Preserving Memories - the high-tech way

Wow, you guys, it's been a minute, huh?

A lot of my news and updates have been taking place over on my Facebook page (you know you want to like it) but I did want to take some time out and write a post about backing up.  I was reviewing my blog and remembering the sheer anguish I went through when my hard drive died with all my photos on it. I was thinking that maybe, just maybe, if I had read a super helpful blog post from a photographer who had been around the block, maybe that would have never happened.

So, I wanted to take a moment and review the process I use to back up my images. While nothing is fool-proof, I think my process is fairly comprehensive and should safeguard against any lost images (knock on wood).

My 3-Step Back-Up Process:

Step 1: Buy good CF cards and don't reformat them until the final images from the shoot are burned onto the clients CD or USB drive.

Available at B&H Photo

I use SanDisk extreme 16gb cards. I won't shoot with cards any larger than 16gb. If i'm shooting a wedding (during which i usually shoot about 100gb of images), and I only use one card, and it craps out... well, i'm screwed, and worse, so is the client. 

These cards sit in a little coaster on my desk until i've completely processed, and burned images, onto another drive (CD or USB).  This means that at all times, the raw images are in at least 2 places (actually, with my process it means they are in 4 places, but we'll get to that).  

Step 2: Use a good external hard drive with RAID-1

I use a Western Digital My Book with Raid 1. This is a very key step.  This means that the hard drive actually has TWO separate hard drives in it. 

Let's say, for example, you buy a 2TB hard drive. This means that inside the drive there are actually two 1TB hard drives. You can chose to use it as a 1TB drive, and have the drives automatically clone one another (This is called RAID-1), or you can use it as a 2TB drive. Don't' be stingy. You want this to use the RAID-1 feature. Yes, it cuts your memory in half, but it also cuts the chance that you'll lose your data in half, unless the whole drive somehow gets ruined (fire? someone spills a drink all over it?).  

In fact, this brings me to another rule I have in my house. No one, except for me, is allowed to put a drink on my desk. Having a party? Unplug your drive and set it, ever so gingerly, in a closet somewhere.  Just get that thing the hell out of dodge. 

Western Digital My Book
Available at Microcenter

 Step 3: Use an online back up service like backblaze.com

The third step is a last defense that I haven't yet had to rely on, thank god. My entire hard drive is backed up in real-time by backblaze.com.  It's unlimited storage, and as soon as I put something new on the drive, the little backblaze elves get busy backing it up. But Lindsay, you say, isn't that expensive? And i've already spent all this money on these great CF cards, and this awesome WD External drive?! Aspiring photographer, I say to you, it's $5 a month, so go sign up immediately.

Hopefully, someone somewhere will see this post, follow this process, and be saved the heartache that I went through when I lost my data.

In the meantime, here is an adorable picture of a baby that I photographed yesterday. They don't make 'em much cuter than this! Oh yeah, and this photo, just like all my other photos, is backed up in triplicate. :)

To any aspiring photographers out there, feel free to email me if you have questions about backing up your data - lindsay@lindsayammons.com.

Whew... it's been awhile

It's been so long since i've paid my poor blog any attention! It's not for lack of shooting. There's been plenty of great shoots lately that i've thought to myself "I really need to write a blog post about this one..." and then I don't. Like a big loser.

Anywho, there have been lots of great shoots lately. My christmas time was absolutely insane, I actually had to turn a lot of potential clients away, so anyone who is thinking of hiring me for their christmas pictures next year, take note! Book in early November!

I've re-upped my entire camera bag of late, investing in some big ticket items which will have a huge impact on my images. I can't wait to debut some of them! Those will be coming soon.  In the meantime, I wanted to share some pictures of sweet baby Hope and her little family.

Annie called me because she wanted some pictures of their 6mo. old baby, their dog, and their family. A real smorgasbord of a shoot. I was excited, I do love shooting babies. When I got to their South Loop home and was greeted with luscious natural light pouring in from large north facing windows, and warm hued exposed brick, I knew this would be a great shoot. They had some ideas of shots they wanted, which is always great, and the shoot ran really smoothly, with Hope being a real trooper until she fell asleep which allowed us to get some snoozy baby shots, is there anything better?

Baby Hope is SO CUTE. Her eyes are so expressive. 

Dad and Daughter.

She loves her mama. 

Shadow the pit bull. So well trained. I love the backlighting here, feels very dramatic. 

Shadow. 

Such a lover.

Sleepy Baby.

So snoozy.

Ray wanted to get this shot, I mentioned it was almost like an engagement shoot to which they replied "we never had one!" I was happy to oblige, and I think it's adorable.

It's been awhile...

Gosh... it's been awhile since i've blogged.  I went on a two-week hiatus while I was off getting married, and the two weeks before that were sheer CRAZINESS, including more shoots packed into a fortnight than i've ever attempted.  It was... extremely fun, and a little masochistic.  I think, though, the photos that came out of that crazy two weeks were some of my best yet, and i'm really looking forward to sharing them.  Let's start with the an awesome family shoot, shall we?

When Sarah contacted me she said she wanted pictures of her two golden retrievers, and maybe we could see if we could get the kids in some of the shots too.  When I walked into the house I knew there was no way I was leaving without photos of these kids. They.were.adorable.

You can see the sheer fun we had through the pictures, the kids were GREAT sports and really hammed it up for the camera. Did I mention one of the players here was a golden retriever puppy?? Because oh yeah... if there wasn't enough 'cute' present in these photos already, throw that into the mix and we're really in business!

I love this "4-shot" of the part of the shoot where we took pics with the kids. 

They were just SO adorable with the dogs. And the dogs were very patient with them. 

 Wrigley is such a wise boy.

I love this shot for a few reasons. Buzz looks so cherubic in that swath of light, while he's doing something very devious... chewing on his dad's slipper :)

 Wrigley chillin' in the kitchen. I'm a sucker for lens flare.

Have you ever seen a dog with such a great smile?

Wrigley checkin' out the scene. 

The boys. 

Feels good to be back in the bloggin' saddle again. How was the end of everyone's July? August is a BUSY shooting month for this gal, so i'm looking forward to sharing some great new stuff!