In the age of film photography, preserving one’s pictures was a challenge. It required finding a location sheltered from humidity for the negatives. After two hundred years of existence, we have learned this was possible. However, it was only achievable if you had enough space.
Films are not eternal
France created the Médiathèque du patrimoine et de la photographie (Media Library of Heritage and Photography). This institution is located in a former military fort. More than 25 million images are preserved there, securing the work of numerous artists, such as Raymond Depardon.
For my part, I had a significant collection of travel slides from Canada, France, and Scotland. Unfortunately, I lost track of them over the course of many moves.
This mishap prompted me to be very cautious with my digital files, which I have been archiving since 2004.
Files are not too
Here is how I proceed:
- Initial Transfer: After shooting, I offload my memory cards quickly. First, I transfer them onto my 4 TB LaCie external hard drive. For context, my approximately 12,000 photos take up 600 GB. My first cameras generated much smaller image files. Those files are smaller than those from my Canon R6 or the Leica Q2.
- File Format: I do not shoot in RAW + JPEG, but only in RAW.
- Organization: My files are classified by shoot in a folder named YYYYMMDD Location / Subject. The RAW files are in a folder called Negatives. The selected images, whether retouched or not, are in a Prints folder.
- Local Backup (RAID): My hard drive is a client of my Synology DS218+ server. In this server, I have placed two Western Digital Red NAS 3TB hard drives organized in a mirror (RAID 1).
- Synchronization: The synchronization happens transparently as soon as my external drive is mounted. This prevents me from forgetting to launch the backup.
- Cloud Backup: There is then an automatic synchronization with my OneDrive on the cloud.
- Final Step: I can then erase my memory cards before going out on another assignment.
Choose the right brands
My current equipment has been a fortress of reliability, never once crashing when I needed it most. The LaCie drive stands as a testament to unwavering trust, shining brightly where other brands have faltered. I’ve experienced alerts on the server. The safety net of two mirrored drives fiercely protects me from the heart-wrenching risk of data loss. Recently, OneDrive came to my rescue. It allowed me to reclaim a mysteriously vanished folder from my physical media. It was a true lifesaver in my digital journey.
In summary, as soon as I return from an assignment, my files are on at least two devices. Very quickly, my backups are secure on three hard drives and one cloud service.
If I had to upgrade, I would replace my external hard drive with a LaCie SSD. I will soon buy a 2 TB one to back up my video streams currently in production. Additionally, I would buy a Synology 4-bay server. I will move to this solution when my current storage devices are full. I know that I still have plenty of capacity.
A solid archiving workflow also starts with the right gear choice. If you’re deciding between camera systems, my article on Canon mirrorless autofocus modes may help you get the most out of your Canon R-series body. And if you’re drawn to the idea of a more minimal shooting experience, I recently explored the new Leica M EV1 and what it means for the M legend.
The images I archive so carefully are the same ones available as limited edition fine art prints — produced by Whitewall, signed, and limited to 30 copies each.
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