Happy 4th, everyone! In honor of this week's patriotic holiday, I'm starting off this post with a little history lesson. Pop quiz to follow! Ready??
(Just kidding! About the pop quiz. Not the history lesson. ;-) )
When the British stormed DC and set fire to the White House in the war of 1812, Dolley Madison famously went to great lengths to salvage a precious portrait of George Washington from the looting British soldiers. She saved the portrait over her own family's personal belongings because she understood the value of that portrait as a symbol of America's fight for independence.
(Just kidding! About the pop quiz. Not the history lesson. ;-) )
When the British stormed DC and set fire to the White House in the war of 1812, Dolley Madison famously went to great lengths to salvage a precious portrait of George Washington from the looting British soldiers. She saved the portrait over her own family's personal belongings because she understood the value of that portrait as a symbol of America's fight for independence.
History lesson aside, a very, very important aspect of planning that takes place after your session is how you will store and protect your photographs once you have them. Remember, planning for after your session is not just about showcasing your photos. It is also about storing and preserving them.
Do you have backups for the disc or digital files that I provide to you, in case the dog gets hold of them, or a virus attacks your computer? If you don't, here are some simple steps to ensure that you don't lose those precious family memories:
1) Schedule regular backups of your computer's system. You can usually do this through your computer's control panel or settings menu. I store my backups on an external hard drive.
2) Copy your photos and other important files onto an external media storage device. This protects them and keeps them accessible even if your main computer dies. As an added bonus, keeping those large files on an external device helps your main computer run faster! Any of the following will work:
- CD or DVD
- External hard drive
- Protected thumb drive
3) Store your external media in appropriate conditions. Don't expose to extreme temperatures, direct sunlight, and liquids, and don't store them within reach of young children and animals. If you have prints, store them in the coolest, driest location in your house year round.
4) Use an online backup service. There are so many good (and free!) options out there that this is quickly becoming an excellent way to backup your photos. I use Dropbox for sharing and storing personal files, and love it.
I know it's a lot of work to back up your photos, but trust me, it's worth it! Your photographs are the physical forms of intangible memories and therefore hold a tremendous amount of significance for you and your loved ones. If they are lost or destroyed, you can not go back in time and replace them.
