

Do you use OneNote? :)

01/28/2008 09:28:29 PM · #18

Originally posted by L2:

Do you use OneNote? :)

As a matter of fact, I do use OneNote, but just for client notes when on a project.

And you? ;)

Message edited by author 2008-01-28 21:29:57.

01/28/2008 09:37:54 PM · #19

Originally posted by AperturePriority:

Originally posted by L2:
Do you use OneNote? :)

As a matter of fact, I do use OneNote, but just for client notes when on a project.

And you? ;)

OMG, OneNote is totally rocking my world right now. I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it to store my originals in it, though? I just use it mostly to manage DPC stuff and my personal photography projects, but I'm still a newbie at it.

01/29/2008 08:44:04 PM · #20

Originally posted by L2:

Originally posted by AperturePriority:

Originally posted by L2:
Do you use OneNote? :)

As a matter of fact, I do use OneNote, but just for client notes when on a project.

And you? ;)

OMG, OneNote is totally rocking my world right now. I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it to store my originals in it, though? I just use it mostly to manage DPC stuff and my personal photography projects, but I'm still a newbie at it.

Let's put it this way, whenever I think of digital image "asset management" (cataloging and storing of digital photographs), OneNote certainly doesn't come to mind. :-(

There are some free photo organizers available, if you are interested. Windows Live Photo Gallery (scroll down to "Photo Gallery"), as well as Picasa.

01/29/2008 08:47:17 PM · #21

Ha! I was thinking more like using it to manage a project that isn't just a plain photography book, but I see your point. :)

01/29/2008 08:51:48 PM · #22

Originally posted by L2:

Ha! I was thinking more like using it to manage a project that isn't just a plain photography book, but I see your point. :)

Okay...now I understand. You threw me for a loop! LOL!

So, since you have a need to manage different aspects of photo projects and you use Windows, may I suggest Microsoft Pro Photo Shoot?

It's a software add-in for Outlook that allows photogs to add details of their client and equipment for a photo shoot appointment in Outlook.