Steps a Professional Photographer Can Take to Effectively Manage Digital Photos

With the increased use of digital photography over film photography, photographers have found themselves managing terabytes of information. Managing this information effectively has become one of the keys to running a successful photography business. This article offers some suggestion on managing this data in an effective, efficient manner.

1. Use an offsite location to store backups. Nothing could devastate a photography business more completely than the destruction of all data in an onsite fire or flood. Today there are a number of ways to accomplish this objective. Some data storage companies allow business owners to keep a backup of their work on the company's servers. Often this can be accomplished through an online backup. While the initial online backup takes a substantial amount of time, the keeping of the backup current is usually relatively quick. On a reoccurring basis, usually daily, the server will add the changes made to the data on the original hard drive. Since changes are usually minimal, the amount of time is required is usually relatively quick.
2. Network your computers. In many studios, before any job is considered complete, a number of people need to manipulate the files. For instance, some studios have one person who selects the images, another to perform color correction and still another to create a layout for the photos. Rather than passing the images and data from the PC's of these different people, put the files on a central server and allow all to make the changes on these files. This will lower the number of image copies and the hard drive space needed to store those copies. In addition, having fewer copies will reduce confusion. Everyone will know the file that is on the server is the latest and greatest.
3. Don't overload the information system. Let's face it when working with images this is difficult to do. Working with thousands of RAW files in applications like Photoshop and Lightroom tends to fill broadband, use up RAM and hard drive space and max out processing power. The temptation is to try and maximize productivity by maxing out these resources. A better method is to use restraint. Don't ever fill more than 80% of the RAM and hard drive space. Don't try and upload several items at the same time. The paradox is you will in the long run accomplish more by keeping your system healthy by running it at 80% then trying to stress it out by running it at 100%.

Digital photography has revolutionized the photography industry. Managing this information has become essential to a photographers success.

About the Author:

Vanessa Honda, Photographer

Vanessa has an extensive photographers knowledge of many Orange County Wedding photography locations such as locations in Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Temecula, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Tustin and San Diego. She instructs Newport Beach Portrait Photographers in techniques and shoots many Laguna Beach Weddings.

Vanessa is a OC Wedding Photographer who works with a number of Huntington Beach Photographers