Home Storage of Digital Photographs: a 2 hour workshop provided by an archivist on the preservation, storage and management of digital images.

1. Preservation
Home Storage of Digital Photos
Presented by John D. Lund, Archivist, Digital Records

2. Always keep in mind that a digital image is
solely machine readable;
Without the technology the digital image is
inaccessible;
One needs to plan for obsolescence:
 to regularly migrate/transfer
records in accordance to
current technology.
Preservation

3. Problems with Digital
 Short lifespan – under ideal conditions 5 to 20 years.
 Rapidly changing and obsolete technology and
formats.
 More complete and irreversible loss than non-digital
formats.
 New, unproven technology – lack of standardization.
Preservation

4. Positive Aspects of Digital
 Potentially searchable by keyword.
 Convenient and inexpensive.
 Plenty of storage space.
 Generational loss is minimal in non-compressed
formats during transfer from one digital format to
another.
Preservation

5. JPEG:
Joint Photographics Expert Group;
24 bit colour;
Jpeg is a compression algorithm not a file
format:
- lossy and compressed;
Each opening and resaving of a JPEG
results in cumulative losses;
Image changes and quality decreases each
time a JPEG is saved;
Works well for realistic images, photos, etc.
File Formats
Preservation

6. TIFF:
Tagged Image File Format;
Currently accepted preservation format;
Lossless and choose non-compressed;
TIFF – lossless LZW compression option;
Retains RGB values for each pixel;
High bit depth;
Metadata can be attached;
ICC profiles can be attached.
File Formats
Preservation

7.  Ideal Resolution
A high resolution archival copy – minimum 300dpi (ideal
600dpi), preferably in TIFF format;
A viewing copy – 72 - 96dpi is standard for the internet,
jpeg format;
 There are 2 components to resolution:
A Spatial Resolution– dpi, pixels per inch;
Physical dimensions of print copy (8”x10”).
Preservation
Resolution

8. Compression
Data (pixels) that are duplicated are
deleted or saved in a shorter form.
Allows for smaller size files but data is
lost.
Preservation

9. When a lossy compressed image is decompressed,
it is no longer the same as the original image.
Information is eliminated as part of the compression.
When a lossless compressed image is
decompressed, it is identical to the image before it
was decompressed:
For example, TIFF with LZW lossless
compression.
Lossy Compression
Lossless Compression
Preservation

10. Storage
Ideal long term storage: image files stored to a
server or on an external hard drive;
Back up, back up, back up is the mantra;
Print out your most important pictures!
Don’t throw out originals (physical).
Preservation

11. Camera / Smartphone – Source Data - RAW
RAW

12. RAW is a raster file;
RAW is not one single thing, rather it’s a
general term for a variety of proprietary
file formats, including,
Canon’s CRW & CR2,
Minolta’s MRW &
Nikon’s NEF.
RAW
RAW

13. A RAW file is a record of the data captured by a
camera’s sensor.
“Digital Camera” covers a wide range of
technologies.
But most of those that shoot raw are known as
‘mosaic sensor” or “color filter array” (CFA)
cameras.
RAW files not only contain the image pixel
information but also the image metadata.
RAWcont’d
RAW

14. Both RAW and JPEG captures contain EXIF
(Exchangeable Image Format) metadata.
EXIF records shooting data such as camera
model, serial number, shutter speed, aperture
and date.
EXIF is technical metadata: www.flickr.com.
understanding_digitalrawcapture.pdf
RAWcont’d
RAW

15. Adobe Bridge (bridge btwn creative suite
software)
Adobe Lightroom (workflow)
Photos for OS X
(was Aperture / iphoto)
Descriptive Metadata
Metadata

16. Where the Amateurand Professionals
Converge:
Digital Photography Review
http://www.dpreview.com/
Resource

17.  For this section the assumption is the use of digital
cameras rather than smart phones
Digital photos range in file sizes (storage requirements)
based on resolution and file format.
Generally TIFF and RAW files are larger, 10MB to
25MB
Generally jpeg files are mid to small file sizes, <10MB
Smartphone photos are low resolution intended for
quick distribution and sharing, though resolution quality
is improving. Eg, an Instagram photo is 612ppi x
612ppi.
Managing Your Photographs

