Back up from the very beginning
That means backing up while shooting or immediately after you’re done. Best way to do so is by having a laptop at the shoot with a fast, external storage device. This will keep you going if you’re shooting on location , or away from home. It’s also very important not to rely on a single memory card. Buy as many as you can, because even a top brand memory card isn’t fail safe. If you’re shooting for more than one day, use a different card for each day.
After downloading the photos
Good software is important for managing your files. Programs such as Apple Aperture and Adobe Lightroom offer great back up capabilities. It’s recommended that you have a quality internal hard drive in addition to the external one you use when the soot is done. This main drive will probably be the one you’ll be using when editing, so make sure it’s fast.
For maximum safety and virtually no chance of insomnia , I recommend a second external unit. It doesn’t have to be very fast, as its purpose is to store , not to be worked with. If you consider this option, it would also help to store this device in an alternative location, safe from burglaries or natural disasters.
I also use other storage options like Bluray and good, old fashioned DVDs. I make some every once in a while, after I’m done with a project or a client and store them in a holder.
There are also services like the Cloud you can use, but you should keep in mind things like upload and download speeds. DO NOT rely solely on services like the Cloud. There is no point in having your work saved somewhere else if it isn’t in your system as well.
Recommended Storage:
Seagate Backup Plus 1 TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive
WD My Passport 1TB Portable External Hard Drive Storage USB 3.0
Toshiba 320GB Toshiba Canvio Basics 3.0 Portable Hard Drive
Seagate Backup Plus 3 TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive
Seagate Backup Plus 4 TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive
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