Choosing a storage option for your photo collection
Last week my youngest got his driver’s license. A milestone moment that I wanted to preserve with a photograph. Typical with teens, he didn’t want me to take his picture, so I had to quickly grab a shot before he jumped in the car. As we were pulling away, he noticed that I was already posting this moment to my Instagram (of course he needed to approve). He laughed at me, but the reality is, I’ve been waiting for this moment for 16 years.
You see, we are a car family. My husband has a long history with VW and back when my son was about 6 months old, we picked up this cute little onesie that had “Future Driver” on the front. When I bought it, I remember thinking it would be so fun to reshare this when he actually becomes a driver.
This was one of those moments that made me appreciate all my photos were in a secured collection that was easily accessible regardless of what device I was using.
Choosing a storage platform
There are many factors to consider when choosing a platform or backup option for your photo collection. We recommend following a 3-2-1 rule for storing and accessing your photos. Basically, what you need is:
Photo Hub: a platform to manage your photo hub or collection.
Photo Hub Clone: A clone copy of your hub/collection.
Backup: A backup copy of your hub/collection that continuously updates.
The challenge is to decide what product or platform is best for you. We know that flash drives, CDs/DVDs, and SD cards are affordable options, but we have found that external hard drives and cloud-based services are the most reliable and consistent.
External Hard Drive
A great option for managing your photo hub, that is easy to use and can connect to either a MAC or PC. Using an external hard drive makes updating your clone copy simple. Copy 1 as illustrated above, can live on your computer if storage is not an issue.
PROS:
Scale your storage to your collection needs
An affordable solution
CONS:
Hardware has a shelf life
Can be vulnerable to damage or failure
Cloud Service
Access your photos from anywhere with a cloud or online storage service that can grow along with your collection. Cloud services are a convenient way to store a lot of data for a fraction of the cost.
PROS:
Easy to upload and access your photos from anywhere
Secure and safe from fire, flood or damage
CONS:
Reliant on the internet to access
Usually a subscription service
Choosing your storage option should fit within your personal setup, style, and budget. Technology is supposed to make our life easier, not harder. Still, stuck on how to get started?
