How would you feel if you lost all your photos?

I don’t know what it is but I have seen a spate of friends and family having device failures recently that meant they’ve lost some if not ALL of their photographs.

People, people, people! I know backing up your data sounds like an incredibly boring subject, but how would you feel if you were that person who lost your photos and all those precious family memories? I would be absolutely devastated.

Here’s some quick and easy tips to get your photos stored securely:

• Always aim for double backups. Having them on just one device is a recipe for disaster. Regularly save your photos somewhere else too, such as on your computer. Pssst if your photos from your sessions with me are still on their USB then make sure they’re saved somewhere else too! USBs will be as defunct as a VHS tape within a few years. (Gosh I hope you all know what a VHS is or I’m going to feel really old!!)

• Set up a cloud storage service: There’s loads of options for free and paid cloud storage services which offer automatic backups from your phone. Google Photos is probably a great option for most; you get free storage up to 15GBs.
• Buy an external hard drive: If you want to go hardcore, get an external hard drive too. Regularly copy your photos from your phone or computer to the hard drive. Store it in a safe place, away from heat, moisture, and potential damage.
• Print what you want to preserve: While digitals are great for having your memories with you wherever you are, consider printing some of your favourite photos. Create photo albums or framed displays to enjoy them physically and safeguard them from digital mishaps.

• Schedule your backups: Set a reminder on your phone or calendar to back up your photos regularly. I’ve got one to remind me to plug my phone in once a fortnight. I don’t always remember (read: bother), but I know the more I do it, the less I’ll lose in the event of my phone dying on me. (*notices that reminder has been red for a while and slowly plugs phone in…!*)

Bonus Tip: Get geeky with a file system. I save everything in folders under year, month and date – put it in the format 20240403 along with a description of what’s in the folder and it’ll make finding your photos a lot easier later on.

By following at least one or two of these simple tips, you can make sure your precious family memories will stay safe and secure. Now you can get back to capturing those gorgeous everyday moments – with the peace of mind that they’re protected!