By
May 26, 2020
“Everyone say cheese!” Argh, storage full.
We’ve all been there. You’re trying to capture a perfect moment only to find yourself frantically deleting old images. You can stop getting caught out by starting to back up your photos!
Backing up your photos to an online storage service has many benefits. It frees up space on your phone or computer. You can access your photos from anywhere. You can also share photos easily. And perhaps most importantly, as long as you’ve uploaded your photos to the cloud, all of your memories will be safe and sound.
That said, even though it’s been around for a while, you might be wondering what the cloud is…
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‘The cloud’ explained
The cloud is a phrase for online storage. It’s made up of a network of servers in data centres around the world that can be accessed over the internet.
For most of us, storing information in the cloud is far more practical than having your own server. There are hundreds of services that can store your photos directly from your internet-connected device. Some of these include:
- Google Drive
- Amazon Drive
- Dropbox
- iCloud Drive
- OneDrive
Choosing the right cloud storage for you
Many cloud storage systems are free (or very low cost). But because there are so many to choose from, you may have difficulty picking the one that’s right for you.
The best option for you depends on how you plan on using it. Are you backing up every photo in your phone, or just the keepers? Might you also need more storage to back up your work files, or will you just use it for your personal information?
Popular choices which are free include Google Photos, Dropbox, OneDrive and Flickr. But if you take your photography more seriously, you could look into more robust photo-organising software like ACDSee, Mylio and Adobe, which include online cloud storage for a fee.
Here’s what else to consider before choosing your cloud back-up solution:
Try before you buy: take the time to find the right provider for your needs. Most storage providers give you some free storage with extra capacity available for a monthly or annual fee. But don’t be tempted to spread your images across the free space on multiple platforms. It’s simpler and easier to manage with one provider.
Consider your file formats: almost all providers enable backing up and sharing JPEGs. However, if you’re a professional photographer or designer and need storage for TIFF or RAW files, you’ll need to do a bit more research to get the most suitable option.
Internet connection: how reliable is your internet connection? If it’s limited or slow, cloud storage could drain your monthly allowance. Large files, especially those from DSLR cameras can really throttle your internet, so it might be worth investing in an external hard drive for storage. Of course, you can always upgrade your internet to high-speed unlimited fibre and enjoy the best of both worlds.
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Automate when you can: backing up your photos only works if you remember to do it. The good news is, many services have automated synchronization and backup options. This means that not only will they detect when you’ve transferred new photos to your hard drive, they’ll also automatically upload them for you.
So when it comes to the cloud storage options – hopefully we’ve put you in the picture.