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Where to store photos on a Mac
Sep 3, 2021 08:18:12 #
SD Kate
Loc: Sioux Falls, SD
Currently my photos are automatically downloaded to "Photos" on my Mac. From there I will export to Luminar when processing. After processing, I export back to "Photos." My question is that currently my main photo library remains in the "Photos" app. I also have a "Pictures" file on the hard drive. When I scan, my photos go to that file. For those of you that use Mac, what import and/or storage system do you recommend. I also backup my photos on the iCloud and onto a remote drive.
Sep 3, 2021 08:39:47 #
Sep 3, 2021 08:40:24 #
The only photos that are sent to the Photos folder on my Mac are those taken with my IPad or IPhone, all others are sent directly to a stand alone hard drive designated for all photos coming off of my cameras. I also have a folder on my Mac to which I send finished processed photos that I will be sending to BayPhoto for printing.
Sep 3, 2021 09:01:09 #
StevenG
Loc: Long Island, NY
SD Kate wrote:
Currently my photos are automatically downloaded t... (show quote)
All of my photos are stored on an external hard drive and accessed and organized with Lightroom.
Sep 3, 2021 09:07:48 #
SD Kate wrote:
Currently my photos are automatically downloaded t... (show quote)
If you store photos on your iMac you run a high risk of loss. Computer HDs fail. Most photographers will store photos on external drives, several of them.
Sep 3, 2021 12:10:02 #
FreddB
Loc: PA - Delaware County
Drag & drop from via card reader to external hard drive #1
Process (develop?) in Luminar; export to ext hd #2
Copy both original & “for printing” to another external hd.
Scheduled backups to Backblaze, and also to yet another hd.
That gives me 4 chances to have at least one version survive. 🙏🏻😁
Process (develop?) in Luminar; export to ext hd #2
Copy both original & “for printing” to another external hd.
Scheduled backups to Backblaze, and also to yet another hd.
That gives me 4 chances to have at least one version survive. 🙏🏻😁
Sep 3, 2021 12:57:39 #
I save original photos in monthly folders under Pictures on the internal hard drive, which Time Machine also backs up to a USB3 drive.
I import edited photos at lower resolution to Photos, primarily for displays and as Smart Folders with keywords as an index to the original file name.
Time Machine also backs up the Photo Library to the USB3 drive.
Perhaps every 6 months, I copy both my originals and the Photo library to another USB3 drive.
I import edited photos at lower resolution to Photos, primarily for displays and as Smart Folders with keywords as an index to the original file name.
Time Machine also backs up the Photo Library to the USB3 drive.
Perhaps every 6 months, I copy both my originals and the Photo library to another USB3 drive.
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Sep 4, 2021 05:23:35 #
SD Kate wrote:
Currently my photos are automatically downloaded t... (show quote)
I use four external hard drives, nothing is stored on my computer!!!
Sep 4, 2021 06:50:53 #
SD Kate wrote:
Currently my photos are automatically downloaded t... (show quote)
Sounds like you're covered if backed up with iCloud and on a remote drive. I basically do the same thing on my Mac only difference I use ON 1 Raw as my stand alone photo library and from there I use lumunar and topaz software as plug ins. My Picture Files are just part of the chain of where my photos are located as well. The chain goes like this:
Local Drives/Macintosh HD/User/Martin fisher/PICTURES. That's normal nothing wrong with the way you do it. Folks will add additional drives to their computers when they run out of storage. I personal have 2TB of storage on my two different Macs and I just keep my images cleaned up so I don't need the extra drives. I only use extra drives for Remote storage. If you have External Drives hooked up to your computer and your computer is compromised then you run the risk of losing your images as well. Having iCloud and Remote storage is the best route, in my opinion.
Sep 4, 2021 08:39:33 #
SD Kate
Loc: Sioux Falls, SD
Thank you all for your input. Sometimes we just need to reassure ourselves. I have been lax in backing up to my third hard drive but will set up a better work process. I can learn from each of you.
Sep 4, 2021 09:02:44 #
davidrb wrote:
If you store photos on your iMac you run a high risk of loss. Computer HDs fail. Most photographers will store photos on external drives, several of them.
I keep photos on external discs so I'm relatively safe. I have a late 2015 IMAC 27 inch 5K that I love but the disc died in its sleep last year. I keep a 3TB disc on Time Machine and always do a full backup. I was able to get back in business by copying a backup to an external disc and booting from that. The Apple Store put in a new disc a few days later. I still love my IMAC but it is due for replacement.
You sail along for four years and all of a sudden, disaster! But I was prepared.
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Sep 4, 2021 09:13:02 #
RichieC
Loc: Adirondacks
redundancy. Multiple hard drives never fail at the same time unless you are in politics and under subpoena..
External or internal hard drives are now pretty cheap. Get and save to two, and keep them in separate locations, like one at your work desk and one at home- etc .
Or burn DVD's...
Lightroom has a pretty good photo organizing format, but you must learn how to properly use it. If anybody criticizes this statement, they haven't learned it. I will say, it isn't as intuitive as it could be and takes some effort to learn, but if you do it right, you can actually find a photograph you are looking for in short order, and its edits are non-destructive. .
External or internal hard drives are now pretty cheap. Get and save to two, and keep them in separate locations, like one at your work desk and one at home- etc .
Or burn DVD's...
Lightroom has a pretty good photo organizing format, but you must learn how to properly use it. If anybody criticizes this statement, they haven't learned it. I will say, it isn't as intuitive as it could be and takes some effort to learn, but if you do it right, you can actually find a photograph you are looking for in short order, and its edits are non-destructive. .
Sep 4, 2021 09:19:14 #
StevenG wrote:
All of my photos are stored on an external hard drive and accessed and organized with Lightroom.
Your answer is partially correct.
ALL information on a computer HD is vulnerable. Hard drives do fail. Not often but they do sometimes fail. As do other things, screens, backplanes, power supplies.
IF you have important information, photos, addresses, financial info anything that is important then it is advised to back up that information on a separate physical device, such as an external drive, cloud storage , etc. lathered are many choices.
The important thing is not the device but that a process exists to backup important information.
Sep 4, 2021 09:32:27 #
Picture Taker
Loc: Michigan Thumb
I you use an external hard drive you will not load the computer up and slow it down. ALSO, use 2 hard drives so if one fails you have not lost it all. Always have 2 sets for protection.
Sep 4, 2021 10:08:10 #
SD Kate wrote:
Currently my photos are automatically downloaded t... (show quote)
I import from SD card to photos library, process in Luminar and or Affinity and keep in Photos Library. I backup to Time Machine. You can also copy photos library to external drive. You also can have multiple photos libraries.
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