Introducing PLUME Preservation
An introduction to the basics of digital photo organization and protection
As I am about to begin my 10th year as a professional newborn and family photographer in Washington D.C., you can trust me when I say I understand how important - and how daunting - organizing and safeguarding your digital photo collection is. And, after watching a category 4 hurricane devastate my tiny hometown of Sanibel Island in the fall of 2022, I understand the real grief over losing irreplaceable family heirlooms.
I am passionate about ensuring your photos are safe and accessible and I am excited to officially embark on this PLUME Preservation project!
In the coming months, I will share practical and actionable tips I have learned over the years - including knowledge picked up from leading archivists and preservationists when I was the photographer for the Library of Congress - to ensure you have the best plans in place to safeguard (and easily access!) your photos. I will also be taking on a very small number of clients to work with me one on one to safely and effectively organize your digital and physical photos.
The pocket-sized digital devices we all carry have made it so convenient to capture, share and store countless photos, but with that convenience comes the responsibility of ensuring those memories are safe and organized. Because what’s the point of taking all of these images if we aren’t able to find them when we need them!
We all know that backing up and organizing our digital photos is important. But it’s also an easy task to keep punting down the to-do list when there’s more time…
So to kick off my PLUME Preservation offering, I’m going to share two simple, yet effective frameworks that can help you start to conquer and safeguard your digital photo collection today!
A-B-C’S of taming your camera roll
Let’s start with the ABCS - a great way to quickly and effectively start the project of organizing your photo collection (this can work for digital and physical photos - because if you were born before the year 2000, you probably have a box of printed photos around your house!)
Here’s the framework:
A is for Album-worthy: only give the best pictures - the ones you would truly mourn if you lost them - an A grade. These are the images that will make up the core of your collection.
B is for Box - these are the images you’re not ready to part with, but want to have access to at some point in the future. Archive for safekeeping but you don’t need them on your camera roll!
C is for Can - as in trash can. Go through your images and delete the duplicates, the bad photos, and the accidental screenshots we’ve all forgotten to delete (just me?).
S is for Story - do a set of photos tell a story? The S photos need their own folder, and they need the relevant information (was this a family vacation, was there a funny story or 3 that these photos illustrate, etc) stored alongside.
Now how to implement this framework? I recommend you create three folders on whatever device you have on you most (and have synced to your other devices and a cloud-based backup) - label them what you want but for this example, we will say: A, B, and Story - and once a week, when you are sitting in the pick-up line, or enjoying your morning coffee on the last Monday of the month (because you set the date in your calendar!) go through your camera roll and assign every single image to one of those folders, or send it to the trash. And once a month or at least once a quarter, look at your Story folder and see what notes need to be added and what, if anything, you should do with a particular subfolder collection - more ideas of what to do with those Story photos will be forthcoming!
So now that you have a system for weeding out and beginning to organize and identify your most important photos, it’s time to make sure you don’t lose them!
3-2-1 Backup Plan
The 3-2-1 rule is pretty straightforward, and when used correctly, ensures you have multiple copies (exact duplicates) of your photos in different locations, minimizing the risk of losing them due to accidents, hardware failures, or other unfortunate events.
3 COPIES OF YOUR DATA
2 DIFFERENT MEDIA
1 COPY OFFSITE
Let's break it down:
First, you need 3 copies of your digital photos. Yes, three! Why so many, you might wonder? Well, think of it as a safety net. Having multiple copies provides redundancy and gives you peace of mind knowing that even if one copy is lost or damaged, you still have two backups to rely on.
Next, we have the "2" in the rule, which refers to storing those copies on at least two different types of storage media. By diversifying your storage options, you have an added layer of protection against hardware failures and other unforeseen circumstances. Examples include an external hard drive (that is synched to your computer’s backup software) and a cloud-based storage service like Dropbox or Google Drive or Amazon Drive.
Last but certainly not least, the "1" in the rule signifies having one copy of your photos stored offsite in a different location. This is crucial because it safeguards your photos from events like theft, fire, or natural disasters (like a hurricane…) that could potentially wipe out all your local copies. Storing your photos in the cloud using a cloud storage service (vs simply using cloud-based backup) or on an external hard drive kept in a separate location ensures that even if something were to happen to your primary location, your memories remain intact and accessible.
Now, let's talk about some practical steps you can take this week to implement the 3-2-1 rule and keep your digital photos safe.
First, if you don’t already have one, buy an external hard drive and copy your photo library to it. You can pick up my favorite (and the NY Times favorite) 5TB hard drive for less than $150. It's a convenient and cost-effective solution that provides an additional layer of protection. Simply connect the external hard drive to your computer and use backup software to automatically sync and update your photo library.
Next, take advantage of cloud storage services. There are several reliable and user-friendly options available, such as Google Drive, Dropbox (what I use), or iCloud. These services offer secure storage and synchronization across multiple devices, ensuring photos are accessible wherever you go. Plus, cloud storage takes care of the offsite requirement of the 3-2-1 rule, giving you peace of mind knowing your photos are safely stored in a separate physical location. One thing to remember with a cloud storage service is that you don’t own it. Much like a storage facility, you are ultimately only renting the space (I hope the built-in redundancy is starting to make more sense!!)
Finally, automate it. Install or utilize built-in software that automatically creates a cloud backup. Cloud backup systems (like Backblaze) are an extra layer of safeguarding your files if your computer is lost or stolen, or a glass of water is spilled all over it - but you can’t just sign in to your cloud backup and find a file. That’s where cloud storage comes in handy so your files are synched and accessible (and offsite) wherever you are. Creating an automatic second copy of your camera roll to the cloud means your images are accessible wherever you can connect to the service.
Now that you have the basics, and have started sorting through your images, you will be ready for our next Preservation tip - how to organize ALL of your photos so you can always find the exact image you need!
Remember, backing up and organizing your digital photos is an ongoing process. As you continue to capture new memories, make it a habit to back them up and maintain an organized system. Consistency is key!
And if you’d like a bit more help, you can get on the waitlist to work with me one-on-one.