The Best Backup Strategies For Photographers
Did you know that 1 in 4 photographers has experienced catastrophic data loss at some point in their career? It’s happened to me a few times since I started my photography business back in 2015. I’ve had memory cards corrupt and accidentally formatted the wrong hard drive. Just last week, the main hard drive on my iMac stopped working. But instead of being a career-ending mistake, it’s just been a mild annoyance, because I’ve always strived to create good backup habits.
Whether you’re a professional photographer or an enthusiastic hobbyist, losing precious images isn’t just devastating – it can be career-ending! Today I want to walk you through my backup strategy for not only protecting your images but also your reputation!
Why Photography Backup is Non-Negotiable
If you’ve not had a card fail or a hard drive corrupt yet, then you’re lucky. But there will almost certainly come a time when it happens to you. Instead of letting it cause you sleepless nights, make sure you’ve got your own back and you’re prepared for when it happens, by having a solid backup strategy in place.
Here’s why a solid backup strategy isn’t optional:
- Professional reputation: One data loss incident can destroy a reputation you’ve spent years building
- Legal obligations: Many photography business insurance providers require proof of backup systems
- Financial security: The cost of data recovery (if even possible) can exceed $2,000. Not to mention client compensation if you lose their images
- Peace of mind: Stop worrying about hardware failures or accidents
- Client trust: Show professionalism with robust systems in place
The 3-2-1 Backup Rule: Your Photography Safety Net
The golden standard for photo backup is the 3-2-1 rule:
- 3 copies of your data
- 2 different types of storage media
- 1 copy stored off-site
Here’s how I implement this system, and what I recommend to my photography students:
Copy 1 – Primary Copy
The first backups are being saved as I’m out taking photos. I work with two dual-slot cameras that save the images to two memory cards simultaneously.
Side note: I also shoot with two cameras, so that if one camera fails, I also have backup equipment.
When I get home from an elopement or shoot, the cards are taken out of my camera, labeled, backed-up, and stored away safely. No cards are re-formatted until the full final gallery is delivered.
Copy 2 – Local Backup
As soon as I’m home from an elopement, I start making additional backup copies of the RAW files. During this process, I create two additional copies:
- A working copy on my computer’s internal hard drive
- A backup copy on a RAID external hard drive (I currently use a WD My Book Duo 16TB)
Whatever you choose for your working drive, it should be fast and reliable. Depending on what machine you use to edit, you might want to use an external SSD drive instead of the internal one on your computer.
When I’m traveling, I backup and edit on my Macbook Pro. I recommend the WD My Passport SSD (2TB or 4TB version). With transfer speeds up to 1050MB/s, it’s perfect for active editing and daily use.
For your second copy, consider a NAS (Network Attached Storage) system. While I still use a RAID system, a NAS system is better if you want remote access to your files. The Synology DS224+ is my top pick for photographers. It offers:
- Dual drive bays for redundancy
- Automatic backup scheduling
- Remote access to your photos
- Built-in protection against ransomware
Copy 3 – Off-site Backup
This is where cloud storage becomes crucial. After testing numerous services, I highly recommend Backblaze for photographers because:
- Unlimited storage for one low price
- Automatic background backup
- Industry-leading security
- Excellent recovery options
- Cost-effective for large photo libraries
What Files Need Backing Up?
Don’t just backup your final images! Here’s your essential backup checklist:
- RAW Files
- Original camera files
- DNG conversions
- Rejected images (you might need them later!)
- Editing Files
- Lightroom catalogs
- Lightroom preview files
- Photoshop PSD files
- Editing history
- Business Documents*
- Client contracts
- Model releases
- Shooting permits
- Invoice records
- Delivered Products
- Final JPEGs
- Print-ready files
- Web-sized images
- Client galleries
* If you’re using a CRM, then all of your important documents should be stored there, so you shouldn’t need additional backups. However, if you are still creating contracts and invoices directly on your computer, you’ll need to make sure you have them backed up.
Creating Your Bulletproof Backup Workflow
Here’s my step-by-step workflow that you can implement today:
Step 1: Immediate Backup (During/After Shoot)
- Use dual card slots in your camera if available
- Back up to a portable drive like the WD My Passport SSD
- Never format cards until you have three copies
Step 2: Main Storage Transfer
- Import to your primary drive
- Use checksum verification (I recommend ChronoSync for Mac users)
- Organize using a consistent folder structure (For example: YYYY/MM/DD-EventName)
Step 3: Automated Backup
Set up your NAS and cloud backup to run automatically:
- Synology NAS:
- Configure RAID 1 for redundancy
- Set up automatic backup schedules
- Enable Synology Drive for remote access
- Backblaze:
- Install the desktop app
- Select drives/directories you want to be backed up
- Enable continuous backup
- Test restore functionality monthly
NAS vs RAID – What’s the Difference?
NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a dedicated device that connects to a network, allowing multiple users to easily share and access files from a central location. It’s like a shared digital filing cabinet that everyone in an organization or home can access. NAS
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a method of combining multiple hard drives to improve data protection and performance. Instead of focusing on sharing, RAID concentrates on keeping data safe by creating backups across drives or improving speed by spreading data storage.
The key difference is simple: NAS is about sharing files across a network, while RAID is about making data storage more reliable and faster.
It’s worth noting that an NAS can be configured with RAID. This combines the network-sharing benefits of NAS with the data protection and performance advantages of RAID. For example, a NAS device might use RAID 1 (mirroring) or RAID 5 (striping with parity) to provide data redundancy while still allowing multiple users to access files over the network. The Synology DS224+ is an example of this.
Best Backup Solutions for Every Budget
Budget-Friendly Setup ($300-500):
- WD Elements Desktop 4TB ($130)
- SanDisk 2TB Extreme Portable SSD ($135)
- Backblaze ($99/year)
Professional Setup ($1000-1500):
- Synology DS224+ (diskless) ($300)
- Two WD Red Pro NAS drives ($240)
- SanDisk Professional 4TB PRO-G40 SSD ($360)
- Backblaze unlimited backup ($99/year)
Emergency Recovery Plan
Even with the best backup system, you need a recovery plan:
- Create a recovery document with:
- Account credentials (stored securely)
- Step-by-step recovery procedures
- Hardware serial numbers
- Support contact information
- Test your recovery process regularly:
- Restore random files from each backup
- Verify file integrity
- Time the recovery process
- Update procedures as needed
Conclusion
Don’t wait for disaster to strike – implement this backup strategy today. Start with the basics: grab an external drive and a Backblaze subscription. Then gradually build up to a full 3-2-1 system. Your future self (and your clients) will thank you!
Remember: The cost of a proper backup system is nothing compared to the cost of losing irreplaceable photos. Take action now – your photography business depends on it!