18. TIFF and RAW files are used for long term
preservation.
jpeg files are not considered long term as they degrade
over time.
File sizes of digital photos may vary greatly dependent
on any post production performed in programs such as
Adobe CS Photoshop.
Generally digital photo files are significantly larger than
text files and this may influence decision making
regarding asset management tools for photographs.
Managing Your Photographs

19. Photo Organization
Managing Your Photographs
automatic, local, remote

20. Services like Gmail and Yahoo have led us to
become accustomed to our data piling up
endlessly;
Google Photos will sync your devices and find an
image file regardless of where it is stored, there
is no need to know where it is;
But Google Photos only cares that it is an image file, all
are equal;
There is no discernment of importance or priority;
Software may become corrupted, in what folder were
those photographs stored?
Organization 101
Managing Your Photographs

21. It is important to:
Know where your photos are stored;
Identify your photos;
Back up, back up, back up;
Regularly migrate data
- Keep up with changing
technologies.
 How easily can you find that picture of
Uncle Luke at Tom’s 5th
birthday party?
 Do you have a workflow or file handling
system?
Organization 101
Managing Your Photographs
Taking photos is the easy part,
managing photos is the challenge.

22. Programs/Services, such as, Google Photos,
iPhoto and Lightroom (Adobe) may provide
great help in photo organization but they are
tools not solutions.
Organization 101
Managing Your Photographs

23. Guiding Principles:
 Upload your images using a unique file name system
- Each image is distinct from any other;
- Don’t rely on the numerical file name generated by your camera;
- Create a file name system that has meaning to you
- Example, Date, initials, image #: [20111031_JDL_0001.jpg];
 Upload your images into dated folders [20111031]
- If you have more than one event or subject taken on the same
day sub-folders may be created under the name of each event or
subject.
- One option may be to identify sub-folders in accordance to event
and location;
Organization 101
Managing Your Photographs

24. Guiding Principles cont’d:
 Convert photos to a non-proprietary format:
- i.e., RAW to Tiff or jpeg (keep at least one copy in original
format);
 Once images uploaded, go through and rate each image:
- Programs, such as, Lightroom have rating options;
- A “0 to 5” scale can be used: 0-1 get trashed, 2 get stored for
major editing later, 3-5 minor editing required & are ready to
show;
 Keyword (Tag) your images:
- By name, event, action, emotion, etc;
- Software such as Adobe Bridge and Adobe Lightroom provide
the capacity to directly add keywords to an image file.
Organization 101
Managing Your Photographs

25. Guiding Principles cont’d:
 Back up, back up, back up:
- Keys to good back up:
- Automatic – whether you do it manually or have an
automated system back ups need to be second nature;
- Local – first backup is easy and fast to restore, such as, an
external hard drive;
- Remote – in case of disaster, may store at work, at a
relatives or in the cloud (should be secure – encrypted);
 Media Migration – will be necessary at least every 5-10
years:
- Technology changes;
- Technology fails.
Organization 101
Managing Your Photographs

26. Managing Your Photographs
Cloud Storage

27. Simply put it is offsite storage in the
hands of experts;
There are many choices out there;
Why store photos in a cloud?
How do you decide what vendor (cloud)
to use?
Cloud Storage
What is the cloud?

28. 1. You get what you pay for:
There are a variety of services that provide free or
cheap (under $10/month) back-up services;
They include a variety of features including
automated back-up;
Examples are, Mozy, CrashPlan, BackBlaze and
Carbonite;
However, if you are a business using a cheap
home service this is likely a breach of Terms of
Use and your account can be closed at any time.
Cloud Storage
What is the cloud?

29. 1. cont’d
Services, such as, Mozy provide cheap service on
the speculation that their servers will be able to
support the demand as the low end users will
balance out with the high end users;
It is a gamble, in Mozy’s case it
didn’t pan out and they removed
their $5 unlimited service.
Mozy was consumed by Carbonite.
Cloud Storage
Picture of
Han Solo in
Carbonite
here.
Copyright in
Canada is
another
workshop we
provide. 

