Oh S#!/ - The Importance of Backing up Your Photographs

In previous blogs I talked about some workflow, process, and hardware suggestions to help protect your photographs.  I am so happy I follow my own advice!  Last week, my laptop crashed and burned.  There was not even sufficient life to show the blue screen of death.

Although completely inconvenient with respect to the cost and data restructuring necessary to get back to something like normal, I did not lose any photographs.  Of my recent photographs, they were located in four places.  One of the locations (the laptop) died, but three copies still exist.

I tell you this story in part to encourage you to devise a scheme to protect your photography (and other important data) from computer or hard drive failure.  There are lots of options, including online backup services and a variety of hardware solutions.  In fact there are so many options, it makes little sense for me to make a single recommendation (other than Drobo which I use and highly endorse).  The key is to have multiple copies and have them in more than one physical location (to protect against theft and more tragic events).
My second reason for telling the story is to excuse my lack of posts over the last couple of weeks.  Please accept my apology and a promise to make up for it.

The photographs featured in this post were taken in the fall of 2009 at the “Taste of Leonardtown” in Leonardtown Maryland.  The band was entertaining and provided good subjects for some photography.  My experience photographing musicians in action is generally limited to street musicians in Washington, New York and Chicago.  I quite enjoyed taking this photography and hope to have the opportunity to do more music related photography in the future.

Have fun and go make some great photography (then make multiple copies!).
Craig