Where to Put Those Endless Picture Files
Once you have a digital camera, you eliminate the pesky need to keep track of endless prints and negative sheets. While it might be tidier to store digital images, you aren't done with organizing and storing images. There are various options for data storage, and no one answer is right for everyone. In fact, there may be more than one right answer for you.
However you store your images, be sure to file them so they are easy to organize and find. Choose one system (by date, by theme, and so on) and stick to it. Create named folders on your hard drive or name compact discs, for instance, to store them. ALWAYS make copies of your images, leaving the originals intact, before you edit, alter or crop them.
The major storage methods are:
* Memory card, which is the method used to store it as you shoot.
* Memory cards are inserted into your digital camera, and will have a set capacity (say, for instance, 256 MB). If you rarely shoot and if you shoot images at a low setting (say 1 or 2 megapixels), you may actually be able to keep your pictures on the card until you run out. For most people, this method will be used for what it was intended: temporary storage. After you are ready to shift the images over to your computer, they will then be located on your hard drive.
* The hard drive is where most people store the bulk of their images. This is a good option, but isn't without problems. For instance, if you have all of your images on your hard drive and it crashes or becomes infected with a virus, you've lost all your precious images. A horrible thought, of course! Do use the hard drive, but also back up all images right as you transfer them to the hard drive by any secondary method (there are some listed below).
* Printing images is, I suppose, another way of storing them. Never use this as the only method, however, because a scanned photo print will always have far less quality than the original image file. It is one way to create a backup, and is an easy way to quickly see what the images look like. Additionally, prints are prone to all sorts of potential damage from water, heat, light, etc.
* The compact disc is a wonderful way to store images, it can be rather efficient and it is relatively easy to set up. The downside is you need a CD-burner to use this method. If you do have one, simply keep a running backup of all your images. Be sure to pay special attention to organization so you don't wind up popping ten CDs in just to hunt down one photo. When you burn a new CD of images, write down the dates and descriptions of the photos on the CD. Or name the CDs and keep a notebook that lists what is on each CD. Better yet, make an index print of images on each CD and write the CD name on top of the print.
* The DVD is even better, as it can probably store all your images on one disc. If you have a DVD burner, buy a rewritable DVD and just keep adding your image files (preferably organized in folders) to the DVD.
* Online storage is also great, although there are sometimes limits to image file size. This is also a great way to share images with friends and family, and avoids the need to e-mail large files. For a comprehensive list of sites that offer this service, see Share Your Photos Online.
Whatever you do, don't neglect this issue and take a relaxed attitude towards photo storage. I would select two of the above images at the least, and consistently store your images with those methods.
http://cameras.about.com/cs/printing/a/storage.htm