30.  We are magicians and have developed a spell that enables us
to store all the world’s data in our invisibility cloak. Also – just
like Mozy – we calculate that everything will just sort of average
out. Anyway, we’ve also conjured up some Terms of Service,
so when it all goes wrong we’re covered, even if you’re not.
 Call yourself a professional photographer. Then those images
you uploaded are part of your business. We’ve therefore
terminated your account and deleted your archive; you are of
course welcome to open a business account and pay for use
rather than piggybacking on our consumer offering, you cheap
bastard.
Cloud Storage
Terms of Service Translations by Jeremy Nicholl

31. Important! Read the Terms of Service
Cloud Storage
Terms of Service

32. 2. What do you want to store?
Most online storage vendors were established to
support storing textual records, spreadsheets, etc
that have significantly smaller file sizes than
photographs;
These vendors have offered their services to
photographers as they have recognized a
demand;
However, they may only be suitable for low
resolution images, jpegs, point and shoot
photography or backing up the best of the best of
your photographs.
Cloud Storage

33. 3. They are not a storage solution they
are a back-up solution:
Remember the back-up mantra, you want both
local back-up and remote back-up;
Do not rely on remote back-up alone.
Cloud Storage

34. 4. There are multiple types of cloud
storage:
Public/community web-based cloud storage:
- Upload files via browser and files become instantly
available through a web-based interface. Examples
are Flickr and Smugmug;
- Downside, cannot upload RAW files and cannot
easily download all photos back to your computer.
Cloud Storage

35. 4. Cloud storage types cont’d:
Local/hybrid folder synchronization:
- A client is installed that monitors a specific folder on
your computer for changes. A new file is
automatically uploaded to the cloud through your
internet connection;
- Advantage – auto updates folder structure and old
versions of files maintained;
- Easily share files between computers,
family/friends;
- Examples, Dropbox, Livedrive and GoodSync.
Cloud Storage

36. 4. Cloud storage types cont’d:
Dedicated/private cloud storage:
- Buy as much space as you need and use however you
need;
- May manually upload files or install client software that
auto synchronizes specific folders on computer;
- Up to you if you wish to keep a local back-up or not;
- Space is yours, not shared with others like in Flickr;
- Many different companies, such as, Amazon;
- May require some technical skills to use efficiently;
- Depending on amount of storage required, may become
very expensive, however prices continue to fall;
Cloud Storage

37. 5. Bandwidth:
If you plan to back-up large image files, such as,
RAW and TIFF or a large back catalogue, you will
require good upload bandwidth;
Download bandwidth is usually faster than upload,
most users are downloading content not uploading;
But you will also want good download bandwidth,
as well, for restoring files in case of an emergency;
Check with your internet provider.
Cloud Storage

38. The internet is a fickle beast
In 2012 Mosaic Archive - a cloud based storage
solution dedicated to photography. Shipped hard
drive, bandwidth too slow, $$$;
2015, Mosaic is an access solution for Google
Drive, plugin for Lightroom & IOS app, free –
scalable costs.
2016, What Mosaic Archives
Cloud Storage

39.  https://www.cloudwards.net/best-cloud-storage-for-
photographers/
 https://en.softonic.com/articles/the-10-best-cloud-
storage-services-for-photographers
 https://shuttermuse.com/cloud-backup-
photographers/
Cloud Storage
Recommended cloud storage for photographers
2019

40.  Note: Jurisdiction and Legislation.
Cloud Storage

41.  What is NAS?
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwhT-KI16jo
 Essentially it is your own personal cloud
 WD MyCloud
 QNAP Network Attached Storage
 Synology Network Attached Storage
 When purchasing a NAS, note that often the chassis,
the exterior case, will be sold separately from the
hard drives that slot into the case.
 $$ not $$$$
Network Attached Storage - NAS

42.  Sample NAS:
 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1121925-
REG/wd_wdbwze0080kbk_nesn_8tb_4_x_2tb.html
Network Attached Storage - NAS

43.  Wilhelm Imaging Research:
 http://wilhelm-research.com/
 Image Permanence Institute:
 https://www.imagepermanenceinstitute.org/
Paper